Shows
Consensus in ConversationKevin Doffing of Project Vanguard: Veterans Powering America’s Energy Dominance | Insights from CLEANPOWER 2025This is the final episode in a special three part series live from the PowerCast stage at CLEANPOWER 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona where Consensus in Conversation host Conor Gaughan sat down with Kevin Doffing, Founder and CEO of Project Vanguard, to discuss how veterans are uniquely positioned to drive America's energy transition. Former Army Infantry Officer turned clean energy advocate, Kevin Doffing shares how Project Vanguard is empowering veterans in the renewable energy sector through cutting edge careers, policy advocacy, and community leadership. Discover why veterans excel in clean energy roles, how they are shaping community perceptions, and w...2025-06-2724 min
Consensus in ConversationMiguel Prado & Frank Macchiarola: Strengthening the Grid for Tomorrow’s Energy Demands | Insights from CLEANPOWER 2025In this special episode of Consensus in Conversation live from the PowerCast stage at CLEANPOWER 2025, host Conor Gaughan talks with Miguel Prado, CEO of energyRe, and Frank Macchiarola, Chief Advocacy Officer at American Clean Power about the urgency of strengthening America's grid infrastructure to meet our growing energy demands. Miguel and Frank discuss critical investments in renewable energy, from utility-scale solar and underground transmission to offshore wind, laying out the powerful economic and community benefits these projects bring. They also delve into current regulatory challenges, the need for policy stability, and how energy infrastructure projects can support e...2025-06-2725 min
Consensus in ConversationSandhya Ganapathy & Tristan Grimbert: Lessons from Innovators Leading the Energy Transition | Insights from CLEANPOWER 2025This episode kicks off a special three part series live from the PowerCast stage at CLEANPOWER 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona where host Conor Gaughan interviewed two of clean energy’s most influential leaders—Sandhya Ganapathy, CEO of EDP Renewables North America, and Tristan Grimbert, President and CEO of EDF Power Solutions North America. Join us for an insightful and fast-moving conversation that takes a high-level look at the future of sustainable energy including: What it takes to scale clean energy solutions across diverse technologies and marketsThe urgent need for grid modernization The transformative potential of AI The power in...2025-06-2725 min
Consensus in ConversationCiC 2024 Year End Wrap Up: Impactful Storytelling2024 brought us 38 new guests, 2,091 minutes of conversation, and an immeasurable wealth of new ideas and narratives about how to use business to make the world a better place. The challenges we face are great, but with every challenge comes opportunity, and it’s never been more important for impact businesses to tell a compelling, mission-centric story. Join Conor Gaughan as he revisits the best storytelling advice from this year’s expert guests, sharing key insights, analysis, and takeaways. Whether it's harnessing your inner Luke Skywalker to wow investors and attract customers with analogies that will resonate, or learn...2024-12-1253 min
Consensus in ConversationRinaldo Brutoco of World Business Academy on H2 Clipper, Energy Economics, and The Hydrogen FutureRinaldo Brutoco has dedicated his life to harnessing the awesome potential of business to create positive change in the world. As a pioneer in impact entrepreneurship, Rinaldo has spent more than thirty years building successful businesses ahead of the curve, and today, his eyes are on the green hydrogen space as a potential game-changer for the future of clean energy.In this second part of our two-part conversation with Rinaldo – the founding president of nonprofit think (and do!) tank the World Business Academy (WBA) and founder and CEO of green hydrogen transportation firm H2 Clipper (H2C) – we d...2024-12-0549 min
Consensus in ConversationRinaldo Brutoco of World Business Academy on Consumer Law, Merchant Banks, and the Impact of Pay TVHow can business solve humanity’s most significant challenges? Why is business the best vehicle to solve them? For the last 35 years, Rinaldo Brutoco has devoted himself to asking – and answering – these crucial questions. The founding president of nonprofit think (and do!) tank the World Business Academy (WBA) and founder and CEO of green hydrogen transportation firm H2 Clipper (H2C), Rinaldo is a trailblazer in both the theory and practice of sustainable business solutions. Rinaldo graduated from Santa Clara University with degrees in economics and philosophy and later received a J.D. from UCLA School of Law in 1...2024-11-2153 min
Consensus in ConversationSteve Magami of Agrovision on Global Microclimates, Long-Term Success, and Billion Dollar BerriesAgrovision, a global leader in superfruits, is on a mission to make the healthiest snacks the most enjoyable, by utilizing a cutting edge blend of genetic research, freshness technology, and – most importantly – perfectly-suited agricultural locations to supply more consistent, nutritious, and incredible tasting berries year-round through their Fruitist label. That “vision,” in Agrovision, comes in part from co-founder and executive chairman Steve Magami, who grew up in a health-conscious family surrounded by California’s citrus orchards. Steve graduated the University of California, Santa Barbara with a degree in biology and worked as a private equity investor at Lovell Min...2024-11-1447 min
Consensus in ConversationBrandon Welch of Mad Capital on Financing Farmers, Redefining Risk, and The Regenerative RevolutionAgriculture is poised for a regenerative revolution, and Mad Capital wants to finance it. Led by co-founder and CEO Brandon Welch, the firm provides customized, long-term financing for farmers transitioning to regenerative practices, bridging a gap that traditional banks have been hesitant to meet and accelerating the next generation of land stewardship and ecological restoration. Prior to Mad Capital, Brandon studied Environmental Science at the University of Vermont. An avid outdoorsman, cyclist, and backcountry hiker, Brandon’s adventures, including a coast-to-coast bike ride from Massachusetts to Oregon, have taken him all over the country and instilled a de...2024-10-3154 min
Consensus in ConversationDr. Bryan Staley of EREF on Managing Waste, Reducing Landfill Emissions, and The Science of TrashDr. Bryan Staley knows a thing or two about waste. In fact, the president and CEO of the Environmental Research and Education Foundation (EREF) is one of the world’s leading experts on sustainable waste management and landfill emissions, and he’s on a lifelong mission to help scientists, corporations, and individuals alike better understand the impact of what we throw away. For many of us, waste is one of the most immediate climate-adjacent issues, and one of the few that we can significantly influence as individuals. Installing solar panels or buying an EV may not be poss...2024-10-2457 min
Consensus in ConversationLauren Dunford of Guidewheel on Data-Driven Efficiency, Sustainable Factories, and Finding ChampionsData is one of the most critical, and underused, tools for combating climate change – the more information we have about our impact, the better decisions we can make towards managing it. Lauren Dunford, co-founder of revolutionary startup Guidewheel, is on a mission to place that tool in the hands of manufacturers, offering a unique, data-driven system for monitoring factory operations, reducing energy costs, and improving efficiency.CEO Lauren launched the startup in 2018 with co-founder and current CTO Weston McBride, leading Guidewheel’s development of its core product, the FactoryOps platform, a system they describe as “Fitbit for Factor...2024-10-1755 min
Consensus in ConversationBenjamin Stabler of Heart Aerospace on Hybrid Planes, Regional Aviation, and Democratizing FlightIn the more than a century since humans first took to the skies with powered flight, still only about 20% of the world’s population has actually flown on an airplane. But that demand is on the rise, and air travel’s CO2 emissions are set to triple by 2050. So Benjamin Stabler and Heart Aerospace have a groundbreaking solution: decarbonize and democratize flight for all. Ben, who joined Heart as CTO earlier this year, has been leading technical work on the ES-30, an innovative, battery-electric hybrid regional aircraft. Heart Aerospace is building a system of decarbonized, short-haul aircrafts that...2024-10-0351 min
Consensus in ConversationDr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson on Her New Book: What If We Get It Right? Visions Of Climate FuturesMarine biologist, policy expert, writer, and teacher Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson is in love with climate solutions, and her new book, What If We Get It Right? Visions of Climate Futures, offers a refreshing, inspiring look at what our best possible climate future could look like through contributions and conversations with leading voices in art, poetry, economics and science.Ayana studied environmental science and public policy at Harvard University, where she also forged a lifelong friendship with host Conor Gaughan. She later received a Ph.D. in marine biology from Scripps Institution of Oceanography before co-founding Urban...2024-09-2654 min
