DAYTON, Ohio — Two young professionals are taking a leap of faith by starting a business in the middle of the pandemic — a challenge no doubt — but they’re more than confident their startup laundry service TUMBLE can iron out all the wrinkles as they go. 

What You Need To Know

  • TUMBLE is a laundry pickup and delivery service startup in Dayton

  • The concept won the Wright Venture entrepreneur contest, earning $5,000

  • The concept was created by two college classmates who are now chasing their dream of being their own boss

  • The competition award money will go toward startup costs like creating a smartphone app

Jeffrey Caldwell and Charles Wheeler are dropping off clean laundry for one of their customers, but picking up more work at the same time. 

The duo attended college together at Miami University, and one day, a moment of frustration led to creation. 

“Charles just got home from his job working at Oxford To You and had a lot of chores to do and one of them was laundry,” Caldwell said. “He was talking about how he hated to do laundry.” 

That eureka moment led to the start of their own laundry pickup and delivery service called TUMBLE. 

Wheeler said it makes the task of doing laundry a lot easier especially for people without washer and dryer access. 

“When you pay us to do your laundry for you, it’s not just us doing your laundry — it’s us saving you three to four hours a week,” Wheeler said.  

Wheeler said their model is targeted to help anyone from college students to the elderly. 

“Would you want your grandmother to come in holding 40 lbs. of laundry when she doesn’t have to? We’re here to step in and play that role so she doesn’t have to put in the time and the effort of doing her laundry,” Wheeler said. “We wanna make it easier for individuals like her.” 

Their business is already impressing in the Miami Valley. TUMBLE won the Wright Venture entrepreneur contest at Wright State University where Caldwell is studying to earn his master's degree. 

They won $5,000 for startup expenses like the development of a smartphone app.  

“It’s really nice to have the stamp of approval from Wright State that we are a legitimate business,” Caldwell said. “And that we are actually making things happen within the Dayton community. That’s a really big deal for us.” 

Although TUMBLE is in its infancy as a company, both Caldwell and Wheeler think the venture can take them a long way. 

“If this pandemic (has) shown anybody anything, it’s the power to be your own boss and what it truly means to have control over your life and what you’re doing in it,” Wheeler said.  

He said even the pandemic wasn’t going to stop them from chasing their dream.

“It put a wrinkle in things but we learned how to adapt really quickly, to stay on our toes, and we’ve become even better business people because of it,” Wheeler said.  

For more information on TUMBLE visit the website. 

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