Podcasts about 2ulaundry

Send us a textAlex is one of the most impressive entrepreneurs I've had the chance to speak with.  Before launching Franzy, Alex co-founded 2ULaundry and LaundroLab, where he helped scale the business from a college side hustle into a multi-unit franchise brand with over 100 franchise licenses sold and a rapidly growing network of stores.He then started Franzy, basically "Zillow for franchises".  It's a super impressive product, much needed, and he is the guy to do it.  Tune in to learn more from this very smart entrepreneur. 

In this insightful episode, we sit down with Alex Smereczniak, serial entrepreneur and co-founder of Franzy, a platform revolutionizing how aspiring business owners discover and fund franchise opportunities.   Alex shares his journey from launching 2ULaundry and LaundroLab—scaling them to over 100 franchise licenses—to identifying a significant gap in the franchise discovery process. This realization led to the creation of Franzy, often dubbed the “Zillow for franchising,” aiming to make franchise ownership more transparent and accessible.   Key Takeaways: The challenges and triumphs of scaling franchise businesses. How Franzy is transforming franchise discovery with AI-powered matching and transparent data. The importance of aligning personal goals with franchise opportunities. Insights into building a mission-driven team and company culture.   Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur or a seasoned business owner, this episode offers valuable insights into the evolving world of franchising.

In this Content Marketing Series episode, we look into the success story behind a Charlotte startup's strategic use of branding and content. The narrative unfolds the journey of 2ULaundry and its franchise, LaundroLab, highlighting the significant impact of consistent branding, social media engagement, and content creation. From the initial launch to becoming a franchise, this ... Read more The post Content Marketing Series: Branding and Content for Startups appeared first on KazSource.

Welcome to the Business Legends Podcast! Where we interview business leaders and entrepreneurs to draw insights from their successes, helping us enrich our own entrepreneurial journeys. In today's episode of Business Legends, we're thrilled to host Alex Smereczniak, co-founder and CEO of the innovative Charlotte-based startup, 2ULaundry. Launched in January 2016 alongside co-founder Dan D'Aquisto, 2ULaundry has revolutionized the way we think about laundry services. In our chat today, we'll explore Alex's trajectory from his early days, his shift from the corporate world of EY to the hustle of startup life, and the unique challenges and triumphs of steering 2ULaundry to its current success. Want to learn more about Alex, 2ULaundry and what they do? Check out their work here: Website: https://www.2ulaundry.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/2u-laundry/ Alex's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-smereczniak-40310329/ Connect with us! Website: ⁠⁠⁠http://www.businessmarketingsolutionsgroup.com/⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/BusinessMarketingSolutionsGroup⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/businessmarketingsolutionsgroup⁠⁠⁠ …and don't forget to subscribe! ⁠⁠⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/business-legends⁠

From creating The Folde, selling to 2ULaundry, and becoming a CLA Board Member, Mark Vlaskamp has had a busy few years! Listen as he shares his story and the event he is currently excited about that is a necessity for anyone interested in drop-off laundry or delivery services. Be sure to stay tuned as Dave & Carla reveal a special coupon code for $100 off for any Laundromat Millionaire Show listener!!Referenced Links: Use Promo Code “LM100” for $100 off Your WDF 2023 Tickets at www.coinlaundry.org/wdf-2023/Our Guest's Websites: www.thefolde.com and www.2ulaundry.comOur Website: www.laundromatmillionaire.com Our Online Course: https://dave-menz.mykajabi.com/sales-pageOur Youtube channel: https://youtube.com/c/LaundromatMillionaireOur Podcast: https://laundromatmillionaire.com/podcast/Our Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laundromatmillionaire/Our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/laundromatmillionaireOur LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dave-laundromat-millionaire-menz/Our Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laundromatmillionaire/Our laundromats: www.queencitylaundry.com Our pick-up and delivery laundry services: www.queencitylaundry.com/deliveryLaundroBoost Website: www.laundroboostmarketing.comH-M Company Drain Troughs: www.draintroughs.comMerger Announcement Episode on Laundromat Resource: https://www.laundromatresource.com/show118/LM Episode with Alex Smereczniak of 2ULaundry: https://youtu.be/WWxZQb3fswUCoin Laundry Association: www.coinlaundry.orgLaundromat How To with Ken Barrett: https://laundromathowto.com/The Folde's Hiring SOP's: https://www.thefolde.com/ic-hiring/Wash ‘em Out Laundry Folding Machine Video with Randy Roberts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eT27qT_LU0Timestamps00:00 Laundromat Millionaire Intro01:18 Mark's Backstory – Creating The Folde08:50 Making Delivery Profitable by Adjusting the Volume and Price 12:49 Connecting with Codie Sanchez15:33 Why Sell to 2ULaundry?17:51 Why “By the Bag” Pricing?19:56 Why Joined the CLA Board?23:45 Changes Happening in CLA29:53 The First WDF Conference 202235:44 The 3 Things the We Learned and What to Expect in WDF 202340:49 Preliminary Speaker Lineup44:50 Dave & Carla's Presentation Topic50:54 Take Advantage of Networking Opportunities53:21 Ticket Price and Discount Code54:27 Closing RemarksPractice Partnership: Monetizing Your Dental PracticeDoctors – are you interested in building long-term wealth and continuing on as an...Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Soaring to New HealthWe're talking Medicare Stars– what it is, why it's important, challenges & strategies. Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Learn New Ways to Improve the World of Work with the People and Performance PodcastWe provide insights into the skills needed to increase employee performance.

