Episodes
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In this special live episode recorded as part of #PNWClimateWeek and the Bloomberg Green Festival at the KEXP Gathering Space, Gregory Heller and Jonathan Azoff sit down with Lauren Selig, a film producer, investor, entrepreneur, and board member of the XPRIZE Foundation. , Lauren shares her journey from journalism to film production and investment, highlighting the importance of intuition, mentorship, and environmental consciousness in her diverse career. Tune in to discover how Lauren’s innovative projects are making a significant impact on climate tech and sustainability.
Shake and Bake Productions XPRIZE Foundation Vaxxinity Colossal Pacific Northwest Climate Week, Climate Capitalism author Talk with Akshat Rathi and UW Foster Dean Frank Hodge Bloomberg Green Festival -
In this episode we continue our conversation with Adital Ella, founder of Criaterra Earth Technologies. Adital shares valuable advice for those aspiring to enter the climate tech industry, drawing from her own experiences as an entrepreneur and innovator.
Key points discussed:
How to approach climate tech companies as a job seeker, even without a scientific background The importance of demonstrating genuine passion and alignment with a company's mission Strategies for growth within an organization, including starting in junior roles and working up Adital's personal journey from industrial design student to climate tech entrepreneur The value of following one's intuition and inner calling in career decisions Balancing innovation and business acumen in a growing climate tech companyAdital's story provides a roadmap for those looking to make a meaningful impact in the fight against climate change. She emphasizes the importance of authenticity, collaboration, and personal growth in building a successful career in this rapidly evolving field.
This episode offers invaluable insights for anyone considering a career shift into climate tech, as well as entrepreneurs looking to build and scale sustainable businesses. Adital's experiences highlight the unique challenges and rewards of working at the intersection of innovation, sustainability, and business.
This episode is made possible in part with support from SNØCAP.vc.
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Missing episodes?
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In this episode, we talk with Adital Ella, founder of Criaterra Earth Technologies, an Israeli company pioneering sustainable, low carbob building materials. Adital shares her journey from sustainable furniture designer to climate tech entrepreneur, offering insights into the development of Criaterra's beautiful and sustainable tiles and building materials.
Key points discussed:
Criaterra's innovative building material, which sequesters carbon and reduces energy use by up to 82% compared to traditional manufacturing processes The importance of balancing environmental benefits with aesthetics and market appeal in sustainable product design Challenges and strategies for scaling a climate-focused building materials company Advice for aspiring climate tech entrepreneurs on navigating the business and investment landscapeAdital's story highlights the potential for design-driven innovation in addressing climate change, demonstrating how creative thinking can lead to practical solutions for reducing the construction industry's carbon footprint.
Whether you're interested in sustainable architecture, climate tech entrepreneurship, or the future of green building materials, this episode offers valuable insights into the intersection of design, sustainability, and business in the fight against climate change.
This is part 1 of a 2-part conversation. In part 2, Adital offers more advice on pursuing a career in sustainability.
This episode is made possible in part with support from SNØCAP.vc.
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In the second part of the conversation, Scott Case, co-founder and CEO of Recurrent shares his career journey and lessons learned. Scott has worked at small companies, big companies, and started two companies himself. He shares some lessons learned at his first startup, EnergySavvy.
Scott then offers advice for people looking to enter the clean technology or energy revolution space. He suggests that recent graduates should gain experience by working for a large company in the industry they want to decarbonize, learn about the processes, and then identify high-leverage ways to disrupt the industry through a startup.
For those who prefer working at a startup right away, Scott recommends finding a small company where they can make a significant impact, learning about the company and how they can add value. He also shares the qualities he looks for when hiring, such as adaptability and a willingness to take on various roles.
This episode is made possible in part with support from SNØCAP.vc.
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Gregory Heller and Jonathan Azoff talk with Scott Case, the co-founder and CEO of Recurrent, a Seattle-based startup that offers independent evaluations of used electric vehicle batteries. Case discusses his journey as a second-time entrepreneur, having previously founded Energy Savvy, a company that helped energy utilities connect with customers for home energy efficiency upgrades.
