Laundromat Ownership

Ian Gollahon
  • 5.0 (6)
  • Entrepreneurship

Welcome to Laundromat Ownership, the podcast for real-world data, inconvenient truths, and actionable insights that can help make your laundromat more profitable. Host Ian Gollahon is the co-owner of 3 high-performing laundromats in Oklahoma doing over $2.5 million in revenue, He is also co-founder of Wash-Dry-Fold POS which serves 1200+ laundromats with locations throughout the United States. With a decade of interviewing 3,000+ laundromat owners, Ian knows what works and in his words, “What should never be spoken of again”. This podcast is focused on providing insightful data, entertaining commentary, and real-world experience of laundromat owners and industry leading professionals.

  1. Jun 1

    Omer Khan - Laundry POS Systems and Training Attendants

    Omer Khan is a second-generation laundromat owner running four fully attended Skyline Laundromats in Atlanta. He grew up pulling quarters on the weekends, spent a few years in corporate America, and came back to build the business into a 24-person operation where pickup and delivery is now starting to outgrow self-service. This conversation is loaded with operator-level detail you can actually use. Omer breaks down why he's converting his back storage into a dedicated processing facility — and why Ian has watched that model succeed for owners with existing stores but fail for people who try to launch delivery-only with no demand behind it. They get into the real logistics of running self-service and wash-dry-fold under one roof without running off your self-serve customers. Omer also tells the story of the employee who threatened to quit when he switched from Clover to Wash-Dry-Fold POS — and stayed after a Spanish-speaking coworker trained her on it in three days. Plus the night Brian built a feature request overnight at a conference, why Omer sells retail at both the counter and the vending machines, why he ripped out his ATMs, how he handles homeless activity at one tough location, and the bill breaker jams that led to Brian 3D-printing a fix. The two crazy stories at the end are worth the listen alone. • Opening a processing facility: why it works for existing operators and fails for delivery-only startups • Designing space for both self-service and pickup and delivery without losing your self-serve base • The employee who almost quit over a new POS — and why she became the best on the system • How Brian built a requested feature overnight at the Elevate Conference • Why you sell soap and snacks at both the counter and the vending machines • Why ATMs aren't worth the $2 fees and the headaches they bring • Handling homeless activity and the equipment that attracts it — including the bill breaker he left out of the wall • Bill breaker jams and Brian's 3D-printed workaround • The ceiling heist: a thief who came in through the AC unit and cut every wire • The phone scam that nearly cost $4,000 — and how to train your staff against it Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 01:21 Meet Omer Khan and Skyline Laundromats 03:01 Owning vs leasing the real estate 04:44 Parking lots, water lines, and the cost of ownership 06:32 Revenue mix and pickup and delivery growth 09:08 Opening a processing facility: why it works and why it fails 13:22 Dedicating space and an animal wash station idea 16:33 The employee who almost quit over a new POS 19:11 Brian builds a feature overnight at the conference 23:41 Card systems, CCI, and Laundroworks 24:33 Machine start integrations 26:39 Why sell retail at both the counter and the vending machines 29:05 Why ATMs aren't worth the $2 30:04 Dealing with homeless activity and the equipment that attracts it 32:57 Bill breaker jams and Brian's 3D-printed fix 34:38 The craziest stories: a ceiling heist and a phone scam 44:25 Train your staff: scam red flags and metal doors Ian Gollahon is the co-owner of Liberty Laundry in Tulsa, Oklahoma — three stores, $2.5M in revenue in 2025 — and co-founder of Wash-Dry-Fold POS, the original point of sale system built specifically for laundromats. washdryfoldpos.com libertylaundryok.com laundromat-ownership.com skylinelaundromats.com

