Sponsor Spotlight: The Rag Company

For this month's Sponsor Spotlight, we spoke with Levi Gates, CD-SV, RIT, Detailing Educator and Brand Development Manager of The Rag Company, an IDA Platinum Sponsor. 

International Detailing Association (IDA): How long have you been with The Rag Company? Were you a detailer prior to becoming a supplier?
Levi Gates (LG): Yes, I was a professional detailer and owned my own detail business. I was also an IDA member and CD-SV prior to joining The Rag Company. One of the first things I did as a new hire was to get The Rag Company in as a supplier member of the IDA. We have since grown the relationship between the IDA and The Rag Company by joining the Founder's Club. We have also participated in CD events and facilitated SV events. We've had several key employees join the IDA and take the CD or CD-SV exams. We now have 10 IDA members on our team — three that have passed the CD exams and five more that are CD-SVs, and two of us are CD-SV, RITs. Our commitment to the IDA is undeniable, and we have all participated in several committees and our own Josh Petro, CD-SV, is a current IDA Board Member.

IDA: What made you switch to becoming a supplier?
LG: I loved what the IDA did to help me as a detailer and business owner and wanted to share that with The Rag Company and our customers

IDA: What type of training does your business offer?
LG: We host several training events and open shop days throughout the year here at The Rag Company Studio. We also stream a live Q&A from our YouTube channel every Thursday that showcases many greats in our industry and from the various quality brands we supply.

IDA: What are some of your company’s attributes that make you stand out in the industry?
LG: The Rag Company is focused on education first and foremost. Our goal is to educate our customers on our towels and all the products we carry.

IDA: Is there any advice you would give to detailers that may be looking into transitioning to product sales, distribution, or manufacturing?
LG: You must be willing to give your time to help a company. I wouldn’t expect to get hired right away, but more to prove yourself as an asset to the company. Many times, that means working after hours or even during the daytime. At one point, I was assisting The Rag Company with customer service calls while detailing cars at my business. Folks would ask questions about towels, and I would be actively working on the interior of a car or polishing. It's sweat equity in a sense. It got to the point that I fielded more calls for The Rag Company than actual calls for scheduling details for my own business. I would also answer emails forwarded to me from The Rag Company every night. I loved every minute of it! It was a lot of effort, but it allowed me to prove to the Hennen's (The Rag Companys owners) that I was worth being offered a job.

IDA: What are some of the struggles your company has overcome to get to where it is today?
LG: Well, from starting in a 2-car garage to a nearly 100,000 sq ft campus in 21 years is no easy task. We needed to really manage our growth as we grew. Many companies overlook this and assume a growth trend to be constant. So, they hire more, or they move to a new building that they can’t afford and then the employees quit, or there are product delays, or they do not reinvest the profits back into the business! So on, and so forth. From the 2-car garage to now, we have had steady growth but are always planning our growth safely for the future. Our owners, Jeff and Carolyn Hennen, and COO John Green, CD-SV, have instilled that into the company from the start. As one of our core beliefs, I feel we do it exceptionally well.

IDA: Why does your company believe it is beneficial to support the IDA?
LG: The IDA supports education and growth within our industry, which is one of our core beliefs of “Educate First” here at The Rag Company. It’s a win-win!

IDA: As a supplier, what changes would you like to see made in the detailing industry?
LG: I love the sharing of knowledge between detailers, peers, chemical companies, and tool companies. We are always striving to help our customers learn how to do their jobs easier and safer by pairing and testing products that work well together. The sharing of knowledge within the Industry helps all of us! “A rising tide, floats all boats!”

Disclaimer: The Rag Company is a 2022 IDA Platinum Sponsor. The views and opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the IDA. If you are interested in becoming an IDA Sponsor, please click here to learn more.