Case explains that Recurrent was founded in June 2020 to address the growing need for transparency in the used electric vehicle (EV) market. As more EVs enter the used car market, buyers are increasingly concerned about battery health and range. Recurrent's product aims to provide answers to these questions by analyzing data from connected EVs and comparing it to a large sample of similar vehicles.
This episode is made possible in part with support from SNØCAP.vc.
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In the second part of the conversation, Josh Mastromatto, co-founder of Rego, shares insights on how his experience as an athlete has shaped his approach to building a startup. He emphasizes the importance of focusing on what you can control, learning quickly, and surrounding yourself with people who can help you improve. Josh shares what he looks for an values when hiring. As a first-time founder, Josh's biggest learning curve was navigating the fundraising process, and he shares the importance of reaching out to experts, identifying patterns, and continuously acquiring knowledge through books and audiobooks tailored to the current stage of the business. This is part 2 of a conversation with Josh Mastromatto. Find part 1 in the podcast feed.
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In this episode of "Conversations on Careers in Climate Tech," Gregory Heller and Jonathan Azoff are joined by Josh Mastromatto, co-founder of Rego, a startup addressing waste management in urban apartment buildings during move-out periods. Rego aims to reduce waste by diverting discarded items from landfills to more sustainable destinations where they can be reused. Part 1 of a this two part discussion covers the the inspiration behind the startup, the pivot from their original idea, fundraising and growth. Josh also shares the challenges of being a first-time founder and the support received from accelerators. The episode concludes with insights into Rego's potential growth and impact on sustainability in waste management.
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Gregory Heller and co-host Jonathan Azoff continue their conversation with Steven Zhang, the founder of ClimateTechList.com, a comprehensive job site dedicated to climate technology roles for both technical and non-technical professionals.
Gregory, Jonathan and Steven discuss strategies for job seekers aiming to enter the climate tech industry. They talk about Fred Wilson’s “bits versus atoms” framework, emphasize systems thinking, and explore the sector’s diverse roles. The conversation highlights the need for a systematic job search approach, the value of networking, and the importance of aligning personal values with career choices. They also discuss leveraging one’s current position for environmental initiatives and provide resources for job seekers. The episode is a resourceful guide for those looking to make an impact in the climate tech space.
Also mentioned in this conversation:
WorkOnClimate.org Project Drawdown’s Climate Solutions At Work / Every Job Is A Climate Job resourcesThis is the second part of a two part conversation. This first part focuses on Steven’s journey to creating ClimateTechList.com. You may want to listen to the first part before this.
The Conversations on Careers in Climate Tech mini series is made possible in part with support from SNØCAP.vc.
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On this episode first episode of the “Conversations on Careers in Climate Tech” mini series, Gregory Heller and co-host Jonathan Azoff speak with Steven Zhang, the founder of ClimateTechList.com, a comprehensive job site dedicated to climate technology roles for both technical and non-technical professionals.
We explore what drove Steven to create the listing, the technology behind it, and how he orchestrated his own pivot to working in climate tech. Steven talks about the importance of networking and informational interviews to map out the industry landscape. We cover the complexities of the climate tech job market, where job titles aren’t as standard is in more established industries.
This is part 1 of a 2 part conversation. This first part focuses on Steven’s journey to creating ClimateTechList.com. Part 2 includes more advice to jobs seekers.
The Conversations on Careers in Climate Tech mini series is made possible in part with support from SNØCAP.vc.
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In this episode I am joined by cohost Jonathan Azoff of SNØCAP, and we talk with Gabriel Scheer, Director of Innovation for Mobility and Energy at ElementalExcelerator. Recorded on December 12th, 2023, the conversation covers Gabriel's fresh insights from his first attendance at COP28, offering valuable perspectives for MBA students and professionals interested in climate innovation and sustainable careers.