Think about it— it's the weekend, and as much as you want to sit down, relax, and pop open an ice-cold bevvie, you've got chores to do. And what's the one thing you hate doing more than anything?  Yep, you guessed it— laundry and the average American spends up to 36 hours a month doing it too. Dan D'Aquisto is the one man trying to change it all through his revolutionary franchise, 2ULaundry, which delivers the world's first premium laundry/dry-cleaning pickup and delivery service.  That's right; we're talking fresh-folded clothes conveniently delivered straight to your door. This week, the Wolf sits down with Dan to learn more about how he and his business partner came up with the concept of 2ULaundry, how they managed to raise 2.5 million dollars and scale across 7 major cities, and how their business led them to create a laundromat franchise business of their own, LaundroLab.   0:00 Intro/2ULaundry 4:39 Finding a Co-Founder 8:41 The Journey So Far 25:50 LaundroLab 32:25 2U Laundry vs. LaundroLab 36:50 Future Strategy   Learn more about 2ULaundry:  https://www.2ulaundry.com   Learn more about LaundroLab: https://www.laundrolabfranchise.com   Follow Dan:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daquisto/   Built by hospitality for hospitality. Empower your employee experience by using Harri to build, manage, engage, and retain your team.  Don't you think it's time to utilize a platform designed to elevate your greatest asset— your employees? Visit Harri.com to learn more.   Are you a future franchise entrepreneur? Find all of the tools you need to launch, operate, and expand your franchise empire with the platform created by The Wolf himself, Krokit.com.   And if you've enjoyed listening to Franchise Empires, I'd be so grateful if you could drop me a 5-star review on Rate My Podcast.    Thank you so much!   Check out The Wolf's newsletter and YouTube channel.   Stay up-to-date on all things Franchise Empires by following The Wolf on Twitter: https://twitter.com/franchisewolf

