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South Post Oak Recycling Center Built On Legacy and Service
South Post Oak Recycling Center Built On Legacy and Service
Before taking the reins of her parents’ family business in 2013, Brandi Harleaux worked as a strategic leader and consultative talent management and organization development executive for Fortune 500 companies. Now, as the CEO of South Post Oak Recycling Center (SPORC), Harleaux is leading the way in the sustainability space for small businesses. In March 2023, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) named Harleaux the State of Texas Small Business Person of the Year.
MWBE SUCCESS: Brandi Harleaux, CEO of South Post Oak Recycling Center (SPORC), was named the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 2023 State of Texas Small Business Person of the Year. Harleaux shares SBA honors with several OBO partners (see page 9). She is pictured with SPORC Operations Manager Frank Robinson, Jr. (right) and Yard Manager Nolan Chatman.
This award is presented each year during SBA’s National Small Business Week to recognize the hard work, ingenuity and dedication of America’s small businesses and celebrate their contributions to the community.
“I thank my parents because I’m really building on a legacy that they laid the foundation for,” Harleaux said. “Some people start from scratch, and that’s the spirit of entrepreneurship. But the other spirit of entrepreneurship is multigenerational entrepreneurs, so I feel very privileged to be here as a secondgeneration owner building on something that they’ve built, growing it and taking it to another level.”
SPORC began its journey in 1994 by focusing on servicing the recycling needs of households and working-class individuals, such as plumbers, electricians and HVAC technicians. It has since expanded to manufacturing, government entities and industrial accounts, and its ties to the community run deep.
SPORC serves the community economically, socially and environmentally. By receiving compensation for recycled items, individuals or families can use that money as disposable income in the community.
By recycling materials, CO2 emissions are diminished. Rare materials are not extracted from the earth as frequently because the secondary recyclable materials can be used an infinite number of times.
The benefits of SPORC are countless, but Harleaux said that she is most excited about the impact that SPORC has in the community.
“As an entrepreneur, business is more than just about profit,” Harleaux said. “It literally is about the impact and what we can do with the profit. We can use those profits to support organizations that align with us, like the local football league, not just because they’re a football league but because they’re focused on building leaders, and they focus on integrity, and they focus on teaching people how to bounce back from setbacks.”
As a certified Minority and Women Business Enterprise (MWBE) with the City of Houston, Harleaux is passionate about supporting other MWBEs and small businesses. She currently serves on the Office of Business Opportunity’s Advisory Board as the Chairperson.
“I stepped into this role two and a half years ago, and what I love about it is the OBO Office works tirelessly day in and day out to better equip MWBEs to make sure they have opportunities,” Harleaux said. “I love having a direct impact to the resources available to MWBEs. I’m very much impact driven. I want to make sure that whatever I do, there is a result that comes from it.”
SPORC has been giving back to the Houston community for almost 30 years, and Harleaux has admirable goals for the future, including starting a foundation. “It is so meaningful that a company like ours that is in the recycling and sustainability space is being recognized by SBA,” Harleaux said. “It is not a typical business, but it is a business that is directly linked to sustainability, and they saw the value of that. And for that, I’m grateful.”
