From Shuttered Storefront to Community Staple  

Women in Laundry

For more than 10 years, Amy Martinez-Monfort has been a driving force in Tampa’s business community, transforming the local laundry industry with her vision and heart. As founder and CEO of Tampa Laundry Company (TLC), Amy’s journey began with a simple belief: everyone deserves the dignity of clean laundry. What started as a bold move to revitalize a shuttered laundromat has grown into a thriving enterprise known for its welcoming atmosphere and commitment to service. Along the way, Amy has broken barriers in a traditionally male-dominated field, championed innovation and built a company rooted in respect and care for all. Now, as she continues to lead and inspire while balancing family life as a wife and mom, Amy shares the story behind her leap into the industry, the challenges she’s faced and why she wouldn’t do anything differently. 

Q. What sparked your interest in the laundry industry? How did you come to be in the industry?  

I drove past a shuttered laundromat with bullet holes in the windows. When I saw that, I thought, “Everyone deserves the dignity of clean laundry.” 

Q. What do you find most challenging, especially as a woman in this business?  

In the words of Sara Blakely, founder of Spanx, the hardest thing about being a woman in business is being underestimated. However, the best thing about being a woman in business is also being underestimated. Being underestimated allows you to prove everyone wrong by showing your character, ingenuity and drive, and truly shine! I choose to never use my gender as a defining factor in what I can or can’t do and encourage others to do the same. 

Q. What advice would you give to other women looking to get into this industry?  

If you look at most industries, you could say that they are “male dominated.” Someone saying an industry is male dominated simply means that women aren’t in that industry yet, not that anything is prohibiting them from being in that industry. I feel that calling an industry “male dominated” creates a false barrier to women feeling welcome in an industry. Don’t buy into that. The laundry industry has changed a lot in the last 10 years since I started TLC. During my first Clean Show in 2014, my husband and I were walking the show floor, my badge clearly showed “owner” and his clearly showed “guest” but they would direct questions to him. He would quickly point to me and say, “You’re talking to the wrong person!”  

There are so many more women in the industry now, and the industry as a whole is so friendly and helpful. Seek out those in the industry who you feel have something to teach you, male or female. Women are often told to talk to other women in a given industry for advice. If you’re only asking other women for advice, you’re missing some amazing advice. 

Q. If you had to do it all over again, what would you do differently?  

Nothing. People often ask what I wish I would have known before starting TLC. I did all of my research and knew everything I could at the time. Those things I’ve learned along the way have happened at just the right time. If I had known some things prior to starting TLC, I may not have started TLC and that would have been a real shame. 

Q. What can laundry industry leaders do to encourage more women to enter the laundry industry in more male-dominated roles – such as store ownership, engineering, R&D and distributor/manufacturing management?  

The laundry industry has so much to offer women and is full of opportunity. It is a chance to put a new spin – pun intended – on an age-old chore. I don’t see it as being on the industry to encourage women to enter the industry. It either appeals to certain women or it doesn’t. I do believe in the “if you see her, you can be her” philosophy. There are so many amazing women in the laundry industry today that as more women are looking to enter the industry, they will be in great company. 

Q. Where do you see the industry heading in the next five years, specifically with regard to women professionals?  

AI and technology will continue to impact our industry, and I welcome that. Things like AI phone assistance, lead generation, and more will free up our teams to focus on what matters most: our customers and producing the best possible product for our customers. 

Q. What’s something people might be surprised to learn/know about you?  

I skipped the 4th grade, am a Green Bay Packers shareholder and I was 5’2” until my senior year in high school and am now 5’11”.  

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