Repurposing Business Turns Waste Into Global Opportunity
Collective Circularity of Pasco County
When Christina Dills launched Collective Circularity, it wasn’t from a traditional business plan—it was sparked by a call to solve a problem. “This business, I think chose me. I was solving another problem using technology, solving an existing sustainability problem, and it led into other sustainability issues with waste and the increasing costs of it,” Dills said. What began as a tech solution addressing one sustainability issue quickly grew into a mission to help businesses repurpose and recycle their waste streams in a more cost-effective and environmentally friendly way.
As the business gained momentum, Dills turned to the Florida SBDC at University of South Florida (USF) for guidance. Working with international trade specialist Pablo Arroyo, she received an Export Marketing Plan and a tailored customer database targeting international markets. Pablo then helped her establish contact with these prospects, leading to the company’s first international collaboration—with the SBDC in Guatemala.
“I use the information from the [Florida] SBDC [at USF] and Pablo’s help to really create the ecosystems that I needed to launch this type of operation,” Dills said. “The Florida SBDC at USF did an amazing export marketing plan for us, really highlighting, different markets that we could utilize,” Dills added.
Through that connection, Collective Circularity began repurposing resources in Guatemala and expanding their impact beyond U.S. borders. The momentum continued as the company secured a major opportunity—launching a national program with a large retailer focused on sustainable operations. “We were able to secure additional relationships with manufacturers outside the country that were able to work with the resource and materials that we were using, the recycled materials, and that was some things we were looking for,” Dills said.
Since partnering with the Florida SBDC at USF, Collective Circularity has not only grown its reach but deepened its mission. “We kind of replicated the program that we grew here locally, and now we are doing it in areas like Pensacola, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Texas, Tennessee and other areas. So, it’s only been expanding since then. And to have that support from the beginning, I think created the foundation that I needed to be able to scale what we’re doing,” Dills said.
The business owner plans to continue using the resources and guidance offered by the Florida SBDC at USF as her business grows exponentially. “Moving forward, I’m definitely gonna keep the SBDC close by since they’ve been doing such a great job in helping us plan for our growth, connecting us with the partners that we need – new markets that we didn’t even know existed,” Dills explained.
Dills plans to continue utilizing the Florida SBDC’s support as the company scales. Her advice to other entrepreneurs? “The first thing you should do is to contact your local SBDC and let them know what you’re working on and get that support right away ’cause it will save you a lot of time, give you the guidance you need, and really help you focus on where you should put your effort and your time; and help you get the resources together so that you can be a success,” she said.
From urgent problem to profitable purpose, Collective Circularity is proof that sustainability and business success can go hand in hand.
