Life & Work with Jon Tu of Hollywood/Burbank

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jon Tu.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
• Moved to LA September 2013.
• Started as a PA in indie productions, worked in reality TV for about 8 months, then worked on an Indie feature film.
• Self produced short films and experimental films and worked with numerous production teams until 2020.
• 2016 – Roommate got me evicted from my first apartment. This eventually led to the purchase of a home in Hollywood.
• 2017 – Struggled with mental health issues. Self-destructive spirals. Got help and committed to turning my life around.
• 2018 – 2021 – Grew personal IG account to 30K by mainly posting poetry, my art, day in the life content, sharing behind the scenes of productions. This account was hacked and deleted in 2021.
• 2019 – I was discovered on IG for my art and invited by an overseas shoe manufacturer to collaborate and design a line of shoes. I later launched an online apparel store, Optimo Prints, where I sold my printed artwork and photographs on shirts and other clothing and donated a portion of proceeds to feed the hungry. This project is currently on hiatus.
• 2019 – Self produced my short film, “Daymares”. It premiered at Golden State Film Festival and screened at the historic Chinese Theatre in Hollywood alongside a feature film I did a little work on, “Once Upon A Superhero”. Daymares was accepted into a handful of other film festivals and toured around the Pacific Southwest, gaining 3 nominations. Started early development of a feature film script just before pandemic and quarantine fully settled in.
• 2020 – Went full gear into digital marketing to navigate through and survive quarantine. I was on Dan Bilzerian’s launch team for his IGNITE line of products. Produced some music videos for independent artists.
• 2021 – Worked with a media agency and broke off to form my own marketing agency. Formed relationships with Luxe Interiors + Design Magazine and MASH Gallery on La Cienega/Melrose in West Hollywood. Stayed at Chris Mark Castle on the East Coast October-November and produced a music video for music artist Bristol Best.
• 2021-2025 – Returned to LA. Aftermath of covid hit hard. Struggled to stay floating. 24/7 survival mode. My darkest period in LA. Like living in the Twilight Zone. Lots of financial and legal issues. Lots of lifestyle changes and adjustments were made during this period. Daily application of Hermetic philosophy got me through these quicksand years.
• December 2025 – present day – In an opportune, serendipitous, hail Mary leap of faith, put all of my remaining eggs into one basket and purchased Sparkle Laundry Lounge in Burbank, CA.

Nothing in the journey to where I am was planned or turned out how I imagined in my mind. My whole existence is like a constant series of “when life gives you lemons” type of situations. I am a big, big believer in the Law of Attraction, moments of surrender and Faith.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
For almost a decade I struggled with off and on depressions and planned suicide attempts. And then finally getting so sick and so scared of actually committing to self-deletion that I got help from a support group and saw that there were others who had it much worse than myself. When I saw and heard other people’s stories and struggles I felt as if I had no valid reason or excuse to feel so guilty and ashamed of myself and decided to commit to my own healing and self discovery. It took years of daily practice, dedication and persistence to get out of that headspace.

There were spirals involved in that journey. Toxic relationships I couldn’t help myself to get involved in… like attracts like, right? I am an addict. Not necessarily to drugs, although hard drugs were involved at times. I think depression in itself is an addiction. Infatuation is an addiction. Shame is an addiction. Guilt is an addiction. Fear is an addiction. There’s always a sick payoff and adrenaline rush with these emotions when managed unhealthily or unmanaged at all.

In my case, I was going through a major heartbreak, primarily, and lots of other ones thereafter. I took to unhealthy ways of coping with how I felt and at the same time trying to find my own feet to stand on. Most of the time I did not care. Just wanted the discomfort, tension, anxiety, pain and memories to go away. I sought one escape after the next.

I also dealt with periods of imposter syndrome. A good amount of my journey was “fake it until you make it”. For so long, it felt as if I wasn’t getting anywhere and nothing I was doing was working. I hit wall after wall after wall. And then dealing with the sensation of actually getting exactly what I asked for, or getting what I never expected I would get. Actually achieving the pipe dream. Or receiving something ahead of my planned preparedness. Dealing with that feeling of not being ready, not being authentic or not good enough, and navigating other people’s perception of me. Essentially, not being comfortable in my own skin, not having a sense of belonging anywhere or knowing what I am even doing.

Much of what I struggled with was self-inflicted. Sometimes it was obvious. Sometimes decisions I made didn’t come back to bite me until much later, and then having to live and deal with those consequences.

