She Bootstrapped The Laundress for 15 Years, Then Sold It to Unilever — with Lindsey Boyd

Building a company once teaches you how to survive. Building one again shows you what you actually learned.Takin’ Care of Lady Business Episode 170Lindsey Boyd, left her dream job at Chanel to co-found The Laundress, bootstrapping the company for 15 years before selling it to Unilever. Now she's back in founder mode with Lindry Lab, bringing two decades of hard-earned lessons about money, ownership, growth, and trusting your instincts.In this episode of Takin’ Care of Lady Business, Jennifer Justice sits down with Lindsey to talk about building without traditional investors, asking for the help and opportunities you need, and what founders should understand before selling a company.Lindsey also shares what she learned navigating an acquisition, including the reality of earn-outs and the money founders actually walk away with. And as she builds Lindry Lab, she’s making different choices, including exploring outside capital to grow faster, while holding onto the instincts that helped her build The Laundress in the first place.What You'll LearnHow Lindsey bootstrapped The Laundress without traditional investorsWhy asking for help can be one of a founder's biggest advantagesWhat founders need to understand about acquisitions and earn-outsWhat Lindsey is doing differently the second time aroundHighlights:(00:00) Meet Lindsey Boyd(01:20) From Chanel to founding The Laundress(02:05) Hand-washing cashmere and discovering the gap in the market(03:27) Going all-in on product over service(06:07) Leaving her dream job and calling her parents(07:43) Bootstrapping The Laundress with a soap splash fundraiser(12:11) Why staying the course matters(17:27) The Unilever "love letter" that started acquisition talks(21:35) Facing an investor's "unsexy" comment(25:00) Building Lindry Lab's three pillars: formula, fragrance, packaging(34:55) The worst advice she ever receivedAbout Our Guest:Lindsey Boyd is the founder of Lindry Lab and former co-founder of The Laundress, the luxury laundry care brand she bootstrapped for 15 years before selling to Unilever in 2019. With a background in fashion and textiles at Chanel, Brooks Brothers, Nicole Miller, and Malia Mills, Lindsey has spent more than two decades rethinking how consumers care for clothing and their homes. Today, she's bringing that experience to Lindry Lab, a new laundry and home care brand built around high-performance formulas, fragrance, and thoughtful design.Lindsey Boyd’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsey-julia-boyd-9007073/ Lindsey Boyd’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lindseyjuliaboyd/ Explore Lindry Lab: https://lindrylab.com/ About Jennifer Justice and The Justice Dept.JJ’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-justice-354a0b99The Justice Dept: https://www.thejusticedept.com/JJ’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenniferjusticel/ Newsletter: https://tkolb-newsletter-a50814.beehiiv.com/JJ’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TakinCareOfLadyBusiness The Justice Dept. is a female-focused advisory, consulting, and law firm advocating for female founders, talent, execs, and brands. We represent bo$$ ladies to make them 💰💰.If you love what you hear, please subscribe and share with a friend.This is a Lady Business LLC Production.