Massive thank you for the lovely article by Sprinter in their August edition of ProPrint Magazine. See the full edition here.
Beyond its business success, Ricky Richards has made giving back a core part of its identity and has earned industry recognition for its community impact.
Ricky Richards – a company specialising in selling materials for use in print, shade, marine, upholstery, and industrial applications – started out in 1983 when Norman Gottlieb – Ron Gottlieb’s late brother, set up the company with a view to becoming a wholesale trader.
As Ron looked back, he said, “He had a few products in the industrial fabrics space and got me to join him a year later at the beginning of 1984. I can still remember writing my first order in a self-carboning triplicate order book! We didn’t know the rules, we just wanted to buy and sell products.
“We had nobody on the road in those days. Our marketing consisted of little samples stapled to a photocopied piece of A4 paper and sent by Australia Post around the country. There were times when we didn’t have $100 to buy stamps for the next marketing campaign and we’d have to wait for some money to come in before we could ‘go again’.
“We had telephone books from every area in the country, and it was simple cold calling that got us going. Plenty of rejections and every now and then, a win that would give us the impetus to keep on rocking.
“In 1985, we were able to secure a deal with Bradmill Outdoor Fabrics to sell canvas – which ended up being a 30-year relationship – and that certainly helped us gain some credibility in an industry that had been quite conservative.
“Suddenly, these two brothers were seen as ‘upsetting the applecart’ and in today’s language, might have been considered disruptors. In 1985, we ordered our first container with Wonpoong of Korea, which has been a 40-year relationship continuing to this day.
“To round things off, we began our relationship with Phifer Inc from Alabama – which is also a 40-year relationship that continues today. In 1985, my brother Norman went to an ACASPA (now STA) meeting in Manly and we became a member of the organisation.
“During this time, our father – who still had his own business – would come and help here and there, but within a few years, he closed his business down and joined us full-time. How lucky for us to have him as a guide and mentor. He would make sure any mistakes that he made along his journey weren’t repeated by us. It appears with hindsight that 1985 was to prove a pivotal year.”
After starting with only industrial textiles in the ‘80s, by the ‘90s the brothers were selling awning and blind fabrics in both canvas and PVC mesh. In 2001, they started their relationship with Citel of Spain – a 25-year relationship that still exists too.
From around 2001, they also began their journey exploring the digital printing world and today, these three divisions make the backbone of Ricky Richards.
Ron said over the last two decades, these divisions have managed to entwine themselves with each other and there is a lot of synergy to be found.
Growing business and staff
Ron said, “We must have done something right because customers kept coming back and would request us to look into sourcing other products for them. Our staff numbers grew and those who had helped us from the beginning stayed on. What a bonus it was that they continued to enjoy the ride and the challenge”.
This stability assisted the business to develop the culture that it still has today – one of trust and fun, while still getting the job done.
“A perfect example of this is the ‘Ricky 5’. When people join Ricky Richards, they’re always introduced to the ‘Ricky 5’. This is where they’ll put on five kilograms in a short space of time because we love to celebrate all sorts of milestones for individuals – and what better way than with food?” laughed Ron.
The staff at Ricky Richards have enjoyed this friendly culture and Ron added it’s been a great way to make sure people enjoy their work.
He said, “We came from exactly the same place that most of the people in our industry will have come from. Two brothers just having a crack at life in business. There have been speedbumps and problems that you would hope to never see – but this happens.
“Customers who have gone broke and cost us money. Suppliers who have let us down at one time or another. I’ve learnt this is just part of the game and it has been how we’ve dealt with these speedbumps that’s ultimately made us stronger. We all start out as small businesses. I reckon if we can do it, then you can too.”
Inspired by and adopting a philosophy of ‘giving back’
Recently, Ricky Richards was given a Community Impact Award by the Windows Shading Association of Australia (WSAA). This was at the Super Expo this year in recognition of how Ricky Richards gives back to the community.
As Ron said, “Over the past few years we’ve been able to give over $200,000 to various charities – particularly the Sydney Children’s Hospital Foundation which is a relationship that goes back 30 years.
“It all started when we decided to be philanthropic – so, instead of sending Christmas cards out each year, the money we would normally spend on that we decided to give to the Sydney Children’s Hospital. We thought this would be a good way to help – my wife is a doctor who’s retired now and she worked at the hospital for 30 years.
“So, we started with a $500 donation all those years ago and then every year we’ve given a little bit more. But after a while, we decided to turn one day of the year into a special sales day. So, we told our customers that this one day of the year – we will give a percentage of our turnover to the Children’s Hospital.
“Then it started to grow. Our customers would ring in and buy up big on that day. So, over the years it has built up and last year we gave $35,000 to the Sydney Children’s Hospital Foundation because of that one day.”
Ron added that Ricky Richards recently expanded its philanthropic efforts to include the Queensland Children’s Hospital as well.
“There were times when I personally travelled to the US and found out how Americans operate philanthropically; they are much more proactive than we are. They give to their local community, high school or college, and they urge each other to do so. They’re good like that and this helped my family decide to do a bit more,” Ron said.
“We then started to do some work with the Melanoma Institute of Australia because melanoma is such a big thing in this country. We’ve got the highest rate of it in the world, and we supply fabrics that shield people from the sun – so it made sense. Our commitment was to give a percentage of every metre of shade products we sell to them.
“We now also support the Australian Skin Cancer Foundation – Jay Allen who started it is a melanoma survivor. He has two trucks which go around the country stopping at places and doing free skin checks. His goal is that there’ll be zero deaths from melanoma in Australia – a noble goal if ever there was one.
“We’ve been fortunate because we’ve built a successful business – so this is a way for us to give back. That’s why it was so special for us to win the Community Impact Award.”
Adding on a personal accolade
Personally, Ron was appointed the 32nd Life Member of the Specialised Textiles Association (STA) at the recent Super Expo.
Ron said, “Ricky Richards has been a member of both the STA and the WSAA organisations for a long time. At the recent Super Expo, the STA had their awards ceremony and I was awarded the 32nd Life Membership. To say that I was surprised would be an understatement. It was beyond a humbling experience.
“There is no way that we would have built the business that we have today without the support, encouragement, and education that we have had by being a member of the organisation, attending many meetings and especially the annual conventions every year.”
In reference to both the STA Life Membership and the WSAA Community Impact Award, Ron said, “I am grateful to the people at Ricky Richards that I have worked with. They have all been a part of my story.
“To the suppliers over the years that have helped us grow our business, I thank you as well. To the mentors that I have had, I cannot thank you enough. Most of you were customers who somehow took a shine to myself and my brother and gave us a go.
“To my partners in crime – my late brother Norman and to my father Eric – who is about to turn 95 – words cannot really express or do justice. Suffice to say that we always had each other’s back, we always had trust in each other – even when we screwed up. We always wanted to do the right thing by those who interacted with us. So, thank you everyone.