    49 min

  2. May 25 ·  Bonus

    Bonus: Speed Queen and Huebsch Integration with Wash-Dry-Fold POS

    Ian Gollahon and Brian Henderson join Randy Radtke on Alliance's Laundry Nerd Podcast to break down the new Speed Queen and Huebsch Alliance Insights API integration with Wash Dry Fold POS — the first point-of-sale system with direct machine-level access to Alliance washers and dryers. This is a recast of the Laundry Nerd episode, shared here for owners running Speed Queen, Huebsch, or Quantum machines. Brian and Ian explain how Wash Dry Fold POS negotiated with Alliance to become the first POS partner granted this integration — it was not a public API release — and the specific employee theft and efficiency problems it solves on the wash-dry-fold side. You'll also hear the 10-year origin story of Wash Dry Fold POS, why the company stayed "an inch wide and a mile deep" on laundromats, and the real-world results customers like Philip in Missouri are getting after enabling the integration. Topics covered: • How the Alliance Insights API integration with Wash Dry Fold POS actually works • Why WDFPOS is the first and currently only POS with this level of machine integration • Starting Speed Queen and Huebsch machines by credit card at the register • Tracking the vend-to-wash-dry-fold ratio (around 37% benchmark) to catch employee theft • Closing the loop between order tracking and machine starts • The 10-year history of Wash Dry Fold POS and the 2020 cloud rebuild • How to enable the integration (API key + equipment pairing) • What's next on the roadmap Chapters: 00:00 Intro from Ian — why this Alliance recast matters 02:00 Welcome to the Laundry Nerd Podcast 03:00 How Wash Dry Fold POS got started 07:00 Inch wide, mile deep on laundromats 10:00 What separates WDFPOS from dry cleaning and delivery systems 14:00 The equipment problem log and why the Alliance API fit 16:00 Why most manufacturers stayed closed — and how WDFPOS became the first partner 18:00 Top use cases: credit card starts and attendant efficiency 21:00 Philip's store in Missouri — real-world example 23:00 Connecting the two systems 25:00 Going live at Clean Show 2025 — Sharon Brinks as the pilot store 27:00 Shoutout to Alliance's digital product team 28:00 What's next — development never finishes 29:00 Where to find Wash Dry Fold POS and the podcast Ian Gollahon co-owns Liberty Laundry in Tulsa, Oklahoma (three stores, $2.5M in 2025 revenue) and co-founded Wash Dry Fold POS, the original POS built specifically for laundromats. Over 1,200 systems sold in all 50 states. Wash Dry Fold POS: https://www.washdryfoldpos.com Liberty Laundry: https://www.libertylaundryok.com Laundromat Ownership Podcast: https://www.laundromat-ownership.com Alliance Laundry Systems: https://alliancelaundry.com Speed Queen: https://speedqueencommercial.com Huebsch: https://huebsch.com

    41 min

  3. May 18

    Best Business Entity for Laundromats: LLC vs S-Corp vs C-Corp

    Sole proprietorship, LLC, S-Corp, or C-Corp — which business entity actually makes sense for a laundromat owner? Ian Gollahon walks through every structure he's personally owned and breaks down when each one is the right call. This episode is for anyone buying their first laundromat, scaling to multiple stores, or staring at a tax bill wondering if there's a smarter way to be set up. Ian covers why an LLC is non-negotiable before you sign a lease, the exact net profit threshold where filing as an S-Corp starts saving real money, and why C-Corp status almost never makes sense for a laundromat unless you have a very specific exit plan. Topics covered: • Why sole proprietorships are the most common and most underrated entity • Why a general partnership for a laundromat would be "psychotic" • The asset protection reason every laundromat needs an LLC before closing • How an S-Corp election cuts the 15% self-employment tax on distributions • Why $80K–$100K in net profit is the realistic S-Corp threshold (not the $60K marketing pitch) • How the salary vs. distribution split actually works inside an S-Corp • When a C-Corp makes sense — QSBS, five-year flips, and distributor showroom stores • Why most laundromat owners should never convert to a C-Corp Chapters: 00:00 Intro and why this matters 00:35 Sole proprietorships explained 03:00 Why partnerships are off the table for laundromats 03:45 LLCs — the asset protection vehicle every operator needs 05:15 S-Corp basics: tax filing status vs. business entity 06:30 The self-employment tax problem 08:00 How the S-Corp salary plus distribution split works 10:30 Why C-Corps rarely fit laundromats 11:15 QSBS, five-year flips, and distributor exceptions 13:00 C-Corp double taxation explained 14:30 The evolution: sole prop to LLC to S-Corp to C-Corp 16:00 Wrap-up Ian Gollahon is the co-owner of Liberty Laundry (Tulsa, Oklahoma — 3 stores, $2.5M revenue in 2025) and co-founder of Wash Dry Fold POS, the original point-of-sale system built for laundromats. https://www.washdryfoldpos.com https://www.libertylaundryok.com https://www.laundromat-ownership.com

