In this episode of Blue Collar Startup, host Mike Nelson talks with DT Tobiason, founder of West Coast Renewables, a Washington-based company transforming grease trap pumping, cooking oil recycling, and commercial kitchen plumbing. DT shares how he grew from a shop vac in a pickup to a 24-employee operation serving the Pacific Northwest. They cover scaling challenges, disposal costs, employee recruitment, and how turning kitchen waste into biodiesel feedstock keeps both restaurants and the environment running clean.
Learn more about West Coast Renewables at wcrenewables.com.
0:42 Host introduction
1:41 Guest intro: DT Tobiason, West Coast Renewables
2:00 From shop vac to first pump truck
3:18 Turning grease waste into biodiesel feedstock
4:58 Building revenue streams to offset costs
6:00 Early days and Seattle’s local-first culture
8:38 Overcoming growth and hiring challenges
10:15 Disposal costs and rebranding hurdles
11:32 Building a strong, competitive team culture
13:26 Recruiting talent and holding accountability
16:32 Sales and marketing strategies over the years
18:32 Expansion into Oregon and Idaho
21:13 Why restaurants need grease trap services
24:17 Educating restaurant owners and managers
25:08 Technology and equipment upgrades
31:10 Adding drain cleaning and plumbing services
33:01 Service agreements vs. long-term contracts
43:16 The role of a CFO in scaling operations
47:47 DT’s advice for blue collar startups
