When childhood friends Ryan Ryker, Julian Marquez, and Rod Baradaran reunited in 2021, they had a vision that would transform both environmental sustainability and entrepreneurship. Their creation, rScan, is proving that business success and ecological responsibility can go hand in hand—one returned product at a time.

The challenge they're tackling is enormous. With Americans spending over $5.5 trillion in retail sales annually, an estimated $850 billion worth of merchandise gets returned. Tragically, much of this perfectly usable merchandise ends up in landfills because it's often cheaper for retailers to discard than to process. But rScan saw opportunity where others saw waste.

"This is a massive ecological problem, as well as a financial problem for these companies," says Ryker, now CEO of rScan. More importantly, it's an opportunity to empower people. "There's a lot of people who are looking to make side cash," adds Marquez, reflecting on their mission to democratize entrepreneurship.

The trio's journey began in high school during the 2010s when they launched Culture Clothing, their own apparel brand that grossed $45,000 at its peak. That early taste of entrepreneurship planted seeds that would eventually grow into something much bigger. When the pandemic accelerated e-commerce and returns skyrocketed, Ryker recognized the perfect moment to act.

Their solution elegantly combines simplicity with sophistication. Resellers use rScan's barcode-scanning app to instantly access comprehensive product information—names, brands, images, descriptions, and manuals. Behind this simple interface lies powerful data infrastructure that generates complete, marketplace-ready product listings for platforms like Amazon, eBay, and Shopify, complete with competitive pricing recommendations.

The impact extends far beyond environmental benefits. Marquez shares a heartwarming story about a coworker in South Bend's struggling RV manufacturing industry who faced layoffs. Using rScan, this worker built a resale business that preserved his quality of life. "If he didn't have rScan at the time, he would have had to either sell something or lose a part of the lifestyle that he was already used to living," Marquez explains.

From bootstrapped beginnings, rScan has blossomed into a 36-employee company with a 53,000-square-foot warehouse. They serve everyone from garage-based beginners to sophisticated sellers earning hundreds of thousands annually. Their pricing remains accessible: just 30 cents monthly per unique product type, plus a modest 1-3.9% of sales.

The numbers tell an inspiring story. rScan has already diverted over 840,000 pounds of products from landfills—and they're just getting started. The founders are now pursuing B Corporation certification, committing to rigorous third-party evaluation of their environmental and social impact.

"Ultimately, our goal is to democratize entrepreneurship," says Baradaran. "In doing so, we drive sustainability by extending the lifecycle of consumer goods that would otherwise end up in landfills."

As rScan considers bringing in outside investors to scale further, they remain committed to partners who share their vision. It's a refreshing reminder that the next generation of businesses can prioritize both profit and purpose—creating opportunities for everyday entrepreneurs while protecting our planet, one rescued product at a time.