Episode 37: Jo-Jo Hubbard

#Cleantechers - 

On the show, we've had leaders with a variety of backgrounds. Some, like my guest in this episode, have come from investment and finance. But few have achieved so much so quickly in their careers as Jo-Jo Hubbard. This McKinsey veteran got her start in a fintech startup, then moved into renewable energy finance. From there, she helped found the UK-based Electron, a SaaS company, out to transform energy trading to make the grid cleaner. 

Jo-Jo now runs Electron as CEO. Her company helps grid operators and municipal suppliers with what it calls “local flexibility markets” to help them adapt to our renewables-heavy grid. 

Here are Jo-Jo’s B3P’s:

16:05 - When you manage other people, you make them more productive by creating space for them to grow. And the more you create space for yourself, the better you become at doing that for others. It’s important to prioritize the time to exercise, meditate, or take a walk without a cell phone.

20:28 - The difference between running a cleantech company and a more mature company is the pace of growth. Cleantech is still evolving alongside the energy transition, creating a collaborative spirit. Companies with overlapping skills often work together. It’s a dynamic, problem-solving mindset of “let’s figure this out together.” More mature industries have well-defined market parameters and sizes, which makes collaboration less about exploration and more about execution.

27:41 - Hire people who are passionate about your company’s mission and inspire excitement among the entire team. Startups demand hard work, and having colleagues who energize others and share your commitment to a meaningful cause can make all the difference. 

Thanks for coming on the show, Jo-Jo.