Born Scrappy

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Born Scrappy I sit down with Brett Ekart, Serial Entrepreneur, Owner of United Metals Recycling and the host of A Scrap Life podcast, for a masterclass in what it really means to grow. Not just bigger, but smarter, broader, and with the right people alongside you. Brett has built one of the most diversified operations in the scrap industry. From eight scrapyards...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Born Scrappy I sit down with Michael Lion, Former Owner of Philipp & Lion and Former Consultant & Chairman at Sims Metal Management, for a masterclass in what really happens when it all goes wrong and what you can learn from it. Michael's career is one of the industry's most extraordinary stories. He entered the business at 17, built Philipp &a...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Born Scrappy I sit down with Jonathan Ross from John Ross & Sons Ltd., and his son Alex Ross, VP of Ops and Sales. Recorded live at ReMA 2026, this is a candid, unfiltered conversation about what it actually takes to bring the next generation through a fifth-generation family business the right way. Jonathan has spent decades building one of Canada's la...

Send us Fan Mail In this week’s episode, I chat to Lenny Formato, Co-founder of Empire Metal Trading. A third-generation recycler out of New York, Lenny has lived and breathed this industry from a young age. From riding trucks as a kid to building a business that’s still evolving today. We cover everything from persistence and patience in deal-making to the power of going “all in” when it really c...

Send us Fan Mail In this week’s episode, I chat to Andy Golding, Chief Strategy Officer & Partner at Kripke Enterprises and incoming ReMA Chair. This one’s a proper masterclass on attracting young talent, and more importantly, what to do once you’ve got them. Andy shares how the industry needs to rethink some of its oldest habits if we want to stay relevant. From moving away from the “everyone...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I host a live panel discussion diving deep into one of the biggest forces shaping the scrap industry right now: Tariffs, trade policy, and global market dynamics. Joined by industry experts, the panel unpacks what’s actually happening beneath the headlines, covering recent tariff changes, shifting trade flows, and the real-world impact on recyclers, traders, and o...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I sit down with Amy Hinton, North American Scrap Editor at Fastmarkets. We break down one of the most misunderstood parts of our industry. How prices actually work. If you’ve ever questioned where scrap prices come from, how they’re formed, or whether the market is being “played”… this is the episode for you. Amy pulls back the curtain on how price reporting agenc...

Send us Fan Mail In this week’s episode I chat to Ryan Fogelman, Fire Protection Consultant at Fire Rover, about one of the biggest risks facing scrap yards today. Fires. Ryan has spent the last decade helping recyclers protect their facilities from devastating fires caused by lithium-ion batteries and other hidden hazards in the recycling stream. What was once an occasional problem has rapidly be...

Send us Fan Mail In this week’s episode I chat with John Sacco, former President of Sierra International and former Chairman of ReMA. John has been one of the most influential voices in the recycling industry for decades, helping shape both the culture of Sierra and the broader narrative of our industry. After recently transitioning out of the business he helped build, John reflects on what comes...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Born Scrappy, I sit down with Bob Alvarez, President at Shapiro Metals, for a true masterclass on the art of buying scrap into a yard. Bob didn’t grow up in scrap, but over the past decade he’s helped shape Shapiro into one of the most sophisticated industrial recyclers in the U.S. With over 120 years of legacy behind the company, Bob shares how they’ve evolved...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Born Scrappy I sit down with Evan J. Schwartz, Chief Innovation Officer at AMCS Group, to demystify technology and understand its practical application in the scrap metal industry. Evan has spent 35+ years across resource-intensive industries and now sits at the forefront of innovation at AMCS, operating across 80 countries. His job? Spot what’s coming next and...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Born Scrappy, I sit down with Craig Weber, Vice President of Global Recycled Scrap at Metal Exchange, for a masterclass on how scrap prices are really set. Craig has spent 30 years at Metal Exchange. He’s lived and worked in Zurich, Shanghai, and Singapore, building a global view of spreads, hedging, risk, and market structure that very few in our industry truly...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Born Scrappy, I sit down with Steve Zusman, Vice President and Co-Owner of Metro Metals, for a masterclass on navigating market consolidation in the scrap industry. Steve brings decades of experience to the table - from growing up in a family-run yard to overseeing multiple business divisions including scrap, real estate, and garbage transfer across the Pacific...