All of the above eventually resulted in a phase where my problems leveled up as I, myself, had to level up. I expressed to a friend of mine that I am never getting ahead and I am stuck in these cycles of climbing up the mountain and then getting pushed back and running in circles, wearing myself thin. And my friend reminded me that where I am now is far beyond where I was before, and the problems I am dealing with are huge only because I had leveled up along the way and I am dealing with bigger challenges than before. You don’t feel the progress as you are navigating and overcoming obstacles, looking ahead and moving forward, but you do see it, clearly, when you look back. And that put things into perspective for me. It’s good, sometimes, to look back on everything you’ve been through and overcome, achievements you’ve accomplished, to remind yourself how far you’ve come along. It helps get you out of that “Oh, woe is me” headspace.

I had to learn how to slow down and at times just be still and observe, without reacting, without judgment. Just observe. Over time I found pieces to the answers I was looking for, and acquired exactly when I needed them. I learned about epigenetics and how that plays into my journey – how much of me isn’t actually me, but what I inherited from generations before. This was a big ‘aha’ moment. I read many books from many authors. I delved into various religions and philosophies. The biggest lesson I learned was to not get in my own way and just let things come.

Some of the more common, relatable issues I constantly ran into was the lack of finances and where to get it. Where do I get this or find that? Who do I need to talk to? Where do I even start? How do I make it next month? Next week? When is my next meal? How am I going to pay for it? Which late fees do I take the hit on this month? What happens if they impound my car? How do I make more money? Etc. Survival mode stuff. I lived with almost no income for about 5 years. I did things I had to do and am not so proud of. I am a “whatever it takes” kind of person. Now I own a laundromat. I joke to myself that this phase of my life and the laundromat itself is an allegory reflecting my life’s journey.

I think it helped having my particular background as a martial artist – that level of discipline and dedication it takes to fight through adversity, to navigate the battlefields of life, heart and mind, to know when to advance and when to retreat. And also when to be still. My filmmaking background also helped because you have to have the vision in your mind first before you make it a reality. And having acting training helped in staying open, loose and adaptable, especially in moments that required improvisation and the willingness to take on and become anything and everything.

What helped the most, and is the surefire way anybody succeeds, was never giving up. You can’t quit. As long as you don’t quit, you can’t lose. That is the one trait every successful person shares in common. Keep. F@#$ing. Going.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My background is in acting and filmmaking. My first acting role was in a church pageant when I was around 8 years old. My filmmaking journey started when I was 12 years old. This path I chose was inspired heavily by Jackie Chan movies my father introduced me to. The bloopers at the end of his films made it all look like so much fun and the best part was, as an actor, I could be anything I wanted to be. I didn’t have to commit to only one role in life. That was very attractive to me.

When I moved to LA I committed to never moving back home because I would make it as an actor and filmmaker and would do whatever it takes to succeed. Over time, my definition of success took different shapes and different meanings. Basically, I came and did what I moved out here to do. I’ve been a part of major projects. I have credits. I’m on IMDB. I’ve acted in films. I’ve made my own films. I’ve been recognized for my achievements. I built a following. I can produce what I want to produce, start to finish, with and without proper funding. I’m good. I’m winning.

I mentioned I designed a line of shoes in collaboration with an overseas manufacturer. That line was called J2 Shoes and I sold them alongside my original art-on-apparel on OptimoPrints.com (now defunct). I would like to one day bring this project out of hiatus and continue to support local artists and help provide relief for those in need.

As an actor, my favorite role was playing the alien antagonist, “Roland”, in the sci-fi comedy “Celestial Misconduct” and reprising the role in the sequel, “Celestial Orientation”. I was also quite proud to be featured in a promo for Van Burk custom leather jackets, by my friend Stephanie Van Burk, who is based out of Los Angeles. You can check out her work at vanburkofficial.com.

As a filmmaker, my highest solo achievement to date was being nominated for Best Short Film, Best Microfilm, and Best VFX for my short film “Daymares”. It premiered at Golden State Film Festival in 2019, which was hosted at the historic Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, and toured the Pacific Southwest at a handful of other film festivals.

My visual art is largely inspired by raw, gritty, street/urban aesthetics with a touch of digital/technological finesse and consists of (mostly) unfinished paintings, illustrations, mixed media, performance art and short form poetry aimed at social media. Almost all of it is (was?) personally experimental for its time and created as forms of self expression. I needed an outlet to process how I was feeling and what I was going through in the moment. My original Instagram account was fueled by my poetry, which I have since repurposed and expanded under @heartnsword on TikTok and IG, featuring new original artwork to enhance/underline the experience. My current personal IG is @realjontu and I don’t really work on it as much as I used to (social media is a full time job). But when I have things to release or talk about you can be sure that’s where my updates will be posted. And I can always be DMed and reached through that channel as well.

