Planet Laundry Nov 2020

COVER STORY

PAUL ROACH, Lead Engineer Whirlpool Corp. Benton Harbor, Mich.

taking advantage of all the benefits available. Personally, I’ve used the GI Bill for college and the VA home loan program. CHANCE STONE Tropical Laundry Holly Hill, Fla.

Military branch: U.S. Navy Years of service: 1985-1991 Career path while in the military: Data systems technician Rank upon discharge: E5 Years in the laundry industry: 12 years After your service, what inspired you to get into the laundry business? My service inspired me to go to college and earn a bachelor’s degree

Military branch: U.S. Army Years of service: 1988-1991

Career path while in the military: Combat arms/artillery, including serving in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm Rank upon discharge: E4 Specialist Years in the laundry industry: 10 years After your service, what inspired you to get into the laundry business? My wife, Janine, and I

in electrical engineering. Upon receiving my degree in 1995, I went to work for a local wiring and connector company that manufactured products for the aerospace and defense industries. After four years there, the business was bought out and moved to another state, so I moved to the auto industry and was employed there until 2008, which turned out to be a bad year for the automotive industry. I had a young family at the time and decided to look for other opportunities. I noticed that the appliance industry was hiring. The appliance industry seemed to be an industry that would be able to weather fluctuations in the economy better than other industries. The appliance industry corporations typically have multiple products in their portfolio and are not subject to a downturn in one specific appliance type. What skills did you learn in themilitary that helped prepare you for success in the business world, as well as in life? The military taught me a lot of hands-on skills. It’s the very definition of “on-the-job training.”You’re taught how to perform specific tasks and later expected to know how to perform those tasks on your own. Everyone in your group is expected to contribute and held accountable. Some specific lessons I have learned and used throughout my personal and working career are troubleshooting electronic components and software issues, working on mechanical and electromechanical equipment, and preventive and corrective maintenance. However, one of the best skills was how to work with people from all walks of life and how to listen to others. What programs or resources for veterans would you recommend? I would recommend that every service member check with their local Veterans Affairs office to ensure they’re

were raising a young family and struggling with being apart from them. We both worked corporate jobs and were being pulled in different directions. So, I started thinking about what we could do together as a family, and that’s when I stumbled across the laundromat industry. We were driving around looking at businesses that we could see ourselves being a part of. I started studying the laundromat business model. My research showed that the laundry business could provide my family with the time together we desired, while supplementing one of our incomes. What skills did you learn in themilitary that helped prepare you for success in the business world, as well as in life? One of my most profound takeaways from the military was the notion of esprit de corps . It’s a feeling of pride and loyalty to those around you in efforts to achieve a common goal. Of course, there were many other skills learned in the military that helped shapemy sense of entrepreneurship. These include teamwork and completing the mission at all cost, as well as never quitting or thinking that a goal is unattainable. In addition, the military helped me become accountable in managing the relationships in my life – including devotion to my marriage, my children, my career and, of course, our laundromat. I’m so thankful that my grandparents steered me toward military service. Without that experience, I would have stumbled through the younger years of my life and, therefore, lacked the confidence in myself to achieve great things.

[Editor’s Note: If you’re a military veteran who’s currently in the laundromat industry, we would love to hear from you and to share your story in a future issue of PlanetLaundry magazine or on PlanetLaundry.com . Also, please let us know if you would be interested in future networking opportunities exclusively for those in the laundromat business who have served in the military. To respond, simply email Editor Bob Niemanat bob@planetlaundry.com .]

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