Consensus in ConversationZal Bilimoria of Refactor Capital on Seed-Stage Venture, Investing in Founders, and Being a Solo GPKnowing whether or not to invest in a startup isn’t easy – it’s a skill that makes VCs like Zal Bilimoria extremely valuable. And Zal, the co-founder and solo GP of seed-stage VC firm Refactor Capital, is leveraging his knowledge to build a portfolio of human and planetary health-focused startups merging profits, sustainability, and technology. Zal honed his skills and eye for the market working for tech industry giants like Microsoft and Google through pivotal moments in their history, and even created a new role for himself at Netflix, pioneering their dedicated mobile platform, before turning his ha...2024-09-1957 min
Consensus in ConversationMatt Ryan of Soli Organic on Indoor Organics, Carbon-free Fertilizer, and the Ag Tech RevolutionSoli Organic grows approximately 120,000,000 units of fresh herbs and greens every year, making it the number one grower of fresh, organic, culinary herbs in the U.S. That’s an impressive agriculture story on its own, but Soli has an even more amazing twist – they grow it all indoors! Led by CEO Matt Ryan, former head of brand management at Disney and chief marketing officer at Starbucks, the company is taking the indoor agriculture sector by storm (or rather, soil) with its commercial-grade organic growing systems and sustainable soil-based technology. Founded over 30 years ago as Shenandoah Growers, the...2024-09-1240 min
Consensus in ConversationBen Christensen of Cambium on Solving Wood Waste, Building For Scale, and Running Ultra Marathons60 billion board feet of wood products are used in the U.S. every year, a majority produced by fresh logging and shipped from across the globe, while simultaneously, millions of tons of local wood waste ends up in landfills off-gassing carbon as it rots. But that inefficiency could rapidly change thanks to Cambium and its CEO and co-founder, Ben Christensen, who are revolutionizing lumber supply chains with their Carbon Smart Wood™ and Traece operating system. Cambium reclaims fallen or removed trees that would typically end up in landfills and turns them into a locally sourced, carbon negative ma...2024-08-2953 min
Consensus in ConversationZach Jones of C-Zero on Hydrogen 3.0, Decarbonizing Natural Gas, and The Innovation EconomyC-Zero and Zach Jones, its co-founder and CEO, are using innovative thermocatalysis technology to convert natural gas into zero-emission hydrogen, offering the tantalizing potential to decarbonize major industries while scaling the fuel of the future. Hydrogen is one of the most promising sources of clean energy in existence, and a key component in alternative fuels capable of decarbonizing hard-to-electrify industries like heavy shipping. But there’s a catch: the current processes used to extract hydrogen from hydrocarbons like natural gas create a rather unsustainable byproduct – carbon dioxide. Hard-tech firm C-Zero has the answer: a revolutionary meth...2024-08-2254 min
Consensus in ConversationBen Goodwin of OLIPOP on Reimagining Soda, The Science of Gut Health, and Creative FormulationA favorite soda can be a huge part of people’s identity – roughly half of the American population drinks at least one soda on a daily basis – which is why OLIPOP is completely reimagining the soda industry with its healthier, prebiotic, low sugar alternative that tastes as good – if not better – than its traditional counterparts. Ben Goodwin has spent his entire career building the beverage industry and business skills needed to conjure great tasting flavors from great-for-you ingredients. Ben is not only OLIPOP’s co-founder, CEO, and formulator, but also a huge reason why the innovative B Corp Certif...2024-08-1555 min
Consensus in ConversationBarclay Rogers of Graphyte on Durable Carbon Removal, Climate Science, and Biomass SolutionsThe world currently removes less than .0001% of the carbon required to meet the IPCC’s 2050 goal – so there’s A LOT of work to be done – which is what makes Graphyte’s ready-to-go solution all the more valuable.Barclay Rogers, a former environmental lawyer, mechanical engineer, and multi-time founder, is bringing his unique set of experiences and leadership skills to making scalable, affordable CO2 removal an immediate reality with his new startup, Graphyte. Rather than rely on energy-intensive and still-developing technology like Direct Air Capture, Barclay and his team realized that they could use nature’...2024-08-0850 min
Consensus in ConversationTom Neyhart of PosiGen on Energy Resilience, Rebuilding Communities, and Affordable Solar For AllTom Neyhart founded PosiGen in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina to help the families and communities most impacted by the disaster rebuild their homes, save money, and boost energy resilience through solar power. He not only succeeded, but created an entirely new market by providing affordable solar and energy efficiency to low and middle income families. Tom, who moved from CEO to Executive Chairman of the Board last year, pioneered a new era of solar development years ahead of other firms, positioning B Corp Certified PosiGen as a key leader in the industry. An inspirational leader, s...2024-08-0152 min
Consensus in ConversationJasmine Crowe-Houston of Goodr on Being A Voice For Hunger And Why Food Waste Is All About LogisticsGoodr has a simple but powerful mission: feed more and waste less. The sustainable waste management firm’s founder and CEO, Jasmine Crowe-Houston, believes that hunger in America is not a scarcity issue– it’s a problem of logistics. Which is actually good news, because that’s an issue technology can solve! By leveraging detailed inventory management, predictive analytics and advanced supply chain logistics, Goodr is helping businesses reduce waste, cut carbon emissions and harness tax credits, all while supporting sustainable hunger solutions across the nation. Jasmine is an award-winning business leader, TED speaker, a...2024-07-2546 min
Consensus in ConversationRich Sorkin of Jupiter Intelligence on Climate Risk, Tech Readiness, and Anticipating the FutureWith climate change causing unprecedented extreme weather, fluctuating temperatures, and rising sea levels, only one thing is certain: the future isn’t going to look like the past. And yet, all of our risk analysis models are based on past data from historical patterns that no longer hold true. How can businesses make intelligent decisions on building for that future while protecting themselves from tomorrow’s risks? That’s the question that motivated Rich Sorkin to found Jupiter Intelligence, a climate risk analytics firm with a mission to help organizations build resilience and mitigate the effects of the changing climat...2024-07-1851 min
Consensus in ConversationAlfred Johnson of Crux on Building A Clean Energy Tax Credit MarketplaceAlfred Johnson returns to the pod to give us the update on tax credit transferability and clean energy markets, just over a year after launching Crux Climate. As co-founder and CEO of Crux, Alfred has the startup’s revolutionary management software poised to capitalize on a multi-billion (if not trillion) dollar opportunity in clean energy tax credits. After graduating Stanford in 2008, Alfred worked for the U.S. Treasury Department, BlackRock, and Clara Lending before co-founding his first software company, Mobilize, in 2016 with Allen Kramer. That startup was acquired in 2020, but it wouldn't be the last venture for...2024-07-1147 min
Consensus in ConversationKristy Caylor of Trashie on Full Circle Fashion, Rewarding Recycling, and Being a Painkiller85% of used clothing ends up in landfills, but textile recycling and rewards platform Trashie is out to save our castaway garments from becoming mountains of waste. Launched only a few months ago, Trashie is taking the fashion industry by storm with its instantly recognizable Take Back Bag and viral closet cleanup videos, and the mind behind this magic is Trashie founder and CEO, Kristy Caylor. Kristy earned a BS in Industrial Engineering and her MBA from USC’s Marshall School of Business before entering the fashion industry, where she worked for iconic brands like Banana Republic, Gap...2024-06-2748 min
Consensus in ConversationDr. BJ Johnson of ClearFlame on Evolutionary Tech, Decarbonizing Diesel, and Building the Next TeslaDr. BJ Johnson knows that if you want to make the biggest climate impact in the least amount of time, you start by improving upon an existing technology. And he’s doing exactly that as the co-founder and CEO of ClearFlame, a startup modifying diesel engines to run on decarbonized liquid fuels. Before co-launching ClearFlame, BJ studied mechanical engineering and energy systems at Stanford University, earning three (3!) degrees: undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral. He was also a world-class athlete, competing for the US National Swim Team at the World Championships in 2013 and 2014, the same time he was wor...2024-06-2045 min
Consensus in ConversationFather’s Day Special: Lessons for Business and Life from Coach Mike (aka my dad)Father’s Day is this Sunday, June 16, and we’re celebrating in our own, special way… today’s episode features Mike Gaughan: missile launch officer, successful businessman, sports coach, and, most importantly, Conor’s dad! Hear the stories that Conor grew up on, including Mike’s time from paperboy to the Air Force Academy and beyond, the three phone phone calls you should make every day, and what it takes to be a true leader in business, and in life. Episode Highlights00:00 Mike Gaughan on why teamwork matters00:50 Conor Gaughan intro...2024-06-1347 min
