7.4% Face This Every Day

As I sit here writing this editorial, eight days before the Laundry CEO Forum, I'll be open with you. I’m running on fumes.

There's the construction at our new store. Team members dealing with personal issues that impact the business. Client concerns about their orders. The LCEO forum logistics; vendors, budgets, last minute updates, making sure attendees have an incredible experience. Equipment problems. Delivery delays. The constant mental juggling act that comes with a business.

The thought has crossed my mind, "What if I just stopped?

But then I remember something important. What we're doing as entrepreneurs isn't supposed to be smooth & easy. And there's a deep reason why.

We’re in the Super Minority

Here's a stat that might surprise you. It blew my mind when I researched it. 7.4% of the world population are entrepreneurs. That's roughly 594 million people out of more than 8 billion on this planet.¹

Think about that for a moment. When you're building a laundry business, whether it's self-service, wash-and-fold, pickup and delivery, or all three. You're doing something that 92.6% of the world will never attempt.

This isn't just rare. It's extraordinarily rare.

When you feel overwhelmed by managing team members, dealing with equipment failures, juggling client expectations, planning for growth, handling construction delays, and somehow still trying to have a personal life, remember, 68% of entrepreneurs report feeling like a failure at some point, and 45% experience burnout directly from managing too many responsibilities.²

You're not weak. You're not doing something wrong. You're experiencing what comes with attempting something that the vast majority of people will never try.

When I Hit the Wall

Let me share what's hitting me hardest right now, because I bet you can relate:

• Managing team members who are dealing with their own personal struggles while trying to maintain service standards
• Client concerns and expectations about their laundry quality, timing, and service
• Construction on our new location with contractors, permits, change orders, and endless decisions
• LCEO Forum logistics - coordinating vendors, managing budgets, handling last-minute changes, and ensuring every guest has an exceptional experience
• The mental load of constantly switching between operational details and strategic thinking

Some nights I lie awake thinking about all the moving pieces. The pressure feels immense.

But here's what I've learned from both research and experience. This is exactly when the most important decisions get made.

The Shackleton Framework

Ernest Shackleton and his crew of 28 men became stranded in Antarctica for 22 months when their ship Endurance was crushed by ice. Every single man survived.³

How did Shackleton do it?

He didn't tell his men, "We need to get back to civilization." That goal was 1,800 miles away across some of the most hostile terrain on Earth. That would have been overwhelming and demoralizing for his crew.

Instead, he set immediate, achievable goals, "We need to get to that ridge." "We need to reach the next valley." "We need to make it to that ice shelf."

Each goal was visible. Each goal was attainable. Each goal moved them one step closer to survival.

Angela Duckworth - Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance

While approaching the work for the new location, I could have looked at it as one massive, overwhelming project. Instead, I break it down:

1. Acquiring the space - finding location, researching demographics, negotiating lease terms
2. Design and permits - working with architects, getting approvals, finalizing layouts
3. Construction phases - buildout, equipment installation, interior design
4. Team and operations - hiring staff, training procedures, opening preparation

Each phase had its own challenges. But by focusing on just the next valley, the next achievable milestone, we kept moving forward.

Why the Struggle is a Feature, Not a Bug

Here's something that might change how you think about these difficult moments. 35% of entrepreneurs quit their businesses within the first five years due to burnout, market challenges, or personal stress.⁴

That means the struggles you're experiencing right now are eliminating more than a third of your potential competition.

Every sleepless night you push through. Every equipment problem you solve. Every difficult conversation with a team member you navigate. Every client complaint you resolve. These aren't just obstacles, they're barriers that keep others out of your market.

The difficulty isn't a design flaw. It's what creates your competitive advantage.

Most people want business ownership to be easier. They see the highlight reel on social media and think, "I wish this wasn't so hard."

But you shouldn't wish it was easier. You should wish you were stronger. Because every challenge you overcome builds your capacity to handle the next one.

The Power of Community

The research on this is clear, entrepreneurs with strong supportive networks are up to 50% more likely to show resilience and effective stress management during crises.⁵

This is why connecting with other entrepreneurs at industry events is important. Not because they're networking opportunities or educational events, even though they are both.

They matter because they put you in a room with people who understand exactly what you're going through. People who've felt the weight of payroll when cash flow is tight. People who've dealt with equipment breakdowns on the busiest day of the week. People who've had to make difficult decisions about team members, expansion, or pivoting services.

When you're surrounded by people who've been there, who've pushed through their own "what if I just quit?" moments, something powerful happens. You realize you're not alone in this struggle. You get real, actionable insights from people who've solved similar problems. You remember why you started this journey in the first place.

Thinking about the thinking of laundry:
When you realize that 92.6% of the world will never attempt what you're doing, you begin to see struggles differently.

Your Next Valley

So if you're reading this and feeling overwhelmed by your own set of challenges, whether it's equipment issues, team problems, cash flow concerns, expansion decisions, or just the daily grind of running a laundry business,

Try this:

1. Identify your current "valley" - What's the next achievable milestone in your biggest challenge?
2. Break it into 3-4 specific steps - Don't worry about steps 5-10 yet
3. Focus only on step one - Block out everything else and make progress on just that
4. Celebrate small wins - Acknowledge when you complete each step

Remember, Shackleton didn't get his men home in one heroic leap. He got them home one step at a time, one valley at a time, one decision at a time.

The same approach that saved 28 men in Antarctica can help you navigate whatever challenges you're facing in your laundry business.

The struggles you're experiencing aren't a sign that you should quit. They're proof that you're building something worthwhile.

Keep moving toward your next valley. The rest of us need you to make it.

That's all I got for you today.

Waleed

PS: Remember, we all have tough times. Some just hide it better than others.

Echoing the thoughts of James Clear.

Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become. No single instance will transform your beliefs, but as the votes build up, so does the evidence of your new identity.

Footnotes:

1. MarkinBlog - Entrepreneur Statistics (2025): Industry Insights - https://www.markinblog.com/entrepreneur-statistics/
2. StartupStash - Entrepreneurial Burnout - https://blog.startupstash.com/entrepreneurial-burnout-796c03dc5c9d
3. HISTORY - The Stunning Survival Story of Ernest Shackleton and His Endurance Crew - https://www.history.com/articles/shackleton-endurance-survival
4. StartupStash - Entrepreneurial Burnout - https://blog.startupstash.com/entrepreneurial-burnout-796c03dc5c9d
5. Sage Journals - Entrepreneurial Support Networks Research - https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/10422587251362898