PPB January 2019

FIVE MINUTES WITH Albert DiPadova Co-founder, The Riviera Towel Co. Santa Barbara, California-based supplier The Riviera Towel Co. donates a portion of its sales to select nonpro ts specializing in marine wildlife conservation and ocean pollution cleanup. Co-founder Albert DiPadova shares his views about the importance of giving back to Mother Nature. PPB How and why did you become interested in donating a portion of Riviera Towel Co's proceeds to supporting marine wildlife and the oceans? DiPadova I grew up on a boat, and I have always had a relationship with the ocean. Growing up in Key West, Florida, I was always in the ocean snorkeling in the outer reefs looking for lobsters and scuba diving in sunken wrecks. When I moved to San Francisco, California, in 1994, I started a company that provided weather data reports called SurfCheck, which was acquired by Sur ine, now a leader in global surf reporting. My kids still check the live cams that I installed back then, and we hit the beach whenever the surf is up. Because the ocean gave me so much in this life, I’ve decided to dedicate my life to its service. It doesn’t take much to recognize that we are facing some dire environmental issues. We launched The Riviera Towel Co. to help raise awareness and fund organizations that are working hard to heal and protect our oceans. PPB How does the process work? DiPadova We have identi ed 10 organizations that are leading the ght against ocean pollution and marine wildlife conservation. Each has their own specialties, from the Coral Restoration Foundation in Florida to The Whale and Dolphin Conservancy in Massachusetts, which both aim to protect endangered species. We created collections of towels that fund each of these organizations with ve percent of our net pro ts. Our goal is to double our donations year after year. It’s a slow, organic process that’s in uenced by the world we live in, but with more and more consumers recognizing the need to give back, we’re feeling good about reaching our goals. PPB How did you select the charities that you are helping? DiPadova The organizations selected include the Coral Restoration Foundation in Key Largo, Florida; 4Ocean in Boca Raton, Florida; Santa Barbara Channelkeeper in Santa Barbara, California; Whale and Dolphin Conservation in Plymouth, Massachusetts; Channel Islands Park Foundation in Ventura, California; Oceana in Washington, D.C.; Save the Mermaids in Santa Barbara, California; and Surfrider Foundation in San Clemente, California. All of these marine organizations dedicate their best effort to healing and protecting the world’s oceans. From the start, we knew that we wanted to build a purposeful brand with a mission to do more than make money. Before launching The Riviera Towel Co., my wife and I built a women’s fashion brand that was acquired in 2010 by an international manufacturer. It was a great ride but left us feeling less than ful lled. So, when we launched Riviera, we structured the company around our mission to heal and protect our oceans. PPB Do you have any suggestions for companies that are looking to start a similar initiative? DiPadova You can’t do it alone. You need to enlist in the army of like-minded ambassadors, like we have, to help spread the word through social media. PPB What kind of feedback has Riviera Towels received from customers? Does this kind of effort many any difference to sales? DiPadova It does resonate with some, and it means nothing to others, but we do it because we believe we can make a difference, no matter how small. At least we’re rowing in the right direction. PPB In your experience, does a distributor choose one supplier over another because of the charitable connection? DiPadova I really don’t think that’s the rst criteria that distributors are looking for. We believe you have to offer a premium product and great customer service, and if you happen to do some good work, that’s just a bonus. That’s why we manufacture and distribute premium Turkish towels for the home and beach. They are thin by design, so they dry quickly and pack up tight for easy travel. People love them because they’re so versatile. They are as much a fashion statement when used as a wrap or throw as they are when used as towels. Making Waves The Riviera Towel Co. donates a portion of its proceeds to ocean cleanup and conservancy. Danielle Renda is associate editor of PPB. 78 | JANUARY 2019 | THINK