Grado & Associates: Celebrating 25 Years with the Chamber

By Michael Anderson, Staten Island Chamber of Commerce

If there was ever a true jack-of-all trades, it would be Rich Grado. When asked about his company, Grado & Associates, and the ground that it covers, it’s hard for Grado to give a short answer.  

“We feel that we can help companies because nobody is good at or has time for everything,” he said. “So, whatever you feel you need help with, we feel we’re either capable of offering it ourselves, or we have relationships developed through our 40 years of networking on Staten Island to find the person who can offer you the help you need.”  

And that list of assistance includes -- but is certainly not limited to -- printing and graphic design, marketing, creating websites, sales strategies, distribution, e-commerce, strategic planning, mailing, and consulting. 

If all of that sounds ambitious, then you don’t know Grado, who graduated from high school at 16 and bought a deli in Bay Ridge at the age of 17.  

Due to the arduous hours, Grado left his prosperous deli and found a job on Wall Street. Utilizing his analytical strengths, he moved to the trading desk at Prudential-Bache Securities and, just one year later at 21 years old became Vice President and ran the zero-coupon government bond position for the firm. The new job was a 24-hour, 5-day a week task since he controlled the New York, London, and Tokyo markets. To ward off burnout, Grado left that intense lifestyle at 26 and bought a printing franchise on Staten Island, although he had no experience in printing.  

“I felt like I wanted to build something that had something behind it,” he said. “It was probably one of the top franchises back then. So, I thought it was something to go with. Back then, printing was a big thing and a growing industry.” 

In 1998, Grado then teamed with Mark Rivera, a lifelong friend who plays saxophone for Billy Joel, to form Creative Events – an entertainment company that catered towards corporate events around the United States. 

As the years progressed, Grado soon felt the goals of the printing franchise did not match his own plans, so he dropped ties with the franchise and went independent. 

“I’ve never just been someone’s printer – I’ve built relationships and become friends with my clients. To me, the relationship isn’t just business. It becomes personal. As you get more involved with trying to help somebody, they rely on you more and more,” said Grado. “I’ve also been involved in the community while sitting on many boards – both civic and non-profit – and that’s how we built our client base.” 

Grado also became more involved with Grado Labs, a Brooklyn business started in 1953 by Rich’s uncle, Joseph Grado. Rich is currently part of the management team which hand-builds headphones and cartridges, and runs all direct sales through e-commerce.  

In 2017, Grado decided to close his storefront on Willow Avenue and bought into another print business, allowing him the opportunity to work from home and spend more time consulting. However, just like he enjoys helping businesses, he made sure to do the same for his loyal employees at the shop, as Grado found new jobs for them all.   

“I’m a big believer in the personal relationship that goes along with it. At the Bucks Business Network, I’m always saying that you need to get to know the other members. You can’t just recommend someone because they’re in the club. I need to feel comfortable with them because if I recommend someone to one of my big clients and they do the wrong thing, it’s ultimately a reflection on me,” said Grado. “As you get to know people, it becomes easier to recommend them. Honestly, some of the closest friendships and relationships my family has at this point have been built through these business groups and organizations on Staten Island.” 

And one of those business organizations that helped Grado create connections has been the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce. That’s makes it easy to see why he’s celebrating 25 years with the organization in 2021.  

“You can only get out of the Chamber what you put into the Chamber. I think it’s a mistake to join the Chamber and not be involved in any way. I think that’s anything in life,” said Grado, who previously served on the board and several committees at the Chamber through the years. “The Chamber has given me working and name recognition ability that I couldn’t replace anywhere else. And at an incredibly reasonable cost, from the financial side. The cost of needing something from the Chamber, it’s your time and involvement.”