I had the pleasure of sitting down with Gabe Phillips. Gabe and I dug into his journey from electricity trading to founding Catalyst Power Holdings and how he's helping commercial and industrial customers decarbonize through retail, energy supply and onsite generation.

We also hit on one of our favorite topics: hiring, including why Gabe sees the highest success rates when new team members come through personal networks and the role people and culture play in scaling an energy business.

I had the pleasure of sitting down with Kate Heidinger, CEO of Allumia. Kate and I dug into her career path from solar finance and water efficiency to leading a growing energy as a service company focused on small to mid-size commercial projects.

We talked about how Allumia partners with utilities leverages technology and data transparency and makes energy efficiency accessible without upfront capital. We also spent time on something that really matters right now. Hiring. Kate shared what she looks for in talent, why problem solvers and adaptable generalists thrive in this industry, and how company culture plays a huge role in scaling smart, resilient teams.

I sat down  with Brian Lang. Brian and I got into his journey from engineering consulting to JP Morgan Chase and now leading Solutions Engineering at Bedrock Energy. We talked about the rapid growth of geothermal, the technology they're developing and the market momentum behind it.

And of course, we dove into hiring why Brian believes you should hire the person, not the paper, and how cultural alignment beats certifications. Every time.

We sat down with  with Steph Cuthbert and Mark Nunzio from RVE. We dug into their unique paths in engineering. Steph shared how she's built her entire career at RVE, leading the firm's water and wastewater division.

And Mark talked about stepping into his new role, leading the MEP division across several regions. We talked about culture collaboration. What and what keeps people at RVE for the long run. We also dove into the hiring process. What makes a great engineer, how they identify talent, and how RV's core values guide who joins the team.

We sat down with Phil Johnston, principal at E4E Solutions. Phil shared his journey from his early days with the DOE's Industrial Assessment Center, to now helping major industrial clients build and implement roadmaps for decarbonization.

We dove into how E4E uniquely delivers start to finish energy solutions from discovery to design, to project execution. When it comes to hiring, Phil emphasized the importance of curiosity and a growth mindset, especially in a niche field that demands adaptability. Their team looks for people who lean into challenges even without prior experience in a specific system or technology.

I had the pleasure of sitting down with David Adams. David shared his unique path from rural Ohio to the Peace Corps in Jamaica, and eventually to COO of Wilmot Inc. Where he's leading sustainability efforts focused on energy, water and waste.

We got into how resource hiring plays a critical role in their mission, and David reflected on the difference between hires that work and the ones that don't. Spoiler alert referrals and shared values matter more than just resumes, so head on over to building efficiencypodcast.com for the full episode.

I had the pleasure of sitting down with Meg Mason. Meg shared her incredible journey from biotech lab work to leading marketing at HydroPoint Data Systems, where she's been for the past 11 plus years. We talked about how her passion for science and her drive for human connection shaped her career.

We also dove in hiring how trusting your gut and valuing, humility and openness to feedback can make or break a great team. So head on over to building efficiencypodcast.com for the full episode.

I had the pleasure of sitting down with Fritz Troller, CEO and Co Founder at Therm Solutions.

Fritz shared his journey from corporate leadership at Grainger to co founding multiple startups including Groom Energy and now Therm Solutions.

We got into the weeds on their carbon finance model, how they're tackling refrigerant emissions in the food supply chain, and the pivotal role that carbon credits play in enabling grocers and and cold storage operators to decarbonize.

We also covered a critical piece of hiring.

Fritz talked about why early stage hires should come through trusted networks, the importance of intellectual curiosity in candidates, and when to partner with experts for industry sourced recruiting.

I had the pleasure of sitting down with Sam Schneider, CEO, and co-founder of Earthlight Technologies. Sam and I dove into the incredible journey of how he and his family grew. A small light bulb shop into 160 person renewable energy powerhouse with the locations across Connecticut.

Massachusetts and Oregon. We talked about what it means to build a generational company, how Earthlight moved into solar and battery storage, and how hiring, including bringing in his sister to lead HR initiatives completely transformed their onboarding and talent acquisition strategy.

Chris walked us through his impressive journey—starting from Northeastern’s co-op program, all the way to launching a regional office from scratch, long before remote work became the norm. We also dove into hiring best practices, what makes for a successful sales hire, and how private equity acquisition strategy actually mirrors smart recruiting. Chris really emphasized the importance of motivation, character, and structure when building high-performing teams.