We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Stacey Drake a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Stacey, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?
My resilience stems from a profound commitment to completing tasks not just adequately, but exceptionally well. This commitment becomes a driving force, pushing me to overcome challenges and accomplish what I set my mind to achieve.
Growing up, my parents emphasized personal responsibility and the pursuit of excellence. My dad’s approach of not paying us to do our chores but rewarding good grades underscored the importance of going beyond the ordinary. Their unwavering encouragement to persevere, put forth our best effort, and navigate life’s challenges with resilience has shaped my approach.
The determination to prove naysayers wrong is another source of resilience. Despite having a support system cheering me on, there are always those who doubt and wish for failure. I use this skepticism as fuel to persevere and showcase that setbacks are not roadblocks but stepping stones to success.
Moreover, my resilience is deeply rooted in a sense of responsibility to my family, my girls (Chandace, Makayla, and Madisyn), mentees, and those who look up to me. I strive to be a living testament to the possibility of triumphing over adversity, illustrating the value of hard work, and exemplifying unwavering dedication, and drive unmatched by most. Knowing that my actions may inspire and guide others, even those I’ve yet to meet, reinforces my resolve to navigate difficult times with resilience and grace.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I’m a dedicated mother, wife, and business owner, who still manages to work a full time job. My journey into entrepreneurship began by exploring real estate investments with my husband.
My husband and I had been diligently considering how to invest our savings when fate took an unexpected turn with the onset of the pandemic. So, we found ourselves back at the drawing board, searching for an alternative path. One day, we stumbled upon an informational seminar about the laundromat business. The more we delved into it, the more it piqued our interest. It appeared to be an industry with untapped potential, particularly given that it was an essential business and could remain open during the pandemic.
The journey didn’t truly begin until we recalled our own experiences with laundromats, growing up in underserved communities. These memories served as a catalyst for our vision. We reminisced about the often lackluster laundromat visits of our past. Dingy, outdated facilities and a lack of customer-centric services left much to be desired. It was then that we decided we wanted to do better, to be better than what we had experienced. Our shared belief emerged that everyone, regardless of their background, deserved to experience “the finer things in life,” even during something as mundane as laundry day.
It was at that moment that BubblyMat Laundry was created. It became our mission to create a laundromat experience that transcended the ordinary, offering not just clean clothes but comfort, convenience, and a sense of community. BubblyMat would be a place where customers felt valued, where quality and customer satisfaction were paramount. It is a place where customers can expect exceptional service, a clean facility, and quality equipment.
We are are most proud of opening 3 locations within 3 years and offering things like a Kids’ area, zen garden, wash and fold service, both in store and pick up and delivery, as well as promotional events like double your money, $2 wash, discounts for seniors, military, and first responders, and incorporating technology with our app based machine. We are really trying to do to the laundromat industry what Starbucks did to the coffee industry; change how people think about laundromats and doing laundry.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
I would say that attention to detail, experience in customer service, and the ability to be innovative has been most impactful in this journey. Because of these things and others we’ve been able to identify our principles and stand firmly on them. We are committed to maintaining a customer-centric approach by placing customers at the forefront, actively listening to their feedback and tailoring services to meet their needs. We are consistently delivering high-quality services that showcase expertise, attention to detail, and a dedication to excellence.
Finally, the ability to embrace innovation and adapt to changing industry trends has been the cornerstone of our success.
My advice to anyone who is still early in their journey would be to keep moving forward; be resilient. You’ll have haters, you’ll have rough seasons, setbacks and challenges, but it’s essential for growth.
I would also encourage them to ask questions and seek knowledge about the industry from various sources and study the competition.
More than anything they should stay focused and remember why they started in order to finish well and be successful.
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
Yes, we are definitely looking to collaborate. In recent years, the need for professional laundry services has become increasingly apparent across various industries. BubblyMat Laundry, is setting its sights on becoming an industry leader by offering comprehensive solutions for schools, hotels, colleges, restaurants, salons, medical facilities, and other businesses.
We look forward to these types of partnerships to provide top-tier laundry services. If interested, readers can contact us by phone, email or any of our social media platforms. Potential partners can expect a seamless and efficient laundry care experience that aligns with their specific requirements.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.bubblymat.com
- Instagram: @bubblymat_laundry
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BubblyMat1aundry?mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Youtube: @bubblymatlaundry2800
- Yelp: https://yelp.to/0QnEZaMsHy
- Other: 562-231-7262
Image Credits
Anthony Darrell Burns
