Going Direct Conversations
Going Direct Conversations
Podcast Description
Going Direct explores the decentralization of the real economy and how new technologies can bring us closer to the products we buy and the people who make them. We feature conversations with entrepreneurs, creators, engineers, and policymakers building new systems around how we produce, distribute, and sell products. If you want to help create this future, come join us!
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast covers themes like the impact of new technology on traditional commerce, sustainability in production, and decentralized manufacturing systems. Episodes explore specific topics such as lean manufacturing in construction and the role of micro-factories in reducing housing costs, showcasing practical solutions to contemporary economic challenges.
Going Direct explores the decentralization of the real economy and how new technologies can bring us closer to the products we buy and the people who make them.
I sit down with Ben Cartwright of Cirkadis to talk about a part of the AI infrastructure buildout that very few people are discussing: what happens to the hardware when it gets decommissioned?
Ben has spent his career in hardware lifecycle management, including six years living in China. We get into why the most valuable components still get shipped overseas, and how the volume and resale value of AI hardware can make reshoring electronics recycling a real possibility.
Enjoy.
Recording date: September 22, 2026
Chapters
00:00 Introduction
04:26 Defining De-manufacturing And ITAD
08:21 What Cirkadis Does And How It Started
11:46 Current Flow Of E-Waste
15:35 Where Cirkadis Plays In The Supply Chain
21:05 Ben’s Background And Living In China
23:22 How Americans Misunderstand China
35:03 ITAD Transitioning To AI Infrastructure
38:03 E-Waste’s Regulatory Problem
41:52 Re-shoring The De-manufacturing Of Electronics
44:51 Decentralized AI
47:13 Servicing Neo-Clouds
51:53 NeoCloud Business Model
53:07 Re-shoring High-Value Components
1:01:44 Rapid Fire
Follow Jordan on X:
Connect with Ben Cartwright:
* Cirkadis: https://cirkadis.com/
* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjamin-cartwright-738319121/
Remember to go direct!
Jordan
P.S. Build with love
P.P.S. Be an owner
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit goingdirect.substack.com
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