Host Chaz Wolfe brings on Alex Smereczniak, a 7+ figure king in the laundry services industry. Alex is the CEO of 2ULaundry and LaundroLab out of North Carolina. Alex has revolutionized the long-archaic industry by integrating technology into how people get their laundry done. Alex has about 100 franchisees for LaundroLabs and hopes to have 1,000 over the next 10 years. In this episode, Chaz and Alex discuss getting to the next level, hiring the right people at the wrong time, and being creative in outsourcing tasks. Tune in today to be inspired by Alex and his push to make his dreams come true so you can grow your business now! During this episode, you will learn about;[01:59] Intro to Alex and his business[03:08] Why Alex continues to push [07:07] How education played a role in Alex's journey[10:41] How Alex moved into entrepreneurialism[11:53] A good decision Alex made[21:30] A bad decision Alex made[29:00] Alex's advice on filling roles[32:02] One trackable metric Alex would use[35:36] Alex's book recommendation[36:52] Alex's thoughts on masterminding[40:51] What Alex would tell his younger self[43:14] How to connect with Alex[44:11] Sneak peek into Gathering The Kings Mastermind Group & how to get more informationNotable Quotes“If I buy this business, I'm gonna get to learn more than in any class.” - Alex Smereczniak“There's something somewhere that can help you untangle this little issue that you've got inside your business or even where you are, stage-wise, as far as your entrepreneurial journey.” - Chaz Wolfe (Host)“A lot of people have these back-of-a-bar-napkin ideas or they want to go start something, wanna go do something. And I think one of the best decisions I ever made was I just quit my job and I went after it.” - Alex Smereczniak“It's okay to pivot to take new information, adapt to it, and persevere, ultimately, is the most important thing.” - Alex Smereczniak“It would be harder for me had I not had a business partner. But having that co-founder, when I'm down, he's pulling me back up, when he's down, I'm pulling him back up.” - Alex Smereczniak“You gotta find a way to cope and persevere, and whether that's a mastermind group or other founders, you need someone telling you, quit thinking that about yourself that way, and you're capable and get after it.” - Alex Smereczniak“You gotta put yourself in a place to win” - Chaz Wolfe (Host)“No one's gonna solve your problems for you. Even this hire, they're still your problems and you still need to be thoughtful about them.” - Alex Smereczniak“I meet with younger entrepreneurs all the time because people did it with me and I enjoyed it.” - Alex Smereczniak“You need, as the business owner, to be obsessed about your people.” - Alex SmereczniakBooks and Resources Recommended:Zero to One by Peter Thielhttps://www.amazon.com/Zero-One-Notes-Startups-Future/dp/0804139296The Who by Geoff Smarthttps://www.amazon.com/Who-Geoff-Smart/dp/0345504194Let's Connect!Alex Smereczniak:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-smereczniak-40310329/Facebook:

Welcome to the PlanetLaundry Podcast – brought to you by PlanetLaundry, the magazine of the Coin Laundry Association.   In this episode, PlanetLaundry Editor Bob Nieman chats with Alex Smereczniak, co-founder and CEO at LaundroLab – a laundromat franchise concept – and 2ULaundry, which is the business' pickup-and-delivery component.   We hope you enjoy this conversation. We invite you to listen to more PlanetLaundry Podcasts at https://planetlaundry.podbean.com.

Welcome to the PlanetLaundry Podcast – brought to you by PlanetLaundry, the magazine of the Coin Laundry Association.   In this episode, PlanetLaundry Editor Bob Nieman chats with Alex Smereczniak, co-founder and CEO at LaundroLab – a laundromat franchise concept – and 2ULaundry, which is the business' pickup-and-delivery component.   We hope you enjoy this conversation. We invite you to listen to more PlanetLaundry Podcasts at https://planetlaundry.podbean.com.

Dan Daquisto is the co-founder and president of LaundroLab and 2ULaundry with a mission to make laundry happy, providing modern-day solutions to all laundry needs across the country.

Alex Smereczniak and Dan D'Aquisto, co-founders of LaundroLab, share their secrets to how they are disrupting the laundromat industry with a tech-enabled business model and expanding it via franchising. They discuss why the laundromat industry is ripe for disruption and how they've been able to bring on some big hitters as the first franchise owners. Dan and Alex are seasoned laundrapreneurs. Their first laundry business is a brand called 2ULaundry (think the Uber of laundry pickup and delivery). The duo discusses how they are vertically integrating LaundroLab into their 2ULaundry expansion and the benefits this strategy can provide their franchise owners.

