I hope the first half of 2015 has been successful for you and your businesses. Recent surveys and economic indicators are all showing positive results, and it looks to stay that way for some time to come.
In addition, the Coin Laundry Association accomplished some major initiatives during the first part of this year.
The Clean Show in Atlanta this past April was a huge success. The entire Atlanta experience was positive, despite some early skepticism going into the show. I’ve been attending the Clean Show since 2003 and can honestly say that, without question, it was the best one to date.
The show’s traffic far exceeded expectations. Attendees were able to experience a variety of events, including the opportunity to network with their peers and industry manufacturers. What’s more, they had the chance to attend a variety of educational seminars to learn more about the latest industry topics and current trends. Those in attendance also were able to meet with the manufacturers’ experts to learn about new products, technologies and innovations – all in one venue.
The general attitude of the show’s attendees was very positive. I think people left Atlanta with a new perspective and excited about what the future holds for the self-service laundry business.
Furthermore, the launch of the CLA Connect Open Forum is now in full swing and has exceeded expectations as a new benefit to the association. This has quickly grown into a popular forum, which provides valuable industry information, with insights and advice being exchanged among peers. This should provide a great venue for owners to continue to learn from each other. If you haven’t yet had a chance to experience this online forum, it’s easy: simply log onto coinlaundry.org and click on “Open Forum” at the top of the home page. You’ll instantly see the top industry discussions taking place.
At the association’s recent Board of Directors spring meeting, we voted for and adopted a new strategic plan for the organization, inclusive of refining our mission and vision statement. The purpose was to ensure that we have charted a course for 2015 and beyond. As the plan was developed, it needed to reflect the realities of today’s new economy and the shifts in our own dynamic self-service laundry industry.
Our goal was to make certain that the CLA emerged better able to meet its mission of supporting the success of its members, serve as a significant competitive advantage and contribute to the sustainable growth of the industry.
We wanted to be sure our five core values were maintained and resonated throughout the process:
1. Education – The CLA’s primary mission is to educate laundry owners in best practices for safe and profitable operation.
2. Advocacy – The CLA serves as an advocate for the success of individual members, as well as the sustainability of the industry as a whole.
3. Community – The CLA brings the self-service laundry industry together as a community of business owners by facilitating networking among the best laundry operators.
4. Technology Leadership – The CLA takes responsibility for assisting its members in adopting new technologies for store operations, utility efficiency and effective marketing.
5. Innovation in Association Management – The CLA assembles the best possible team of professionals to serve its members and employs best practices.
The CLA staff and its Board of Directors have been busy solidifying the future of the association. Are you doing the same for your business? Have you taken the time to write your own strategic business plan? If so, congratulations – and continue to review it regularly with yourself and your employees. If not, it’s never too late to draft one to ensure your own future is solidified.
With 50 percent of 2015 in the rearview mirror, we will need to continue to stay engaged and involved in the big issues that impact our industry. State sales tax exemption and the regional drought crisis are two examples that will more than likely continue to consume our thoughts, our time and our resources as the year progresses. We need the support of everyone to address these and other issues we face. It’s our industry, it’s our livelihood, and I encourage you to get involved and stay involved for the continued health of this industry.
Thank you for allowing me to serve as your chairman this year. I hope you all have a safe and profitable second half of the year.
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