Liquid Assets

"Trust, understanding, and quality are the cornerstones of successful sales in the world of water testing"

Exploring the intricacy of water treatment and customer engagement, this episode of Liquid Assets delves into the crucial role of technical expertise and relationship-building in navigating the complex waters of the water industry. Host Ravi Kurani engages with Chris Golden, Senior Director of Sales at Taylor Technologies, exploring his diverse experiences in the water industry. Golden recounts his journey from a chemical engineering graduate to a seasoned professional in industrial water treatment, sales, and marketing. His tenure at prominent companies like Ecolab, Nalco, and Taylor Technologies highlights his adeptness in aligning products and solutions with customer needs. Golden emphasizes the importance of customer understanding and trust in technical sales, advocating a consultative approach.

Delving deeper, the conversation shifts to the specifics of water testing and treatment. Golden shares his in-depth knowledge of balancing water chemistry in various environments, from swimming pools to industrial settings. He underscores the significance of precise water testing in maintaining equipment health, ensuring public safety, and enhancing the effectiveness of chemical treatments. Golden’s blend of professional anecdotes and practical advice offers invaluable insights for entrepreneurs and professionals in the water industry, making this episode a must-listen.

What you'll hear in this episode:

Chris recommends you read The 6 Types of Working Genius

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"How do we mass manufacture civilization? It's through figuring out how to build cities in chunks that are distinct modules, like cells in a body and that is what water decentralization is."

Buckle up for a cerebral joyride stretching possibilities for water, technology, business and beyond. Our latest Liquid Assets features Dr. Michael Stanley Gallisdorfer known colloquially as MSG, whose innovative insights are reshaping our understanding of water's role in society and the economy. MSG's discussion with host Ravi Kurani focuses on the transformative potential of water as not only a vital resource but also as a catalyst for economic and environmental regeneration. His concepts of decentralized water systems and ecological engineering offer a provocative vision of a sustainable future.

Delving deeper, MSG elaborates on the cutting-edge ideas of using water for carbon sequestration and biomaterial production. Our conversation is not just an exploration of technological advancements; it's a journey into a new paradigm where water becomes a key player in addressing global challenges. The episode promises to broaden your horizons, challenging conventional views and igniting a profound conversation about the essence and future of water in our lives.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

MSG recommends you read ⁠Energy and Form: An Ecological Approach to Urban Growth by Knowles

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"2 billion people, one in four, live without access to clean water, with women and girls spending 200 million hours every day walking miles for it."

New York Fashion Week features cutting-edge clothing against a backdrop of glitz and glamor. But behind the scenes, millions of women and girls walk miles daily to secure basic water needs. The contrast between catwalks in the spotlight and walks for water in the shadows inspired the Runway for Water campaign.

This powerful initiative from Water for People aimed to grab attention and underscore the urgency of the global water crisis. As Katherine Williford, Chief Growth Officer, and host Ravi Kurani discuss in this episode, the campaign video spotlights Indian women fetching water while dressed in traditional outfits, overlaid with fashion show music. This stark juxtaposition highlights an often overlooked yet critical factor undermining basic rights, health, and advancement worldwide.

Beyond the creative concept, Williford explains Water for People’s innovative model to drive progress on universal access through collaboration, monitoring, and adaptation. With substantial funding gaps persisting, Runway for Water also calls for more influential voices to advocate around this human rights issue impacting billions daily.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

Katherine recommends you read Dare to Lead by Brene Brown.

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"We're designing New York City over and over like it was back in the 1900s. This needs to change"

The infrastructure underpinning our modern lives often goes unnoticed, yet fundamental systems like water, energy, and transportation require constant innovation. On this episode of Liquid Assets, host Ravi Kurani speaks with Adam Tank, co-founder and Chief Customer Officer of Transcend, about their mission to transform infrastructure design through technology. With experience across microbiology, consumer goods, and robotics, Adam brings a unique perspective to improving the water sector. Seeing inefficiencies in engineering firms firsthand, Transcend overhauls the conceptual design process for critical assets like wastewater treatment plants.

Their software integrates calculations and automates generating documentation, 3D models, and other preliminary outputs. This empowers engineers to focus their time on innovation and optimizing for sustainability, equity, and more. Adam shared insights on starting a company and the importance of nailing product-market fit early on. Tune into the episode to hear how Transcend's technology enables engineers worldwide to transcend the status quo.

What you'll hear in this episode:

Adam recommends you read Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill

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"The problem with water wasn't technical. The problem was water was all around consumer issues, accessibility, affordability..."