Laundromat franchises are gaining popularity fast in America but there isn't much information about them out there yet. That's about to change. Alex Smereczniak of Laundrolab joins us on the podcast this week to talk about the ins and outs of laundromat franchises. Many wonder what value a franchisor brings to the laundromat business and Jordan asks him that outright. They talk through the good, the bad, and the ugly of the laundromat franchise model. They discuss who is a good fit for a franchise and who might not be a good fit. They even discuss how much a franchise location costs and what their model is.But this episode isn't only for those who are interested in learning about franchises. Alex has experience running successful laundromats himself and has insights into successful franchisee businesses. And he shares those success tips with us on the show today, as well!In addition, Alex is joining Jordan for a free live webinar/Q&A on all things franchising on Thursday, May 24, 2022. If it has already passed, you can view the replay of that webinar and all of the other webinars we've done by joining the Pro Community.In today's show, Alex and Jordan discuss:How Alex grew a laundry service business 10x while in collegeHow he would change the Washio/Rinse business models to make them more successfulHow he built a laundry pick-up and delivery service, 2ULaundry, to do 3,000lbs/dayHow he raised $400,000 to open a location in RaleighWhat the value in a franchise isHow you can grow your laundry pick-up and delivery business to 3,000lbs/dayFinding one-to-many relationshipsThe process of buying a franchise from start to finishWhat a franchise helps franchisees withWhat you get with a Laundrolab franchiseResource from outside the industry that can help you grow your businessAnd a lot more!Show SponsorsAtmosphereTV- 50+ channels of positive, fun TV programming, allowing you to cut your cable bill and create a great atmosphere in your laundromat! Get the registration fee waived by using this link!https://atmosphere.tv/partner/laundromat-resourceLinksFree Live Webinar/Q&A on All Things Laundromat FranchisesLaundrolab FranchiseLaundrolabEmail Alex- alex@laundrolabusa.comCall Alex- (651) 764-0342Laundrolab Business OverviewLaundrolab FDDGet ConnectedJoin Laundromat ResourceLaundromat Marketplace- Sell Your Laundromat [free listings]Diligence Capital InvestmentsLaundromat Investor ResourcesLaundromat Resource EventsLaundromat Resource ForumsLaundromat Resource BlogLaundromat Resource Coaching* Some links may be affiliate links in which the channel owner may receive compensation when you make a purchase using those links. 

This Charlotte startup company focused on branding and content FTW.  Since one of the founders first appeared on the Entrepreneur Perspectives podcast in mid-2019, 2ULaundry has taken off! They now even have a franchise business in LaundroLab. Branding and content were some of the main drivers of that success. That included appearing on podcasts, creating ... Read more The post Charlotte Startup Uses Branding and Content FTW appeared first on KazCM.

How did a good looking young professional get into laundry? Dan D'Aquisto - Guest Co-Founder | President | LaundoLab + 2ULaundry Brandon Cullen - Host Co-Founder | Chief Concept Officer | MADabolic

If you are going to be a successful entrepreneur you have to be ready to jump in and take it serious but don't forget the awesome tips that Dan D'Aquisto (TechStar 2017), Co-Founder  and 2x company founder shared. Jump in but don't leave these tips out.--- If this is your first time tuning in, we encourage you to subscribe to the show so you can hear all the other insightful episodes (we share three interviews a week)  --- If you like what you’ve been hearing on this podcast, we invite you to go to wherever you’re listening to this episode and leave us a comment or review. Tell me what you love about this episode!  ---  You can find all of the information about this episode and the show at www.businesstalklibrary.com/interviews  --- “If you want to learn more about finance and accounting as it related to business, check out our courses at the Business Talk Library university: https://btl.thinkific.com/  FREE COURSE: Understand the Income Statement in Less Than 15 Minutes: Use Code: "BTL2020" https://btl.thinkific.com/courses/incomestatement 

The founders of 2ULaundry came back to the studio to chat about a pivot, managing during a crisis, how their board of directors helped them react to COVID, and the future of laundry.

Today we welcomed Alex Smereczniak, co-Founder and CEO of 2ULaundry, to the podcast.  Many of you know the story of 2ULaundry as they have been operating out of Charlotte since 2016 (and we had his co-founder, Dan D’Aquisto as a guest on episode #7). Click here for the video version of the podcast. Yet, this was our first-time having Alex on the podcast where we learn he is originally from Redwing, Minnesota and went to college at Wake Forest.  While he was at college, Alex and some friends started a laundry business catering to college students but they sold it as they were graduating.  Alex then took on the “9-5” world with EY and moved to Charlotte.  While there, he started to see some startups out west try to tackle the laundry problem and he couldn’t help but give it another shot – 2ULaundry was born in 2016. 2ULaundry is the new way to do laundry and dry cleaning that helps people make time for what matters most in their lives. Customers receive exclusive access to a full suite of offerings including flat rate laundry and dry-cleaning prices, free pickup and delivery, next business day turnaround, and more. We discuss their initial business model and lessons learned and various pivots along the way.  In 2017 they vertically integrated without buying assets.  He shares their successful story of their first retail location in Charlotte and the impact it has had on the business. We also discuss their expansion into Atlanta, plans to expand (including franchising), and growth in the industry in general.  We discuss the fortunate timing of their capital raise in late 2019. Our discussion naturally evolves into Covid-19 and he discusses what they had to do to preserve cash – a constant theme for CEOs to think about these days.  During the beginning months of Covid they watched and discussed what needed to happen and how they had to reposition themselves – as we learn it was a great time for a pause/refresh. We finally dive into the future and their decision to franchise and their growing relationship with Electrolux. As is the case with so many of these podcasts, you walk away with a very high impression of Alex and 2ULaundry after this podcast.  The decisions CEOs of startups have to make under normal times comes through and the clarity with which Alex and the team have been able to pivot. For further information regarding a 2ULaundry Franchise, contact Alex Smereczniak at alex@2ULaundry.com.   William Bissett is the owner of and an Investment Advisor Representative of Portus Wealth Advisors, a Registered Investment Adviser. Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training. Opinions expressed on this program do not necessarily reflect those of Portus Wealth Advisors. The topics discussed and opinions given are not intended to address the specific needs of any listener.   Portus Wealth Advisors does not offer legal or tax advice, listeners are encouraged to discuss their financial needs with the appropriate professional regarding your individual circumstance.  Investments described herein may be speculative and may involve a substantial risk of loss. Interests may be offered only to persons who qualify as accredited investors under applicable state and federal regulation or an eligible employee of the management company. There generally is no public market for the Interests. Prospective investors should particularly note that many factors affect performance, including changes in market conditions and interest rates, and other economic, political or financial developments. Past performance is not, and should not be construed as, indicative of future results.

