Operation Laundry Chapter 1: Building from Nothing with Tim Johnson

On this episode of Full Cycle, Matt DeWolf sits down with Tim Johnson, founder of Operation Laundry in Holland, Michigan, for a conversation unlike most on the show. Tim's laundromat is not open yet, and this episode follows his journey in real time, offering a candid look at what it actually takes to build something from scratch in this industry. Tim's background is anything but traditional for a laundromat owner. A former Air Force officer and cybersecurity entrepreneur, he arrived at the Clean Show knowing no one and knowing nothing about laundry. What followed was a series of high-stakes moves: rolling over his entire 401k through a ROBS structure while unemployed, tracking down and purchasing 43 dryers and 42 washers from a shuttered franchisee near Detroit, hauling the equipment across the state in rented box trucks with his neighbor Rob, and securing a commercial space on a seller-financed land contract. He and Rob then spent 50 days demo-ing 5,000 square feet by hand, removing 22 tons of material, and uncovering a hidden tunnel running beneath the entire strip mall. Tim speaks openly about the moments of doubt, the constant outflow of money with no income coming in, and the relationships, with his distributor, his builder, his neighbor, local businesses, and community organizations, that have made the project possible. His advice for listeners is simple: walk or exercise every single day. The mental clarity it provides, he says, is worth more than the time it takes. We’ll be following Tim along his journey as he gets Operation Laundry open for business. Thanks for giving us a turn. Host: Matt DeWolf | Guest: Tim Johnson, Founder, Operation Laundry, Holland, Michigan