Tom D’Eri: Finding His Edge by Building a Car Wash Empire That Employs People with Autism - Part 2

22/10/2025 21 min

Listen "Tom D’Eri: Finding His Edge by Building a Car Wash Empire That Employs People with Autism - Part 2"

Episode Synopsis

On this episode of The Daily Edge, Marc Nudelberg, President of On the Ball, sits down with Tom D’Eri, co-founder of Rising Tide Car Wash, for part two of a powerful conversation about building a scalable business model that redefines hiring and training.Tom started Rising Tide with his father and brother Andrew, who has autism, and over the past decade has proven that process-driven hiring, clear training systems, and values-based culture can transform an industry. What began as a single location has grown into multiple South Florida operations, with a playbook that is now studied by entrepreneurs everywhere.In this conversation, you’ll learn:✔️ Why objective hiring beats “culture fit” interviews that rely on gut feelings✔️ How Rising Tide redesigned training using visuals, simplified tools, and work samples for neurodiverse employees✔️ The role of grit, humility, and feedback in identifying great hires✔️ How to reverse-engineer a role by defining clear success criteria first, then widening the talent pool✔️ Why every business can benefit from a franchise-style playbook with repeatable systems✔️ The realities of running a family business, from blowups to breakthroughs, and why therapy was part of the journeyThe Edge: Tom and his team didn’t just build car washes, they built one of the most durable hiring systems in retail. Rising Tide proves that inclusive hiring is not only possible but also more profitable, scalable, and competitive. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, a leader, or part of a family business, Tom’s lessons on systems, training, and values will give you a sharper edge.Visit ontheball.co to learn more about we help you drive more sales, develop better leaders and elevate performance. 🎙 New episodes drop every Monday — powered by @ontheball.coFOLLOW US:Instagram: @thedailyedgepodLinkedIn: @ontheballWebsite: ontheball.coLISTEN ON AUDIO:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/30CuYNmGxbwjv6o694qlHLApple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-daily-edge/id1799962626#TheDailyEdge #PurposeDrivenBusiness #Essentialism #LeadershipWithHeart #InclusiveHiring #Autism #FamilyBusiness #BusinessSystems #Entrepreneurship #Autismatwork #CarWashWithAHeart #GritAndGrowth #SimplifyToScale

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