    17 min

  4. May 11 ·  Bonus

    Bonus: Laundromat Millionaire Recast from 10/30/2025

    Before Liberty Laundry hit $2.5 million in revenue in 2025, Ian Gollahon was selling billboards. This is a recast of his original interview on the Laundromat Millionaire Show — the conversation that started the Laundromat Ownership Podcast. Ian covers how he and Brian Henderson acquired a turnkey three-store chain at $2.1M in revenue and grew it to $2.5M, all while running Wash Dry Fold POS. He breaks down the team structure behind a semi-passive laundromat — attendants, store managers, an ops manager, and a facilities manager — and explains why each layer exists. He also gets into the fires. Three dryer fires in the first 12 months of ownership. Ian explains what caused each one, how full attendance made the difference, and why he now runs dryers at 170–175°F instead of the factory default of 190°F. On the software side: cloud-based mobile dashboards, the first-ever Alliance machine start integration, Laundry Works and Wash Links, employee theft detection via machine start ratios, and how Wash Dry Fold POS compares to CleanCloud, Curbside, and Cents. • Growing Liberty Laundry from $2.1M to $2.5M in revenue • Laundry Works card system: removing coins from all three stores • Team hierarchy: attendants, store managers, ops manager, facilities manager • Trevor the facilities manager — the hire that changed everything • Hiring via Indeed: filtering 100 applications down to 3 solid interviews • Three dryer fires in year one — causes, response, and what changed • Wash Dry Fold POS vs. CleanCloud, Curbside, and Cents • Alliance machine start integration: what it actually does • Catching employee theft with the 30% machine start ratio • Credit card processing at 2.65% vs. the industry standard of 4–5% Timestamps (verify before uploading): 0:00 Intro 1:48 Laundromat Millionaire interview begins 7:20 Acquiring Liberty Laundry 8:03 Growing revenue from $2.1M to $2.5M 11:22 The semi-passive income reality 12:37 Removing coins with Laundry Works 22:16 What semi-passive actually requires 26:35 Building the team hierarchy 33:10 The facilities manager hire 44:22 Three dryer fires in year one 48:05 Lowering dryer temps to prevent fires 53:50 Wash Dry Fold POS updates 1:01:07 Alliance machine start integration 1:08:59 Catching employee theft with machine start ratios Ian Gollahon co-owns Liberty Laundry (Tulsa, OK — three stores, $2.5M revenue in 2025) and co-founded Wash Dry Fold POS, the original point-of-sale system for laundromats. washdryfoldpos.com libertylaundryok.com laundromat-ownership.com

    1h 24m

  5. May 5

    Sharon Brinks on Laundromat Employee Theft, Speed Queen POS Integration, and Beating Cancer

