What inspired you to start The Sneaker Laundry?
I just got so tired of throwing shoes away that I really loved. There was always this nagging feeling as I threw away dirty used shoes that perhaps they could be saved or rescued. When I looked into it six years ago, there were only cobblers and none of them ever really knew what to do with sneakers. Not today’s sneakers anyway that cost anywhere from $300 to thousands of dollars.
Tell us about your career and background.
I started in nightlife as a DJ when I was 18 and went into organising parties in Melbourne. Im one of the owners of a nightclub and a waterfront events space in Melbourne so I think that explains for the constant need for my sneakers to get cleaned. Most pairs would last a night out, maybe two at best. At the age of 20, I went to Monash and did a double degree in Law and Commerce. Upon finishing, I did my Practical Legal Training in 2021 and became a solicitor during COVID!
Describe a typical work day for you.
I start it with a good but quick breakfast. I think that’s the reward for an early start because I know my day never ends early either. We’ll run into a variety of meetings into Lunch, as many online as possible just to be efficient and I try to leave my afternoons free to be on my laptop as the business works remotely, to the exclusion of those in our brick and mortar locations. Most days I do try to pop into our Melbourne store or our warehouse to check on our team. I’ll wind down around 8pm in the Sauna/Steam room and finish some emails off before bed.
What advice do you have for those wanting to start a business?
Do it. What’s the worst that can happen? You fail, your resume looks even more impressive for trying, and you’ll get a better job than your last one?
What’s next for you, and The Sneaker Laundry?
We’re embarking on what I call Sneaker Laundry 2.0. 6 years ago, we were Australia’s first sneaker care shop. Now, we are just Australia’s sneaker care brand. We’re now Sneaker Laundry (TM) and we’ve successfully got the rights to the 2 words Sneaker and Laundry being used in conjunction with each other because well… we started it. With this, we’re going on a brand refresh and our entire product line is being gutted as well. The brand is going through a major facelift and we’re so excited to unveil our new look in a month’s time.
To find out more about The Sneaker Laundry, please visit thesneakerlaundry.com.au