My next project, I consider in my mind, is my magnum opus. I wrote a feature length film that I would like to produce and I truly feel like it is the reason why I was put on this earth.

In the meantime, Sparkle Laundry Lounge is my current long-term project. We are rated #1 laundromat in Burbank by BusinessRate.com. What an honor and surprise to have learned that! I owe that achievement to the excellent foundation laid out by the previous owner and our amazing manager, Maria, who takes such good care of our guests and the business. I’m so very proud of my team and to serve the Burbank and surrounding cities, and so very grateful for our guests and growing community, who we warmly refer to as ‘family’.

With that being said, I promised the previous owner that I would fulfill his wish and take Sparkle Laundry Lounge to the ‘next level’. When I saw the equipment and technology he installed, and listened to what he wished he could have achieved, the assignment was crystal clear. Sparkle Laundry Lounge is on its way to the ‘next level’ and will continue to improve as long as I am owner. I consider Sparkle Laundry Lounge in its current form still in its infancy.

Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
Life itself is a risk! EVERYTHING is a risk! Tomorrow is NOT guaranteed! Very few things rarely ever go according to plan. Maybe my view comes from having 19 friends close to me pass away beginning around 2017. Each one was a different kind of heartbreak. Each one gave me new perspective. Nothing is ever promised. Nothing lasts forever. Security is an illusion. Your life is quite literally what you make it. Give yourself permission to live in the moment. Give it everything you’ve got! This moment, right NOW, is all we ever truly have! There are three quotes that sum up my feelings succinctly:

“I expect to pass through this world but once. If, therefore, there be any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do, to any fellow being, let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.” – Stephen Grellet

“I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work the more I live. I rejoice in life for its own sake. Life is no brief candle to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations.” – George Bernard Shaw

and

“Sooner murder an infant in its cradle than nurse unacted desires.” – William Blake

There’s something about hitting rock bottom numerous times and living life with nothing to lose that numbs your aversity to taking risks. My perspective was first shaped by the support group I mentioned that helped me through my mental health struggles. The key takeaway was, as a man (and really for anyone), to step INTO tension and ground yourself in it. Not evade it, but welcome it. I learned how to become the calm in the storm. To be still under fire. Risk? I see it and meet it full on.

That’s not saying I am reckless. Every risk I take is calculated and the risks I accept must make sense to me. I take my time and meditate on major decisions. But I am not afraid of or averse to it. Sometimes, that risk acts as fuel for what I do. Maybe that’s not everybody’s style, but at the very least learn everything you can about the risk you’re about to take so you can make a logical, informed decision. At the very, very least, pray about it.

In the case of the laundromat, with the limited and quickly diminishing resources I had, my goal was to stabilize my finances. What better opportunity and business model than a laundromat? Outside of what, maybe a carwash? Yes I was hemorrhaging through my money. Yes I am neck deep in debt. Yes, the P&L I was shown could have been fabricated and the business could collapse the moment I took over. Yes, I’m f@#$ing crazy (but not stupid).

If I did nothing, my circumstances would not have changed. If I did nothing, I would have continued bleeding through my reserves until there was nothing left. I saw the location of the laundromat. I saw the neighborhood. I saw the daily cashflow. And to make double certain, I got to know the owner and prodded and tested him and he passed my BS detector. Everything by my calculation seemed to align and my gut feeling told me it was relatively safe to move forward. Sure, it was a huge leap of faith. And as Law of Attraction would manifest, so far that leap is paying off.

Pricing:

• Walk-in ranges from $3.75-$10.25 for washers, $1.25 for dryers
• Drop off/pick-up is $2.25/lb, OR $1.50/lb if no folding is required
• Local Pickup/Delivery is $2.25/lb, no delivery fee
• Extended LA Pickup/Delivery is $3.00/lb + $9.99 delivery fee
• Presso AI Dry Cleaning and our dog wash will become available this year and subject to their own prices

Contact Info:

• Website: https://sparkle-laundry.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sparklelaundryburbank
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sparklelaundryburbank
• Twitter: https://x.com/SparkleBurbank
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Sparklelaundryburbank
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/sparkle-laundry-lounge-burbank-3
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sparklelaundryburbank
• Other: https://share.google/grEo5khwcYUIZOIMI

Image Credits
Kevin Bible
Jon Tu