Solar projects getting canceled? Clean tech CEOs burned out doing their own PR? Amanda Foley has seen it all.
As the CEO of Kiterocket, Amanda leads one of clean energy’s most influential PR firms, helping clients go from misunderstood to market-ready. Recorded live at CleanPower 2025, this conversation dives into why even great technology companies struggle with messaging—and what to do about it.
From overcoming community opposition to engineers writing their own press releases (spoiler: don’t), Amanda and Nico explore the gaps that often hold clean energy companies back from widespread adoption. They also unpack how today’s media landscape—from YouTube creators to AI-driven news cycles—is reshaping how clean tech companies need to communicate.
Whether you’re an early-stage founder still wearing the marketing hat yourself or leading a growth-stage company ready for scale, Amanda offers real-world advice on when (and how) to invest in PR.
Expect to Learn:
🔹 The #1 mistake founders make when scaling their marketing efforts
🔹 How to craft messaging that speaks to engineers, policymakers, and consumers
🔹 The real role of press releases—and why most quotes are throwaways
🔹 Why the Fourth Industrial Revolution is a communications goldmine (if you know how to tell the story)
🔹 When founders should finally let go and hire real marketing leadership
If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to his contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://mysuncast.com/suncast-episodes/.
Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!
SunCast is proudly supported by Trina Solar.
You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.mysuncast.com/sponsors.
Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 730 other founder stories and startup advice at www.mysuncast.com.
Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/
You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:
Popular Podcasts
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.