Born Scrappy

Stu Kagan

This is the podcast for scrap metal traders and operators who want to get sharper without losing their scrappy edge.

  1. 2d ago

    Scaling without losing your DNA with Colin Denihan

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Born Scrappy I sit down with Colin Denihan, Chief Commercial Officer at Metal Source, for an honest look at scaling a scrap business without losing what made it work in the first place. Colin was bartending through college when the bar’s new owner asked if he knew anything about aluminum. He didn’t. A summer running a furnace changed that. He joined Metal Source when it had 25 employees, left to trade at 80/20 and LKQ, then came back to help build it into one of the top five secondary aluminum consumers in the country. This conversation goes inside how a fast-growing operator really works. How they evaluate acquisitions, why inventory turns drive their cash flow, and what it takes to get the business out of your own head and into your team’s hands. In this episode, we talk about: 👉 Spreading the weight 👉 Buying beyond the numbers 👉 The power of inventory turns 👉 Onboarding that keeps people 👉 Earning trust in a family business 👉 And more! Whether you’re running one yard or planning your next acquisition, this episode will help you build something that doesn’t depend on you being in every decision. Born Scrappy. Brought to you by Buddy. One platform to manage end-to-end trades. We call it Sell-Side Software. Built for scrappies, by scrappies. https://www.tradebuddy.io/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/tradewithbuddy/ WHO IS STU KAGAN ANYWAYS? 28 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

    Scaling without losing your DNA with Colin Denihan

  2. Oct 21

    Building the next chapter with Jordan Schupan

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Born Scrappy I sit down with Jordan Schupan, the new CEO of Schupan, to talk about what it really means to take the wheel of something that took someone else 53 years to build and how you grow it without losing what made it great. Jordan didn't walk straight into the family business. He traded equity options in Chicago, spent years on the sales side of venture-backed software startups, and in 2016 was getting close to joining Snowflake when he stopped and asked himself a harder question. The answer brought him back to Kalamazoo, and to Schupan, the third-generation recycling and metals company his grandfather started with five people in 1968. He joined in 2017, grew the trading business from a Midwest processor into a global supply chain partner, and recently stepped into the CEO role, succeeding his father Marc who led the company for 53 years. This isn't a conversation about succession from 30,000 feet. It's about the real work of scaling trust, in a supply chain, in a family, and across 600 people in 18 locations. In this episode, we talk about: 👉 Choosing legacy over the startup 👉 What truth seekers really means 👉 Trust as competitive advantage 👉 Aligning incentives for growth 👉 Building a culture that scales 👉 And more! Whether you're running a family business or thinking about what the next chapter looks like, this episode will challenge how you think about people, culture, and what real growth requires. Born Scrappy. Brought to you by Buddy. One platform to manage end-to-end trades. We call it Sell-Side Software. Built for scrappies, by scrappies. https://www.tradebuddy.io/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/tradewithbuddy/ WHO IS STU KAGAN ANYWAYS? 28 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

    Building the next chapter with Jordan Schupan

  3. Oct 14

    Building Excellence from the Ground Up with Matt Bell

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Born Scrappy I sit down with Matt Bell, President of OmniSource and VP of Steel Dynamics, Inc., to talk about what it actually takes to lead at scale in the metal recycling business - and why the real answers are always found on the floor, not in the boardroom. Matt didn't start in scrap. He became a licensed EMT out of high school, worked as an industrial medic at a Texas steel mill, and ended up at a Saturday morning breakfast that changed the course of his career. He came up through the commercial side at Commercial Metals Company, turned around troubled yards across the Midwest, and eventually became president of one of the largest metal recyclers in North America - OmniSource, with 3,500-plus employees and 70-plus locations across the US and Mexico. This isn't a conversation about strategy from 30,000 feet. It's about how operations actually work, where the real margin is made, how great leaders stay connected to the people doing the work, and what it takes to build a culture that outlasts any one person at the top. In this episode, we talk about: 👉 Management by walking around 👉 Building a zero-accident culture 👉 Where the margin really lives 👉 What smart buyers look for 👉 Turning a broken yard fast 👉 And more! Whether you're running one yard or a hundred, this episode will sharpen how you think about operations, people, and where the real competitive edge in this industry lives. Born Scrappy. Brought to you by Buddy. One platform to manage end-to-end trades. We call it Sell-Side Software. Built for scrappies, by scrappies. https://www.tradebuddy.io/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/tradewithbuddy/ WHO IS STU KAGAN ANYWAYS? 28 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

