Jean Fleurissaint is the co-founder of Spin King Laundromat, which offers a full range of laundry services to customers in Pawtucket, R.I. He’s also one of three business owners in our currentBusiness Equity Initiativecohort. Jean talked about his path to BEI, his goals for Spin King, and how strategic advising, mentorship and networking opportunities through the program are making a difference for his business.
What inspired you to start Spin King?
My wife and I previously invested in real estate, owning multifamily properties, and our original plan was to continue reinvesting in real-estate. However, as the market became increasingly competitive, finding opportunities that offered a reasonable return became more challenging. Laundromats have one of the highest success rates for new businesses, so the opportunity made sense to explore.
What are your goals or plans for your business?
My goal is to continue growing Spin King into a leading laundry service provider in Pawtucket and greater surrounding areas. I’m focused on expanding our commercial laundry accounts, improving operational efficiency, and upgrading our facility to better support the business as it grows.
How did you hear about BEI?
I learned about BEI through the Rhode Island Small Business Hub, a local nonprofit that introduced me to Nectar. Through Nectar, we were able to access a loan that helped us refinance our credit card debt. It was through that connection that we learned about the BEI program.
What made you decide to apply?
I’m always looking for ways to strengthen my business and new opportunities to learn something that can help me grow as an individual which in turn I believe will also translate into my business. As I look to grow and expand our business, I want to make sure I’m taking advantage of opportunities that can help me grow strategically. BEI gave me the opportunity to have seasoned business owners and advisors take a look at our business and provide crucial insight that would’ve taken years to figure out on my own. Most importantly, it opened a door to continue learning, strengthen my approach to business ownership, and position Spin King for its next stage of growth.
How has the BEI program been so far?
Positive. Steven and David bring a wealth of knowledge that I didn’t have access to before. Having the ability to reach out to someone who knows what they are doing and can provide a perspective outside of my own, backed by years of experience, is invaluable.
What are you hoping to get out of the program?
I’m hoping to gain practical knowledge, systems and strategies that I can apply to different areas of the business to affect change. I’m also looking to expand my network of business owners that would provide a space for me to learn and gain useful insights that I can apply to my day-to-day.
What advice would you give another small business owner who’s exploring their next step?
Stay persistent, remain coachable, and don’t be afraid to explore new opportunities when circumstances change. My own journey from real estate investing into the laundromat industry taught me that sometimes you have to reassess your approach and look for opportunities in a different direction. You won’t always have the perfect conditions or all the answers, but that shouldn’t stop you from moving forward.
Ricardo Louis is the CEO and Founder of Privé Parking, a Boston-based small business that provides complete transportation and mobility solutions — valet parking, parking management, shuttle operations, black car service, traffic flow, and large-scale transportation logistics — to manage every aspect of how people move. After graduating from Nectar’s Business Equity Initiative program in 2024, Ricardo earned a contract with FIFA to offer shuttle services to games at Boston Stadium during the 2026 World Cup. He recently shared more about the story behind his business, how he connected with FIFA, and the BEI lessons that helped drive his success.
Tell us about how Privé Parking started. What inspired you to launch this business?
It really started when I was in college at UMass Dartmouth. I was living on campus and looking to make some money on the side, so I applied to work as a valet parking attendant. I loved it right away. The tips were good cash, but what really drew me in was the people and the energy of the work. I did it through my junior and senior years, and over that time I built a real identity around it; I became known as “Ricardo the valet.”
After I …
Nectar Community Investments, a community development financial institution (CDFI), today announced the launch of the Clean Economy Fund, which provides low-cost financing at competitive interest rates for electrification, decarbonization and energy efficiency upgrades. The Fund’s benefits are twofold: Nectar will offer loans for small business owners to make improvements to their commercial buildings, and will provide working capital and equipment financing to small businesses that work in the sustainability and green energy fields
“Nectar has long been committed to supporting homeowners in Massachusetts as they complete energy efficiency upgrades on their homes. With the Clean Economy Fund, we can now apply those principles to our small business clients,” said Nectar Community Investments Executive Director Glynn Lloyd. “These dollars will open doors as they work to reduce their carbon footprint, unlock new growth and serve their communities.”
Thanks to support from the Black Renaissance Fund, an initiative of the African American Alliance of CDFI CEOs, Nectar has loan capital available to fund a variety of energy efficiency projects and to support small businesses in the sustainability field. To see examples of the types of projects and businesses, visit the Nectar website.
“We are proud to support Nectar Community Investments through the Black Renaissance Fund …
Great news for Massachusetts homeowners: the Massachusetts Community Climate Bank at MassHousing announced it has surpassed $5 million in Energy Saver Home Loan financing, helping residents cut energy use and boost the value of their homes. Nectar is a proud participating lender — and our Residential Services Director Lissette Paukert is quoted on the program’s impact.
Read the press release