Starting a business is one thing, but growing it into Australia’s fastest-growing door-to-door laundry service while maintaining flexibility and work-life balance is a challenge few entrepreneurs successfully navigate.
In a recent episode of the Grow a Small Business podcast, hosted by Troy Trewin, Susan Toft, founder of The Laundry Lady, shared her inspiring journey of scaling a home-based business into a thriving operation across Australia and New Zealand.
Continue reading to learn more about the episode, and about Susan’s entrepreneurial journey.
The Beginning of The Laundry Lady
Susan’s entrepreneurial journey was deeply influenced by her desire to balance professional aspirations with family life. Reflecting on her transition from a corporate marketing career, she shared, “When I became a new mum, I was really struggling with trying to balance things. With my career that I had built, and being a mum, and being at home, and having any kind of flexibility.”
This pivotal decision led her to establish The Laundry Lady, aiming to provide flexible work opportunities for more people seeking a better work-life balance.
Bootstrapping to Success

Building The Laundry Lady from the ground up required resilience and focus on key business areas, such as financial management, operations and marketing.
Susan emphasised the challenges of cash flow management in the early stages, noting that “consistent challenges with managing finances, especially in the early stages, can lead to moments of doubt about whether the effort is worth it.”
Despite these obstacles, her commitment to understanding the financial and management complexities of her business played a crucial role in its growth.
Empowering Communities Through Flexible Opportunities
A vital part of The Laundry Lady’s success is its commitment to offering a flexible option for people to increase their weekly income, our team of Laundry Ladies and Lads.
In her interview with Troy, Susan highlighted how the platform empowers families and communities by providing work that adapts to individual schedules. This model not only meets a market need but also supports those who require adaptable working conditions, fostering a sense of empowerment among contractors.
According to The Laundry Lady’s CEO, “this business has given them an opportunity to earn a great income, and have flexibility, working from home, whether it’s because they need to look after their kids or their elderly parents or whatever that is”.
Scaling Challenges and Strategic Growth
As The Laundry Lady expanded, scaling the business presented its own set of challenges. Susan discussed the complexities involved in managing a growing team, stating that “people are the toughest thing to scale, because there’s so many variables around human beings.”
To navigate these challenges, she focused on building a strong company culture and implementing a marketmaker platform that supports both contractors and customers,TimeBoss.
Future Aspirations
Looking ahead, Susan is enthusiastic about further growth and innovation. With plans to invest in new technologies and expand services to new markets, such as the USA and Canada, The Laundry Lady aims to continue revolutionising the laundry service industry while maintaining its core values of flexibility and convenience, saving people time.
Susan’s full conversation on Grow a Small Business offers more insights into the challenges and strategies behind The Laundry Lady’s success. She discusses her approach to overcoming self-doubt, managing finances, and building a scalable business.Listen to the full episode here: Grow a Small Business Podcast – Susan Toft