An Interview with Ana Figueroa of Alliance Laundry Systems Distribution
Ana Figueroa is the vice president of operations and finance for Alliance Laundry Systems Distribution – West Region, headquartered in South Gate, Calif.
Ms. Figueroa graduated from California State University, Los Angeles, earning a bachelor’s degree in business administration. She worked her way through college at laundry distributor PWS, Inc., which is now ALSD – West.
What is your professional background?
In 1990, while still at Cal State LA, I was hired by PWS as a finance clerk and immediately enjoyed the challenge of working on loans secured by laundromat equipment. My manager at the time, Victoria Hite, trained me on the underwriting process lenders used to review for approval and ultimately fund a transaction, including loan documentation. After my supervisor was promoted, I was offered the role as finance manager, and soon after I was promoted to director of finance for the company.
In 2021, I also took on the additional responsibility of managing the company’s operations. Given my familiarity with the company and its employees, it was a relatively smooth transition, yet still a challenging new role for me. I’ve enjoyed creating new processes and synergy within the company’s difference departments.
What sparked your interest in the laundry industry?
My interest was immediately piqued when I realized how critical financing is to the process of assisting borrowers to obtain financing for these businesses. It’s extremely important to pair the right laundromat with the right buyer so that the ultimate success is realized by operating a successful laundry that will cash flow and improve the community.
And “community” is a crucial part of my world. I arrived in the United States when I was 5 years old – having been born in Cuba. And I remember as a child seeing my mom wash all of our clothes by hand and hang everything to dry on a clothesline. The challenges it presented – as I had several siblings all needing clean clothes – are mostly unheard of in today’s society.
The importance of having a laundromat within the community is not often discussed, perhaps because most people take it for granted these days. However, having seen the struggles firsthand, I find myself intrigued by machines that do all of the hard work for us for a small price. In fact, one of the very first things I did after I had a job was to buy my mom her first commercial washer and dryer for all of our family’s laundry needs.
Funny enough, she now expects new machines every five years or so.
What do you consider to be the most valuable resources for learning more about the industry?
For me, the most valuable resource is to listen to laundromat owners/borrowers carefully to make sure you understand what they need and how to assist them during the financing process. The structure of a loan in one of the most important details of a transaction, whether it’s deferral, interest-only, or short-term financing, it’s important to structure each deal based on the needs of the owner/borrower.
What do you enjoy most about working in the laundry industry?
I truly enjoy working with laundromat owners across the state and having them call me after they’ve closed escrow or replaced equipment to let me know how satisfied they are with the customer service and the loan that was structured based on their needs. The success of our customers is our success as well – and I believe that is the mentality we need to have in our industry.
What do you find most challenging?
I find dealing with landlords to be the most challenging aspect. It’s often the one hurdle that prevents us from assisting owners in improving their businesses to be more successful. Landlords need to understand that helping their tenants achieve success also helps them improve their shopping centers. Laundromats are not only a driving force behind customer traffic within their shopping centers, but they’re also pivotal businesses for their communities.
What advice would you give to other women looking to get into this industry?
Don’t give up. I realize that, at times, it can feel like you’re climbing the proverbial ladder, with numerous obstacles in your way. However, there are so many more roles today for woman in the laundry industry than I had 33 years ago. We have become a force in this industry – a force that is both respected and welcomed.
If you had to do it all over again, what would you do differently?
I definitely would have immersed myself in more of the forums and organizations that encourage participation from industry leaders. Of course, these days, there certainly are a lot more opportunities to participate those types of activities, especially for women.
What can laundry industry leaders, community leaders, etc., 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?
Today’s leaders should encourage woman to share ideas, as well as provide more spaces for these functions to take place in safe, open-minded forums.
Where do you see the industry heading in the next five years?
The laundry industry is continuing to grow – from card-less laundromats to franchised operations. The business is definitely evolving, and I’m excited to continue to be a part of it.
