NAME
Niki Okuk
LOCATION
RCO Tires
2934 E Las Hermanas St Compton, CA 90221
WEBSITE
rcotires.com
YEAR FOUNDED
2012
RCO TIRES
OUR PURPOSE
To create green-collar jobs in the hood.
WHY WE DO IT
We’ve been able to divert more than 300 million lbs of rubber and 70 million gallons of oil from landfills by manufacturing waste tires into new products and our team is made up of folks who typically face employment discrimination for previous incarceration or legal status.
MY STORY
I founded Rco in 2012 with just a used moving truck. We’ve since grown to boast more than a million a year in revenue and a dozen employees.
WHY WE LOVE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD
We’re based in Compton. All of Rco’s team members grew up in South Central, and we have a shared experience that informs our compassion for each other and our vision for our shared future.
THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE WE FACED
Capital. Money, it’s always money. Banks don’t lend to start-ups. Our friends and family don’t have resources to spare. Boot-strapping into a capital intensive industry was all but impossible.
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