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When Thomas D’Eri co-founded Rising Tide Car Wash in 2012, the hope was to provide job opportunities for his brother Andrew and others like him on the autism spectrum. The vision was borne of a harsh reality. People with autism face an unemployment rate of 85%, making it a real struggle to attain financial independence.
Since its inception, around 80 percent of Rising Tide’s workforce is made up of people with autism, tackling that statistic head-on. Along the way, the social enterprise has been hailed not only for its ability to empower people with disabilities but for its excellence – period.Tom D’Eri just wrote a book, sharing tools, tips and lessons learned. We speak to him about the book, his business, and a whole lot more next.
Welcome to In the Business of Change, where we speak with social entrepreneurs impacting their communities and the world. I’m your host Elisa Birnbaum publisher and editor in chief of SEE Change Magazine. On today’s episode we speak with Tom D’Eri, Co-Founder and COO of Rising Tide Car Wash.
In our conversation, Tom reflects upon the social enterprise’s early beginnings, its ups and downs and the secrets to success of the highly profitable business that today washes more than 150,00 cars per year and boasts an impressive retention rate. Social mission alone is not enough, is just one of many lessons Tom shares, sure to help other social entrepreneurs along their own journey.
Listen. Learn. Enjoy. Share.
To order Tom’s book, The Power of Potential