A New Dean at Laundry University

A New Dean at Laundry University

The laundry industry’s premier online classroom has a new leader — and an ambitious lesson plan for what comes next.

Laundry University, the online training platform that has become a go-to resource for wash-dry-fold operators nationwide, has been acquired by Jamie Sewell, a longtime leader and innovator in the commercial laundry space, the company announced June 10. Founder Colleen Unema, who built the platform from the ground up beginning in 2022, is retiring.

The handoff marks a milestone for a platform built to solve one of the industry’s most stubborn problems: the training gap. Every operator knows the math. A poorly trained employee doesn’t just cost time — they cost customers. Laundry University was designed to close that gap with structure, speed and a standard every team member can be held to.

“Every owner has felt the pain of a bad hire or inconsistent Wash & Fold services. Laundry University fixes that,” Sewell said. “When your team is trained right and gets up to speed in a fraction of the time, everyone wins — the business, the employee, and the customer.”

Beyond the core coursework, the Laundry Library — a growing collection of specialty courses — tackles topics such as elder care laundry, washing delicate fabrics and cleaning specialty items like street shoes. Regular virtual meetups round out the offering, bringing owners together to learn, share and grow.

Laundry University serves laundromat owners and their employees, as well as independent laundry service providers across the country. Operators who have adopted the platform report training timelines compressed from days to hours — and training costs cut along with them.

“Laundry University completely transformed the way we train new hires,” said Travis Unema of Brio Laundry. “What used to take 2–3 days now takes just 2–3 hours, and they can do it right on their phone. This has cut our training costs by more than half. It’s fast, effective, and an absolute must for any laundromat.”

From the Classroom to the Laundromat

Laundry University’s origin story is, fittingly, a teacher’s story. Unema spent her career teaching high school biology before retiring and channeling that same passion for education into the laundry world. As the founder of Brio Laundry, she experienced the industry’s training gap firsthand — and built Laundry University to close it. Relaunched in 2025 with renewed momentum, the platform has earned praise from owners across the country.

“Building Laundry University has been one of the most rewarding things I’ve done in my career,” Unema said. “I knew when the time came to step back, it had to be someone who not only understood this industry but genuinely loved it. Jamie is that person. She’s going to take what we built and make it something this industry has never seen before.”

The Next Cycle

Sewell brings a résumé built at the intersection of laundry and innovation. She helped bring Speed Queen Insights and Huebsch Command to market and was part of the team that created the world’s first cashless laundromat. Today she owns a laundromat in Tampa, Florida, serves on the CLA board and consults with laundromat owners across the country.

Her conviction for the platform is straightforward: When employees get up to speed in hours instead of days and do the job right from the start, owners stop losing customers and start building the business they always envisioned. Under her leadership, Laundry University expects to expand its curriculum, deepen its community offerings and widen its impact across the industry — with a stated goal of becoming the No. 1 training destination for laundry professionals worldwide.

For operators on the ground, the results are already showing up in day-to-day operations. “Laundry University transformed my wash-dry-fold business,” said Sunny Bert of LaundrySUX. “The practical training and step-by-step processes streamlined my operations, improved customer experience, and boosted my confidence.” Another user, Isaac, put it simply: “Laundry University saves me so much time. Launderers ready to go in an hour or two.”

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