A business that redefined how people do (or don't do) their laundry. And refining that business along the way. That and more in this podcast episode with the Founder and CEO of 2ULaundry, Alex Smereczniak.  2ULaundry brought us a new spin on this long-hated and time-consuming chore. Simply put, it is the new way to do laundry ... Read more The post EP123 | A New Spin on Laundry and Dry Cleaning with Alex Smereczniak of 2ULaundry appeared first on KazSource.

A business that redefined how people do (or don’t do) their laundry. And refining that business along the way. That and more in this podcast episode with the Founder and CEO of 2ULaundry, Alex Smereczniak.  2ULaundry brought us a new spin on this long-hated and time-consuming chore. Simply put, it is the new way to do laundry… The post EP123 | A New Spin on Laundry and Dry Cleaning with Alex Smereczniak of 2ULaundry appeared first on KazSource.

How has a personalized, on demand laundry service transformed the way Charlotteans wash their clothes?  Today we're joined by Alex Smearsnack, Founder & CEO of 2ULaundry. 2ULaundry is the new way to do laundry and dry cleaning. With their convenient pick-up and drop-off service, they're on a mission to provide people with an effortless and convenient solution to laundry and dry cleaning. Listen along as we take a deep dive into the why behind 2ULaundry and their operations, how to scale and franchise in new markets, and why a laundry company has decided to vertically integrate and own their supply chain. 

On these week's episode of Next Level Minds I had the opportunity to sit down with Alex Smereczniak, the Founder of 2ULaundry, which offers a full suite of offerings including: flat rate laundry and dry cleaning prices, free pickup and delivery, next business day turnaround, and more. On this episode we touch on how he started his first business in college, how he scaled 2ULaundry in Charlotte, how to learn as an entrepreneur, and much more! Check out 2ULaundry here: https://www.2ulaundry.com/services/Alex's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-smereczniak-40310329/  

In episode 227 we welcome our guest, Alex Smereczniak, Co-Founder and CEO of 2ULaundry. In today’s episode, we’re talking about re-thinking the laundry and dry cleaning business. Alex cut his teeth in the business with a student-run startup at Wake Forest. We get into what he saw with existing startup models trying to scale the laundry business, and why he thought the model needed to be approached in an entirely different way. We discuss scaling the business and 2ULaundry’s differentiating factors of pick up and delivery scheduling, vertical integration, and launching in markets where there is little competition, but room to scale. As the conversation winds down, we cover what 2ULaundry has done to navigate during the COVID-19 pandemic. All this and more in episode 227 with Alex Smereczniak.

Master Communicator Podcast Episode #68 with Alex Smereczniak. Alex is the Co-founder and CEO of 2ULaundry. 2ULaundry is a tech enabled laundry and dry cleaning service that functions out of Charlotte, North Carolina and Atlanta, Georgia. In this interview, Alex talks about why communication is important for his company and how leadership is vital for any company to run effectively. You can learn more about Alex on Linkedin @ https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-smereczniak-40310329/

Which day is wash day in your house? Mondays? Sundays? Only when absolutely necessary? Our next guest on the BrandBuilders Podcast knows how you feel and we figure he's probably had days he didn't feel like doing laundry, too. But the difference is that Alex Smereczniak now does laundry for a living -- sort of. He's half of the start-up, 2ULaundry, that does YOUR laundry... washed, dried, and delivered to your door the next day. Sounds too good to be true, doesn't it? Yes it does. So good, that in just four years the Charlotte-based company has expanded and secured $6 million dollars of investments to go nationwide.  

