A Day in the Life of Ronnie, a Jim’s Laundry Franchisee in Brisbane

Changing careers after nearly a decade in corporate management is not an easy decision. For Ronnie, a Jim’s Laundry franchisee in Brisbane, it meant stepping away from a stable management role and building a business that could work around his family, lifestyle and long-term goals.

Today, his working day looks very different. Instead of spending hours in meetings, Ronnie starts his day after dropping his children at school and spends his mornings collecting and delivering laundry for residential and commercial customers.

A Flexible Start to the Day

Ronnie generally starts around 8:30 a.m., planning his collection route the night before to make the most of his time on the road. His service area is typically within about 15 minutes of Carindale, although he adjusts the radius depending on his workload.

On an average day, he completes around five to ten pickups. Busy periods can mean considerably more. Following a public holiday, for example, Ronnie had 13 pickups scheduled.

Planning is an important part of his routine. By mapping out his stops in advance, he can avoid unnecessary travel and keep his day manageable.

A Mix of Residential and Commercial Customers

Ronnie’s business includes a mix of residential customers, NDIS clients and commercial accounts. Around 80% of his work is residential, with the remainder coming from commercial customers.

His core offering is wash,dry & fold services, with ironing and bed-making available as additional services. Most collections and deliveries are contactless, allowing Ronnie to complete the work efficiently without needing to meet every customer.

He also works with businesses that require regular laundry support, including beauty and specialist facilities. Commercial opportunities can provide a reliable addition to residential bookings and help create a more balanced customer base.

Finding the Right Business Opportunity

Before joining Jim’s Laundry, Ronnie worked in middle management for a vending company for almost a decade. Changes in management eventually brought longer working hours, more meetings and increased stress.

With a young family, he began looking for a different direction.

Ronnie explored several laundry franchise opportunities and other franchise divisions, including mowing, cleaning and test and tag. He wanted something that could initially operate alongside his existing work and, importantly, could be managed from home.

Laundry proved to be a practical fit.

He could work around school hours, operate the business from home and gradually build his customer base without immediately making a complete career change.

From Part-Time Business to Full-Time Focus

Ronnie initially operated the business part-time while working from home. As leads began turning into customers and repeat bookings started to develop, he saw greater potential.

He officially left his full-time corporate role in October 2025 and committed to the laundry business.

The first 30 days came with a learning curve. However, once weekly and fortnightly customers became part of his schedule, the business started to feel more established.

Building a Business Around Family Life

Flexibility has been one of the biggest advantages for Ronnie.

His working hours can be structured around school drop-offs, family activities and personal commitments. He generally aims to complete his pickups and deliveries by early afternoon and avoids the evening meetings that were once part of his corporate routine.

The flexibility also allows him to take time off when needed, provided he manages his customer commitments..

For someone with a young family, having greater control over the working day has made a noticeable difference.

More Than Just Washing Clothes

Collecting bags, carrying laundry, loading machines, folding clothes and making deliveries keep him active throughout the day. What started as a home-based business has become a role that combines customer service, logistics, business management and physical work.

He also enjoys the fact that the workday has variety. A morning might include residential collections, a commercial account and a regular customer before he returns home to process the laundry.

Support Makes the Difference

Starting a business naturally comes with questions, and Ronnie says the support from his franchise network has been important throughout his journey.

He completed the required training at the Jim’s head office in Melbourne and recommends taking detailed notes and applying the training in real-world situations.

On-road guidance from his franchiser was equally valuable. Having someone with practical experience available to answer questions about pricing, customer service, laundry processes and handling challenges gave Ronnie greater confidence during the early stages.

A Different Definition of Success

For Ronnie, the move from corporate management to laundry has been about more than earning an income. It has been about gaining control over how he spends his time and creating a business that fits his family life.

The potential to grow is also important. As his customer base expands, Ronnie can increase his workload and eventually consider bringing additional help into the business.

His experience shows that a business does not always have to start with a dramatic leap. Sometimes, it can begin part-time, grow through consistent customer service and develop into something much bigger.

For people exploring a business laundry service, local franchise or even a home laundry service near me, Ronnie’s journey offers a practical reminder: the right opportunity is one that fits not only your financial goals, but also the life you want to build.