In a time when disconnected business coaches are that strange tribe that has managed to turn a PowerPoint presentation of Paulo Coelho quotes into a business model. They appear in companies and talk about "aligning your chakras with ROI" and encourage you to "pivot your life purpose" while ignoring the fact that what you need is to pay the rent, not a motivational mantra. Real entrepreneurs appear, recalling the effort of employing 400 families who don't live in a cloud of positive mindset so dense that they can't distinguish between burnout and brunch, and they dole out advice on delegating tasks without having scrubbed a bathroom in their lives.
Actitud Constante, Óscar Díaz's podcast, produced in the Canary Islands with the aim of sharing the stories of Canarian businesspeople and entrepreneurs told by their own protagonists, hit the nail on the head this May and continues to reveal, step by step, without fanfare, the keys to success for important figures in tourism who, in this region, receive little recognition. An interview with Gran Canarian businessman Manolo Medina, a self-made professional who has had to overcome multiple business obstacles for 35 years, highlights what it's like to dress from the hip. Lavandería El Cardón has a turnover of 36 million euros and is not a private label brand owned by other non-Canarian groups: it is owned by Gran Canarians.
Sometimes, the strongest businesses are born from the most humble work. That is the story of Manolo Medina, co-founder of Lavandería El Cardón, who went from washing clothes in a sink in his backyard to leading one of the most powerful companies in the sector in the Canary Islands. It all began with a need and a conviction: to get ahead by working hard, without shortcuts. In those years, Manolo only had a bucket, a common detergent, and a strong desire to prosper. The clothes were hung in the sun, the work was manual, and every customer won was a triumph. But over time, and together with his partner, he began to sow something more than trust: a business culture based on seriousness, a commitment to quality, and extreme attention to detail.
Today, Lavandería El Cardón is synonymous with industrial efficiency, sustainability, and local employment. From its modern facilities, the company manages the washing, ironing, and distribution of textiles for some of the archipelago's leading hotels. More than 400 employees ensure that thousands of sheets, towels, and uniforms arrive impeccably clean to their destinations every day, particularly in the tourism sector of Gran Canaria and the healthcare sector. But behind the machinery, the same spirit that drove Manolo when he started continues to beat: respect for a job well done.
“The key has always been to never stop improving. You can have the best technology, but if you don't have a committed team and a clear vision, you won't get far,” says Medina with the same humility of someone who hasn't forgotten where he comes from. With an increasingly international reach, strategic alliances in the tourism sector, and a firm commitment to the circular economy, El Cardón is no longer just an industrial laundry: it's a symbol of growth born of effort and consistency. From his backyard to the world's greatest hotels. Manolo Medina's story is not just a case of business success; it's a lesson in how values, if nurtured, can also be scaled.
