Rob Ranieri
One year. Ranieri & Co. has officially outlasted all the plants I’ve ever owned. And all the Tamagotchis. In fact, of the things I own, only a single packet of McDonald’s ketchup has lasted longer. I’m saving it for the eventual tomato sauce shortage.
A lot has happened in that year. In the beginning, Nick Randall and I set out to elevate podcasting to become the leading audio medium in Australia. It was and is our lofty aspiration, with more implications than we realised. Imagine walking into the largest media agencies, spilling burritos all over the lobby floors, and asking a room full of twenty people if they’ve previously bought podcast ads only to find a single raised hand. All of a sudden you need to develop a masterclass because, in order to elevate an industry, you first need to get everyone up to speed. You also need a mop for the lobby.
And that has been our ongoing theme: constant adaptation, or pivoting if I’m trying to impress someone on a call (my parents). That necessity to pivot has been relentless. As we made a name for ourselves and finally felt that we had found our footing, COVID hit. Large chunks of the budget were pulled out from beneath our noses. The pipeline dried up and no longer were we trying to think of dream clients. We were simply trying to find brands who still had marketing budgets during a worldwide pandemic. I’m not saying it was stressful. I’m saying I’ve drunk more wine in the last 12 months than the 8 years I’ve lived in Australia.
And yet here we are, one year later. Not only have we survived, we’ve brought on two fabulous humans to join our cause, Ed Goldsmith and Sammy Major. We’ve run campaigns for amazing brands (which you can see on our shiny new website) while representing the world’s largest independent podcast publisher, Wondery. There’s so much to be proud of.
As I reflect, it’s bittersweet. My personal life has been brutal and though I find it crass to go into detail, I’ve decided it’s both relevant and important to at least mention the following. If someone out there is considering starting their own business, you need to know that there isn’t much separation between your personal and professional lives. You can read a million books (and listen to a million podcasts!) on self-help, inspiration and entrepreneurship that will outline the difficulties, but none of that will be your experience. You can learn about how hard things will be, but that doesn’t compare to experiencing how hard things will be. The beauty is that I’ve been able to do so with someone who’s become one of my best friends, the legend that is Nick Randall. The fact that we’re still doing so is what makes me most proud.
Happy First Birthday, Ranieri & Co.!
Nick Randall
On this day, exactly one year ago - Ranieri & Co. was formed. I distinctly remember how nervous I was when we received the final email with all of our documentation ready to sign. All of the back and forth for markups and changes had been made and there it was - our company. We were official. Our first stop was Officeworks to print the documents and then to a nondescript food court for a cheap Vietnamese meal and for the official signing. Robbie had to interrupt a couple having an argument to request a photo of the occasion...not of them having an argument...the signing of the Ranieri & Co. company formation.
Twelve months on I couldn't be more proud and happy that we've made it this far. The values that we formed the company upon - Humility, Empowerment, and Relentlessness - have helped us navigate a tough and volatile environment that nobody could have predicted. We have taken some massive hits and there have been some seriously shit moments and stress on a whole other level. However, the business is thriving. Our podcasts continue to grow, the industry is electric, we have fantastic partners, amazing supporters, our team has doubled to 4 people and we are one week away from opening in Sydney. And best of all, we are having a lot of fun doing it.
There are so many people I need to acknowledge: Hernan Lopez, Declan Moore, Ben Duncan, Dan Benporat, Sasha Hamilton, and the whole team at Wondery. We seriously could not have asked for a better partner. To Adam Lang, Michael Thompson, and Sean Alymer at Fear & Greed thank you for choosing us. To Melissa Hennesy, John Fara, Soph Dunn, Liv Doolan, Ben Lucas, and Andrew Sidwell thank you so much for the role you've played in making our vision a firm reality.
And finally two very special people - Robbie Ranieri: I could not have asked for a better Co-founder. Robbie lives and breathes our values and so much more. Robbie always goes 'high' when most would go 'low' and his energy is simply infectious.
The other person is my wife - Anna Randall, who I could not have achieved any of this without. Anna always strikes that perfect balance of bringing me back down to earth whilst always instilling in me the belief that I can do this. Thank you.
But as I write this, there is an even deeper desire and burning ambition to make it through to the next year, and the year after, and the year after that. The experience from the past 12 months has taught me to take nothing for granted and that our world can flip in an instant. We owe it to ourselves, our partners, our families, and our friends to ensure this company continues to thrive. A magnetic culture where people want to turn up each and every day to do their best work.