Household name and appliance and electronics giant, Hirsch’s, which has a branch in Brakpan, will see Richard Hirsch follow in father, Allan Hirsch’s footsteps.
Richard, who has been the managing director of the Hirsch’s Group for the last eight years was named chief executive officer of this family-owned business.
He takes over the reins from his father, Allan, who has moved into the position of joint chairperson of Hirsch’s together with his wife Margaret, previously chief operations officer of the company she and Allan founded in 1979.
Paul Brown, who has been part of the management team for the past 15 years at Hirsch’s, has taken up the position of managing director.
In the wake of the announcement, the Herald’s sister paper, the Northglen News, caught up with Richard and Allan to discover the men behind the largest independently owned appliance and electronics retail outlet in South Africa.
Allan, tell us about a time when things didn’t go the way you wanted in business
It is like riding a wild horse because if you are not prepared to listen to the way business goes and change and adapt with it you are not going to be in business.
We started the business doing repairs, then we did microwave specialist and then moved into home stores, then we became specialised in premium products and now it is online.
Business is continuously changing and you have got to change with it. You cannot fight it.
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Richard, what’s your strongest memory of your childhood?
I had a very happy childhood with hard working, self-made parents and it was just amazing to be along for the journey to see how hard work, dedication and doing your very best every single day can grow your business.
I loved being a part of that journey.
Whether it was sitting on the back of my Dad’s bakkie as he went off to repair people’s products, or sitting opposite my Mom as she served customers.
Allan, when you first started this business, did you ever imagine it would grow to such heights?
I never thought the business would grow to the extent that it has.
The other day I was waiting for a driver to fetch me and I decided to have a walk around the building and see what it looked like and I just thought to myself how did this happen?
How did an appliance technician with a Standard 7 or Grade 9 get to this stage in his life.
The simple answer is it is not me, it is the people around me who treat our customers well and look after them that makes all the difference.
Richard, what will you be doing differently to your dad?
It is very important that we keep our core values as the foundation of our business, they are strong and we can build the business in exciting new directions.
There has definitely been a huge move into online and we have absolutely embraced it.
Allan, it must be a proud moment, handing over the reigns to your son? Was this something you hoped for over the years?
It certainly is a proud moment handing over to Richard.
I don’t think it was something I really hoped for, when he matriculated he went overseas for three and a half years and I thought that was it, he was gone.
I was so delighted when he came back and joined the family business.
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When he become MD a few years ago he made some really useful changes in the business and I am looking forward to seeing some exciting new developments going forward.
Richard, can you offer some advice to people who want to follow your path?
First, you have to do something that you love and work with people that you enjoy working with.
Look after your customers. Look after your people.
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Contact the newsroom by emailing: Thelma Koorts (editor) brakpanherald@caxton.co.za
or Stacy Slatter (news editor) stacys@caxton.co.za
or Miné Fourie (journalist) minev@caxton.co.za
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