Profile

The energetic entrepreneur!

There’s not much that Ricky van der Linde hasn’t done. The South African-born entrepreneur has tried his hand at everything from selling ice-cream in Hyde Park to managing commercial property portfolios in Waterloo.

“As orders increased rapidly, I hired two drivers to help with deliveries. In December 2019 we were delivering 20 bottles a week; now that figure has risen to 500 per week. I’m confident that we’re going to exceed the 2019 turnover figure this year.”

The fact that both businesses are doing so well is testament to Ricky’s energy, drive and commitment to achieving success in the corporate world.

He arrived in the UK from South Africa at the tender age of 18 because he wanted to “explore another part of the world to see what it had to offer”.

“I actually came for a working holiday”, he says. “I’d never even been on a plane before. I’d enjoyed growing up in South Africa but the world is a big place. I thought: let’s get out there and explore it.“I found everything easier in the UK than in South Africa. I did bits and bobs of everything; I sold ice-cream in Hyde Park and worked at the retailer H&M for a short while.

“Then got my first proper job at Bourne Capital, a property development company. They wanted me to work on their commercial properties in Waterloo. I was ambitious – I started as a facilities manager and worked my way up to become operations manager.”

Now he’s running two very different businesses: London Water Delivery and London Spit Roast. The former specialises in the supply and delivery of water coolers, bottled water and water packs for home, office and warehouse use. Meanwhile, the latter has developed into one of

the capital’s premier diners and provides loin spit roasts, hog roasts, lamb roasts and barbeques for private parties, weddings and corporate events.

Ricky says: “We opened London Spit Roast in 2014 and bought Big Roast in 2019, which was a great year for us. Things were going so well but then the pandemic hit and we went from hero to zero. By then

I was already dabbing in the water business; I had registered it in 2018 but initially didn’t have that much time for it because we were so busy dealing with London Spit Roast. In 2020, we had more time on our hands; the barbecue business had to close temporarily and we got a huge influx of people asking for water deliveries. About 95% of these customers were people working from home and then, as things began to open up again in 2021, we got more enquiries from businesses. Having stayed at the company for almost eight years, Ricky moved on to serviced office provider Regus but the move didn’t work out.

“I wasn’t keen so I decided to leave after four months,” he says. “At that point, I decided I didn’t want to work for anyone else anymore.”

He hasn’t needed to ever since. The last two years have been challenging, particularly for London Spit Roast, but with the worst of the pandemic behind us, Ricky is confident about the future prospects for both of his businesses.

“In June 2021 we reopened London Spit Roast and we were busy quite quickly. I employed someone in the office to take bookings and we were operating at about 80% of pre-pandemic levels of business. Now we’re hoping to exceed 2019 levels – we’ve taken a lot of forward bookings.

“The water business kept us afloat during the pandemic and now it’s very strong. Orders are coming in thick and fast and there are no limits to its potential.” Having lived in the UK for most of his adult life, Ricky feels at home in London.

“The London business scene is good,” he says. “If you want to make money, you should start a venture here. It’s the place to be; it’s so diverse. You could sell anything here – even snow or gravel – and you’ll find someone who’ll buy it.” Now an experienced entrepreneur, Ricky knows what it takes to succeed in business. So, what’s his advice for any young aspiring entrepreneur? “Have energy and stick to your guns. If you have an idea, see it through. Like anything, you might go through hard times but if you know your product and your market, you’ll come through the tough times.

“Also, don’t stretch yourself too thin. I’ve seen people try to diversify too quickly and neglect the good products they had when they started their business. Keep it simple, focus on your core product and make sure that it’s selling well before you diversify into other areas.”

For more information visit https://londonwaterdelivery.co.uk and

www.londonspitroast.co.uk

THE INSIDE

TRACK

Favourite food? Steak

Favourite tipple? Rum and coke

Favourite holiday? Maldives

Describe your family life. Not without its challenges

How do you spend your downtime?

Watching sport and playing golf

What are your key strengths as a manager?

Continual learning

And your limitations?

Coming to terms with delegating responsibility

Best thing about doing business in the

borough? Access to a diverse, skilled workforce

Famous person you’d most like to spend

dinner with? Richard Branson

Most interesting fact about yourself? I came to the UK with £200 in my pocket and grasped the opportunities presented by London with both hands. I’m also very passionate about rhino conservation.