Host Marie Chindamo introduces an interview recorded in July 2025 with Brittany Hirson, CEO of South Bay Energy, a boutique retail energy supplier in New York and PJM. Brittany recounts joining the startup as a college intern in 2013 and rising to CEO by following strong leaders, building relationships, taking initiative, and embracing learning before feeling ready. She discusses leading by example, creating room for growth and safe failure, and the importance of authenticity in business trust. Brittany also describes her role as president of the Mid-Atlantic chapter of the Women’s Energy Alliance, focused on women supporting women through member mentorships with inclusive male allies. She shares her consulting work in operations and marketing, shifting from 1x to 10x goals through delegation and “who versus how,” views on technology and APIs, self-care through Pilates and a vegan lifestyle, and the belief that people can tap an extra 10% of effort to seize opportunities.

From Intern to CEO: Brittany Harrison on Choice, Confidence, and 10x Leadership

 00:00 Show Intro

00:22 Intern To CEO

01:24 Episode Context

04:12 Meet Brittany

06:14 Startup Culture

08:46 Mentorship Matters

11:15 Women’s Energy Alliance

15:16 Authenticity Wins

16:06 Future Of Energy

18:50 Confidence To Lead

20:41 Consulting And Ops

23:46 Defining Success

26:25 Ten X Thinking

27:47 Perfectionism And Progress

29:16 Risk And Mistakes

31:20 Mistakes Can Be Fixed

32:00 Beautiful Mistakes and Discovery

32:16 Tech and Leadership Tools

33:08 APIs and Automation Basics

34:16 Upskilling the Team

35:10 Low Risk Tool Practice

38:16 Too Many Tools Problem

40:08 Avoiding the Tech Rabbit Hole

41:24 Self-Care and Pilates Routine

43:58 Intentional Choices and Health

47:59 Truth Be Told Extra Ten Percent

52:41 Spotting Opportunities and Initiative

57:37 Final Takeaways and Outro

Connect with Brittany

https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittany-hirson-660b6788/

A little bit about Marie Chindamo:

Marie is the founder and CEO of ProTilly, a successful consulting practice founded over 8 years ago. ProTilly specializes in building strategy, challenging the status quo, and inspiring individuals and organizations to think radically differently to achieve transformative benefits. By encouraging fresh perspectives and innovative thinking, Marie and her team help organizations break free from limiting practices, creating room for disruptive ideas and growth. They provide strategic guidance that’s tailored to navigating transitions, whether it's organizational change, market shifts, or leadership development.

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