Discover how supporting employment for people with autism unlocked new ways of running a business—and revealed transformative lessons for all of us.

Rising Tide Car Wash in Parkland, Florida, isn’t average in any way. When Tom D’Eri and his father John bought the location in 2013, they wanted to create employment opportunities for workers with autism. Like 1 in 54 Americans, Tom’s brother Andrew has autism, and he was facing lifelong unemployment. So the family set out on a mission to provide professional opportunities for people like Andrew, starting with one car wash. Now it’s one of the highest-volume washes in Florida. Its employee retention rate is five times that of its competitors. It has spun off into two additional locations that have been immediately successful, and the business is absurdly profitable.

The Power of Potential tells the inspiring, surprising reason why: The wash’s excellence isn’t in spite of their unusual workforce, but because of it. Thanks to their neurodivergent staff, the Rising Tide team was able to discover and correct common problems that typically fly under the radar in businesses, including:

• You hire based on interviews
• You think great talent is the secret to a great business
• Your managers are “good enough”
• You fire your worst employees

By spotting and correcting these hidden problems, any business—with any kind of workers—can achieve unexpected wins and leave average behind. At Rising Tide, solving these problems resulted in four unexpected wins that added up to a culture of excellence:

• Every employee felt safe
• Accountability became a tool for growth
• Everyone’s work gave them a sense of purpose
• Customers loved their experience