I Feel You, A Fortify Wellness Production

From Military Precision to Entrepreneurial Success Hyacinth Tucker

Bettina Mahoney Season 7

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What if you could revolutionize an entire industry while championing community empowerment? Join me, Bettina Mahoney, as I sit down with the exceptional HyacinthTucker, an immigrant from Jamaica, Army veteran, and trailblazing entrepreneur, who has done exactly that. Hyacinth has not only transformed the laundry and dry cleaning industry by integrating sustainability and digital innovation but has also become a beacon of resilience and creativity. In our conversation, Hyacinth shares her incredible journey of navigating cultural and professional challenges, illustrating the power of choice and how shared experiences can foster both community and personal growth.

About Hyacinth Tucker:

Hyacinth Tucker is an accomplished entrepreneur, visionary leader, and community advocate transforming the laundry and dry cleaning industry. As the owner of The Laundry Basket LLC, she’s built a dynamic business offering laundry, dry cleaning, alterations, and an innovative digital platform that streamlines pickup, delivery, and wash-and-fold services.

An immigrant from Jamaica, Hyacinth’s entrepreneurial spirit led her to expand into markets like Northeast Ohio and Toronto, while championing sustainability through partnerships with organizations like Impact Zero. She’s also dedicated to workforce development, launching minority apprenticeship programs and initiatives supporting veterans and returning citizens.

Recognized with the Visionary Award from Take The Lead and a Governor's Citation from Maryland, Hyacinth has excelled in pitch competitions like HUPitch and DC Startup & Tech Week. Her diverse background includes building and selling a $1.5 million Allstate agency, managing event venues, and serving as a doula and volunteer firefighter.

A proud wife and mother of two, Hyacinth mentors emerging entrepreneurs, advocates for women, minorities, and veterans in business, and continues to innovate with new digital solutions in the laundry space.


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Speaker 1:

Welcome to I Feel you a Fortify Wellness production season seven, where we explore the real stories and strategies that help you strengthen your mind, body and soul. I'm Bettina Mahoney, your guide on this journey to a healthier, more vibrant you. Before we get started, here's a quick reminder this information shared today is for your inspiration and knowledge, but always consult a healthcare provider for any medical concerns. I am so excited to welcome Heinesen Tucker, a dynamic entrepreneur, visionary leader and community advocate. As the owner of the Laundry Basket LLC, she's revolutionizing laundry and dry cleaning with an innovative digital platform and a focus on sustainability. An immigrant from Jamaica and Army veteran, heinesen has expanded her business across the US and Canada, while championing zero waste initiatives and minority workforce development programs. She's a sought-after speaker, award-winning businesswoman and a dedicated mentor, inspiring communities through her resilience, creativity and impact-driven leadership. I am so excited for this conversation. Let's get into it, hi Hyacinth. Thank you so much for joining me today.

Speaker 2:

How are you, I am doing wonderful. Thank you for having me, bettina. I appreciate this opportunity.

Speaker 1:

I love your energy. It's like radiating through the call right now. So I'm really excited. I appreciate you. I appreciate you. So you have such an interesting background and I love asking this question because it's so cool that when we take away our identities, like when we strip all that away, we're left with really who we are innately inside. So when you take all of your exciting and fancy titles away, who are you?

Speaker 2:

Wow. I always like to say that when you take everything away, I am a servant leader at heart. I really find my purpose in helping others, whether it be achieving their potential or improving their circumstances. So that's like really where my heart really lies. But I'm deeply committed to my family, my community and I just want to make the world a little better place than how it is now. How I found it so that is really where my identity is grounded in is being like a mom, a wife, a mom, you know, a friend, that type of thing.

Speaker 1:

I love that and I can see that through your background. I can see that through your energy right now and I think a lot of women are so service oriented by nature. I know I am, and unfortunately sometimes experiences can bring that out of you. For me, when I was raped, it changed my life forever. I struggled with like PTSD and depression and even getting out of bed in the morning for a little bit of time until I was able to get help and go to therapy and get move my body and go to coaching and develop this like 360 approach and that's what Fortify Wellness really is. It's about just like getting the education and getting the services through therapy, coaching, fitness, meditation and to apply it into everyday life. And it doesn't necessarily have to be tied to trauma, but I do believe that sometimes we can have adversity that can be the catalyst for personal growth. Have you had an experience that kind of pivoted you into shaping who you are today?