    Sharon Brinks bought a run-down zombie mat in 2014 as a single mom looking for extra income. Today she owns two Speed Queen Touch laundromats in Wichita under the Laundry Station brand — and her store was the proving ground for the Wash Dry Fold POS + Speed Queen remote vend command integration that operators across the country now use. This conversation goes to places most laundromat podcasts won't. Sharon explains why pickup and delivery didn't pencil for her operation, how a five-year manager she trusted completely stole from her in felony territory while she was on chemo, and why stopping quarter supply and routing customers to the counter was one of the smartest moves she ever made. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2024, treated through the fall, had a lumpectomy in November, and opened her second store in August of that same year. She's now cancer-free, stronger than ever, and considering store number three. Ian and Sharon also cover the full origin story of the Speed Queen remote vend command, what WDF order tracking looks like in a real operation, how to protect your stores from bill changer theft, and the craziest things Sharon has seen in 12-plus years of laundromat ownership. • From zombie mat to two top-rated Wichita laundromats — Sharon's journey since 2014 • Equipment mix: no top loaders, no soft mounts, and why she'd size up on 80s next time • Speed Queen Insights + Wash Dry Fold POS: the remote vend command origin story • Four ways to pay — and why the bill changer is your biggest theft vulnerability • Stopping quarter supply: cutting cash handling and routing customers to counter payment instead • Pickup and delivery: why she walked away and what she'd tell anyone considering it • Employee theft: a trusted five-year manager, felony-level theft, and how it happened during chemo treatment • Rebuilding: what Sharon did after cleaning house • Breast cancer during construction — diagnosed May 2024, chemo, lumpectomy, radiation, now cancer-free • Mammogram PSA: early detection is what saved her life • Craziest laundromat stories: poker chips in a washer, baby mice in a blanket, and unconscious customers Timestamps (estimated from transcript — verify before uploading): 00:00 Introduction 01:22 About the show and Sharon's background 04:03 Why she fell in love with the laundry business 08:06 Store size, equipment mix, and what she'd change 14:31 Machine maintenance and the semi-passive myth 20:09 Speed Queen app, Insights, and payment options 23:08 Wash Dry Fold POS + Speed Queen remote vend command 33:38 WDF order tracking, timestamps, and the point-and-say method 37:59 Pickup and delivery — why they stopped 53:22 Employee theft and the bill changer problem 1:00:12 Stopping quarter supply and reducing cash handling 1:09:17 Breast cancer journey and mammogram PSA 1:15:23 Craziest laundromat stories Ian Gollahon is the co-owner of Liberty Laundry in Tulsa, Oklahoma — three stores, $2.5M in revenue in 2025 — and co-founder of Wash Dry Fold POS, the original point of sale system built specifically for laundromats. washdryfoldpos.com libertylaundryok.com laundromat-ownership.com thelaundrystationks.com

    1h 19m

  6. Apr 28

    Stop Pushing Delivery Before You Are Cashflow Positive

    Episode DescriptionIn this special crossover episode, the tables are turned and our host Ian Gollahon (co-founder of Wash Dry Fold POS (WDF POS) gets interviewed by Steve Marcionetti on the Drive Time podcast. Together, they explore the evolution of the laundromat industry and why simplicity is the ultimate tool for growth. Ian shares his journey from selling billboards to co-owning three high-performing laundromats in Tulsa, Oklahoma, which generated $2.5 million in top-line revenue in 2025. He discusses the "crawl, walk, run" philosophy of business, explaining why new owners should master self-serve and wash-dry-fold operations before diving into capital-intensive delivery services. Key topics covered in this episode: The Power of Simplicity: Why WDF POS was designed with "big buttons" for attendants who aren't computer experts.Security & Efficiency: How the deep integration with CCI (Card Concepts Inc.) helps owners prevent employee theft and monitor machine-start ratios.The Real Cost of Delivery: Why it often takes months to see a return on delivery customer acquisition costs.Building a Team: Why almost every employee at WDF POS has real-world experience working in a laundromat.Episode Timestamps00:00 – Intro: Ian Gollahon introduces the Liberty Laundry and WDF POS background.01:21 – Start of the interview with Steve Marcionetti on Drive Time.02:37 – Ian’s "origin story": From selling billboards to meeting Brian Henderson.04:38 – The early days of Wash Dry Fold POS and its rapid growth.07:16 – Coming into the laundry industry with zero experience.09:18 – The philosophy of simplicity: Designing software for non-technical attendants.13:29 – Pricing and Value: How WDF POS became the affordable market leader.14:52 – The WDF POS team: Why real-world laundromat experience matters.20:05 – Deep Dive: Integrating POS with CCI card systems for better security.26:26 – Common Mistakes: Why first-time owners shouldn't start with delivery.30:37 – Advice for distributors: Removing complications from the sale.