Alex is one of the founders of 2ULaundry, one of the hottest startups in Charlotte that just raised a large round of funding successfully. In this episode John and Alex discuss leaving a successful consulting job to start a company based on an experience in under grad. Alex tells the story of starting a company at 24 and growing it quickly and beating a couple of much more well-funded Silicon Valley companies. 00:01:30-00:08:40 Alex explains 2U's brand and mission-“To create the first nationally recognized brand in laundry and dry cleaning.” Alex walks us through 2U's start on college campuses to where they are now- “Saving the average family of 4 about 30+hours/month doing their own laundry." John asks Alex what needed to be done in order to make his idea a reality: Gaining confidence in myself- “I knew that I had to do this. I didn't want to hit 30 and regret not going after this with everything I got." Surrounding myself with the right people that were willing to take the risk with me. Studying the market and other companies that had the right idea but wrong business models to learn from their mistakes. LINKS website early investment https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2019/05/20/charlotte-startup-2u-laundry-eyes-national-growth.html LinkedIn Crunchbase https://techcrunch.com/2016/08/30/washio-on-demand-laundry-service-shuts-down-operations/ 00:18:00-00:22:41 Alex describes how he ran the company from his car in the early days of 2U John highlights the similarities between 2U's and Dominos Pizza's origin stories Alex on building a founding team based on this advice- “You need a hustler, a hacker and a hipster to build a successful company." LINKS Dominos founding story https://www.startupgrind.com/events/details/startup-grind-charlotte-presents-2ulaundry-founders-dan-daquisto-alex-smereczniak/ Series A 00:29:34-00:34:22 We find out what Alex plans to do with this round and the next round of funding. Alex explains his 3 pillars of a successful founder that are necessary to keep a company funded: Hire the best people, establish a clear vision, and make sure to articulate that vision. The discuss where Alex sees 2U in 5 years. 00:44:00-00:51:35 Alex compares his experience building their first brick and mortar to a scene from McDonald's movie ‘The Founder'. John asks Alex to talk about what it means to have someone like Beck on the 2U team because of his generations of laundry experience. Alex- “I feel like everything happens for a reason. Coincidentally, Beck was one of my fraternity brothers.” John - “Having someone that understands the fundamentals of the business is enormous." Alex discusses the unexpected effects of combining a laundromat retail and wholesale operation. LINKS ‘The Founder' https://www.f6s.com/beckmiller Laundry Room