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Gregory Heller speaks with Jonathan Azoff, an experienced tech leader who transitioned into a mentor and investor role with a focus on sustainability. Jonathan is a GP at SNØCAP a VC firm that invests in early-stage, profit-oriented platforms that directly and indirectly solve the climate crisis. Jonathan's journey began with a strong interest in environmentalism and computing in high school, leading him to Silicon Valley. He worked in various tech companies like Disney, Zillow, and WeWork before moving into roles more aligned with his passion for sustainability, including involvement in a nonprofit focused on agriculture, food systems, and waste systems. Jonathan talks about the intersection of technology, sustainability, and business, emphasizing the importance of grit, luck, and a strong business foundation in successful ventures, especially in the evolving field of climate tech.
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Gregory Heller interviews Alexandra Iljadica, an investor with BHP Ventures, in this episode of "Conversations on Careers and Professional Life." Alexandra discusses her journey from running a youth-focused nonprofit in Australia to becoming a key figure in venture capital with a focus on sustainability. She talks about her path through various roles, including setting up the 5G Innovation Lab at T-Mobile, and emphasizes the importance of networking and relationship-building in career progression.
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On this episode, Gregory Heller interviews David Woodson, the Executive Director for Campus Energy Utilities and Operations at the University of Washington. Woodson shares his journey from and undergraduate at UW to his current role as leader in sustainability with a proven record of making an impact. David highlighted the importance of being adaptable and ready to learn in any job. His journey exemplifies the value of being open to various roles and responsibilities, which can lead to unforeseen career paths.
David mentioned two books during our conversation:
The Goal Leadership MomentsHe also the International District Energy Association as a resource for anyone interested in sustainability at the district or campus level.
Learn more about David and the work he is doing on the University Of Washington campus in Seattle. Find out more about sustainability on the UW Campus here.
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Gregory talks with Charlie Donovan, a visiting professor of sustainable finance at the Foster School of Business. The discussion revolves around the integration of climate change and sustainability into finance and business education, drawing on Donovan's experience in teaching and in the industry. Key topics include the importance of understanding climate risks in finance, the transformation of industries due to climate change, the skills gap in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing, and sustainable finance. The episode also covers a student study tour to Costa Rica led by Donovan, focusing on sustainability efforts and community-led development.
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This episode features a conversation with Angela Shelley, the Assistant Director of MBA Global Programs at the Foster School of Business Global Business Center. We had an enlightening discussion about the global study tour program at the Foster School of Business, its objectives, and the transformative impact it has on students' career trajectories.
Learn more about the Global Business Center, and the MBA Global Programs.
The Global Study Tour Program: An OverviewThe global study tour program is an innovative initiative designed to expose MBA students to global business. The program takes students on a two-week journey to different countries, immersing them in local businesses and cultural experiences. These tours are led by faculty members, often accompanied by a staff member, and offer pre-departure sessions to equip students with necessary information and preparation for the trip.
These sessions cover a wide range of topics, from culture and history to the nuances of doing business in the destination country. While the study tours are optional for credits, they can fulfill requirements for the international perspective, the global business program certificate, and some ESG specializations.
The Study Tour Destinations: A Changing LandscapeThe locations of the study tours change every year, with two exceptions. The Asian Capital Markets course includes a study tour to China and Japan every other year. The Global Consulting India project happens annually, providing consulting services to the Self Employed Women's Association in India. This consulting experience extends beyond the trip, as students continue to work on their projects both in India and back home in Seattle.
The Impact of Study Tours on Career TrajectoriesAngela shared some insightful observations about the impact of study tours on students' career trajectories. While she didn't have specific stories to share, she noted a recurring theme of students being inspired to do more in global business after participating in study tours.
For instance, some students have shifted their thinking about sustainability, realizing that it should be implemented from the beginning rather than added on later. Angela also shared about a student who was inspired to pursue a career in global business after a trip to Israel and reached out to her for guidance on how to get started.