Speaker 2:

Yeah. So I definitely will have to start with my childhood. So, growing up as an immigrant, and from Jamaica to Brooklyn, it was an extreme change in my reality. I had to adapt to a completely new environment. So of course it was bullying and I just didn't really feel like I fit quite in, like I had the accent, I didn't dress the same way as other people and even though for some people it's like it comes off small, but as you're shaping and growing into the person that you become, like, those types of experiences really are the things that you kind of remember. But it definitely taught me like how to really persevere and it actually taught me how to be creative, because it was kind of like okay, how can I stop the pain that I'm feeling? So what can I do? How can I change it into something else? Like how can I have like a different output with that?

Speaker 2:

So I would definitely say that and I think that as an entrepreneur, honestly, I faced setbacks with that, so I had to learn a whole new industry. You know, this is not something I'm like oh, when I grow up I want to be the laundry lady. So it's navigating a system that was like really unfamiliar to me Definitely some financial hurdles. Yes, that was a really interesting time for me, but you know I've learned to use adversity as a teacher. I know it sounds like cliche, but I've really learned a lot through that. So it's shown me how to pivot and how to stay focused and how to grow from the lessons.

Speaker 1:

I agree, and I talk a lot about choices, like we do have the choice to submit to the adversities or to overcome them, and of course it's normal to struggle for a bit. I've struggled so many times and I know you've been through adversity, but you chose to overcome it and that's I want to honor you in that, because it's not easy to do, and that's I want to honor you in that, because it's not easy to do and it's so like that's why I love bringing women onto this podcast, because you guys are like just iconic, like you guys just overcome so much and sometimes it can be so nice for someone struggling to go wow, if you know, if someone could overcome it. Maybe I can too, and I know that from personal experience. Like I would listen to podcasts, I would listen to music, because I just remember thinking like this thing can't get better.

Speaker 2:

And it does, it does get better it does get better and it also shows you community, shows like you're not alone, you know that there are other people going through things and how can we work together, kind of help each other? You know, because it's not like. I always say like it's not like this straight line, it's's not like, oh, this happens and you feel better, and then it's like it goes up, it goes down and go. It's like this, this, this ride like out of nowhere, like past. You know, thoughts and feelings come out of nowhere and then you have to like address it in that given time. So definitely understand that.

Speaker 1:

And I'm fascinated with your life because obviously you're an immigrant from Jamaica and you were a veteran, yeah.

Speaker 2:

Which.

Speaker 1:

I have a lot of respect for, and then now you're like the successful entrepreneur. Tell me about that journey that you have. You have a bunch of different hats that you have put on in your life. How is your experience, especially being a veteran? I'd like to know a little bit more about that. But how has that kind of shifted the way you approach leadership and wellness?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, so we'll definitely go with being an immigrant. The cool thing about it is that it teaches you early on how to embrace diversity is that it teaches you early on how to embrace diversity. So I see the beauty in different perspectives because I'm so used to being around so many different nationalities and cultures. So you know, you come from Jamaica, which of course is Jamaican, but you go to Brooklyn and it's kind of like a melting pot of so many different things and you kind of like find your way and your groove and you're in your community. So I really see that and I want to always create spaces where people feel valued, seen and heard. That was really important for me growing up is finding like my people and finding where I felt like OK, you see me, you know, and I felt valued as a child and growing up and then as a veteran.

Speaker 2:

So I work in the, the OR and the operating room. So I was the operating room tech. So you're probably too young, but if you remember, like mash, it was kind of like that situation. So it's like really high pace, you're on your feet like the whole time, and so that's where I first learned like discipline and I learned about um, service, service first. So the military and some of the army really teaches you about service first behavior and it's about taking care of your people, and I carry that principle with me now to like my business. So taking care of my team is, like, really important to me and that's something that I will say, that I learned in the military and then, as an entrepreneur, I've learned to prioritize wellness and so, of course, being a company where we talk about like oh, you don't have to do that.