Emir Dukic purchased a home with a detached garage. He wanted a man cave but his wife thought differently. Naturally, the man cave lost and as a result the seed for Rabbu was born. The alternative was to rent it out through Airbnb and it didn't take long for them to realize the power of Airbnb and passive income. The room above their garage was essentially paying their mortgage. Rather than purchasing new properties, they negotiated with existing property owners to rent their property and turn them into Airbnb rentals as well - essentially collecting a rent arbitrage through short-term rentals. Two things became apparent: (1) it was a highly profitable business model and (2) it was taking a lot of work. Having worked with Mac Lackey at Kyck, Emir knew he needed technology to scale the business so he formally brought on his co-founder, James Strong who also worked at Kyck, and the tech and development efforts have gone full steam ahead since then. Fast-forward and they are fresh off raising $1.5 million from investors to ramp up their efforts and quickly grow the business. Today we are fortunate to have both Emir and James on the podcast so we dive into the business, the technology and their backgrounds. From there we leap into what opportunities lie ahead for a company with the wind at its back and plenty of road ahead. Local Note and Thoughts: The Charlotte Angel Connection's next quarterly event is scheduled for February 27 from 5:30pm to 8pm. John Cambier and Lister Delgado from IDEA Fund Partners will be in Charlotte to do an on-stage Partner Pitch (the pitch will be from 6:30 to 7:30pm) with Alex Smereczniak from 2ULaundry. Come see the process of professional investors as they work through a due diligence process with a strong founder. Click here to register and join us for what I hope will become an annual event. Also SeedSpark – a technology and digital solutions company – is going to sponsor our first ever Entrepreneur Date Night Award.  We will have the startups in attendance (demo tables) vote on the entrepreneur they think is most worthy of a $100 gift certificate to a Charlotte area restaurant. It’s a small token to the countless spousal/significant dinners founders must give up as they bring their projects to life. Dan Roselli and Packard Place are continuing to build their Public House/Keg-Side Chat event. They are having Ryan Stone join them on Wednesday February 20. Ryan is the President, a Director, and co-founder of SmartSky Networks, a private-equity backed company that will be the first to provide 4G LTE-based wireless connectivity to business jets and airlines. QC Fintech is also in the process of interviewing for their spring class and after speaking with Dan recently they are seeing some really good companies.  Be on the lookout for announcements for the spring class and the opportunities you will have to meet them and ultimately support them as they come to Charlotte for 12 weeks to incubate their ideas and companies. William Bissett is an Investment Advisor Representative with Secrest Blakey & Associates, a Registered Investment Adviser. Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training. Opinions expressed on this program do not necessarily reflect those of Secrest Blakey & Associates. The topics discussed and opinions given are not intended to address the specific needs of any listener.  Secrest Blakey & Associates does not offer legal or tax advice, listeners are encouraged to discuss their financial needs with the appropriate professional regarding your individual circumstance.  Investments described herein may be speculative and may involve a substantial risk of loss. Interests may be offered only to persons who qualify as accredited investors under the Securities Act, and a Qualified Purchaser as defined in Section 2(a)(51)(A) under the Company Act or an eligible employee of the management company.

Would you drop everything to start your business? This entrepreneur did just that. Our guest today is Dan D’Aquisto, Cofounder of 2ULaundry. In this episode, we discuss start-ups, hustle, and laundry.   ------ Dan and his friend, Alex, started 2ULaundry in a classroom at Wake Forest University. Originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota, Dan moved to Charlotte to launch this startup.   2ULaundry is the new way to do laundry and dry cleaning. It helps people make time for what matters most in their lives. Currently, you can find 2ULaundry in Charlotte and Atlanta with plans of expanding to different cities.   Dan’s real life examples of hard work were on full display in our chat. His actions prove he truly wants to succeed and build an amazing company. And with so much to talk about...let’s get right into this episode and welcome, Dan D’Aquisto.   The post EP073: Perspectives on Disrupting the Laundry Industry with Dan D’Aquisto appeared first on KazSource.

Ride the Scooter in the Rain - it's a a core value of Skipper. It also serves to remind CEO/Founder Meggie Williams of where the business started. Early on in the business she took a scooter to walk the dogs. Inevitably some days it rained. It's a way for her to remember who she and who the company is. Skipper is after the trust of the Trust of the clients. It's something you won't question or doubt after listening to Meggie's interview today. Sebastian Williams - or as she refers to her husband, Seb - and Meggie have been on a wild ride since they first met in college. Back then they were working as a team for Senior Class President at UNC Chapel Hill and really haven't stopped working together since then. Their skills complement each other well and they have an ability to put work at the door step before going home every night. Their partnership has taken them from Chapel Hill to NYC, backpacking around the world on a shoe string budget, to Charlotte, down to Austin for the Techstars incubator program (where they roomed with fellow Charlotte startup couple Haley Bohon and her husband - Founders of Skillpop - and Dina Carey, CEO of Milkful, also a local CLT company). Most importantly for Charlotte, though, it has led them to start Skipper (formerly The Waggle Company). They are one of a handful of Charlotte area companies the Charlotte Angel Fund has invested in. They are now in three cities - Charlotte, Austin and Dallas - and will be launching in Atlanta soon. They are very aware of their competition and are quite comfortable at how they are going to be able to win. Before my interview, I had heard many people sing the praises of Meggie and Sebastian. Today I know first hand they are a team that is building something great. Now you get to hear about it too.   A few other local notes and comments: Sam Smith of Vishion (local startup) and Collective Hustle is organizing a fantastic event called Seed the South.  The goal with this effort is to bring investors and entrepreneurs in Charlotte and beyond together to begin to show off what’s here.  The event is going to be on January 9 at the Foundation for the Carolinas and Sam is working on building a terrific list of speakers.  There will be a pitch competition for 4 – 8 startups and other startups will have demo tables there too.  It’s going to be a great way to start 2019 and I hope to see you there. If you are a startup looking to learn more about the Seed the South opportunity, please register for the informational session on December 11 at Hygge.  https://collectivehustle.us/events/participate-seed-the-south/ Thank you to Dan Roselli and his team at Packard Place for our first sponsorship. They have hosted more than 2 dozen of our interviews over the last couple of months and have offered one of their used Yeti’s for us to use with guests when we go offsite. They are a great community supporter for all things startup in Charlotte. Speaking of Packard Place, come out to Packard Place Public House - December 4th  5:30pm - to listen to Dan & Alex, Co-Founders of 2ULaundry.  It's free but please register here: https://www.meetup.com/packardplace/events/jwvczpyxqbzb/       William Bissett is an Investment Advisor Representative with Secrest Blakey & Associates, a Registered Investment Adviser.  Opinions expressed on this program do not necessarily reflect those of Secrest Blakey & Associates. The topics discussed and opinions given are not intended to address the specific needs of any listener.  Secrest Blakey & Associates does not offer legal or tax advice, listeners are encouraged to discuss their financial needs with the appropriate professional regarding your individual circumstance.  Investments described herein may be speculative and may involve a substantial risk of loss. Interests may be offered only to persons who qualify as accredited investors under the Securities Act,

