What’s something your team achieved in 2025 that made you proud?
What stood out in 2025 was how the network continued to lift its capability while staying true to who we are. As RapidClean has grown, the challenge is always maintaining connection and consistency across the group.
Last year, our members worked more collaboratively than ever, our suppliers leaned in as true partners, and the support office stayed focused on enabling rather than directing. In a tough operating environment, that collective mindset made a real difference, and the numbers backed this up.
How are your customers’ expectations changing, and how are you adapting?
Customers are far more informed and expect more than just product availability. They want advice, reliability, speed and confidence that suppliers understand their industry and compliance obligations.
We’re responding by reinforcing what makes RapidClean different — local experts backed by national scale. Our members are investing in knowledge and service capability, while the cooperative supports them with systems, supplier alignment and shared insight. It’s about being a trusted partner, not just a distributor.
What does good leadership look like to you?
Good leadership is about clarity and trust. People need to understand the direction, feel heard, and know that decisions are being made with the long-term in mind.
For me, it’s less about having all the answers and more about asking the right questions, listening carefully and creating the conditions for others to succeed. That’s especially important in a cooperative environment.
What leadership disciplines have mattered most in protecting RapidClean’s culture as scale and complexity have increased?
Communication and consistency have been critical. As the network grows, it becomes even more important to explain the why behind decisions and to apply principles consistently across the group.
Staying close to members also matters. Regular engagement and honest conversations help ensure growth doesn’t come at the expense of culture. You can’t assume culture will scale — it needs constant attention. The real challenge here is how to connect with over 70 members and last year we got back to basics and increased our face-to-face connection.
You describe cooperation as a competitive advantage rather than a legacy model. Where does the cooperative structure deliver its sharpest edge for members on the ground?
The real advantage is shared strength without losing independence. Members benefit from collective buying power, national supplier relationships and brand support, while still running their own businesses and serving their local markets.
That balance allows RapidClean members to compete effectively with large corporates while staying agile and customer-focused.
Many RapidClean members and suppliers are family businesses with deep operational knowledge. How does that lived industry experience shape decision making differently from more centralised corporate models?
Decisions are grounded in real-world experience. Our members and suppliers understand the operational impact of pricing, service levels and supply decisions because they deal with customers every day.
That leads to more practical, sustainable outcomes. There’s a strong focus on long-term relationships and reputation rather than short-term wins, which ultimately benefits customers and the network.
You have been outspoken about the challenges cooperatives face in government tenders and procurement frameworks. What practical changes would make the biggest difference for Australian owned networks employing locally?
Procurement models often struggle to recognise cooperative networks as national businesses. Treating cooperatives as a unified entity rather than a collection of small operators would be a significant step forward.
Greater recognition of Australian ownership, local employment and reinvestment would also better reflect the value these networks bring to communities across the country.
With ambitions to reach 100 stores and a growing supplier ecosystem, how do you define “right growth”, and what signals tell you when expansion strengthens collaboration rather than diluting it?
Right growth is growth that strengthens the network, not just the numbers. It’s about bringing in members who share our values, customer focus and willingness to collaborate.
The real indicators are engagement and contribution. When new members participate, share knowledge and help lift the group, growth is reinforcing the culture rather than stretching it.
