How one founder built a billion-dollar business from retail trash

Listen and subscribe to The Big Idea with Elizabeth Gore on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you find your favorite podcast. When you click return on a product, where does your item actually go? This week on The Big Idea with Elizabeth Gore, Rebel founder and CEO Emily Hosie joins the show to answer the question: How can I turn customer returns into profit? Hosie turned the hidden world of retail returns into a billion-dollar business with her company, Rebel. From starting out in her basement during the pandemic to saving 25 million pounds of goods from landfills each year, Hosie reveals how she turned waste into opportunity - and how small businesses can do the same. Yahoo Finance’s The Big Idea with Elizabeth Gore takes you on a journey with America’s entrepreneurs as they navigate the world of small business. This post was written by Lauren Pokedoff

Oct 30, 2025 - 22:00
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How one founder built a billion-dollar business from retail trash
Listen and subscribe to The Big Idea with Elizabeth Gore on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you find your favorite podcast. When you click return on a product, where does your item actually go? This week on The Big Idea with Elizabeth Gore, Rebel founder and CEO Emily Hosie joins the show to answer the question: How can I turn customer returns into profit? Hosie turned the hidden world of retail returns into a billion-dollar business with her company, Rebel. From starting out in her basement during the pandemic to saving 25 million pounds of goods from landfills each year, Hosie reveals how she turned waste into opportunity - and how small businesses can do the same. Yahoo Finance’s The Big Idea with Elizabeth Gore takes you on a journey with America’s entrepreneurs as they navigate the world of small business. This post was written by Lauren Pokedoff

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