Dan D'Aquisto (Duh-qwist-oh) is the Cofounder and Chief Revenue Officer of 2ULaundry. Dan grew up in a small hockey town outside of Minneapolis, MN called Red Wing, home of Red Wing Shoes. Dan grew up playing hockey before graduating and attending the University of Minnesota pursuing a degree in Marketing. After school, Dan worked in sales for a fast growing startup in Minneapolis called Sports Engine which recently sold to NBC Sports. In late 2015, Dan quit his job, packed up his car, broke the lease on his house, broke up with his girlfriend, and moved to Charlotte, NC to go all in on starting 2ULaundry. To date, 2ULaundry has raised $3M in venture capital, is a Techstars alumn, has 75 employees, live in Charlotte and Atlanta, and just recently opened the first of its kind retail laundromat in Charlotte, NC in partnership with Electrolux. 2ULaundry is looking to raise its Series A within the next 6-8 months for expansion.

Join us for the final episode in a three part series exploring the path of a startup. We've spoken with Ramy Serageldin of Honeyfi and Dan D'Aquisto of 2ULaundry. This week we dive into a great discussion with Rob Cummings of DealCloud who just finished a $5.3 million Series B in December 2015. Our focus here is to talk about the opportunities and struggles each company faces along the startup journey. Where have they been and what lies ahead? What’s the path they took and how did they do it in Charlotte. Along the way, we’ll get to know each founder and their company. I can’t think of a better way to explore the path of a Charlotte entrepreneur. Hopefully you will share the excitement over the next couple of weeks. Today’s episode is with Rob Cummings, CoFounder of DealCloud. Rob helped grow DealCloud from 2 to 17 employees over a 4.5-year period with locations in Charlotte and New York City. DealCloud went from a spreadsheet concept to serving hundreds of M&A firms across the country with a hungry team executing a great strategy and concept.

Join us for the second part of a three part series exploring the path of a startup. Last week, we spoke with Ramy Serageldin with Honeyfi – who is releasing their beta product as we speak. This week we dive into a great discussion with Dan D’Aquisto from 2ULaundry who just raised a $400,000 seed round. Next week, we will wrap up the three part series with a great interview with Rob Cummings from DealCloud to talk about their $5.3 million Series B round in December 2015. Our focus here is to talk about the opportunities and struggles each company faces along the startup journey. Where have they been and what lies ahead? What’s the path they took and how did they do it in Charlotte. Along the way, we’ll get to know each founder and their company. I can’t think of a better way to explore the path of a Charlotte entrepreneur. Hopefully you will share the excitement over the next couple of weeks. Today’s episode is with Dan D'Aquisto, CoFounder of 2ULaundy. 2ULaundry is a tech enabled laundry and dry cleaning service. They are guided by an unwavering commitment to the perfect customer experience and an obsessive passion for quality. 2ULaundry operates with a simple goal in mind: to help members maximize every moment of every day. Dan leads 2ULaundry's growth and acquisition strategy.