Speaker 2:

We can do that, you know. Take time for yourself. I have to make sure that I model that for myself, you know, and I make sure that I make sure that the community that I serve, that they understand that concept. So, even though I have this drive for success, I have to make sure that my physical, my emotional wellbeing is on par as well.

Speaker 1:

Yes, and I'm curious because my cousin Eric, he was in the military, he went to West Point, he served for 13 months in Afghanistan. Bronze medal recipient, he actually wrote a really good book about his experience and everything that he struggled with and it was heartbreaking for me to read because he went through so much in the way that he just his experience over at West Point, his experience in Afghanistan. And it was interesting to me because, you know, I struggled with PTSD after I survived my trauma and it was interesting for me to see all the patterns, like it doesn't matter how you got to the PTSD, like you, you the aftermath of how you react is very similar. I went to war, I went to war with my body, essentially, and we had some similar reactions to it.

Speaker 1:

I'm curious, like when you, when you came back, did you struggle in any way with like okay, now I'm back, I'm a civilian, I'm, you know, I'm in the U S. Did you struggle like adapting and, and you know, was there a pivot? Like okay, now here I am, I want to start this business, I'm coming from a different life perspective. Did you struggle at all when you came back?

Speaker 2:

So there's always that adjustment because it's like what you've known is now different and it's the way that you choose to like now what's next for me. And without having like that support, I will say that there was. I've had a lot of support in my life and so I think that has helped me. So, from my personal experience, it wasn't as challenging because of the support systems that were there for me in every stage of my life. But I can definitely understand how it can be really just like oh my gosh, you know transitioning, but I will say that I had a more smoother transition than most because of the support that I had.

Speaker 1:

And obviously entrepreneurship is very challenging and it takes a very tight understatement of the year and it's harder for women than you know when we know that. But I'm curious, like with your past experiences, you know and I understand the immigrant aspect, I just went to India to meet my boyfriend's family. So it was such an interesting experience going to India, um, but it's interesting, you know, because my boyfriend comes from a different perspective. Like he comes from India, he comes into the US. He has a different perspective. Like he comes from India, he comes into the U S. He has a different perspective than I did about U? S and meeting him and his grid and his tenacity and his drive, it's like it's so different. Even listening to his family's perspective on the Western world USA is very different.

Speaker 1:

It's very fascinating to me, um. So you know, obviously with your background it's it's kind of interesting within yourself. You have a nice little melting pot within yourself. But you know, in your business it's such an innovative business and I'm curious, like how technology is going to sort of innovate your business as well. Um, how do you feel that you are? You kind of already talked about it, but you know how have your experiences sort of launched you and pivoted you into now where you're at with your business.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, so well, I'll answer the technology part because I don't want to forget that part. So how we use technology is our platform. So we realize that where we are now and the way that the world is going, convenience is very important and so and also is transparency. So we use our platform as a customized software platform and so people can schedule, they can pay, we do reminders, they can leave reviews, we do everything in like route optimization, you can see, like, where your bags are. You know, it's a lot of different things that we that we use it for. We also use it with our partners. So we operate like a ghost kitchen model. So it's kind of like we work with local laundromats and dry cleaners and that's when they're at low capacity or when their clothes is, when we kind of come in and do all that stuff. So we use our platform for that.

Speaker 2:

But as far as the military, it has helped me with thinking strategic. I, like I said, am a very strategic thinker and you have to be like at least that's been my position that I was in. So when you're handing stuff to the surgeon, when you're doing a count, and you have to make sure that what you gave them is the same amount that comes back. You know it, it's a lot of planning in your head, and so that has definitely helped me and so acting decisively. So I think big, but I also move fast as well. So that is how I operate and that's what I've been used to, and so that's really critical when running a business and guys see, managing people We've talked about like leadership and that type of thing so it's processes, people and resources and then, of course, being able to pivot. So the military teaches you about how to really pivot very quickly when you're facing adversity. So that's another skill that I've learned.

