Today we’d like to introduce you to Aaron Cardelino.
Hi Aaron, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers?
It all started with my in-laws who wanted to move from Venezuela to Miami to be closer to my wife and me. We were getting married and starting a family.
So, we decided to get into business together and started researching something interesting and with the potential to grow and sustain our families. My wife and I were in Corporate America, but we always wanted to navigate the Entrepreneurial world. This was a perfect opportunity to create a business that would fulfill the needs of 2 families.
During our extensive research, we stumbled upon a laundromat owned for 40 years by a Venezuelan who wanted to retire and leave the place in good hands.
We bought it and there is when Wash&Fold Coin laundry started. First, as a small laundromat located in Kendall, that served Wash and Fold service for people that would drop their clothes and pay by the pound, or also open to the public for those who rather do laundry on their own in our facility.
Within the first months, the team made the important decision to develop a brand to stand out from the competition with the goal of establishing a well-recognized brand and processes, so the recipe could be replicated and expand the business into numerous locations around Miami-Dade County.
After just the first year in business, the team realized that their goal was bigger than we first anticipated, as usually the immediate market within a laundromat is the surrounding neighbors; a study made by the Laundromat Association States that potential customers are willing to drive up to 3 miles to get laundry service.
The team started to study other ways to expand their business with the least investment possible, and that is when the Pickup and Delivery business vertical came to fruition.
Now with the Pickup and Delivery vertical, we started to serve customers as far as we were willing to drive. The decision was made that we need it to create a different entity (DBA) and it was when WASFO Laundry Solutions was created.
With WASFO now our small laundromat and team in Kendall started to expand its operations into markets and sectors far from the actual location and reached a potential market of over 1 million people; with such expansion, the opportunity to attend commercial accounts was developed.
WASFO Laundry Solutions is a Laundry App that serves Commercial (hotels, Airbnb, Spas, Gyms, Restaurants) and Residential customers that would like Wash and Fold, Dry-Cleaning, or household (comforters, rugs, etc) services.
What started with a family business, developed into a business that has now 2 locations, and an App. The first location keeps functioning as a coin laundry and washes and folds drop-off service, and the second location is soon going to be open for business which is the WASFO Dry-Cleaning service in Hollywood, FL.
With +20 employees and 2 vans going around Miami helping our clients are Free from laundry and now my wife and I are 100% dedicated to keeping growing our family business into something bigger.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
In the beginning, the biggest challenge was to manage a business while being a Corporate America employee who travels for work, and my wife as well getting out from her job at an Advertising Agency to go close the store every day at 10 pm.
Owning a company is twice the work as being a corporate employee, but the big difference is that you are working for your dreams instead of someone else dreams.
Down the road, 2 of our biggest business challenges have been hiring employees, especially drivers. Many times, we have had to “dress that hat” to make it happen even during holidays or special family events.
And the second biggest is finding the right place and the financial opportunity to expand our facility which is now 100% capacity. Part of this is understanding that small businesses come with sacrifices but bigger rewards.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am an international business professional specializing in Marketing and Management. I worked in Corporate America for 10 years, where I learned a lot about how to manage a team, close deals with potential clients, and most importantly, how to grow a business.
I was a Business Developer for a big corporation which helped me create WASFO. Later on, I applied to participate in the “10,000 Small Businesses by Goldman Sack” program, and I qualified and completed the program with Babson College.
Finishing the program was one of the best things that happened to the company, because the changes and all the knowledge applied to WASFO, gave the company a huge success. One of the things I am most proud of is being a successful business owner, capable of supporting my family in my early 30.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
The trend of outsourcing chores such as cooking (UberEATS, DoorDash), driving (Uber, Lift), grocery shopping (Instacart), laundry and dry cleaning are next with WASFO.
Pricing:
- Wash&Fold – $1.89/Lb
- Dry Cleaning – Business Shirt – $4.39
- Deluxe Shoe Cleaning – $39.99
- Comforter Washing (All Sizes) $24.99
- Dry Cleaning – Casual Dress – $19.99
Contact Info:
- Website: www.wasfo.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wasfo.laundry/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wasfo
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqN8bdi3yzcDctE9Bn62yoQ
- Other: https://g.page/r/Ce7kZcb4P_wHEAE
