Big problems equal big solutions. Don't give up!
Nik and Harry Robinson are co-founders of Good Citizens Eyewear.
Nik Robinson (the taller one) has had many careers; radio broadcaster (Triple M), creative director, donut maker and lecturer.
He is passionate about using his creative skills to solve problems and make a positive difference, so in 2018, he set up Good Citizens with his young kids and wife to take on the world’s plastic issue.
Good Citizens is a company like no other, where the balance of power is equal. Harry (12 years old) and his brother, Archie (11 years old), have a 50% say on daily and major decisions alongside Dad (Nik) and Mum (Jocelyne). It’s challenging and rewarding in equal measure! Who says adults have all the answers?
It would take 752 days and 2503 failed attempts to finally launch Good Citizens Eyewear in April 2020. Good Citizens has one mission - to untrash the planet by turning trash into good.
Good Citizens turns single-use plastic bottles into eyewear frames. The frames are 100% recycled and made in sunny Sydney.
It’s become Australia’s most awarded eyewear brand including winning Best in Class at the prestigious international Good Design Awards. The brand has also been internationally recognised by the likes of Selfridges in London, which gave the sunglasses an entire window next to Prada for three months.
In 2021, this business that was dreamt up around the kitchen table, was voted one of the 'Top 20 Coolest Retailers in Australia' and Nik was acknowledged as 'Time Out’s Sustainability Future Shaper', shaping the sustainable future of Sydney.
The story has taken Nik and Harry to the United Nations, a feature in Forbes US and keynote speeches alongside big name CEOs at global summits, as well as talking to leadership teams of some of the world’s most respected brands including Google and Tesla.
Nik donates his time to lecture at numerous Australian universities including RMIT, UTS and UNSW to inspire the next generation to think cleverly about using recycled materials and designing for end of life.
Harry and Nik will share insights and anecdotes from both perspectives, from the gut wrenching ‘almost lose everything moments’ to the highs of getting a phone call from the Prime Minister's office to have a face-to-face meeting to discuss recycling in Australia. Audiences will laugh, learn, cry and leave motivated to play their part in a more positive world.
Talking Points
The Good Citizens Story
Experience a captivating and heartfelt keynote by Nik and his 12-year-old son, Harry. This is a story like no other. After 752 days and 2503 failed attempts, they successfully invented a way to transform a discarded single-use plastic bottle into a 100% recycled pair of eyewear frames made in Sydney.The Good Citizens Story
From securing an entire window in Selfridges London, a feature in Forbes US, to speaking at the United Nations and becoming Australia's most awarded eyewear brand, this story is a source of motivation and inspiration for individuals, organisations and communities.
At its heart, The Good Citizens Story is about the profound belief that transformative ideas can emerge from anyone, anywhere, and have the potential to shape and execute groundbreaking concepts on a global scale.
Key Take Aways:
• Innovation - how big problems can lead to big solutions.
• Purpose - How having a purpose helps you deal with failure.
• Vulnerability - How being open and honest with customers creates big fans of your brand.
Innovation & Transformation
Often, the best solutions come from the most unexpected places and people. Fear of failure and judgment often discourage individuals and teams from exploring new ideas. Good Citizens believe problems are their friends, and the bigger the problem, the bigger the solution, the bigger the story!Innovation & Transformation
Global supply chains are being challenged; cheap labour is no longer cheap, and customers want locally-made, more sustainable products. These hurdles can all be overcome through simplifying the problem, forward-thinking and clever design.
Key Take Aways:
- See how purpose-driven thinking and a sweet dose of calculated naivety can transform all aspects of your business, including marketing, customer experiences, product innovations, and a happy CFO!
- Good design not only solves problems but creates opportunities.
Empathetic Employment
A diverse and inclusive culture is central to Good Citizens' values. They believe no one should be left behind, regardless of age or ability. Their diverse team of helpers includes individuals aged 11 to 89, illustrating the depth of experience and perspective that different generations can contribute to tasks and problem-solving. The Good Citizens dispatch centre is staffed and managed by a team with a range of disabilities who have proven that with appropriate systems in place, everyone can achieve targets, complete tasks and end the day with a huge smile, knowing they are contributing to Good Citizens' purpose to untrash the planet of single-use plastic.Empathetic Employment
Key Take Aways:
- The right people with the right system and processes can achieve any task.
- Learn how purpose can unite diverse groups of people to achieve a common goal.
- Authentic storytelling will make customers feel more connected to your brand for the right reasons.
- Purpose unites employees, customers and suppliers.
Video
12 hours with Good Citizens
Nik Robinson | Dubai Global Retail Summit
Nik Robinson | Powerhouse Museum | Earth Day
Father Son Duo of Good Citizens Create Sunglasses From 100% Recycled Plastic!
