She Turned a Failing Hotel into 32 Units. Now She’s Building a Real Estate and Car Wash Empire

From Flips to Franchises: How Andrea Foley Is Scaling Two Cash Flow Machines

Andrea never planned to take outside capital. But when she found a hotel conversion opportunity she couldn’t pass up, her game plan changed.

After house hacking, flipping properties, and funding deals using personal savings, Andrea saw the chance to convert a struggling mom-and-pop hotel into market-rate apartments. The local bank supported the idea and offered strong terms. The last piece of the puzzle was the equity.

She started showing her underwriting to experienced investors. Instead of tearing it apart, they asked how they could invest.

That was the start of her capital-raising journey. It wasn’t built on cold outreach or pitch decks. It was built on competence and clarity.

Today, she leads Generational Wealth Capital and Koala Wash, a fast-growing car wash franchise brand that offers both ownership and investment opportunities.

The Play: Two Businesses, One Strategy — Cash Flow First

Andrea’s philosophy is simple. Build things that create income now and appreciate over time.

Her real estate strategy focuses on converting underutilized hotels into apartments in markets with housing shortages. These properties are often undervalued and ripe for repositioning.

Her first deal was in a small town where multiple hotels were for sale and long-term rentals were nearly nonexistent. The bank offered financing, the city wanted housing, and Andrea made the deal work.

Meanwhile, she and her husband launched Koala Wash, a touchless in-bay automatic car wash franchise that lets investors participate in a recurring revenue business that also owns the underlying real estate.

Why This Works

1. She builds what she understands
Andrea and her husband handled their own renovations on early flips. That gave them hands-on knowledge they now apply to larger, more complex projects.

2. She solves real local problems
Whether it’s creating housing in a supply-constrained market or offering a better car wash experience, her businesses address real, local needs.

3. She raises capital through trust, not tactics
Andrea didn’t set out to be a capital raiser. But her clear thinking, conservative underwriting, and honest communication attracted aligned investors naturally.

What You Can Learn (and Steal)

1. Look where others aren’t
Andrea’s first hotel conversion was in a forgotten market with very little multifamily inventory. Most investors would have passed. She leaned in.

2. Ask the city and lenders before you guess
She validated her first deal by talking with local banks and city planners. They told her exactly what was needed. That became her playbook.

3. Consider active alternatives to LP investing
The Koala Wash model offers recurring revenue, tax advantages, and real property ownership. For hands-on operators, it’s an overlooked path to scale.

Listen to the full episode

🎙 Groundbreakers with Andrea Foley

In it, we cover:

• How Andrea raised capital without ever pitching

• What made her first hotel conversion work in a small town

• Her process for converting hotels into long-term rentals

• The story behind Koala Wash and why car washes work

• How she chooses which investors are right for each business