Consensus in ConversationAnne Coghlan of Scope3 on the Philosophy of Math, Decarbonized Media, and the Future of Digital AdsInternet ads – you probably see hundreds, maybe thousands a day without thinking about them. But it turns out the process for serving those ads involves a highly complex digital supply chain that generates 7.2 million tons of carbon emissions annually. That’s why ad-tech veteran Anne Coghlan is on a mission to decarbonize media and advertising with Scope3. A lifelong lover of logic and problem-solving, Anne earned her Master’s at University College London in the Philosophy of Mathematics, later joining digital advertising company AppNexus in 2015. There she met future Scope3 co-founder Brian O’Kelley and helped to develo...2024-06-0653 min
Consensus in ConversationA Quick Note from Conor GaughanJust popping into the feed for a quick hello from Consensus in Conversation host, Conor Gaughan, to update you on the coming weeks.We’ve been hard at work with some great shows planned for this summer, including a few special episodes that may look and sound a little different than our regular programming. We think you’ll really enjoy them. So, no episode for today, but we’ll be back in June with some great new conversations. See you next week! Connect with Conor Gaughan on linkedin.com/in/ckgone a...2024-05-3001 min
Consensus in ConversationRewind: Alfred Johnson of Crux on Creating a Clean Energy Tax Credit MarketplaceJust over one year ago, the IRS published its final rules and guidance on the transferability of clean energy tax credits. Not only did transferability solve a major flaw in the Inflation Reduction Act’s plan to support clean energy infrastructure development, but, as many founders correctly foresaw, it was about to create an entirely new financial market. This week, we’re re-releasing our conversation with one of those visionary founders: Alfred Johnson, CEO and Co-Founder of Crux Climate, after a great live conversation we had with Alfred at American Clean Power Association’s 2024 CLEANPOWER expo, which w...2024-05-2347 min
Consensus in ConversationDr. Vince Romanin of Gradient on Heat Pumps, Zero-Carbon Infrastructure, and the Triple Bottom LineHVAC is one of the most important quality of life utilities that we never think about– at least, until it stops working. It’s also energy inefficient and expensive, responsible for almost 20% of global GHG emissions, with decades-old infrastructure way behind the design innovation curve. But Dr. Vince Romanin has a solution: reimagine HVAC as we know it by combining personal heating and cooling in one, easy-to-install electrified heat pump that reduces emissions by 95% – the Gradient system. After earning his M.S. and Ph.D. in mechanical engineering and heat transfer from Berkeley, Vince wo...2024-05-1651 min
Consensus in ConversationPavle Jeremic of Aether Biomachines on Rearranging Atoms, Scaling Deep Tech, and Defeating ScarcityPavle Jeremic wants to end resource scarcity by literally rearranging atoms. Inspired to build a better, more abundant future after witnessing violent conflict in his parents’ native Yugoslavia, Pavle launched Aether Biomachines in 2017 at just 21 years old. Since then, he’s successfully led the protein engineering startup to the cutting edge of nanotechnology, working to solve our planet’s resource scarcity problem. Today, Pavle and Aether are combining protein synthesis, machine learning, and nanoscale engineering to rearrange atomic structures, enabling everything from impact-free resource extraction to self-healing materials. Hear why at such a young age...2024-05-0954 min
Consensus in ConversationJosh Domingues of Flashfood on the Athlete Mentality, Superpowered Data, and Making Food AffordableFood waste is a $25 billion problem for American supermarkets, but Josh Domingues has an app for that. Josh is the founder and executive chairman of Flashfood, a simple but elegant application that directly connects consumers with local grocery stores to buy food nearing expiration at a huge discount. This approach is a win-win-win for all parties: grocers get paid for food they would throw out, customers get a massive discount, and less food waste ends up in pollutive landfills.Josh spent his early career in finance and management, but a complaint from his s...2024-05-0253 min
Consensus in ConversationLindsey Davis Stover & Shivam Mallick Shah of 1953 Tequila on Elevating Women & Exceptional TequilaTwo founders of 1953 Tequila, Lindsey Davis Stover and Shivam Mallick Shah, join Conor for a special in-person conversation to share how their ultra-premium, additive-free tequila is prioritizing sustainability, elevating women in the spirits industry, and also offering an awesome drinking experience.Lindsey, Shivam, and the rest of the 1953 founding team met through Congressional campaigns for Virginia’s 10th district, and the idea for a women-led, luxury tequila company followed soon after. True to their mission, the founders secured a deal to source from an agave farmer who was passing his farm on to his daughters. Named aft...2024-04-1851 min
Consensus in ConversationManik Suri of GlacierGrid on Transformative Tech, Automating Energy Use, and Cold Chain 2.0Manik Suri is implementing smart technology into cooling, ushering in the era of Cold Chain 2.0. Before founding GlacierGrid in 2020, Manik finished top of his class at Harvard, went to Cambridge for a masters in international relations, returned to Harvard for a law degree, co-founded the Governance Lab, with stops at storied institutions like DE Shaw and the White House Economic Council along the way. Cooling technology has lagged behind other industries in the clean energy transition, but GlacierGrid’s all-in-one management platform is using smart technology to bridge that gap and build a more sustainable, advanced, and...2024-04-1151 min
Consensus in ConversationKarthik Balakrishnan of ACTUAL on SimCity for Capital Plans and the Sustainability Execution GapStanford rocket scientist and fintech entrepreneur Karthik Balakrishnan is integrating high-tech infrastructure modeling with video game interface design to create a software platform that allows businesses to virtually test their plans for maximum sustainability and bottom-line impact. In 2018, Karthik co-founded software startup ACTUAL based on a unique premise: what if you could plug your business idea into a science-backed simulation that operates like a computer game? The software platform allows users to choose a sustainability strategy, map out its various permutations, and compare those simulation results, enabling businesses to explore the full range of possibilities for t...2024-04-0455 min
Consensus in ConversationSpecial from CLIMB by VSC: When Technology Transcends Screens with Sunil NagarajThis week, we’re proud to share a special episode of the CLIMB by VSC podcast with Jay Kapoor, featuring his interview with Sunil Nagaraj. CLIMB is a weekly podcast where Jay and VSC Ventures co-founder Vijay Chattha speak with leading investors, founders, and industry experts about lessons and perspectives on company-building in the world of climate tech and climate adaptation. From CLIMB by VSC:We're honored to host Sunil Nagaraj, a visionary investor in the intersection of deep tech and climate innovation, and founding partner of Ubiquity Ventures. Nagaraj's unique perspective on "software bey...2024-03-2857 min
Consensus in ConversationFrank Heidinger of HALEVAI on Marine Conservation, Electric Boats, and the Power of Marginal GainsFrank Heidinger believes that lots of small improvements over time can create a huge impact, and he’s using that concept to electrify the recreational boating industry, responsible for 1% of global carbon emissions. Frank is the founder and CEO of HALEVAI, a cutting-edge company making high-performance, fully electric recreational boats that will reduce the industry’s environmental footprint, shorten supply chains, and bring more manufacturing jobs to the U.S. A hospitality industry veteran and lifelong ocean advocate, Frank shares how prioritizing customer experience, committing to incremental improvement, and embracing a “We Will” vision of the future can...2024-03-2147 min
Consensus in ConversationJay Kapoor of VSC Ventures on Climate Automation, Hidden Economies, and Sustainable InvestingJay Kapoor believes there is massive opportunity in climate automation and that identifying hidden economies is key to building a more sustainable future. Jay is co-founder and general partner at VSC Ventures, a storytelling-focused VC firm investing in early stage climate tech and automation startups. In part two of our conversation with Jay, we dive into the nitty gritty: Jay shares how hidden economies inform his investing thesis, why automation is key to our climate tech transition, how early startups are already tapping into this opportunity, and what a sustainable future could really look like. 2024-03-1454 min
CLIMB by VSCSpecial from Consensus in Conversation: Matt Rogers of Mill Industries on Food Waste, Impactful Product Design, and InnovationThis week, we have the privilege of presenting a discussion from "Consensus in Conversation," hosted by Conor Gaughan, featuring Matt Rogers, CEO of Mill Mills. This episode dives into Matt's impressive journey from his formative years at Apple, where he contributed to the design of groundbreaking products like the iPhone and iPod, to co-founding Nest, and now leading the charge at Mill with a mission to combat food waste through innovative consumer hardware.
