This episode is brought to you by Sendlane.   Retail Reworks' mission is to make DTC and retail brands happy while making the planet a better place. That's the goal of its complete return solutions, say Mike Kitko and Brian Adams, Co-founders of Retail Reworks.   "We're problem solvers in a variety of ways for direct-to-consumer brands and retailers through a variety of channels, returns, management - complete return solutions is what we call it," Mike says. "Our goal is to keep stuff out of the landfill."   Brian started the recycling business in Texas, a company that recycled tires and plastic. The labor costs required to run the business effectively were so high that he opened himself up to other ways his experience could help a brand.   He says the fashion retail business seemed to be a good target because it faced similar hurdles. The profitability of retail is based on how they handle reverse logistics.   "We help that brand manage that process," Brian says.   Mike says that could mean anything from replacing a zipper on a pair of pants to replacing tickets and tags or even cleaning the product.   Brian says that Retail Reworks can get about 95 percent of returned items back to retailers in a condition where they can resell them.   The bottom line for Retail Reworks is making three people happy: the retailer, the customer, and the planet.   "We've got to make Earth happy - 15 percent of the landfills are dominated by fast fashion and clothing consumption," Brian says.   In Part 1, Brian and Mike talk about:   * Mike's gratitude to Brian for taking a chance on him and letting him help start the company. Brian's gratitude for having people work with him instead of for him. * An overview of the company. * Their background in the recycling business. * Why the retail returns business is so huge. * The ins and outs of reverse logistics.   Join Ramon Vela, Mike Kitko, and Brian Adams as they break down the inside story on The Story of a Brand.   For more on Retail Reworks, visit: https://retailreworks.com/   Subscribe and Listen to the podcast on all major apps. Simply search for “The Story of a Brand,” or click here to listen on your favorite podcast player: Listen now.   *   This episode is also brought to you by Sendlane.   Alright, guys, here’s the deal: I have a gift for you from our primary Sponsor — Sendlane. They’re giving away their online course eCommerce Academy - Email & SMS Marketing!   This course gives you the step-by-step playbook to drive more revenue and retention with email & SMS. This is normally a $500 package, but for our listeners, it’s entirely FREE when you get started with your FREE 14-day trial of Sendlane.    When you do, chat with their support team and let them know you’re one of our listeners to get full access to hours of course content that will help you make email marketing your #1 growth engine.   Visit https://storybrandgift.com to get the details, sign up for a free trial and get your gift!