Waleed Cope, founder of the Laundry CEO community, is a second‑generation laundry entrepreneur and a recognized authority on wash‑dry‑fold (WDF) and pickup/delivery laundry businesses. Waleed has supported National Laundry Equipment, LLC in the past, and he provides solid counsel for creating profitability through processing laundry.  He has a forum in Dallas, Tx coming up, Oct 5-7, 2025, and you can get your tickets here: Laundry CEO | Laundromat Business & Community.  He consistently emphasizes systems, efficiency, and professionalism as keys to building a profitable WDF business. Here are some recurring principles and strategies he highlights.

Main Principles & Practices

Process, Systems & Checkpoints

Use of written or digital tracking slips (WDF slips) for every order with multiple checkpoints: preload, processing, packing, specialty item handling. This minimizes mistakes, creates accountability, and reduces rework.

Customer Retention & Segmenting Clients

Not all clients are equal. Identify and prioritize ‘super‑consumers’ (frequent, high‑value customers) to stabilize revenue and reduce marketing costs.

Models & Capital Efficiency

Consider lower‑cost business models when starting or expanding (e.g., pickup/delivery only or partnering with existing laundromats) to test markets without high overhead.

Professionalism & Branding

Presentation matters: professional packaging, uniforms, communication, and branding justify premium pricing and create differentiation.

Measurement & Continuous Improvement

Track weights, order times, and error rates to identify bottlenecks and improve SOPs. You cannot fix what you don’t measure.

Error Prevention & Quality Control

Catch mistakes early with pre‑load checks, checklists, and intake procedures. Preventing errors is more effective than fixing them later.

Scalability & Growth Strategy

Only scale once SOPs and quality are consistent. Growth without process leads to poor service and lost customers.

Cost Control & Efficiency

Watch hidden costs: utilities, machine downtime, overtime labor, misweighing orders. Efficiency directly impacts margins.

Mindset / Ownership Attitude

Treat your laundromat as a service business, not just a storefront. Adapt, experiment, and continuously refine systems. Simple doesn’t mean easy.

Specific Tools & Tactics

• Order slips or tracking slips that follow an order from intake to packaging.
• Weighing & tagging loads — even if not billing by weight, this provides data for operations and pricing.
• Use of laundry POS or software for scheduling, billing, and tracking.
• Different service models: laundromat + delivery, drop‑store, delivery‑only, or partnerships.
• Clear Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for every stage: washing, drying, folding, packaging, and delivery.

Pitfalls to Avoid

• Scaling too fast without strong processes in place.
• Neglecting details like special instructions, bulky item handling, or bagging methods.
• Undercharging by failing to account for all costs (labor, utilities, supplies, delivery).
• Inconsistent customer communication or unreliable service (missed pickups, poor turnaround, sloppy packaging).