Speaker 1:

And I think it's so beautiful. We're kind of like wrapping full circle you talked about in the very beginning. You love to service and provide and help others and I really love what you're doing. You've launched programs for minority apprenticeships and workforce development centers, so how does that kind of put a bow around what you're doing, like in your commitment to community and wellness within your business?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I believe that businesses have a responsibility to give back to the communities that they serve. So we go into these communities and we take it a buy for me, buy for me, but what are you doing to help the community? So that is like you have to give back to the communities that you serve. So we're providing opportunities for people who may not have had access to career paths and we're helping them to develop the skills and earn a livable wage. And that's really important for us the sustainable wage.

Speaker 2:

Like I don't like to see like you're working but it's like I can't make ends meet, so I have to get like a second job, a third job, it's like no. So we need to have wages that will sustain the lifestyle that you have, and I think that my industry has been notorious for not doing that, and so I'm keeping that mantle on myself to make sure that I don't do that to other people. I want people to have a bright future, so we're looking at stability for themselves and their families, and that's also important to me, because when you access to like a stable, well-paying job, then your overall well-being improves. Right, so that creates a ripple effect in the community. Now you're able to afford things and do things, and then you're able to now help your community. So that's what we want to do at the Laundry Basket.

Speaker 1:

And can you talk more about working with nonprofits? I know you provide laundry services to homeless shelters, which is such a beautiful thing. It's so sad I live in New York City. The amount of homeless people I see on a daily basis, it's like heartbreaking to me as an empath, like it's really really sad to me as an empath like I, it's it's really really sad to me. So how? So I'm curious what you do and how you kind of bridge that gap for people with the work that you do within your business.

Speaker 2:

Right. So as people donate clothes, we launder them and then we deliver them to our unhoused population. And it is something that is deeply personal for me, because I really believe that everyone deserves dignity, you know, and clean clothes pays like a big role in that. You deserve the right to to look good, smell good, and you know so. If you're homeless but you may need to prepare for a job interview or you know, you just want to regain a sense of normalcy, you know, by looking good. So that's really important to me. So this is like our big push. It's like the laundry basket. We don't want to just be looked upon as just oh, we do laundry, but it's like what do we do for the community? And so I don't look at success just from like profits, but it's like what is our purpose and what are we doing to make, like I said, make the world a better place than how we found it. So that's how we're doing.

Speaker 1:

I think that's beautiful, and have you had the opportunity yet to mentor veterans that are coming out of the service and back into civilian life?

Speaker 2:

Yes, yes, I take every opportunity I can to share really like, really actionable advice you know of like how to do this thing. You know how to make this better. You know I'm always open for like questions when people ask me and, like my life, I try to make it. You know, like this is what I'm doing. You know this is how you can do it as well. So I think that that's really important. You know, just really being open with your successes as well.

Speaker 2:

So people like oh, I want to tell people like you have to, because, as we talked about before, it shows people that it can be done, but it also gives them a blueprint, you know as well. So I think that that has really helped me to be the person that I am now and as we grow, that is really helpful having like a circle of like similar minded, strong minded individuals around you. So, and just to always tell people to embrace failure, like I think that we're too scared of failing, but that can be like your biggest teacher. And so I come up with ideas all the time. Not all of them work, but I try them because at least I can get it out Like, just get it out, see if it works, okay, at least you know, I know that I did it. So I'm like the master of just like failing, but it doesn't really matter to me as long as I get up from it. That's all that matters to me.

Speaker 1:

I agree and I kind of lean into it.

Speaker 1:

Failure, as you said, it's like the best teacher and I think we're very resilient people.

Speaker 1:

I think women are very resilient people, yes, and we just get things like we make things happen, like you know, and I have that mindset too, because being an entrepreneur is very hard, like you're going to have more failure than you will success, and you have to just be a creative thinker.

Speaker 1:

Like I grew up, I was a dance and psychology major and I always say like I caught, when I approach problems, I approach it from like a very creative mindset of like this is kind of where we are at now and corporate kind of has this two-dimensional view of how you fix problems. I kind of have a three-dimensional view of how you can fix problems and create a problem, solve and find a way to make light work, especially when you're not dealing with as big of a budget. So it's something that I'm really passionate about. And, again, accessibility is a big thing for me. In dealing with mental health, especially with my app, I care about helping the person that might not be able to afford the services. Like that's the biggest thing you know, you know especially with you know, and and many people that come from different experiences and backgrounds are going to approach their wellness in a different way, so there's not one way to approach it.

