In 2019, the Coin Laundry Association held its first luncheon for women in vended laundry during the Clean Show in New Orleans. Nearly 80 people attended and the feedback was positive.
Due to the pandemic, the next event to focus on women in the laundromat industry was held at this year’s Clean Show in Atlanta, where nearly 100 people attended to network and hear keynote speaker Fawn Germer present “The Power Hour: How to Kick A** as Your Authentic Self.” Again, the feedback was overwhelmingly positive, and there was encouragement to continue this initiative beyond Clean.
In honor of next month’s National Women’s Small Business Month, the CLA has announced it has formed a task force for women in vended laundry with the goal of creating initiatives and opportunities to recognize, empower and connect women in the industry and offer a forum for open discussion of women-related issues and initiatives in vended laundry. The task force is comprised of a diverse group of women in various roles and located throughout the U.S.
The task force held its first meeting in mid-September to discuss some of the challenges women experience in the industry and ways that the CLA can address these issues. The task force determined there should be a dual focus: (1) building confidence and leadership in women, and (2) changing the perception of women in the industry.
Some of the ideas discussed to address these issues and to look for in the future include:
- Highlighting women in PlanetLaundry magazine each month to showcase their accomplishments.
- Providing leadership training programs for women – virtually or in-person – to help build confidence.
- Developing mentorship programs among women in laundry and including male role models as mentors.
- Utilizing the CLA Connect online community for women in vended laundry to drive discussions among women.
- Creating best practices to recruit women into the vended laundry industry.
With National Women’s Small Business Month coming up in October, it’s a great time to celebrate women-owned businesses everywhere, as well as the outstanding progress female entrepreneurs have made over the years. The CLA hopes to build on this success and empower women in the vended laundry industry.
If you’re interested in getting more involved with this initiative, contact CLA Director of Membership & Education Danielle Bauer at [email protected].