Matt shares his thoughts on the power of intelligent product design not only to create impactful consumer products but also to address significant environmental challenges. The...2024-03-1351 min
Consensus in ConversationJay Kapoor of VSC Ventures on Finding Purpose, Startup Storytelling, and the Founder with 1000 FacesJay Kapoor is combining venture capital and storytelling to help visionary founders achieve maximum impact. Jay noticed that while it was easier than ever to start a business, that made it harder than ever for individual companies to get noticed. How could founders get the world to see their unique vision for a better future? The answer was simple, but not easy – tell a compelling story. So, he and co-founder Vijay Chattha created VSC Ventures, a venture capital firm that invests in early-stage climate tech and automation startups, using the power of storytelling to help them stand out. 2024-03-0757 min
Consensus in ConversationJC Riveiro and Liya Sharif of Cercle on Women’s Healthcare, AI in Medicine, and The Power of DataThe data gap in women’s healthcare is a big problem. Four out of every five women in America with female-specific medical conditions will go undiagnosed and 70% of medical residency training programs exclude fertility from their core curriculums. Tech wizard and veteran entrepreneur Juan Carlos (JC) Riveiro, and business and marketing expert Liya Sharif co-founded Cercle in 2021 to address this very gap. The tech startup uses AI machine learning to generate smarter, more equitable women’s health data, giving doctors the information they need to make decisions specific to each of their patients. Hear ho...2024-02-2943 min
Consensus in ConversationCaron Proschan of Simply on Taking the Big Leap, Bootstrap Brand Building, and Natural GumCaron Proschan, founder and CEO of Simply, believes that simple ideas can change the world, and she’s out to prove it with… chewing gum.One fateful day Caron reached for a piece of gum and realized it was made of plastic. When she looked for natural options, there were none. So she took her Harvard Business degree and launched Simply, a food startup focused on healthy natural gum and snacks. From cooking up gum in her kitchen and selling it to her local Whole Foods, to challenging billion-dollar brands, Caron is a small business - big...2024-02-2239 min
Consensus in ConversationNicolas Pinkowski of Nitricity on Lightning-Powered Fertilizer and the Decarbonized Future Of Food50% of the global food supply relies on nitrogen fertilizer, which emits tons of greenhouse gasses. But startup Nitricity is making electrified climate-smart fertilizer by literally capturing lightning in reactors. Co-founder and CEO Nicolas Pinkowski joins the podcast to share the startup’s remarkable origin story from a make-shift lab in a Stanford backyard, to a full-fledged company revolutionizing agriculture and the future of our food supply.Hear how Nico went from engineer to entrepreneur, testing ideas on lemon trees and destroying a few toasters in the process, on Consensus in Conversation streaming now wherever you listen to...2024-02-1547 min
Consensus in ConversationAllison Wolff of Vibrant Planet on Beneficial Fire, Sustainable Software, and Nature-Based Climate SolutionsAllison Wolff co-founded Vibrant Planet with one goal in mind: to positively disrupt land management. An ESG trailblazer, Allison has decades of experience crafting positive impact strategies for huge disruptors like eBay, Google, and Facebook. Now, as CEO of Vibrant Planet, she’s combining that expertise with the power of machine learning to revolutionize land stewardship. Hear how Allison and her team at Vibrant Planet are restoring ecosystems with a balance of beneficial fire, sustainable software, and indigenous wisdom too. Episode Highlights00:00 - 00:50 Allison Wollf on land stewardship with beneficial fire00:51 - 03:49 Cono...2024-02-0854 min
Consensus in ConversationKeith Norman of Lyten on 3D Graphene, ESG 2.0, and the Future of BatteriesLyten first created 3D Graphene by accident in 2015, but, thanks to its world-changing potential, it now has them poised to revolutionize the material science industry.Keith Norman, Lyten’s Chief Sustainability Officer, joins the podcast to share his journey across both sides of the energy industry and explain why graphene’s properties are so groundbreaking for EVs, battery technology, and even high-grade sensors. Episode Highlights00:00 - 00:57 Keith Norman on solving clean energy challenges in the real world 00:58 - 03:11 Conor Gaughan introduces Keith Norman and Lyten Inc. 03:12 - 07:17 Background, early influences, and college engineer...2024-02-0152 min
Consensus in ConversationMax Evans of ClimateAi on Dorm Room Entrepreneurship and AI-Based Climate SolutionsArtificial intelligence is booming, and Max Evans is ready for it. “Discovering machine learning was my very first moment of witnessing magic.” That discovery led him to co-found ClimateAi straight out of his dorm room at Stanford with his roommate, Himanshu Gupta, in 2017.Today, the startup operates in 50 countries, using AI-enhanced forecasting to climate-proof global supply chains. Listen as Max shares his path from student to startup founder, unleashing the powerful potential of AI-based climate solutions. Episode timestamps:00:00 - 01:10 Max Evans on learning about artificial intelligence at Stanford University.01:11 - 03:4...2024-01-2543 min
Consensus in ConversationGrant Quasha of Eco Material Technologies on Green Cement and The Business of BuildingGrant Quasha is betting big on green cement. "People don't realize how big the cement and concrete businesses are. [...] It's the number one commodity in the world other than water." The chairman and CEO of Eco Material Technologies views the $350+ billion cement industry as a giant potential market for sustainable construction. After years of investment banking in commodities and materials, Grant moved from investing in other businesses to building his own, with major impact. Listen as Grant Quasha shares loads of insight from selling sustainability plans to envisioning the massive role the materials se...2024-01-1850 min
Consensus in ConversationPeter Godart of Found Energy on Aluminum Fuel, NASA, and Engineering Impact at ScalePeter Godart could have been a jazz musician, but instead pursued his other passion: engineering. After garnering a few degrees at MIT and working on space tech at NASA, Peter set his sights on yet another passion: saving the climate. In 2022, he launched Found Energy, a startup decarbonizing transport with aluminum. As Peter says, “When you work for NASA and one of your daily tasks is, you know, let's figure out how to catch a one meter sphere orbiting Mars at Mach 2… These problems that we have on Earth feel not that difficult by com...2024-01-1146 min
Consensus in ConversationCiC 2023 Year End Wrap Up2023 has brought us 35 new guests and more than 2,000 minutes of conversations– join Conor Gaughan as he shares his insights, takeaways, and analysis on a few of our favorite moments from the year.Whether it’s breaking down sustainable business blueprints, finding motivation during difficult times, or imagining an entirely new industry, this episode has you covered! Featuring01:20 - 04:10 Catherine Roggero-Lovisi: CEO, Modern Meadow04:11 - 07:30 Rick Fox: Co-founder and CEO, Partanna07:31 - 11:24 Roger McClendon: Executive Director, Green Sports Alliance11:25 - 13:20 Tim Sheehy: Founder and CEO, Bridger Aerospace13:21 - 15:50 Greg Putnam: Co-founder and President, Littl...2023-12-2149 min
Consensus in ConversationErik Oberholtzer of Cohere on Founding Tender Greens, Food for Good, and Creating Fast CasualThis week’s guest is long-time chef Erik Oberholtzer, co-founder of Tender Greens, a revolutionary “fast casual” food brand. Now, as managing partner at Cohere, he helps other founders scale food brands making a positive impact. But before finding success as a chef, entrepreneur, and author, Erik was at Temple University working towards an undergrad psychology degree. In need of money, he took a concierge job at the Four Seasons Hotel in Philadelphia. The position required someone well-informed on the city’s culinary scene – the best restaurants, bars, cocktail lounges – so Erik immersed himself in that...2023-12-1445 min