The Global Business Program Certificate: A Gateway to Exclusive OpportunitiesAngela advises students to sign up for the Global Business Program Certificate, which encourages a more global experience and provides access to exclusive opportunities. She also mentioned other programs and events offered throughout the year, such as the Taiwan Business Conference and the Global Business Forum.
The Benefits and Opportunities of Participating in a Global Business Center Study TourAngela emphasized the importance of being open to new ideas and ways of doing business. One of the main advantages of these study tours is the chance to engage with difference and gain exposure to new perspectives.
She also highlighted the networking aspect of the study tours. Students have the opportunity to form deep connections with their peers, faculty members, and professionals in the industry. These relationships can be valuable for future collaborations and career opportunities.
Preparing for a Study Tour: Angela's AdviceAngela suggests being excited about engaging with difference and being open to new opportunities. She encourages students to take advantage of the network they can build during the tour and to make the most of unique experiences that may not be available in their everyday lives.
In conclusion, Angela highlights the transformative impact that study tours can have on students' personal and professional lives. She encourages interested students to reach out to her or other MBA classmates who have participated in the tours for more information.
So, if you're an MBA student looking to make the most of the study tour experience, take Angela's advice: take advantage of the opportunities available, stay connected through the Global Business Program Certificate, and be open to new perspectives and career possibilities.
The content in this post was generated using PodSqueeze.ai.
This episode was produced with editing and engineering support from Amelia Ngyuen, a student in the Communication Leadership Master Program at the University of Washington, and made possible in part with funding from SnoCap, a Venture Capital firm investing in early-stage, platforms that directly and indirectly solve the climate crisis.
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On this episode, I speak with UW Foster Class of 2024 MBA Priyanka Natrajan about how she used Yoodli.ai to help her prepare for internship interviews. Yoodli is an AI powered speech coaching platform that will record and analyze your speech, transcribe it, provide objective metrics like speed, use of filler words or week words, and can even provide AI powered suggestions for rephrasing your speech. Yoodli has specific features for practicing interview questions (either from their own question bank, or questions you provide), and will analyze your answer and can ask follow up questions.
This episode was edited and engineered with support from Amelia Nguyen, a graduate student in the UW Communications Leadership Program.
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As you navigate the challenging waters of internship and job searches, your resume and cover letter become your primary ambassadors. But what if I told you there's a tool that can give you an edge? Enter GenerativeAI. Today, we'll dive into how this technology can refine your application materials.
First off, let's talk about the basics. GenerativeAI can be a game-changer in improving the grammar and syntax of your documents. We've all been there – after hours of editing, a pesky grammatical error slips through. With GenerativeAI, those mistakes can be caught and corrected.
But it's not just about grammar. Imagine tailoring your resume's language to mirror a job description or even a company's core values. GenerativeAI can help align your documents in such a way that they resonate more deeply with your prospective employers. It's like having a personal editor who knows exactly what the company is looking for!
However, with great power comes great responsibility. It's crucial to remember that while GenerativeAI is a powerful tool, it's just that – a tool. Ethically, you must ensure that the content it generates genuinely represents your skills, experiences, and qualifications. It can be tempting to let the AI do all the heavy lifting, but authenticity is key. Your resume and cover letter should be genuine reflections of who you are and what you bring to the table.
This brings us to some potential pitfalls. GenerativeAI, as advanced as it is, can sometimes get a little... creative. It might suggest details or skills that sound impressive but aren't accurate. And like all technologies, it can sometimes exhibit biases based on the data it's been trained on. It's essential to review and vet any suggestions it makes critically.
Now, I know some of you might be wondering about the technical side of things. The good news? You don't need to be a tech whiz to leverage GenerativeAI. There are user-friendly platforms out there designed for non-techies. So, whether you're a marketing major or diving deep into finance, this tool is accessible to you.
