Cents’ Sivan Salem Discovers Passion and Purpose in the Laundromat Industry
Sivan Salem is currently based in New York City and serves as director of product operations for Cents.
After graduating from UCLA with a bachelor’s degree in communication studies, Salem worked as a publicist for a PR agency representing small, family-owned wineries in California and Italy.
“I loved helping small businesses grow, and eventually transitioned into the tech industry to support customers and operations at a business management software platform for interior designers called Ivy,” she explained. “My love for helping business owners grow and thrive deepened, and I saw firsthand the impact that vertical software could have on any business.”
While at Ivy, Salem met and worked with Cents Chief Product Officer and Co-founder Gilli Cherrin, who introduced her to the garment-care industry and its technology, and eventually asked her to join the Cents team.
“I’ve worn multiple hats since joining Cents in 2020 – from customer success and support to internal operations to, currently, product and engineering operations,” Salem said. “And I’ve loved every minute of it.”
What sparked your interest in the laundry industry?
Laundry… really? Most industry “outsiders” – those who didn’t grow up in the industry, yet somehow got into it after already starting their professional careers – may have that same air of skepticism and hesitation that I initially experienced. Logically, I understood the appeal of a laundromat from an investment mindset. However, as I peeled back the layers of the proverbial onion and began to understand the complexity of the business, the opportunities for efficiency, and how technology could play a pivotal role in the growth of these businesses, I fell in love.
What do you consider to be the most valuable resources for learning more about the industry?
The industry has a trade organization in CLA that puts out great content through PlanetLaundry and helps operators across the board in ways some might not even realize.
In addition, there are so many incredible resources out there to learn about the industry. Some of my personal favorites are Jordan Berry’s Laundromat Resource, Waleed Cope’s Wash Weekly newsletter, the Laundromat Owners – Ideas for Success Facebook group, and the Cents Community. I know I may be a bit biased on that last one, but it’s incredible to see the conversations that take place in our community that really foster the mindset of community over competition.
The most exciting part about getting information through these grassroots sources is the idea that success for this industry is currently being defined. There isn’t one roadmap for what the laundromat industry should look like in the next 10 years, but it feels like so many people who are connected to this industry all agree on the potential and are running at it at full speed and figuring it out together. Everything we build at Cents is shaped by listening to these conversations and being there with the operators.
What do you enjoy most about working in the laundry industry?
Coming from the world of food and beverage and interior design, I came to understand that there’s a “type” of person in each of these industries. What’s incredible about this industry is that it attracts so many people with such a diversity of thought, which keeps things interesting and helps drive innovation forward.
My favorite part about working in this industry is exactly that – the endless opportunities that exist to drive the industry forward. All of the innovative things we’ve tried at Cents – such as integrating with the gig economy – have come from our partnerships with bold, entrepreneurial operators who continue to push the envelope for this industry.
What do you find most challenging, especially as a woman in this business?
Unfortunately, like most industries, laundry is still a male-dominated industry and not free of some toxic behavior that exists in our world. However, from an industry perspective, this industry continues to push forward – advocating for increased women ownership and establishing resources like CLA’s Women’s Laundry Network and its Excellent Women in Laundry events. Relative to other industries, I feel that most in the laundry industry have open arms and are welcoming and excited about the potential for women to come into this space and thrive and succeed.
What advice would you give to other women looking to get into this industry?
I’d recommend talking to as many operators as possible. Start conversations with everyone whose stores you admire, and DM them. Ask them about their businesses and their journeys into the industry. If I’ve learned anything, it’s that people in this industry are so kind and eager to help others. We work with some incredible female trailblazers – such as Laundré, Celsious, and Tampa Bay Laundry Company – who all run incredibly different operations and have found ways to dominate their markets.
I’d also highly recommend attending the CLA’s Excellent Women in Laundry conference, if possible. Anyone in attendance will leave with a plethora of insights, inspiration, and guidance to get started in this industry.
If you had to do it all over again, what would you do differently?
I don’t think I would do anything differently. I have loved watching this industry grow, and growing with it.
What can laundry industry leaders do to encourage more women to enter the laundry industry in more male-dominated roles – such as store ownership, engineering, R&D, and distributor/manufacturing management?
I believe the best way to encourage more women to enter the laundry industry is to encourage women to believe in themselves and to feel confident being entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurship is dedicated to the risk-takers in the world – and the more we can encourage women to jump in and be those risk-takers, the more women we will see entering and thriving in this industry.
Where do you see the industry heading in the next five years, specifically with regard to women professionals?
As we see this industry move from a commodity to a service, it’s clear that women bring something long-needed to this industry. Women have played a role in other industries, such as the restaurant industry, and I foresee a similar elevation taking place in the laundry industry. The influx of female chefs and restaurateurs has boosted the restaurant industry, specifically with regard to creating inviting spaces, enhanced experiences, and the ability to charge more.
In the next five years, I see a move toward laundromats as community spaces that are similarly inviting, safe, community-oriented, and even luxurious. I’m excited to see where it goes.
