Laura Rhoades, a native Oakland Parker, is the founder of the new and innovative Scrubs2Go, a mobile scrubs company that she enthusiastically refers to as Uber of Scrubs.
Laura drives her big, pink bus – The Betty Bus – to doctor’s offices, veterinary clinics and hospitals. She parks right in the parking lot and fits healthcare employees in the bus!
By bringing the scrubs to her customers’ workplace she makes it easy for them to buy affordable, fashionable, and comfortable scrubs at a time that is convenient for them. They can purchase scrubs on the spot and she can even customize them.
The Betty Bus: The Back Story
In 2015, Laura purchased an RV and converted it into The Betty Bus, the icon of her business. Laura’s mother Betty, who passed away suddenly from pancreatic cancer, was her inspiration for the bus.
Betty was an amazing single mother of five, who drove a school bus for a decade to provide for her children. According to Laura, her mother sacrificed everything for her family. Laura shared with me that as hard as Betty worked and as busy as she was, she always provided for them. She particularly remembers how she and her siblings always had lunch: “There would be five lunch bags, with like a quarter for milk in each of them….we didn’t have any money, we had no money [but]… she made it happen”.
Driven by Passion
The apple didn’t fall far from the tree. Laura possesses the same drive and passion for her family and business as her mother did. In the midst of her grief from the loss of her mother, she found the strength and determination to launch her mobile scrub company. Laura believes that her mother’s spirit is driving her to keep going and not quit. She told me that her mother was never a quitter, even through devastation.
One Step Forward, Three Steps Back
Laura was a single mother at 17 to her son Michael. She went through similar hardships as her mother. She applies the lessons that she learned through those trying times to her business model. Her motto is that you find a way to do something, just one step at a time. According to Laura, nothing ever goes quite right, from flat tires on The Betty Bus to awnings flying off on I-95, yet she keeps on fighting for her business.
With over 30 years of experience in the medical industry, Laura says that her favorite part of her job is service. In fact, Laura wants to be able to donate 20% of profits to different charities once her business grows. And growing it she is! Not one to stop, Laura is already looking for franchisees to expand Scrubs2Go. The franchised buses will be slightly smaller than The Betty Bus, but will provide the same services.
Behind the Scenes
I had the honor of visiting Laura’s home and office, one in the same. She wanted me to see the real inner workings of Scrubs2Go. Her dedication to her business shows right away with the mannequin set up in her living room and the scrubs on racks right next to her bed. The walls of her home office were covered in inspirational quotes and vision boards.
In Laura’s bedroom, right in front of her bed she has a giant white board with ideas and business models scrawled from end to end. Laura hopes to have an app available that allows customers to track the buses, book an appointment, and earn loyalty benefits.
Laura has a burning passion that drives her to put 110% into her business every second of everyday. She is an inspiration to single mothers, entrepreneurs, and all humans in general.
2 Responses
AWESOME article! Laura is a fabulous person!!