Before we wrap up, I want to leave you with a challenge. Before you find yourself in the thick of the application season, give GenerativeAI a try. Review your resume or cover letters with it. Experiment, play around, and most importantly, learn how to prompt it effectively. The better your prompts, the more tailored and useful the AI's suggestions will be.
Remember, in today's competitive job market, every edge counts. But no tool, no matter how advanced, can replace the unique experiences, insights, and values you bring. Use GenerativeAI as a complement to your skills, not a replacement.
So, MBA students, are you ready to give your application materials a boost? Dive into the world of GenerativeAI, and let's make those resumes and cover letters shine!
This episode was written with assistance from ChatGPT 4.0, and my voice was synthesized using ElevenLabs.
AI Career Resources:
Follow Jeremy Schifeling on LinkedIn. Without a doubt, Jeremy is at the vanguard of using Generative AI for career search and prep. He is posting great content, tutorials, tools, and even wrote an e-book about using ChatGPT as your career coach.
Check out Alexandra Samuel's newsletters. This one has some great advice for using ChatGPT to write cover letters.
There are a wide variety of apps and services that have emerged for various career search related tasks from writing cover letters, to developing your resume, to preparing for interviews. I have not used any of them enough to endorse them, other than Yoodli.ai for interview prep. Listen to my podcasts with Yoodli's co-founder Varun Puri, and Yoodli user Priyanka Natrajan (coming soon).
My advice, is to start with the feely available tools from the likes of OpenAI, or Anthropic's Claude, and look for recommended prompts.
Have you tried meta prompting? (HT Matt Westgate and his book, Go Prompt Yourself), before your prompts, add, "What additional information, details or context would help you effectively run this prompt?" This will drastically up your prompting game!
Here are a few that I like to use for developing interview questions:
Act like a hiring manager interviewing a candidate for [insert job] and [company]. Our company values are [insert text from company website]. I would like you to come up with a dozen behavioral interview questions based on the following job description. [insert relevant portions of the job description].
Are you struggling with your resume?
Act like a career coach. Help me revise my resume to better match the following job description [insert job description]. Stand by for my resume. [Insert accomplishment statements from your resume]. ** My recommendation is do do this on statement at a time.
OR, as Jeremy Schifeling has shown on his videos, give chat GPT a job description, ask it to identify the job related key words in that description, then give it your resume and ask which keywords are missing. Then you can ask it to help you rewrite specific accomplishment statements using the missing keywords.
Most people don't know what to write in a cover letter. And some people think you can just say to ChatGPT, "Write me letter for the following job description." This will yield garbage. Add a meta prompt to the front, and then also include relevant information about yourself, your degrees, a few professional highlights, maybe a line or two about why you are really excited about the job. Ask your Generative AI to return a cover letter that is no more than 325 words. Then be sure to edit it. Once you have a letter you feel good about, give that back to ChatGPT so it can learn from you. Check out ALexandra Samuel's newsletter (linked above) for some great cover letter prompts.
How did I make this episode?
I prompted ChatGPT 4.0:
I am looking for is a plain text description of the text so I can use it to guide further writing. I don't want you to write anything other than a description of the style and voice of the text. How would you describe the style and voice of the following text sample [insert script from another podcast]. What additional information, context or details would you need to effectively run the following prompt? PROMPT: Using the writing style and voice that you have identified, please write a 500 word script for a podcast about how to effectively use GenerativeAI to improve cover letters and resumes. I answered the 8 questions ChatGPT provided, which yielded the following prompt: Using the direct, prescriptive, analytical, conversational, structured, credible, and empathetic writing style and voice identified earlier, craft a 500-word script for a 6 to 10-minute podcast aimed at MBA students engaged in an internship or job search. The podcast should focus on how to effectively use GenerativeAI to improve cover letters and resumes. Highlight the capabilities of GenerativeAI in improving grammar and syntax, as well as aligning language with that of a job description or a company's values/principles. Address the ethical considerations, emphasizing the importance of ensuring that the AI-generated content accurately reflects the individual's genuine work experience, skills, and qualifications. Discuss the potential pitfalls, such as the AI's tendency to fabricate information or exhibit biases. Conclude with a call to action, encouraging listeners to experiment with GenerativeAI for their resume or cover letter reviews and emphasizing the importance of refining their prompts to obtain optimal results. I ran the prompt, took the script, did some light editing, and then fed it into ElevenLabs where I had already created a voice clone using some podcast monologues I'd already recorded and released.The video above was generated using HeyGen, after using Insight FaceSwap to swap my face onto a still image from MaxHeadroom.