Nik & Harry Robinson | Green Business Council 2024 | Saxton Speakers
Nik & Harry are an amazing father-son speaker duo - funny, earnest & brutally honest about the challenges of trying to start a family business to help save the planet. Our team was absolutel ... keep reading Google
I was completely blown away by Nik's presentation which showcased his brand, journey and enthusiasm for what he does. Nik came to our conference in Dubai to give a keynote speech at The Retail Summit. He spoke with passion about his sustainable journey and impressed our audience of big brand C-Suite executives from all over the world, so much so that he was swamped when he left the stage!
We were absolutely delighted to have Nik and Harry grace our stage as the keynote speakers for the highly anticipated launch of Essencemediacom, the merger of two prominent media agencies in Australia. The entire day was centered around the concept of 'breakthrough thinking,' and the Good Citizens story they shared perfectly encapsulated this theme. Their keynote presentation was truly exceptional, leaving a lasting impact on everyone in attendance. It was an awe-inspiring, heartwarming, and humor-filled experience that resonated deeply with our audience. In fact, an overwhelming 79% of our employees identified it as the most memorable highlight of the entire day.
Nik and Harry Robinson were keynotes at our events in Sydney and Melbourne, March 2023. Their story was truly inspiring (they pushed through, where most of us would have given up), their purpose to untrash the planet was motivating and I know everyone walked away energised to be good citizens. All up they spoke to over 320 leaders in the media agency industry, everyone was engaged.
Nik was keynote speaker for our inaugural Founders Summit Leadership retreat in Byron Bay. The 3-day retreat attracted a high calibre group of 30 elite, fast growth company founders, seeking to take their leadership prowess to the next level through purpose. Nik’s talk was a master-class in embracing an authentic personal mission and embedding it into the business. He taught us that purpose is not a trade-off to creating value. That when you offer a vision and proposition that connects the market with meaning, the business becomes a movement for improving the world. Our group was gripped by Nik’s story, his openness and humour - inspiring and contagious!
We invited Nik and Harry to speak at the opening of our investment and advisory business. A mixed crowd of clients, philanthropists, venture capital, and private equity was captivated by their story and approach to leading with a purpose. Many positive conversations flowed throughout the evening due to the talk they gave. They united the room.
Thank you Nik for coming to speak at our team day. The Good Citizens story of combining passion with purpose, resilience with courage and doing it all with true yatta minahare spirit could not have been a more suitable message for our team of marketers and innovators. Everyone was raving about inspired they felt and what an authentic speaker you were.
The Social Good Summit Australia (SGSA) is a United Nations Foundation affiliated event that connects individuals, Corporations, Not-for-profits, Government and Grassroots organisations to inspire and discuss solutions for the greatest challenges of our times. Each year the SGSA brings people together to create awareness and explore the possibilities of the UN 17 Sustainable Development Goals and fulfil the promise of creating a better world by 2030. Harry and Nik were part of our expert speaker line up at the first Melbourne edition of the SGSA in October 2022. Their engaging and dynamic style and delightful family story left the audience in tears of joy. The double act father and son is not only a great way to inspire people to make the world a better place but equality to help people to see better ways to parenting and family life. A great story, super engaging.
When we were planning a ‘brand purpose’ session with the Marketing and Communications team at The University of Sydney and looking for guest speakers, Nik Robinson from Good Citizens was the first person that came to my mind. Nik was a perfect fit for this session and spoke passionately to the team about the Good Citizens journey and how important purpose has been in building his business and unique brand. He was engaging, entertaining and thought provoking and the team came away inspired about their own roles in working for a purposeful brand.
Good Citizens presented, to the VMware team as a part of our sustainability drive, bringing together their journey and drivers behind their product and family run business. Speaking, essentially to sales and marketing execs, Nic came across as passionate, yet humble, engaging with the audience in a way that tied back perfectly with VMware's EPIC2 sustainable pillars. Whilst being brutally honest about the struggles of getting product to market, Nik provided focus on the main topic of untrashing the planet. Partnering with Nik was Harry, his Year 7 son, who initiated the entire journey with his concerns for our planet. His youthful views and cheekiness (and ability to talk to a group of strangers) were a delight and a wonderful reminder of why we must improve the legacy that we will be leaving to his generation.
The Learn team have had the pleasure of working with Nik for our Masterclass series during the annual Shape exhibition. His expertise was illuminating for the students of HSC Design and Industrial Technology throughout the fortnight-long program at the Powerhouse Museum. Nik was invited as one of our special guest speakers to share his experience as a designer, and reveal his approach to developing and executing sustainable designprocesses inside Good Citizens. An effortless speaker who shares passionately about his practice, Nik keeps it fun and light all while inspiring and connecting with our visiting learners, both in person and live during our digital seminar series.
Wonderful interaction between the two speakers - a great story with many takeouts around resilience and innovation.
