Jason Blumenthal is among those who have suffered from the economic downturn and been forced to turn to self employment to provide for his family. He searched for a business he was familiar with and that was affordable. A Laundromat in need of serious attention ushered him into the small business world.
Blu Sudz Laundry was born and opened in March of 2009.
Among the sources Jason found for funding was an SBA loan. New provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 waived previously allowed loan fees, amounting to a near three percent savings to the borrower. That and an increase in guarantees offered banks under the Act, made the SBA loan more attractive to Jason and eased the process with his lender.
As Jason puts it, “That $15,000 loan was a lifesaver and helped cover those unexpected costs a small business owners finds popping up when starting up.”
Characteristic of most small business entrepreneurs these days, Jason wedded past experience in the laundry business with recent corporate experience as a business development and consumer relations executive with a major pharmaceutical firm when founding Blu Sudz. As a boy, he learned the dry cleaning and laundry business from his mother and her brother.
Applying life’s lessons while looking to establish a unique niche and brand in an industry he describes as inglorious, Jason brought his passion for cutting edge environmental alternative technologies to his new enterprise. As an environmentally friendly laundry, Jason has carved out the niche he sought and business is growing.
An innovator, Jason partnered with an advanced solar energy business that is using his facility as a “beta test”. As a result, Blu Sudz is employing the abundant Arizona sun to heat the water for its washing machines, provide electricity to power the machines, and use the excess heat from operations to cool the facility through advanced heat pumps.
He’s also introduced a line of eco-friendly cleaning products for industrial and home use. Product containers are reusable and recyclable and when a customer needs a refill, it will arrive by mail in a fully degradable foil container.
Jason admits: “while we’re not making but a fraction of the income I made in my previous job, we’re much happier in what we’re doing.” He adds: “the transition from a corporate job, which offers a pretty routine set of expectations and the opportunity to leave the job behind when heading home, does little to prepare you for the 24/7 days of the entrepreneur. I never thought about the operations outside my job description, such as payroll, inventory, and repairs. I do now until I go to sleep at night. And business is the first thing that comes to mind when I wake up the next day.”
Advice to others: “Realize that nothing perfect, so be diligent and don’t get discouraged. Realize that there are bumps in the road. Do your homework and be prepared for those ups and downs.”