Speaker 2:

That's right.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, and so that was my feeling when I was struggling. I was like, okay, this is what exists. It takes so long to find a therapist and I'm lucky to be in a position where, like, I could get help to do that. But I think about someone I'm just going to use this example again someone coming back from war, that's coming, you know, back to the United States. Yeah, they've seen so many unspeakable things and they're like what now? What do we do? Like where's the support?

Speaker 2:

Where's the support?

Speaker 2:

That's so important. Yeah, it's there, the support piece is so important. It's like you need, like I always like, even like just with entrepreneurship, like I need people to help me celebrate my wins but also help me when I you know, when I'm down as well like you need like that balance, like I don't want just people who just like you know, and then when it's like I didn't need someone to talk to, I'm like okay, but I don't have anybody to talk to, you know. And then of course, I don't want the opposite, where it's like you don't even want to talk to me to hear the bad stuff either, like, but won't celebrate with me when things are going well. But it is like that support, that community is so important, and I talk about that as well.

Speaker 2:

When I go through like my bad times, I always say you know, this is just a chapter in my book, the book of Hyacinth, and this is just a chapter. This too, shall pass. And it's like that I'm a very big like just take one day at a time. And sometimes I tell myself just take one hour at a time, because when I start thinking too much it starts to get overwhelming, when I'm like oh my gosh, what I'm gonna do, and then next week, and then this is just highest and breathe, just get through this hour, get through another hour, you know, and then before you know it, it's like the next day, and then it's just like you know. So yeah, I definitely agree with that.

Speaker 1:

The interesting thing is everyone that I have, han has that same mindset. Like how did you get to that mindset? Because it wasn't overnight you know, no, no, no, no.

Speaker 2:

So a part of that mindset is the grit and the resilience. Another part, a small part of it, if I have to be transparent, is what other choice do you have? We have to try to think about a better result from this situation. Like when you're going through things and it seems so horrible and I'll never get out of it, you have to, in your mind, just have like that hope and faith, Like I don't know when, but I have to believe that there's a better tomorrow for me, you know, and so that is a part of it for me.

Speaker 2:

Like when I was going through all my situations, with that transition from coming over, I just had to be like it can't always be like this, it just, it just can't. Like I just, I just tomorrow may be that day where it's just like that pain, that person, that whatever, goes away, but I just have to make it to the next day. So it's kind of like, yeah, I just, I just had to like pick myself. I just had to really pick myself up honestly for me but it may not be as easy for everyone, you know, to do that, you know, and so that's when that support comes in and that help, to help lift you up and just kind of say let's see how we can get through this together.

Speaker 1:

So yeah, and that's why I built this platform for Gen Z because you know, you and I have the life experience to know that it's going to get better. They don't.

Speaker 1:

They're so young, like brains aren't fully developed yet for a lot of them in generation alpha, so for them to know they'll have their retrospect and the life experience, know it's going to get better. And so that's the hardest part is, we have all these experiences that shape us and we're like, okay, it's going to be fine, tomorrow's a new day. I remember what it felt like to not be able to see past the next hour, like this thing is not going to get better, like bad bound, and that's like that's insane to me, because now I'm like planning years ahead and I'm like everything's going to be fine, you know, but I've been at a place where I just didn't think it was going to get better and and so with that it's like how do you take a step back? It's like we need to be able to offer services that are affordable. The same thing that you're talking about and I think that's our common thread is like we want to offer affordability, help people rebuild their lives maybe in different forms, but we kind of have the same mission rebuild their lives and then and then live sustainable lives.

Speaker 1:

Like it's cool to learn all of this information. How do you apply it when you really need it? So that's been my whole focus, because I remember what it felt like to not know the basic information about why I was feeling the way that I was feeling. Knowledge is power. It can empower you to make some really good decisions about your life, and then it also brings us full circle again the choices that we make, and I'm speaking from experience of really being at the lowest of lows. So that's why I say it is about choices, and I'm so grateful, I'm so blessed that I had people around me that could help me and that I'm in a place where I can make choices that I'm like yes, it's going to get better, I can help you make that choice. You know, for me it's all about like I've seen myself on both sides of the mountain and being able to say like I've been over that, I've been through what you've been through before. I think it just hits different for a lot of people.

