Meet the Founder – Jordan Richard Labuschagne
Director & CEO, RHTM (Richard Holdings Trade & Manufacturing)
To understand RHTM, you must first understand the man behind it—a young entrepreneur whose story blends legacy, discipline, faith, and the unbreakable bond between a father and son.
Jordan Richard Labuschagne, born on 2 September 2003 in Johannesburg, South Africa, grew up with a unique combination of grounded upbringing, spiritual conviction, and a relentless hunger to understand people. From his earliest years, Jordan wasn’t just active—he was deeply observant. Whether he was outdoors fishing, camping, or indoors learning the ins and outs of technology, he was always studying the world around him. What makes people tick? What creates loyalty? What builds trust? What truly lasts?
Raised in Johannesburg and educated at Leeuwenhof Academy and Hans Moore, Jordan developed a reputation for being both intelligent and intuitive. He had an ease with people that many adults struggle to develop. He could read the room. He could see beyond words. He could understand intention, tone, pressure, and emotion. Combined with his natural comfort with technology, he began viewing the world through two lenses:
How do we make life easier for people, and how do we create something meaningful for them?
That question would eventually shape his leadership philosophy—and his company.
Jordan’s journey into the textiles and manufacturing space began in 2022 when his father, Dick Labuschagne, launched Rustic Linen. Jordan joined him immediately, from day one—just the two of them in the early mornings, late nights, and long days that come with building something from scratch. He took on everything: sales, cold calling, customer relations, marketing, administration, product development, and the huge responsibility of clearing extensive backlog of unanswered emails. That period taught him more than any classroom ever could. It taught him leadership without the title, responsibility without excuses, and humility without weakness.
But most importantly, it taught him the heart of his father.
Jordan’s father didn’t just build a business—he built relationships. He built trust. He built friendships. He built a name that meant something in an industry filled with competitors. He showed Jordan what real work ethic looks like and what true dedication means. More than anything, he taught him that success is built on character before capability. That determination is the deciding factor between people who dream of achieving something and people who actually do.
Jordan likes to say, “Make a million mistakes—just don’t make the same mistake twice.”
That line came from watching his dad. When something failed, Dick didn’t complain—he learned, corrected, and moved forward. When something succeeded, he didn’t celebrate for too long—he stayed focused and pushed ahead. That became the rhythm Jordan grew up living and breathing.
In late 2024, life changed forever.
On 17 November 2024, Jordan’s father passed away. The loss was devastating—not only to the business, not only to the industry, but to Jordan as a son. Dick wasn’t just a father; he was Jordan’s best friend, mentor, example, and the man who shaped his heart and faith. They shared the same interests, the same values, the same humour, and the same drive. They understood each other without speaking. They worked the way some brothers do—side by side, in sync, fully aligned.
When he passed, Jordan had a decision to make:
Walk away and let the business fade with him, or rebuild the company from the ground up and continue his father’s legacy with a fresh vision.
Jordan chose the harder road.
He chose the meaningful road.
He chose the road his father would’ve been proud of.
He relaunched the business as RHTM – Richard Holdings Trade and Manufacturing. The name carries weight—“Richard,” the name he shares with his father; “Holdings Trade and Manufacturing,” the full scope of what the new business embodies. It signifies depth, durability, structure, legacy, and a commitment to excellence from development to delivery.
But RHTM wasn’t just a rebrand. Jordan redesigned the company from its core:
~ New operational standards ~
~ New automations ~
~ New product lines ~
~ New sourcing networks ~
~ New marketing structures ~
~ New communication frameworks ~
~ New client-facing processes ~
~ New quality checkpoints ~
~ New digital architecture ~
~ New sales cycles ~
~ New relationship-building strategies ~
~ New everything ~
He rebuilt the business for a new era—one where responsiveness, exclusivity, customer experience, and innovation matter just as much as the product itself. He even refined the smallest details, down to how emails were written, how signatures looked, how product guides were formatted, and how proposals were structured.
Yet, amidst all the innovation and transformation, one thing remained sacred:
the relationships built by his father.
For Jordan, clients are not transaction numbers—they are partners. He believes deeply in building relationships above profit, because he knows that long-term trust outperforms short-term gain every single time. Whether a client is ordering small quantities or designing an entire line from scratch, Jordan treats them with the same respect and commitment. If a customer needs a product developed exclusively for their brand, RHTM does it—no debate, no hesitation. If they need support, guidance, or fast turnaround, they get it. Jordan built RHTM to be a business that never lets its clients stand alone.
His leadership philosophy reflects exactly who he is:
Jordan leads by example. He communicates clearly and directly. He is hands-on in every department—sales, admin, product development, marketing, operations, and innovation. He supports clients and partners through good seasons and difficult ones. He empowers people, holds himself accountable, and prioritizes transparency, integrity, and consistency. He is spiritually grounded, disciplined, adaptable, calm under pressure, always thinking big, and relentlessly committed to excellence.
His perfectionism isn’t about ego—it’s about responsibility. When he delivers something with the RHTM name on it, he wants it to reflect the standards his father taught him. His loyalty to people is not optional—it’s who he is at his core. His drive comes from a combination of faith, gratitude, and the desire to honour the man who shaped his life.
Today, RHTM stands as a fast-growing business with a clear mission:
To become a trusted, industry-leading brand that clients rely on instinctively.
Jordan wants people to think of RHTM the same way they think of national household names. Just like people wake up and say they need their morning coffee, he wants business owners to wake up saying, “I need to phone RHTM today.”
In five years, Jordan sees RHTM becoming a dominant force in the market—a company known for its reliability, innovation, product exclusivity, competitive pricing, development capabilities, and above all, its relationships. He sees a future where clients speak about the company with confidence and respect. A future where RHTM becomes the benchmark others measure themselves against.
But above all, Jordan sees something deeper:
He sees a future where his father’s legacy continues to live—not in stories, not in memories, but in an active, thriving company that touches lives, industries, and partnerships every single day.
He wants people to say,
“Jordan built RHTM into something remarkable — but he stands on the foundation his father laid. His dad taught him well. His dad gave him the heart and the fire that continue to drive this company forward.”
Because RHTM is more than a business.
It is a tribute.
It is a promise.
It is a living legacy.
It is a promise.
It is a living legacy.