It is a no-brainer that clean water is a fundamental necessity for a healthy life, however, so many people do not have access to this. In this episode of Liquid Assets, host Ravi Kurani speaks with Jonathan Levine, co-founder and CEO of Folia Materials and President of Folia Water, about providing affordable clean drinking water in developing countries.

Jonathan explains how Folia creates a 20-cent antimicrobial water filter made of silver-coated paper and by pricing it like a can of soda rather than an expensive appliance, they aim to make safe water accessible for low-income consumers. He discusses the business model of partnering with major distributors to reach customers through existing grocery supply chains and talks about the challenge of convincing investors there are profits in water technologies.

Interested in social business in emerging markets - this episode is for you!

What you'll hear in this episode:

Jonathan recommends you read ⁠Factfulness: Ten Reasons We're Wrong About the World – and Why Things Are Better Than You Think

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"PFAS are known as the forever chemical because they don't degrade. They don't degrade in the environment, and they don't degrade in your body."

PFAS chemicals are an emerging environmental threat, yet these toxic "forever chemicals" persist worldwide. In this episode of Liquid Assets, host Ravi Kurani speaks with Julie Bliss Mullen, founder of Aclarity, a startup tackling PFAS contamination. Julie shares her journey from researching PFAS during her PhD to becoming an entrepreneur. She explains how novel electrochemical systems can destroy PFAS compounds at landfills and industrial sites to prevent further pollution. Julie also discusses key lessons around focusing on customers, rapid prototyping, and finding advocates. With evolving regulations driving momentum, companies like Julie's aim to scale up sustainable technologies that eliminate PFAS from water sources. Overall, an inside look at innovative solutions and business models addressing the urgent PFAS crisis.

What you'll hear in this episode:

Julie recommends you read Who: A Method for Hiring by Geoff Smart and Randy Street and The Lean Startup by Eric Reis

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Music by ⁠Oleksii Kaplunskyi⁠ from ⁠Pixabay⁠ & Sponsored Amazon Affiliate link

How is Stuart Rudick's 'Hydro sapiens' perspective and emerging tech trends redefining the future of water management and conservation?

Stuart Rudick, an advocate for water, emphasized its central role in life and his journey from a windsurfer concerned about pollution to an investor in water-focused firms like HydroDAO and Ever Blue Venture Fund. He stressed the significance of viewing water as a connector, the value of team dynamics in water companies, and the urgency of addressing water challenges.

What you'll get from this episode:

Stuart recommends you read Universal Water: The Ancient Wisdom and Scientific Theory of Water.

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Music by Oleksii Kaplunskyi from Pixabay & Sponsored Amazon Affiliate link

What role does synthetic biology play in ensuring the safety and quality of our water supply? David Lloyd, the CEO and co-founder of FREDSense Technologies, and host Ravi Kurani discuss FREDSense's mission and the role of synthetic biology in their work. He explains how FREDsense uses synthetic biology to develop sensors that analyze water and generate actionable data, helping bridge the gap between existing analytics solutions and the needs of boots-on-the-ground personnel. He also talked about the company's iterative customer discovery process, which involved extensive interviews and market testing to ensure the sensors met users' needs. David also touches on the issue of PFAS (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), often referred to as "Forever Chemicals," and the importance of understanding their presence in water to treat and eliminate them effectively.

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Music by Aleksey Chistilin from Pixabay

Solomon Vimal from Geothara and Liquid Assets host, Ravi Kurani, discuss Solomon's journey in using satellite imagery and data science to address water security challenges. He shared insights into his experience in high-performance computing and his work in the automotive industry. Solomon explained how his passion for water conservation led him to found Geothara, a data science company focused on developing algorithms and insights for water security. He emphasized the importance of infrastructure design and effective problem-solving in this domain. Throughout the conversation, Solomon highlighted the value of satellite imagery in identifying water resources and optimizing water management strategies.

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Professor Shon Hiatt (USC Marshall School of Business) and host Ravi Kurani navigate the intricate nexus between energy, agribusiness, and water's pivotal role. Highlighting the urgency of sustainable practices, he critiqued traditional lithium extraction methods that rely on vast water evaporation in deserts. Instead, Hiatt championed harnessing geothermal energy, spotlighting the innovative approach of extracting lithium from geothermal brine, currently under trial in the Salton Sea area. He introduced the concept of binary geothermal energy production and elucidated the 'pumped storage' technique for energy conservation. Navigating the complex realm of water laws, he underscored the disparities in regulatory approaches across states and emphasized the need for a balanced energy portfolio. In conclusion, Hiatt shared insights about an upcoming energy innovation initiative at the University of Southern California, aiming to foster collaboration and address challenges in the energy sector.

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Intro Music by Aleksey Chistilin from Pixabay