Speaker 2:

So, yeah, that person like I remember my person was like my, my fifth grade teacher and I'll always remember her. She was like the one person who, like I said, I try to create spaces where people have seen her and they feel valued, and that's what she did for me. She actually looked at me and saw me and it was like there was only so much she could do during the period of time that she had me, but during that time, she put so much, like you know, in me. It was like you're beautiful, you know in me. It was like you're beautiful. Like you know, I have like thick glasses and my hair was like crazy Cause, you know, and it was just like not, I was not, definitely not the cool kid, right. So it was like you're so beautiful and you're so smart and the world is a great place because you're in, like that's how she was talking to me, like at 11, you know, like you know like the world is such a better place because you're in it and you're going to grow up and you're going to do amazing things, and I'm like what? Like? So, of course, at that time I'm like, all right, just stop the pain, like get them to stop, you know, beating me up and taking my school, my money and, you know, my lunch money, and being scared to walk home and that type of thing.

Speaker 2:

But I still remember that and she would say it to me every single time. She would like cut my face in her hands and she was like, have I told you today how wonderful you are? And I'm just like, and so, just kind of like, I started believing it like because she was telling me like every day, like, lady, leave me alone. But then it was just like I am, you know, and you know once again, you know it's.

Speaker 2:

It's not a, it's a, you know, because some days I'm just like and I need stuff. I have something on my mirror that says you're important, you're valuable. That's what I look at every morning because it just takes a quick to just go back into that man, no one cares about what I'm doing. I don't even know why I'm doing all this. This is just wasting my time. Who cares know why I'm doing all this Like this is just like wasting my time, like. You know. Who cares? You know, but you know I need for me, even at 50 years of age, like, I need like that constant, like you know thing. It's like I needed every single day to you know to get through so.

Speaker 1:

And you know it's cool. Like what you're doing now, it's healing your inner child too. You're healing the younger version of yourself. That's like I needed someone to stand up for me and now you're doing it for other people.

Speaker 2:

Yes.

Speaker 1:

Yes, I am. I think about that a lot, you know, I I think that like a lot when I'm like, like again, like what's the point? Why am I doing this? Why am I ripping my hair out? Like again, like what's the point, why am I doing this? Why am I ripping my hair out? Um, and it's interesting because I find that like I hop on, you know, we record and we talk to different people and it's like we realize that like we're all kind of very similar in our values and what we want, where we come from. It's all about just healing together and that's why we talk about these things that might be uncomfortable, because it's like that's actually how we de-stigmatize mental health. Like that's how we start is by talking about the things that might feel uncomfortable and we realize that like it's all about just like healing that inner child and like sometimes spending time with the inner child when we have those moments of doubt, like, yes, you're beautiful, yes, you can do it. I got this Adult me can do it.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, and it just helps everything come full circle. So I love what you're building. Let me know how I can support you and what do you have coming up right now with the laundry basket that you want to share?

Speaker 2:

Oh, so we are doing a lot as far as growing and expanding. Oh, so we are doing a lot as far as growing and expanding. So, like as I said before, like when I think of the laundry basket, I think I look at it like a beacon and it's like, it's like just shining and you know like how far reaching, like a beacon, can go, and that's what we want to do. So we want to go into different regions and cities and, you know, if our workforce development programs, if anyone is interested in you know coming underneath the brand, we have licensing opportunities, but we just want to create, you know, sustainable wages. We want to just uplift people. We want to help Aussie with sustainability. We also want to, you know, do our part for the planet. So we do a lot of education about that and yeah, so that's what I want to leave for the world behind me.

Speaker 1:

I love this. Thank you so much for joining me today. I appreciate you for having me. Thank you for listening to. I Feel you a Fortify Wellness production, where we empower mind, body and soul to reach new heights. Your wellbeing is your greatest strength. Nurture it, honor it and watch yourself thrive. If today's episode inspired you, subscribe, share your thoughts in the comments and come back next week for more insights to elevate your journey. Stay empowered, stay true and remember you're not alone. I Feel you is a Fortify Wellness production. All rights reserved 2025.