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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 largest and most respected metal recycling operations. A company now in its fifth generation, which puts it in rare company. Alex came up through the yards at 12 years old, studied accounting and finance at McGill University, and is now stepping into leadership having earned it from the ground up. Together they represent one of the most compelling succession stories in the industry.

This episode goes beyond the feel-good family narrative. It's an honest look at the dynamics of working alongside your father, the philosophy behind earning respect before authority, and what the next generation is already bringing to the table that the previous generation didn't see coming.

In this episode, we talk about:

👉 Starting from the ground up
👉 Balancing speed with patience
👉 Earning respect before authority
👉 Running a family business together
👉 What the next gen brings to the table
👉 And more!

Whether you're thinking about bringing your own kids into the business, or you're the one being brought in, this episode is full of honest, practical wisdom from people who are living it.

Born Scrappy.

Brought to you by Buddy.

The only all-in-one platform for buying, selling, and managing scrap metal.

Built for scrappies, by scrappies.



https://www.tradebuddy.io/

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WHO IS STU KAGAN ANYWAYS?

27 years in the metal recycling game and still learning and growing…

I learnt from the best and worked my way up from yard labourer to Executive Director of Trading and Operations for the largest metal recycler in sub-Saharan Africa. Responsible for 4,500 employees, 85 sites, and the overall profitability of a multi-billion dollar operation.

I brought my breadth and depth of knowledge to bear and co-founded the fastest growing, most-loved, and most awarded metal recycling company in New Zealand.

I thought it was time that tech worked for our industry, so I built THE killer scrap app, Buddy - built for scrappies, by scrappies.

Father of two crazy-awesome boys. Husband to Lisa. Kids rugby coach. YPO member. Founder. Lifelong learner. Mentee. Mentor. Committed Stoic. Aspiring cowboy.

COME SAY HI ON LINKEDIN

https://www.linkedin.com/in/stukagan/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/born-scrappy/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/tradewithbuddy