An Interview with Katy Chen of Laundrybee
Katy Chen is the founder and CEO of Laundrybee, a chain of nine, branded laundromats located within the five boroughs of New York City.
Ms. Chen has owned and operated numerous laundromats over that last 20 years. And, in 2019, she established the Laundrybee brand for her current chain of vended laundries.
What piqued your interest in the laundromat industry?
After graduating from Baruch College with a degree in business, I worked in graphic design for a couple of years. Then, my aunt asked me to partner with her on the opening of a laundromat in New York City.
It was a great opportunity for me. After that first store, I discovered that I really liked the business and realized that laundromats were my niche. I stopped doing everything else and focused on opening more laundromats.
With the flexible schedule laundromats offer, I was able to open additional stores. I don’t always have to physically be at my stores – and this allowed me to successfully scale my business.
I’m not tied to my laundries. I have great employees. Of course, to do this, you must have a large enough laundromat and ample revenue to justify the labor. You have to spend money to make money.
What do you consider the most valuable resources to learn more about the industry?
For me, one of my most valuable resources was my dad, who is in the construction industry. In fact, a lot of his most successful customers were laundromat owners. So, I grew up in that environment. Also, my dad built my first laundromat, then I built the rest myself.
Therefore, I was quite knowledgeable about store construction, as well as repair and maintenance.
Whether you’re a man or a women, a laundromat is a high-maintenance business. There are a lot of machines. There are repairs. And there is wear and tear on everything in a laundry, because we have hundreds of customers a day. You must learn how to deal with service technicians and learn from them – or else you’re going to end up spending too much money.
You need to keep your laundromat in working order. Don’t let things break down.
What do you enjoy most about working in the laundry industry?
I enjoy the building aspect. I like starting a new project from scratch and seeing it through to the finished product. I like the creation process of a new business and watching it grow. Of course, I also enjoy the flexibility that laundries offer.
What do you find to be most challenging?
Being a woman is different that being a man in this business, especially with regard to construction, maintenance and repair – because most of the individuals in these areas are men. I don’t see any female contractors. I’m the only woman dealing with all of these men.
Of course, everyone is different. For whatever reasons, I may have found it a bit easier to navigate this industry than some other women. But it can be challenging. It’s a male-dominated business, and women have to be prepared for that.
What advice would you give to other women looking to get into this industry?
Don’t be afraid to go into the laundry business just because you find it intimidating. No, it’s not like opening a clothing store, but there are people in this industry who will help you. Find a good distributor, and let them refer you to a quality contractor. A professional distributor can set you up for success.
If you had to do it all over again, what would you do differently?
I would have branded my business much earlier – from the very first store.
What can the laundry industry do to encourage more women to enter this business, especially in the more male-dominated roles – such as store ownership, engineering, management, and so on?
Maybe it can find a way to get more female representatives selling equipment. Perhaps it should promote women into positions where they’re dealing with store owners and prospective store owners, so women considering investing in laundries can see and speak with other women within the industry.
Where do you see the industry heading in the next five years?
I see larger laundromats, more technology, and a new generation of laundry owners.