Send us Fan Mail In this week’s masterclass episode, I sit down with Neil Byce, Owner of CW Companies, Vice Chair of ReMA, and future Chair of the association. Neil built one of the fastest-growing scrap companies in the U.S., with 15 yards and counting. But he’s done it the hard way, by learning what breaks when you scale fast. This episode is a deep dive into the shift from being a hands-on owne...

Send us Fan Mail In this season opener, I sit down with Steve Deacon, Chief Commercial Officer at EMR Group, for a masterclass on margin … where it’s made, where it’s lost, and how to take control of it across your operation. Steve shares stories from his 20+ years in the industry, including starting out in a North Philly scrap yard, building and selling his own business, and ultimately taking on...

Send us Fan Mail In this week’s episode, I sit down with Nathan Workman from Pure Aluminum. We explore the future of aluminum and the lessons he’s learned from over a decade in the industry. Nathan started his career at Kaiser Aluminum, where he worked in casting, logistics, and metals trading before making the leap to Franklin Metals and Pure Aluminum. Today, he’s helping launch Pure Aluminum’s n...

Send us Fan Mail In this week’s episode, I chat with Michael Sciaba, General Manager of Allied Recycling Center. He’s one of the most hands-on, grounded operators in the game! Michael’s journey started young, working in his family’s construction business before pivoting to metal recycling in his teens. By 21, he was running the day-to-day operations. Today, he leads a thriving, self-funded busines...

Send us Fan Mail In this week’s episode, I chat to Becky Proler, President of SCR Recycling and a powerhouse in the metal recycling world. Becky’s family is credited with inventing the "Prolerizer," the first automobile shredder, a revolutionary innovation in metal recycling. And she’s still innovating today. We cover her decades-long journey from hand-sorting metal as a kid, to building...

Send us Fan Mail In this week’s episode, I chat to Jim Keefe, Executive Vice President of GIE Media and the driving force behind Scrap Expo - one of the most operator-friendly events in the metal recycling industry. Jim shares his 30+ year journey in the business, how he stumbled into the scrap world, and how Scrap Expo was born out of a clear need. Hands-on demos and direct connection for scrappi...

Send us Fan Mail In today’s episode I chat to Ryan Weinstein, Vice President of M&M Recycling. He’s a second-generation scrappy who literally grew up in the yard, and now oversees four locations including a shredding facility. Ryan blends old-school hustle with modern tools, from running dispatch to rolling out new software. He’s got deep knowledge from the yard floor to the global market, and...

Send us Fan Mail In this week’s episode, I chat with Bill Sulak, President of Ferrous Processing and Trading. Bill’s journey into scrap wasn’t planned, but once he walked through the gates as a scale operator in a three-piece suit, he was hooked. Two decades later, he's leading one of the most respected operations in the industry. Bill shares his views on leading from the ground up, why the b...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I chat to Sarah Swilsky, President at Potomac Metals, and Sam Padnos, Trader at PADNOS. Two different paths. Two different companies. One honest conversation. Sarah and Sam reflect on growing up in the industry, stepping into leadership, and what it means to shape a business that reflects your values. If you're building something that lasts, this one's f...

Send us Fan Mail In this week’s episode, I chat with Vishal Jatia, Owner of Greenland Inc., and Aldo Jordan, President of The Metals Agency. These two industry veterans have traded through the wildest of market swings—and they’re here to talk about the strategies that help scrappies not just survive but thrive in volatile conditions. We dive into: 👉 Navigating global logistics disruptions 👉 Adap...

Send us Fan Mail In this week’s episode I chat to Andrew Lincoln, VP/GM at Lincoln Recycling and Recycled Materials Associtaion (ReMA) Director-At-Large. He’s a third-gen recycler and together with his brother Jeremy, they have continued to grow the core business while expanding into brokerage and remote interior demolition services across the US. Andrew is also a reality-TV sensation, featuring i...

Send us Fan Mail In this week’s episode I chat to Eds Harding, 3rd generation and Vice President of Operations at Harding Metals. Eds went straight from college into the family business and has never looked back. Not only is he the ReMA New England Chapter President, but he was recently named ReMA’s Young Executive of the Year - congrats Eds! In this episode, we talk about: 👉 When no deal is your...