When you run multiple laundromats and manage a team of 25+ employees, things can get... let’s say scattered. You send out group messages, share training videos, push out promo updates, drop helpful tips for handling tough customers - all great stuff, all sent with good intention. But somewhere between the phone buzzes and the detergent spills, not everyone’s absorbing it the same way.

Some team members run with the info and crush it. Others? They’re just kind of drifting, not out of laziness but because they’re overwhelmed or disconnected.

That was us, until my wife, the real MVP behind the curtain, had a lightbulb moment:
“What if we had a mandatory, paid staff meeting every single month?”

The Catch: It Had to Be Fun

These meetings weren’t going to be some stiff, boring agenda rundown. No one wants to sit in a folding chair and listen to a manager lecture for 45 minutes while the snack table has nothing but warm water and expired crackers.

So we flipped the script. Here’s what we did—and why it works like magic:

🎉 We Turned Meetings into Mini-Parties

• Birthdays? Celebrated before anyone else remembers—with their favorite dessert (we ask on their “Get to Know You” form when they’re hired).

• Work Anniversaries? Big deal. Cake. Balloons. A crisp $100 bill. A raise.

• Wins, milestones, standout moments? Called out in front of the whole team. Recognition is free, but it pays big.

Let me tell you something: your team won’t forget when you celebrate them like that. And the next time another employer tries to lure them away with a buck more an hour, they’ll remember who really sees them.

🧼 Policies with a Side of Frosting

We don’t skip the important stuff. Cleaning expectations, store walkthrough feedback, policy reminders, upcoming promos, but we mix it in between the good vibes.

For example:

• New promo? We announce it at the meeting and send a how-to video the day before it goes live.

• Facility cleanliness slipping? We address it respectfully with pictures and encouragement, not finger-pointing.

• Self-serve customers feeling ignored? We remind our team to be present and engaging, because connection builds customer loyalty.
  
  

📊 What the Team Thinks

Each year we run a simple internal survey: “What’s one thing we do that helps you the most?”
The #1 answer… every single year?
The monthly staff meeting.

Not the bonus. Not the free lunch days. Not even the cool uniforms.
The meeting. Why? Because it’s real, it’s consistent, and it makes people feel like they belong.

Bottom Line: Make It Matter

If you’re leading a laundromat, or five, don’t underestimate the power of gathering your team face-to-face (or at least same-Zoom-box). Not just to talk at them, but to celebrate with them.

Culture isn’t built in policies. It’s built in moments.
So create the kind your team brags about. Make your staff meetings so memorable that people start looking forward to them. That’s when the real magic happens. Productivity goes up, loyalty gets deeper, and you stop having to replace people who felt unseen.

And honestly? A little confetti and cheesecake go a long way.

Need help building a strong laundromat team culture? That’s what we do at Laundry Advisors. We help owners like you create million-dollar stores with teams that actually want to show up. Let’s talk.