CLA Member of the Year Monica Wales

Monica Wales champions community and Women in Laundry. See what makes her the 2025 CLA Member of the Year.

1 Feb, 2026 8 min read

CLA Member of the Year

Monica Wales: Championing Community and Women in Laundry

When Monica Wales received the call to share she’d been named CLA’s Member of the Year, her reaction was pure curiosity. “My first thought and verbal question was, ‘what was the criteria for this award?’” said Monica Wales. That blend of humility and inquisitiveness is exactly what’s made Wales a standout leader in the laundry industry.

From Spokane to Strategy

Wales is the Chief Strategy Officer at Happy Laundry & Dry Cleaning in Spokane, Wash. She joined the Happy Laundry team 12 years ago when she married her husband, Kent, who had started the business six years prior. “I had the opportunity to attend several Clean Shows and learn more about the laundry industry and meet the movers and shakers,” said Wales.

Before diving into all things laundry, Wales attended Eastern Washington University for her undergraduate degree and later earned a certificate in Women’s Leadership at Gonzaga University. She spent four years in hospitality and 16 years in healthcare. Five years ago, she founded Coaching Freedom, a financial coaching practice.

Learning and Leading

Joining a new industry can be overwhelming, even when you have family by your side. That’s why Wales is such a strong supporter of industry associations. “Industry associations, such as CLA, can connect members with others in the laundry industry, offer invaluable learning opportunities via webinars and in-person events, advocate for laundry businesses and introduce new industry innovation,” said Wales.

She’s quick to highlight the welcoming nature of the laundry community. “I love how welcoming people in the industry are. Laundry owners are honest about the work it takes to ensure your laundry business is a success,” said Wales. “Most are willing to share some strategies they’ve learned on their journey to success and scalability.”

Monica Wales, of Happy Laundry, is the 2025 CLA Member of The Year.

Facing Challenges and Breaking Barriers

Wales doesn’t shy away from discussing the challenges women face in the industry. “I consistently hear stories of women who are not taken seriously when they have questions about equipment and equipment repair, products, leases, pricing and financing,” said Wales. But she’s optimistic about change and believes vendors and other organizations who see the value women bring will be better for it.

“Women are changing the laundry industry one store at a time. They have the business acumen, the desire to build community through their business and oftentimes have the funds to make big investments,” she said. “When vendors take women seriously by responding to questions and communications in a timely and respectful manner, they no doubt will find a big opportunity to serve.”

For women who are interested in entering the industry, Wales offers advice that is both practical and encouraging.

“Do your research,” she said. “I know several new store owners who invested in conferences to learn all they could about the possibility of owning a laundry business. Attending these events is a relatively small investment compared to what it will cost to either buy or build a laundry business.” She also recommends getting involved. “Become a member of the trade association,” she said. “Establish your community and find a few people who have been in the business a little longer than you. Ask questions and then remember to pay it forward.”

Looking Back and Moving Forward

Reflecting on her own journey, Wales admits she was hesitant to get involved in the business.

“I resisted being involved in the laundry industry early on, possibly because I didn’t see a lot of women,” she said. She believes industry leaders can do more to encourage women in male-dominated roles.

“Businesses that serve or sell to investors and laundry owners are missing the mark if they aren’t openly inviting women to the table for conversations, focus groups and women-led programing,” Wales said. “This is a diverse industry. And yet the approach to how we do things has been the same for years. I would advise these businesses to be open to explore new approaches, possibilities, innovation and operations that are brought forward by all women, including supplier diversity. It makes sense to continue to collaborate and learn from one another.

The Future Is Female

Wales sees a bright future for women in laundry. “I see a growing number of professional women looking to be in the laundry business. Not just because laundry has typically been women’s responsibility at home, but because they have professional expertise that they want to share in their community via their laundry business,” she said. “For example, several women I’ve met in the past few weeks want to offer classes or create a space for learning or health improvement. The investors that are in the market have a myriad of professions from real estate to education to healthcare. I see the women in laundry literally changing the industry and it’s going to happen a lot faster than you might think.”

The Power of Community

Wales believes the community of women in the industry is critical for encouraging others to get involved and sees examples of it all the time. “At a recent CLA Connect Live dinner, a laundry owner from Montana told Melissa Roberts from LaundryLux and I that his wife attended the Women’s luncheon at the Clean Show in August. She has been in the laundry business for over 10 years, but ever since the luncheon, his wife has gone “all-in” on the laundry business,” Wales said. Wales believes that the woman, like other women, need to feel like they aren’t alone in the industry. “The luncheon helped bring her together with more than 180 women in the industry! What a testament to the CLA’s Women’s Laundry Network Task Force,” said Wales.

Wales credits the WLN with bringing valuable programming to women in the industry that has sparked insight, collaboration and a sense of community at every turn. “There are so many women who are working hard to encourage women in the laundry industry,” she said.

Why Membership Matters

While the value of networking is immeasurable, Wales says the CLA membership is about more than mingling – it’s about making real connections. “An important part of building the laundry industry is reinvesting in opportunities to collaborate and encourage one another,” she said. “We haven’t single-handedly been successful for 18 years. My husband and I have had many trusted advisors, mentors and guides along the way. I think it’s our job to continue that stewardship,” said Wales.

While the membership has a cost, Wales believes it has an incredible return on investment. “The countless dollars that we have saved because we had great connections through the CLA have far exceeded the annual membership,” she said. “The question is not whether one can afford it, but rather, what does it cost to not be a CLA member?” said Wales.

Final Thoughts

Wales is proud of the industry’s direction and excited by the new learning opportunities she’s seen, including new conference offerings and mastermind groups to new ways of challenging one another to innovate and succeed. But for her, a strong community will always be the ticket to success.

“I believe if you build it, they will come,” said Wales.

CLA Member of the Year Monica Wales

CLA Member of the Year

Related Posts