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On this episode, I speak with Sean Dew, Foster MBA Class of 2024, about his experience as a ClimateCAP Fellow. ClimateCAP is an organization that focuses on sustainability in business and the MBA program experience across MBA programs. ClimateCAP also hosts an annual conference that brings together MBA students and alumni to discuss various topics related to climate change and business.
The fellowship provides support for sustainability projects and fosters a sense of community- among the fellows. Sean’s project involves installing solar-powered refrigeration units in homes in the Hopi and Navajo Nation. The fellowship has helped Sean grow his network with other Fellows and by attending a related energy conference in Boulder, CO.
Applications for the next cohort of the ClimateCAP fellowship are open now through November 1st at 5PM EST. You can learn more about the ClimateCAP Fellowship and the ClimateCAP summit at ClimateCAP.org
Some other resources we mentioned during out conversation:
MBA-Edge (and Fuqua’s EDGE Center) Bloomberg Green Canary Media Book: Savages, by Joe Kane PNW Climate Week WorkOnClimate.orgFind more episodes on Careers in Sustainability and Impact.
Are you looking for a job in Climate Tech? Check out the ClimateTechList.
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On this episode, I speak with Varun Puri, Co-Founder of Yoodli.ai. I'm a big fan of Yoodli and have been using it basically since the day it became available. Many of my students in the MBA program are using it to practice for job interviews and other presentations. Full disclosure, I'm on the Yoodli Speech Coaches Advisory Board. I receive no compensation for this. I do it because I believe in the product and the power of public speaking skills to improve people's career opportunities.
Born and raised in India, Varun moved to the US for college and later joined Google. At Google, he wore many hats, from running special projects for Sergey Brin to being a product manager at Google X. Despite his fulfilling career at Google, Varun's passion for his innovative idea led him to take a leap of faith and start Yoodli.ai.
Yoodli.ai is an AI-powered speech coach that provides real-time feedback on speaking skills. It focuses on three key areas: delivery, content, and peer collaboration. As Varun demonstrated during our podcast interview, Yoodli.ai can alert users in real-time to adjust their speaking pace.
The platform has received an overwhelming response, with users worldwide comparing it to Grammarly and Duolingo for speech coaching. This comparison underscores Yoodli.ai's effectiveness in enhancing speaking skills.
Yoodli.ai has developed an everyday communication coach feature. This feature, available as an app, can be installed on a computer and used during calls. It provides real-time feedback on speaking habits, such as speaking too quickly or for too long. This feature allows users to improve their communication skills without having to set aside dedicated practice time.
Varun draws inspiration from fitness apps like Apple Health, which encourage progress in everyday activities, and aims to do the same for speaking.
Making Public Speaking Fun and Engaging
Yoodli.ai also incorporates games to make the learning experience fun and engaging. The goal is to demystify public speaking and make it enjoyable, much like improv games.
Varun and I discussed the importance of practice in feeling comfortable and confident when it comes to public speaking and storytelling. Yoodli.ai provides “exposure therapy” and low-risk practice opportunities for individuals to improve their communication skills.
Varun emphasized that mid-career professionals, particularly those seeking promotions or leadership roles, can benefit greatly from the platform. He shared examples of users who have found success with Yoodli, including a non-native English speaker looking to improve their confidence in meetings.
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Music is Arps by Chad Crouch with permission under Creative Commons License
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