Consensus in ConversationNick Whitman of Divert on Food Waste, Renewable Energy, and Impact TechnologyToday’s guest is Nick Whitman, co-founder and COO of Divert Inc. In 2007, Nick and co-founder Ryan Begin launched Divert with a simple, bold mission in mind: eliminate food waste. Since then, the firm has processed over 2.3 billion pounds of food waste, donated more than 10 million meals to the food insecure, and continues to develop new, innovative technologies. Nick has spent 16 years successfully scaling Divert to new heights, creating a first-of-its-kind food waste converter, designing and building a processing facility for Kroger, and revolutionizing food waste logistics.As you’ll hear...2023-12-0742 min
Consensus in ConversationRon Hovsepian of Indigo Ag on Farming, Sustainability, and TechnologyThis week’s guest is Ron Hovsepian, president, CEO, and board member of Indigo Ag. Founded in 2013, the company uses nature-based and digital technology to optimize agricultural supply chains, increase farmer profits, and reduce environmental emissions. Ron spent his first 16 years after college at IBM, where he worked his way up the corporate ladder. He later served as president and CEO of Novell Inc. and Intralinks Inc. He also joined the Board of Directors for ANSYS in 2012, which he still serves on today.After serving on its board for a year, Ron began his...2023-11-3053 min
Consensus in ConversationDr. Seonghoon Woo of Amogy on Materials Science, Decarbonized Transport, and Alternative FuelsThis week’s guest is Dr. Seonghoon Woo, the chairman, co-founder, and CEO of Amogy, a tech startup using ammonia as a clean energy fuel source.Woo, an MIT doctoral graduate with an expertise in materials science, worked as a staff researcher at the Korean Institute of Science and Technology and at IBM, but he was always an entrepreneur at heart. During his studies, he witnessed the promising potential of ammonia as an energy source, and in 2020 , he launched Amogy Inc. with three MIT peers.To date, the startup has raised hundreds of mi...2023-11-1639 min
Consensus in ConversationDr. D’Wayne Edwards of Pensole Lewis College on Sneaker Design, Educating Others, and InnovationDr. D’Wayne Edwards, Founder and President of the Pensole Lewis College of Business & Design, joins this week’s Consensus in Conversation. Edwards is a legendary footwear designer. He rose to prominence in early sneakerhead culture as the head designer for Nike’s Jordan brand, where he designed over 500 styles for Michael Jordan, Tupac, the Notorious B.I.G., Dr. Dre, multiple Olympians, and countless other sports stars. In 2010, Edwards began a path mentoring and educating other aspiring designers, creating Pensole Footwear Design Academy, a first of its type in the nation. Later, Edwards...2023-11-0952 min
Consensus in ConversationRick Fox of Partanna on Sustainable Construction and Creating Winning TeamsToday’s episode features Rick Fox, co-founder and current CEO of Partanna Global, an innovative company developing carbon-negative concrete.Rick, a three-time NBA champion with the Los Angeles Lakers, actor, and entrepreneur, launched Partanna in 2021 with co-founder and renowned L.A. architect Sam Marshall. Their idea was simple, if not audacious: make the traditional concrete-making process, a major source of global carbon emissions, “green.”And that initial idea has yielded promising results. Rick, who is originally from the Bahamas, spoke to us from inside Partanna’s newly unveiled model home concept in Nassau. ...2023-11-0241 min
Consensus in ConversationMatt Rogers of Mill Industries on Food Waste, Impactful Product Design, and InnovationMatt Rogers, co-founder and CEO of Mill Industries, joins today’s episode. Mill’s mission is to reduce food waste and its related carbon emissions by offering customers the chicest waste bin ever made. This brilliantly designed, high tech product decomposes and dehydrates food scraps before turning them into animal feed. Mill then picks up those food scraps and distributes the feed to local farms and others. It’s a unique and innovative product, but that’s nothing new for Matt Rogers. He started his early career at Apple, designing and building groundbreaking products l...2023-10-2649 min
Consensus in ConversationBen Bressler of Natural Habitat Adventures on Nature, Travel, and Pursuing Your PassionBen Bressler, founder and president of Natural Habitat Adventures (NHA), joins the podcast. Ben had the epiphany for what would become NHA as a teacher during a ski trip. Soonafter, he launched the responsible nature travel company in 1985 with a core idea: create life-enhancing travel experiences by taking people to some of the world’s most remote places– while also getting as close as possible to the wildlife. Fueled by a passion for travel, nature, and the outdoors, Ben and Natural Habitat Adventures are still finding new ways to enhance their adventures and impact...2023-10-1949 min
Consensus in ConversationJeff Siewicki of Vital Mission Farm and RegenerativeSuccess.com on Farming, Profitability, and Coaching OthersJeff Siewicki, founder of Vital Mission Farms and RegenerativeSuccess.com, joins this week’s podcast. Jeff started his career as a pharmacist, but his passion for regenerative farming led him to leave his corporate job and found Vital Mission Farm in 2017. His main goal? Use innovative, climate-friendly regenerative agriculture techniques to grow healthy food for others.After finding success and scaling the farm, Jeff decided to share all the lessons he had learned with others and launched RegenerativeSuccess.com in 2021. The online community offers consulting, educational materials, and advice to farmers and farmers-to-be on...2023-10-1242 min
Consensus in ConversationGreen Sports Day: Roger McClendon of Green Sports AllianceToday, Oct. 6th, is the 8th annual Green Sports Day, so it only felt right to rerun our episode with Roger McClendon, executive director of the Green Sports Alliance (GSA). After all, Roger and the GSA are an instrumental part in promoting Green Sports Day – where the global sports community works together to encourage sustainable action, raise environmental awareness, and celebrate the positive impact sports can have – across the globe. Learn more about #GreenSportsDay, at greensportsalliance.org/greensportsday/Roger is well equipped to talk about sustainability and sports: he finished as the second all-ti...2023-10-0633 min
Consensus in ConversationMichael Chanin of Cherry Street Energy on Scaling Solar, Utilities, and Market CompetitionToday’s episode features Michael Chanin, founder and CEO of Cherry Street Energy, a Georgia company powering cities, businesses, and more with renewable energy. Like me, Michael spent his early career in finance. He was an analyst and associate at Goldman Sachs, prior to stints at a few other financial institutions. When Georgia passed an industry-altering law around solar power in 2015, he saw a massive opportunity and launched Cherry Street Energy. In the following years, Cherry Street has emerged as one of the nation’s leading solar energy firms, helping people and businesses of all kinds trans...2023-09-2844 min
Consensus in ConversationJamila Norman of Patchwork City Farms on Urban Farming, Food Advocacy, and Good FoodToday’s episode features Jamila Norman, owner and founder of Patchwork City Farms, star of the urban farming show Homegrown, and, most importantly, a farmer at heart. Jamila, also called Farmer J, started Patchwork City Farms (PCF) in 2010 after recognizing a need for more locally available, accessible produce and food in the Atlanta area. Jamila has led PCF with one approach in mind: grow sustainable produce in the city, for the city, and educate others while doing it. Her passion for urban farming and food advocacy led to Homegrown, a show on the Magnolia Network where Jam...2023-09-2142 min
Consensus in ConversationForrest North and Jason Marks of TELO Trucks on EVs, Mini Pickups, and Autonomous TechToday’s guests are TELO Trucks founders Forrest North and Jason Marks. The founders offer expert insights into the current (and future) EV landscape and share how TELO’s compact electric trucks maximize efficiency with a revolutionary design.Jason, TELO’s CEO, is a former collegiate pole vaulter who spent his early career at National Instruments developing systems tests for U.S. automakers as Chief Business Development Manager. Forrest, the company’s CTO, worked on the early Tesla team before founding electric motor startup Mission Motors. He later founded and sold Plugshare, the number one EV charging...2023-09-1437 min
