When Tom Szaky founded TerraCycle, a company that recycles what has previously been un-recyclable (like cigarette butts and coffee capsules), he didn’t so much as disrupt an industry as create a new one altogether.

“We’ve been doing this for 18 years, and I don’t think people really started waking up [to the importance of recycling] until 2017 or 2018,” Tom says.

As the world accumulates more trash and becomes more aware of the climate crisis, companies like TerraCycle have had even more of a tailwind to keep growing.

On this episode of The Empowered Challenger, Tom shares how he realized entrepreneurship wasn’t just a way to achieve fame and fortune, and could make a meaningful impact. He also talks about how he’s overcome various challenges to run a successful and pioneering business that’s changing the world of sustainability.