From 1 store to 86, Nini Tan of DobiQueen shares how she turned a family business pivot into a multimillion-ringgit laundry chain.



We dive into DobiQueen’s mission to redefine convenience, empowering busy professionals and families to “buy back time.” Co-Founder and Executive Director Nini Tan reflects on navigating an asset-heavy business model, the lessons learned scaling from 1 to nearly 90 outlets, and her ambitious plans for regional expansion and future growth.



Here are some key highlights from the conversation:

- Founding Story: Pivoting from the family photography business Foto-ZZoom to self-service laundromats, addressing the needs of time-strapped families and busy professionals.

- Business Model: Operating an asset-heavy business with a premium mass-market positioning. Providing added-value services such as crease-free drying, folding, and pickup delivery.

- Scaling Journey: Expanding from a single outlet in 2015 to nearly 90 outlets today. Overcoming challenges tied to scaling a capital-intensive business while driving operational innovation.

- Customer Focus: Educating customers on the benefits of outsourcing laundry. Leveraging strategies to encourage first-time trials and foster long-term brand loyalty.

- Future Ambitions: Exploring equity fundraising and IPO options to fuel regional growth. Innovating with digital-first solutions like pickup services and targeting markets beyond Klang Valley and Malaysia.

From 1 store to 86, Nini Tan of DobiQueen shares how she turned a family business pivot into a multimillion-ringgit laundry chain.We dive into DobiQueen’s mission to redefine convenience, empowering busy professionals and families to “buy back time.” Co-Founder and Executive Director Nini Tan reflects on navigating an asset-heavy business model, the lessons learned scaling from 1 to nearly 90 outlets, and her ambitious plans for regional expansion and future growth.Here are some key highlights from the conversation:- Founding Story: Pivoting from the family photography business Foto-ZZoom to self-service laundromats, addressing the needs of time-strapped families and busy professionals.- Business Model: Operating an asset-heavy business with a premium mass-market positioning. Providing added-value services such as crease-free drying, folding, and pickup delivery.- Scaling Journey: Expanding from a single outlet in 2015 to nearly 90 outlets today. Overcoming challenges tied to scaling a capital-intensive business while driving operational innovation.- Customer Focus: Educating customers on the benefits of outsourcing laundry. Leveraging strategies to encourage first-time trials and foster long-term brand loyalty.- Future Ambitions: Exploring equity fundraising and IPO options to fuel regional growth. Innovating with digital-first solutions like pickup services and targeting markets beyond Klang Valley and Malaysia.

The flagship entrepreneurship show on BFM, featuring personal business stories from early stage start-ups, all the way to billionaire octogenarians in Malaysia and abroad. Notable guests include Martin Cooper (father of the mobile phone), Julian Assange (founder of WikiLeaks), Ralph Henry Baer (father of video games), Tony Buzan (Mindmap Guru), Isaac Tigrett (Hard Rock Cafe founder), Robert Kiyosaki (Financial Guru), Nick Vujicic (motivational speaker) and more. Tap into this valuable resource of shared experiences for the SME industry, which also touches on news, issues and trends affecting the business community and beyond.

Open For Business

Discover fresh concepts, tackle obstacles, and unleash growth - Open For Business is the dynamic show where BFM engages with entrepreneurs, business leaders, and industry trailblazers, igniting inspiration, sparking success, and exploring new business models.

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