Consensus in ConversationJay Bellows of KORE Power on Renewable Energy, Storage, and Basketball WisdomToday’s guest is Jay Bellows, President of KORE Power, a vertically-integrated energy storage company focusing on grid reliability and renewable energy sources. Jay previously led Northern Reliability, a leader in distributed energy storage, as CEO and President from 2013-2022. After merging NRI with KORE Power and taking the reins, Jay now oversees an impressive list of innovations, technological advances, and market success. He shares his thoughts on the transition to renewable energy, explains why storing energy is so vital, and offers valuable insights into how he has aligned profit with purpose. Speaking of ene...2023-09-0738 min
Consensus in ConversationDamon Barron: Carolina Urban LumberThis week’s guest is Damon Barron, founder and president of Carolina Urban Lumber, a timber company that turns wood waste heading for landfills into high quality furniture.Trees absorb a lot of carbon, but if those trees are cut down and go unused, wasted sitting in landfills, they degrade, end up in landfills, and release that same carbon back into the atmosphere, harming the environment. By diverting those carbon-filled, ‘wasted’ trees away from landfills and turning them into furniture, Damon’s company saves (literal) tons of greenhouse gas emissions every year. Carolina Urban Lum...2023-08-2433 min
Consensus in ConversationCatherine Roggero-Lovisi: Modern MeadowThis week’s guest is Catherine Roggero-Lovisi, CEO of the bio-design technology company Modern Meadow. Founded in 2011, these researchers and scientists are using nature-inspired proteins to develop sustainable materials and products for fashion, beauty, and other industries, like biomaterial alternatives to leather!After leadership roles at L’Oréal, Christian Louboutin, and Revlon Inc, Catherine joined Modern Meadow as President and COO in 2021. She became CEO in 2022, and she’s using her global consumer goods expertise to push the company to new heights. Catherine brings a refreshing perspective to the conversation. If you’re interes...2023-08-1752 min
Consensus in ConversationAlfred Johnson: Crux ClimateAlfred Johnson, CEO and Co-Founder of Crux Climate, a software startup revolutionizing clean energy tax credit management, is this week’s guest. Alfred is well-suited to break down clean energy tax incentives, share founders' lessons, and talk about the rapidly growing clean energy market, which is expected to receive $3 billion in investments over the next decade. Alfred is a Stanford grad who worked for the U.S. Treasury Department and BlackRock before launching his first software company with co-founder Allen Kramer. That company was acquired in 2020, leaving Alfred and Allen ready for their next adventure. And, in...2023-08-1046 min
Consensus in ConversationChris Clark: Georgia Chamber of CommerceNamed one of The Peach State’s most influential leaders, Chris Clark, President and CEO of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, joins us to talk clean manufacturing, the CEO Imperative, and The Georgia Way, for the first ever live recording of Consensus in Conversation, at our recent event: Southern Surge: Next Generation Manufacturing Summit. Next-gen clean energy manufacturing is already driving powerful economic growth in Georgia and throughout the South, while also delivering positive impacts for the planet. With a commitment to building the American workforce and strengthening local communities, business environments that prioritize people, planet, and...2023-08-0330 min
Consensus in ConversationJenny Du: Apeel SciencesJenny Du just wants to make sure we all eat our veggies. This PhD, entrepreneur, innovator and scientist is this week’s Consensus in Conversation guest! She is the co-founder and SVP of Operations at Apeel Sciences, a food innovation company that’s raised more than $700M in funding to date with its simple yet revolutionary idea: put a protective layer, or peel, around produce to keep them fresher, longer. Jenny shares her unique path to entrepreneurship, the origin story of Apeel, how they’re helping curb food waste, and what they’re working on...2023-07-2741 min
Consensus in ConversationChris Wood: Trout UnlimitedPresident and CEO of Trout Unlimited (TU), Chris Wood loves a good outdoor adventure. A longtime conservationist and angler, his dedication to the natural world is inspiring, whether he’s talking environmental policy, Aldo Leopold, Trout Unlimited, or… fishing. Trout Unlimited is a nonprofit working to protect salmon and trout while keeping America’s fisheries and freshwater rivers healthy. With over 300,000 members, TU is upending traditional conceptions of conservation by including everyone in their restorative efforts, supporting thousands of coldwater conservation projects across the country. Listen now on your favorite podcast platform. Mor...2023-07-2042 min
IMDaily - Innovate Marketing DailyConsensus Digital Media Hosted The Southern Surge Next Generation Manufacturing SummitConsensus Digital Media Hosted The Southern Surge Next Generation Manufacturing Summit. This event brings together political leaders, industry executives, economic development officials and local stakeholders for a one-day event to reflect on this Southern Surge."Today's Southern Surge event made it clear: the South is leading the way for America's next generation of jobs and manufacturing," said Conor Gaughan, publisher and CEO of Consensus. "What's even more impressive is this influx of investment in the region marks just a starting point for an increasingly sustainable and bright future."LINKSConsensus: https://consensusdigitalmedia.com/Download a...2023-07-1904 min
Consensus in ConversationPaul Snyder: Tillamook County Creamery AssociationWe’re joined by Paul Snyder, Executive VP of Stewardship at Tillamook County Creamery, the 112-year-old farmer-owned dairy co-op and iconic Oregonian brand. Tillamook Creamery attracts over 1 million visitors a year, and even if you’ve never been to Oregon, you’ve definitely seen their ice cream and other products in grocery stores across the country. Paul started in the hospitality industry and worked his way to Tillamook, where he’s leading sustainability-driven partnerships and aligning impact with profits. Listen now wherever you listen to podcasts! More from the episode:Compa...2023-07-1346 min
Consensus in ConversationMargo Walsh: MaineWorksMargo Walsh, CEO and Founder of MaineWorks, a B Corp that helps former felons recover from addiction and reenter the labor force, joins today’s episode.Margo herself is in long-term recovery from substance abuse disorder, and her honesty, commitment to reinvigorating the lives of others, and passion to do good is inspiring. Listen now on your favorite podcast platform.More from the episode:MaineWorks → https://www.maineworks.us/ MaineWorks on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/company/maineworks/Margo on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/margowalsh/Conor on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.co...2023-06-2943 min
Consensus in ConversationJoey Zwillinger: AllbirdsYou’ve probably heard – or seen a pair – of Allbirds, the eco-friendly shoe brand disrupting the fashion and footwear industries. Joey Zwillinger, CEO and co-founder of this certified B Corp, joins the pod to talk about the company’s origin, discuss how he aligns purpose and profits, and share his insights on the future of fashion, footwear, and sustainability. Joey’s story starts in California, ventures through banking and VC, and, after a chance encounter with co-founder Tim Brown, leads to the launch of Allbirds: listen now on your favorite podcast platform!More from the ep...2023-06-2241 min
Consensus in ConversationMark Danzenbaker and Peter Corsell: GridPointMark Danzenbaker, CEO of GridPoint, and Peter Corsell, Founder and Chairman of GridPoint, are energy industry experts. The clean technology company helps businesses, buildings, and energy grids optimize energy efficiency, reducing carbon footprints and improving grid resilience. Peter, a former member of the CIA, founded the company at only 25 years old in 2003, building it from the ground up. Mark joined GridPoint in 2009, and has successfully scaled the firm since becoming CEO in 2016. The two bring a fresh, unique perspective to the energy industry, entrepreneurship, and the future. Listen now on your favorite podcast platform!2023-06-1537 min