    Building Excellence from the Ground Up with Matt Bell

  4. May 20

    Spotting the Next Opportunity with Brett Ekart

    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 in Idaho and Oregon to pipe supply, trucking, tire recycling, property development, and media. But this episode isn't just about the businesses he's built. It's about how he thinks, how he spots opportunities others miss, how he finds the right people to back, and why giving away equity is one of the best decisions he's ever made. Raw, honest, and full of hard-won lessons. This is Brett Ekart unfiltered. In this episode, we talk about: 👉 His growth philosophy 👉 Backing the right people 👉 Knowing when to say no 👉 Diversifying beyond the yard 👉 Sharing equity to build success 👉 Learning from your swings and misses 👉 And more! Whether you're running one yard or thinking about your next move, this episode will challenge how you think about opportunity, people, and growth. 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/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/tradewithbuddy/ WHO IS STU KAGAN ANYWAYS? 28 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

    Spotting the Next Opportunity with Brett Ekart

  5. May 13

    Growing Through Adversity with Michael Lion

    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 & Lion into one of the world's largest non-ferrous scrap traders, pioneered copper trade routes into China in the late 1970s, and operated at a scale most traders only read about. Then in April 1991, it all came crashing down. What followed was years of rebuilding and the lessons he brought into an 18-year career at Sims Metal Management, where the controls he put in place got every penny back through the global financial crisis. This isn't theory. These are lessons bought at enormous personal cost, shared with the kind of honesty that only comes from someone with nothing left to prove. In this episode, we talk about: 👉 The worst week of Michael's life 👉 Keeping your eye on the ball 👉 Ego: A trader's worst enemy 👉 Friendship vs being friendly 👉 Nobody's too big to fail 👉 Recognising your risks 👉 And more! Whether you're just starting out or decades into the game, this episode will change how you think about risk, trust, and what it means to stay sharp when everything is going your way. 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/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/tradewithbuddy/ WHO IS STU KAGAN ANYWAYS? 28 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

    Growing Through Adversity with Michael Lion

  6. Apr 22

    Earning the Right to Lead with Jonathan & Alex Ross

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

    Earning the Right to Lead with Jonathan & Alex Ross

  7. Apr 15

    Persistence, Partnerships, and the Future of Scrap with Lenny Formato

    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 counts. Lenny shares stories that only come from decades in the game, including the deals that took years to land, lessons from starting again in his mid-40s, and why backing yourself matters more than ever. We also get into the importance of collaboration across the industry, staying involved in trade associations, and how relationships, not just transactions, are what keep this business moving forward. This one’s full of real, hard-earned insights for operators who are in it for the long game. In this episode, we talk about: 👉 Building partnerships that last 👉 Going all in on big decisions 👉 Showing up consistently 👉 Playing the long game 👉 The future of scrap 👉 Gut feel vs tech 👉 And much more! 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/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/tradewithbuddy/ 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

    Persistence, Partnerships, and the Future of Scrap with Lenny Formato

  8. Apr 8

    Attracting Young Talent with Andy Golding

    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 must start in the yard” mindset, to hiring for specialization and actually trusting people to do what they’re good at. We also get into how Kripke has built a brand that people genuinely want to be part of — not just customers, but employees too. Because if you want better people in your business, you need to give them something worth joining. There’s a lot in here for anyone trying to build a stronger team, keep good people, and future-proof their operation. In this episode, we talk about: 👉 Moving beyond old-school hiring 👉 Marketing as a talent magnet 👉 What attracts young talent 👉 Coaching over managing 👉 Letting people fail safely 👉 Building real culture 👉 And much more! If you’re trying to build a team, attract better people, or figure out what the next generation actually wants… This is a must-listen. 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/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/tradewithbuddy/ 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

    Attracting Young Talent with Andy Golding
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About

This is the podcast for scrap metal traders and operators who want to get sharper without losing their scrappy edge.

Information

  • Creator
    Stu Kagan
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    93
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Born Scrappy
  • Show Website
    Born Scrappy

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