Tommy McGuire is the President of Echo Environmental, which specializes in electronic recycling, IT asset management, and scrap metal purchasing. Echo Environmental has raised the bar and redefined what it means to be an end-of-life recycler.  On this episode, Chris and Tommy discuss the world of scrap and how Echo has been able to recycle hundreds of thousands of pounds of technology per day to be used again in the American supply chain. They'll talk about what actually happens when these products end up in landfills, the importance of taking initiative when bringing new ideas to leadership, Tommy's meteoric rise at Echo, and much more. Enjoy! Follow Chris on Twitter: www.Twitter.com/FortWorthChris Learn more about Chris Powers & Fort Capital: www.FortCapitalLP.com Follow Chris on LinkedIn: www.Linkedin.com/in/chrispowersjr/ (02:25) - Introduction & Tommy’s Story (04:02) - Tommy’s Experience Working in Insurance & Being a Natural Salesman (05:47) - What did the world of scrap look like in 2012 and what was your role? (07:31) - Where does scrap come from? How do you define it? (08:54) - How much scrap is created in America each year? (10:30) - Who are your typical customers? (11:05) - What do you do when all of this material arrives at your facility? (13:15) - Are you usually getting the same amount of material out of each charter box? (14:15) - What happens to the materials once you’re done processing it all? (15:03) - Is copper pulled from a circuit board still as useful as the first time it was used? (16:31) - What was the process of growth like going from 50-pound sales in 2012 to 100K+ pounds per day now? (18:04) - Are there any other business components besides Echo and ITAD? (19:08) - Do you need licenses to do all of this or could I just start this in my garage? Watch: 60 Minutes Episode of Town in China With Mountains of Old Electronics (23:20) - What actually happens when these products end up in landfills? How does it affect the Earth? (26:29) - How would an individual dispose of these electronics? (28:01) - Is contaminating the groundwater the biggest risk from all of this? (30:06) - Thoughts on ESG (33:19) - Is there any innovation going on that's working against you in technology? (35:32) - Are hard drives ever really wiped? (38:06) - Is there a business to be created that offers a ‘seal of approval’ that something is truly wiped? (42:39) - Is it really cleared in consumer products when an individual does a factory reset? (43:01) - What about smashing a phone? Can that data be retrieved? (44:19) - Has COVID helped your business? (47:10) - How have you managed to make such a progression in your career in going from salesman to President? What’s your playbook? (55:10) - Innovating by Presenting Ideas & Taking Initiative (57:58) - Re-Using Company Products to Make Really Cool Things (1:01:48) - Why did you go to business school? Was it a value-add?  Read: Reed Hastings - Your Company Is Not a Family (1:08:43) - Is there a childhood experience that formed who you are today? (1:10:12) - Do you have a morning routine? (1:11:27) - What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given? (1:12:45) - If you had a billboard that you could put anything on, what would it say? Learn more about Echo Environmental: www.echoenvironmental.com Follow Tommy on LinkedIn The FORT with Chris Powers is produced by Straight Up Podcasts