Consensus in ConversationJeff Simmons: ElancoJeff Simmons, President and CEO of Elanco Animal Health, brings more than 30 years of industry experience to the table. He’s worked his way up to the top of Elanco’s leadership, where he leads their innovative approach to animal health and food security for all.This conversation focuses on Elanco’s mission, food security, animal health, and Jeff’s pursuit to align purpose with profits. Listen now on your favorite podcast platform. More from the episode:Elanco's Website → https://www.elanco.com/en-usElanco's LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/company/e...2023-06-0838 min
Consensus in ConversationJean-Louis Warnholz: FutureJean-Louis Warnholz, Co-Founder and CEO of Future, has years of experience in and around emerging markets. His time spent researching economics at Oxford, work for global economic institutions and the U.S. government, and leadership role at BlackIvy Group led him to launch Future in 2021. Future incentivizes users to lower their carbon footprints. Their core product is the Future Card, a debit card offering cashback rewards to users for low carbon purchases, like public transit. Jean-Louis brings a unique perspective to emerging markets, aligning purpose and profits, and betting on the future. Listen now on all...2023-06-0135 min
Consensus in ConversationCisco DeVries: OhmConnectCisco DeVries is all about energy. Before jolting OhmConnect to new heights as CEO, Cisco designed a clean energy product called Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) and later launched Renew Financial, a startup based on the PACE product. With natural disasters and grid problems on the rise, there’s no one better to explain what it all means and how companies are building a more resilient, eco-friendly grid for all.Cisco brings over 20 years of energy industry experience to the table. Join the conversation now: from in-depth breakdowns of the electrical grid to Cisco’s optimistic ener...2023-05-2542 min
Consensus in ConversationAndrew Gibbs-Dabney: LIVSNAndrew Gibbs-Dabney, Founder and CEO of LIVSN, a sustainable outdoor clothing brand, joins this week’s episode. Before his success launching LIVSN, Andrew struggled with addiction, which led to his incarceration. On his long road to recovery, he set his life back on track and eventually launched LIVSN, which raised over $100K through a Kickstarter campaign. Andrew’s powerful story spans recovery and rehab, launching a startup, and building a sustainable brand that aligns purpose and profits. We will all gain something from this podcast, whether it’s a motivational framework, a business blueprint, or just some goo...2023-05-1845 min
Consensus in ConversationChris Anderson: Vantem GlobalChris Anderson, CEO of Vantem Global, is on a mission to build sustainable, affordable energy efficient homes at scale. Vantem’s 3 million square feet of prefabricated dwelling units reduce construction costs, delivery times, and energy use. Before Vantem, Chris was the founder and CEO of Simex, a sustainably harvested timber company. If there’s anyone that knows the ins and outs of sustainable construction, it’s this guy. Chris brings a unique perspective, passion, and expertise on sustainable construction, entrepreneurship, and creating true impact to mitigate climate change. More from the episode:Websit...2023-05-1130 min
Consensus in ConversationJill Brosig: Harrison StreetJill Brosig is a physicist turned Managing Director, Chief Impact & ESG Officer at Harrison Street. And, she has done it all, from researching inertial confinement fusion and earning her masters in engineering and now helping to pioneer new asset classes at Harrison Street. Jill brings a science-first approach to the investment firm, which focuses exclusively on alternative real assets. But for Jill, portfolio theory means measuring, managing, and reporting for the big picture including the risks and returns that come from resiliency and climate risk mitigation.We’re thrilled to talk to Jill abo...2023-05-0433 min
Consensus in ConversationGreg Putnam: Little Belt Cattle Co.After serving as a U.S. Navy SEAL for almost a decade, Greg Putnam co-founded Little Belt Cattle Co. (LBCC), a first generation Montana cattle ranch, in 2020. Greg started the company with almost no ranching experience, but he has successfully grown the local beef business to new heights, even in an industry not known for newcomers. Greg stands out for his mission-driven leadership style, commitment to regenerative ranching practices and veterans, and ability to instill purpose into everything he does. We’re honored to talk with Greg about his service, successful transition to entr...2023-04-2731 min
Consensus in ConversationJohn Little: Smooth Ambler Spirits Co.When Smooth Ambler opened in 2009, few envisioned the craft whiskey distillery would grow so big so fast. John Little, co-founder and whiskey maker, started the company with his father-in-law. The two had no experience with distilling, but their enthusiasm to learn, commitment to transparent labeling, and community-driven ethos has brought them success and industry-wide respect. Despite the fact that many high priced bourbons and whiskeys are older than the company itself, Smooth Ambler is a shining example of a company aligning profits and impact to achieve sustainable growth.Pour yourself a nice glass, s...2023-04-2036 min
Consensus in ConversationTina May: Land O' LakesLand O’ Lakes is known for butter: they make 300 million POUNDS annually! But equally as important: their commitment to sustainable agriculture.Tina May, VP, Rural Services and Chief of Staff to the CEO, joins us to talk agriculture, broadband, rural services, and so much more. From her start as a grain merchandiser, to her work at the USDA, to Land O’ Lakes, where she leads the development of the American Connection Corp and countless other sustainability initiatives, Tina has proven the power of doing good and doing well.Food and agriculture is something we a...2023-04-1333 min
Consensus in ConversationRoger McClendon: Green Sports AllianceRoger McClendon is always near the top: he finished as the second all-time scorer for the University of Cincinnati men’s basketball’s team, behind only Oscar Robertson, became Yum! Brands’ first-ever Chief Sustainability Officer, and now leads the Green Sports Alliance, a national organization promoting sustainability in sports. Roger’s talent and leadership has taken him from hardwood courts to boardrooms, leaving behind a trail of success and positive impact. Our conversation bridges his career path, the power of sports, the need for sustainability, and so much more. If you’re itching for...2023-04-0632 min
Consensus in ConversationTim Sheehy: Bridger Aerospace, Ascent Vision TechnologiesNavy SEALs and successful entrepreneurs share at least one thing: both are hard work! Meet Tim Sheehy, a former US Navy SEAL officer turned successful entrepreneur. Tim is Founder and CEO of Bridger Aerospace, an aerial firefighting company. He previously founded and sold Ascent Vision Technologies (AVT), a data and surveillance-driven defense and aerospace company. If anyone has found a way to make challenging work look easy, it might just be Tim. The episode’s live, so click play and listen on all major podcasting platforms.More on Tim Sheehy:Br...2023-03-3033 min
Consensus in ConversationChef Steve McHugh: Cured at Pearl, Luminaire, Landrace at the Thompson HotelImagine a restaurant that changes its menu twice a day, every week. Why? To reduce food waste and support local farmers. Enter Chef Steve McHugh: a record six-time finalist for Best Chef in Texas. We talk about his time at the CIA (no, not that one), learning cooking skills, rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina, and overcoming non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Oh, and, launching restaurants while growing a community in San Antonio too.If you’re hungry, grab a snack, sit back, and hit play! More Chef SteveCheck out his Instagram @chefs...2023-03-2332 min
