Watch, Listen, and Learn
Written by Jose Morales, #WakeEntrepreneur and Summer Intern
Interning this summer for 2ULaundry has been a unique and wonderful experience. I’ve had the opportunity to take part in a variety of projects while partnering with different “departments.” For instance, I not only helped with interviewing and hiring, but I also worked with Business Development, Marketing, and had the opportunity to work with the Senior Account manager. I went to various job fairs and met with top-level employers including Wells Fargo and AT&T. I was able to pitch the company to local businesses and potential investors.
One of the biggest challenges I overcame during my internship was time management; I had many tasks that required me to prioritize my time. For example, in one day I would have over 100 different businesses to call and connect with in order to help increase our commercial accounts. With the help of Eamon Coughlin (Wake Intern), we managed to accomplish this in less than 3 hours. Not only did those calls help us learn which industries were interested in 2ULaundry and which ones would utilize our services, but it also generated more business. With the Grand Opening of “The Laundry Room,” the month of July was filled with non-stop work. This showed us how quickly a startup can gain so much traction in a short amount of time. 2ULaundry is expanding quickly and with the introduction of the subsidiary business, it has allowed us to cut down on outsourcing. This will save both time and money and will substantially decrease job turnover.
In the last week of my internship, I had the opportunity to work with Alex Smereczniak (Wake Forest ’14), Co-Founder and CEO. I was able to learn more about his journey as an entrepreneur and how he’s been growing 2ULaundry in a 35-Billion-dollar market. Alex has a variety of tasks and roles including raising capital, meeting investors and ensuring that the company is providing quality service. However, what makes Alex a great CEO is his drive and attitude. Alex’s attitude and positive influence motivates the team to work harder and do whatever it takes to grow the company. Pandora Co-Founder, Tim Westergren once said, “Make your team feel respected, empowered and genuinely excited about the company mission.” This is exactly what Alex delivers.
I have gained so much from interning at an entrepreneurial startup this summer. Thank You 2ULaundry for this amazing opportunity, as well as the Center for Entrepreneurship at Wake Forest University! I’m looking forward to seeing 2ULaundry grow!