    37 min

  7. Apr 14

    Laundromat Valuation: Assets, Leases, and Real Estate

    How much is a laundromat actually worth? In this kickoff to our valuation series, which runs alongside the CLA’s Full Cycle magazine, Ian Gollahon breaks down the two most critical pillars of your investment: Assets and Leases vs Real Estate. Ian shares insights from his $2.5M multi-store operation and 3,000+ owner interviews. In this episode, he explains why net income is often a misleading metric and how industry experts utilize Section 179 elections to minimize tax liability while maximizing cash flow. You will also learn the exact 25-year lease structure needed to protect your business's long-term value and how to negotiate a "7-month out" on personal guarantees. 00:00 Ian Gollahon Owner of $2.5M Liberty Laundry 02:15 The problem with valuation advice in online forums. 04:30 Asset Sales vs. Corporate Acquisitions: Why your tax books matter. 06:50 Identifying "Zombie Mats" and valuing used equipment. 09:15 Using Section 179 to expense $300,000 in equipment. 11:45 Why a profitable laundromat with a bad lease is worth zero. 14:20 The Ideal 25-Year Lease: The 5x5 Rule. 17:30 How to negotiate a 7-month personal guarantee. 19:50 Capping CAM fees to protect your margins. 21:40 Why owning the real estate is the ultimate de-risking strategy. Links: Blog Post: https://www.washdryfoldpos.com/laundromat-valuation-assets-leases-and-real-estate/ Full Article: https://laundryassociation.org/fullcycle/columns-and-departments/how-much-is-your-laundry-worth-part-1/ Liberty Laundry: https://www.libertylaundry.com/ Full Cycle Magazine (CLA): https://laundryassociation.org/fullcycle/ Wash-Dry-Fold POS: https://www.washdryfoldpos.com/

    29 min

  8. Mar 30

    Laundromat Maintenance and Repair Ticketing System

    Laundromat Maintenance and Repair Ticketing SystemFrustrated by "no work good" post-it notes and the "headache" of tracking down model numbers in cramped crawl spaces? In this episode of Laundromat Ownership, host Ian Gollahon sits down with Sean Henderson, the original creator of the modern Laundromat Machine Repair Ticket System integrated within Wash-Dry-Fold POS. Gone are the days of driving across town to check paper binders at different store locations. Sean shares the "in-the-trenches" story of how his experience as an operations manager for Liberty Laundry led to the development of a centralized communication tool that tracks repairs, parts, and equipment history. Key Takeaways from This Episode:Solving the Communication Gap: Learn how an integrated system ensures attendants provide detailed reports—including sights, sounds, and smells—rather than vague notes.The Power of Integration: Discover why having your repair tracker inside your Point of Sale (POS) software eliminates the need for separate logins and extra employee training.Warranty & Cost Management: See how tracking repair history helps prevent overpaying for diagnostic "trip charges" and ensures repetitive issues are covered under warranty.Advanced Equipment Tracking: It’s not just for washers and dryers. Sean explains how the system manages vending machines, bill breakers, and even miscellaneous items like "clogged toilets."Triage and Urgency: Explore the latest "In Service vs. Out of Service" features that allow facilities managers to prioritize high-revenue machines, like 80-pound washers, on busy weekends.The Technician Role: Understand the "mechanical room" permission level, allowing maintenance staff to log updates via mobile without accessing sensitive financial reports or clocking in for regular staff. Whether you are managing a single store or a 30-store chain, this episode dives deep into why a purpose-built laundromat management tool is essential for scaling your operations and keeping your floor running at maximum capacity. Learn More at: https://washdryfoldpos.com/ https://www.washdryfoldpos.com/laundromat-machine-repair-tracking/

    29 min
See All (15)

5
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

Welcome to Laundromat Ownership, the podcast for real-world data, inconvenient truths, and actionable insights that can help make your laundromat more profitable. Host Ian Gollahon is the co-owner of 3 high-performing laundromats in Oklahoma doing over $2.5 million in revenue, He is also co-founder of Wash-Dry-Fold POS which serves 1200+ laundromats with locations throughout the United States. With a decade of interviewing 3,000+ laundromat owners, Ian knows what works and in his words, “What should never be spoken of again”. This podcast is focused on providing insightful data, entertaining commentary, and real-world experience of laundromat owners and industry leading professionals.

Information

  • Creator
    Ian Gollahon
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    15
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Ian Gollahon
  • Show Website
    Laundromat Ownership

You Might Also Like