Consensus in ConversationVailia and Russell From: Desparada Wines, Herman Story WinesI'm joined by Vailia and Russell From, two friends and winemakers pushing the boundaries of creativity and innovation in the wine industry, while staying focused on sustainability and being good stewards of the lands they cultivate. Vailia has worked in all things wine– from the restaurant floor to sales to importing to harvesting, and now she’s running her very own Desparada, a vineyard rooted in spirit and elegance. Russell is a wine creative– whether it’s a wine that stays in contact with the grape skins for the duration of harvesting or the Tomboy, his only whit...2022-12-0824 min
Consensus in ConversationJuliana Garaizar: Greentown LabsWe're joined by Juliana Garaizar, an angel investor working as the head of innovation for Greentown Labs, the largest climate tech incubator in North America. Juliana has lived across the globe, and now she’s now in Houston– working on the intersection of climate tech, sustainability, and entrepreneurship. We discuss entrepreneurship, supporting climate-positive startups, advocating for inclusivity in the workspace - particularly in finance - how to create maximum impact with minimal environmental harm, and the best place to vacation (just kidding…I didn’t get around to that question) – so sit back, hit play, and join this...2022-12-0129 min
Consensus in ConversationCharles Dimmler and Matt Sterbenz: Checkerspot, WNDR AlpineToday we welcome Charles Dimmler, CEO and co-founder of Checkerspot, and Matt Sterbenz, GM of Wintersports. Checkerspot is a high performance materials company proving that you don’t have to choose between sustainability and performance. Founded in 2016, the company is pioneering a planet-first approach to product creation and innovating the outdoor industry through biotechnology and sustainability. WNDR Alpine, Checkerspot’s consumer-facing backcountry skis are made from algae, and the first of its kind. Charles’ expertise in biotechnology and Matt’s professional skiing background provide great insights into the future of industry on this episode of Consensus in Conversation. Sin...2022-11-1730 min
Consensus in ConversationLew Moorman: Soilworks Natural Capital, Scaleworks Venture CapitalThis week’s guest is Lew Moorman, co-founder of Scaleworks, a venture capital firm, and Soilworks Natural Capital, an investment fund. Lew grew up in Texas Hill Country, home to some of America’s best ranchland, and although he started his career in consulting, he found his passion in venture capital, helping small software companies flourish. Now, he has turned his sights towards one of America’s oldest (and largest industries) – agriculture – where he is helping to lead the regenerative agriculture sector to new heights while championing the idea that smart livestock ranching and natural climate solutions...2022-11-1025 min
Consensus in ConversationBrent Harris: MetaThis week’s guest is Brent Harris. He’s the VP of Governance at Meta, where he has played an integral role in the organization’s approach towards governance, including the creation and development of the Oversight Board. He is currently helping the company and broader industry to envision and build a Metaverse with empathy, accessibility, and sustainability at its core. Brent’s career has stretched from nonprofits to public service and the private sector. This diverse background makes him well-suited to help lead one of the most powerful companies in the world as they work on some...2022-11-0337 min
Consensus in ConversationMichael Blaugrund: New York Stock ExchangeWe welcome Michael Blaugrund, Chief Operating Officer at the New York Stock Exchange, to talk about Natural Asset Companies (NACs), ESG, the capital market landscape, and the NYSE’s role in it all. Nature and the related ecosystem services are worth an estimated $100-$150 trillion a year, revealing a massive opportunity for nature in the business world. NACs aim to unlock that value as they support and protect our natural resources. Find out what this all means for the future of business, the markets, and our country on this episode of CiC. 2022-10-2720 min
Consensus in ConversationJonathan Goldberg: Carbon DirectWe’re joined by Jonathan Goldberg, founder and CEO of Carbon Direct, a company at the forefront of scaling carbon management and the negative emission industry. Jonathan’s diverse career, from trading at Goldman Sachs to founding a commodity hedge fund to becoming a partner at Glencore, gives him a unique perspective on the future of energy, particularly at this moment in history as we transition to the clean economy. As America’s big businesses work to lower emissions and achieve carbon neutrality, companies like Carbon Direct are playing a massive role in this increasingly net neutra...2022-10-2031 min
Consensus in ConversationBrian and Ken Grossman: Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.Ken Grossman started homebrewing as a teenager in the 70’s. Fifty years later, he’s a legend in craft brewing. The founder of Sierra Nevada Brewing Company has built one of America’s most successful craft beer companies while building a legacy of doing good for the world alongside doing great in business. We sit down with Ken Grossman and his son, Brian Grossman, to learn more about your favorite brewer’s favorite brewers! Sierra Nevada holds industry respect, is pushing the boundaries of sustainable brewing, and shows no signs of slowing down– join the conversation and hear t...2022-10-1331 min
Consensus in ConversationDanny Seiden: Arizona Chamber of Commerce and IndustryWe're talking to Danny Seiden, President and CEO of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry, an organization that represents businesses and CEOs across the state. He's held a storybook career that started in Disney World, led to law school, and eventually public service, where he worked as a trusted adviser to Arizona's governor, Doug Doucey. Today, he's truly a CEO of CEOs helping lead a state and private sector in innovation around sustainability and, most notably, the critical issue of water conservation. Danny has a unique perspective watching Arizona businesses make a big positive impact...2022-10-0624 min
Consensus in ConversationLuke Holden and Ben Conniff: Luke's LobsterToday, I’m talking with the entrepreneurs behind Luke's Lobster – a family-owned Maine seafood business, founded by third-generation lobsterman Luke Holden and business partner Ben Conniff.What began as a tiny lobster roll shack in New York City now includes locations in ten US states, Japan, and Singapore, a seafood purchasing and production business, and products in grocery stores across the United States. Throughout their incredible growth, Luke and Ben’s commitment to sustainability and putting stakeholders above profits has earned them customers, accolades and a B Corp certification. As the environmental and coastal...2022-09-2931 min
Consensus in ConversationNona Yehia and Caroline Croft Estay: Vertical HarvestToday we're talking with Nona Yehia and Caroline Croft Estay. These two, along with co-founder Penny McBride, built Vertical Harvest, a vertical farm that helps address food security, sustainability, and workforce development in what some may consider an unlikely place: Jackson Hole, Wyoming. From designing a three story greenhouse, which looks a little bit like glass shipping containers stacked on top of one another, filled with rows and rows of floating greens, to turning community skeptics into their biggest champions and challenging traditional expectations and limitations on the disabled community. They found just the right way t...2022-09-2930 min
Consensus in ConversationComing Soon: Consensus in ConversationWelcome to Consensus in Conversation, a new podcast hosted by Conor Gaughan where we talk to innovators and entrepreneurs who have built great businesses and careers that do well while doing good.A rich life is so much more than a unicorn start-up going public. The true unicorns are those living fulfilling lives doing what they love AND making it to their kid’s games. This podcast is an opportunity to talk to inspiring leaders, job creators, innovators, and problem solvers – people across the country who are making the world a better place and more sustainable plac...2022-09-2302 min