Episode Summary: Navigating Career Transitions with Ryan Dickerson In this episode of Conversations on Careers and Professional Life, I speak with Ryan Dickerson, founder of Good Fit Careers, about his innovative approach to career coaching. Ryan leverages generative AI tools like ChatGPT to help executives craft compelling resumes, prepare for interviews, and navigate career transitions. The conversation covers the importance of patience during job searches, building empathy for hiring...

In this episode of Conversations on Careers and Professional Life, I share some advice on reframing how you think about “networking” and asking for help. Move beyond the idea of collecting contacts Focus on building genuine relationships and learning from others Nurture connections over time for mutual benefit Understand that asking for help can actually benefit the person helping you Overcome the fear of being a burden when seeking assistance Strengthen relationships by showing trust and...

Leveraging Generative AI in Your Career Search with Jeremy Schifeling Jeremy Schifeling, founder of The Job Insiders and author of Career Coach GPT and Linked: Conquer LinkedIn, Get Your Dream Job, Own Your Future shares his insights on how job seekers can leverage generative AI tools like ChatGPT in the job search process. Jeremy and I have known each other for seven years and recently co-presented a session at the Career Services Employer Alliance Global Conference on how graduate...

In this special live episode recorded as part of #PNWClimateWeek and the Bloomberg Green Festival at the KEXP Gathering Space, Gregory Heller and Jonathan Azoff sit down with Lauren Selig, a  film producer, investor, entrepreneur, and board member of the XPRIZE Foundation. , Lauren shares her journey from journalism to film production and investment, highlighting the importance of intuition, mentorship, and environmental consciousness in her diverse career. Tune in to discover how Lauren’s...

In this episode, we talk with Adital Ella, founder of Criaterra Earth Technologies, an Israeli company pioneering sustainable, low carbob building materials. Adital shares her journey from sustainable furniture designer to climate tech entrepreneur, offering insights into the development of Criaterra's beautiful and sustainable tiles and building materials. Key points discussed: Criaterra's innovative building material, which sequesters carbon and reduces energy use by up to 82% compared...

In this episode we continue our conversation with Adital Ella, founder of Criaterra Earth Technologies. Adital shares valuable advice for those aspiring to enter the climate tech industry, drawing from her own experiences as an entrepreneur and innovator. Key points discussed: How to approach climate tech companies as a job seeker, even without a scientific background The importance of demonstrating genuine passion and alignment with a company's mission Strategies for growth within an...

In the second part of the conversation, Scott Case, co-founder and CEO of Recurrent shares his career journey and lessons learned. Scott has worked at small companies, big companies, and started two companies himself. He shares some lessons learned at his first startup, EnergySavvy. Scott then offers advice for people looking to enter the clean technology or energy revolution space. He suggests that recent graduates should gain experience by working for a large company in the industry they...

Gregory Heller and Jonathan Azoff talk with Scott Case, the co-founder and CEO of Recurrent, a Seattle-based startup that offers independent evaluations of used electric vehicle batteries. Case discusses his journey as a second-time entrepreneur, having previously founded Energy Savvy, a company that helped energy utilities connect with customers for home energy efficiency upgrades. Case explains that Recurrent was founded in June 2020 to address the growing need for transparency in the used...

In the second part of the conversation, Josh Mastromatto, co-founder of Rego, shares insights on how his experience as an athlete has shaped his approach to building a startup. He emphasizes the importance of focusing on what you can control, learning quickly, and surrounding yourself with people who can help you improve. Josh shares what he looks for an values when hiring. As a first-time founder, Josh's biggest learning curve was navigating the fundraising process, and he shares the...

In this episode of "Conversations on Careers in Climate Tech," Gregory Heller and Jonathan Azoff are joined by Josh Mastromatto, co-founder of Rego, a startup addressing waste management in urban apartment buildings during move-out periods. Rego aims to reduce waste by diverting discarded items from landfills to more sustainable destinations where they can be reused. Part 1 of a this two part discussion covers the the inspiration behind the startup, the pivot from their original idea,...

Gregory Heller and co-host Jonathan Azoff continue their conversation with Steven Zhang, the founder of ClimateTechList.com, a comprehensive job site dedicated to climate technology roles for both technical and non-technical professionals.   Gregory, Jonathan and Steven discuss strategies for job seekers aiming to enter the climate tech industry. They talk about Fred Wilson’s “bits versus atoms” framework, emphasize systems thinking, and explore the sector’s diverse roles. The conversation...

On this episode first episode of the “Conversations on Careers in Climate Tech” mini series, Gregory Heller and co-host Jonathan Azoff speak with Steven Zhang, the founder of ClimateTechList.com, a comprehensive job site dedicated to climate technology roles for both technical and non-technical professionals.  We explore what drove Steven to create the listing, the technology behind it, and how he orchestrated his own pivot to working in climate tech. Steven talks about the importance of...

In this episode I am joined by cohost Jonathan Azoff of SNØCAP, and we talk with Gabriel Scheer, Director of Innovation for Mobility and Energy at ElementalExcelerator. Recorded on December 12th, 2023, the conversation covers Gabriel's fresh insights from his first attendance at COP28, offering valuable perspectives for MBA students and professionals interested in climate innovation and sustainable careers.

Gregory Heller speaks with Jonathan Azoff, an experienced tech leader who transitioned into a mentor and investor role with a focus on sustainability. Jonathan is a GP at SNØCAP a VC firm that invests in early-stage, profit-oriented platforms that directly and indirectly solve the climate crisis. Jonathan's journey began with a strong interest in environmentalism and computing in high school, leading him to Silicon Valley. He worked in various tech companies like Disney, Zillow, and WeWork...

Gregory Heller interviews Alexandra Iljadica, an investor with BHP Ventures, in this episode of "Conversations on Careers and Professional Life." Alexandra discusses her journey from running a youth-focused nonprofit in Australia to becoming a key figure in venture capital with a focus on sustainability. She talks about her path through various roles, including setting up the 5G Innovation Lab at T-Mobile, and emphasizes the importance of networking and relationship-building in career...

On this episode, Gregory Heller interviews David Woodson, the Executive Director for Campus Energy Utilities and Operations at the University of Washington. Woodson shares his journey from and undergraduate at UW to his current role as leader in sustainability with a proven record of making an impact. David highlighted the importance of being adaptable and ready to learn in any job. His journey exemplifies the value of being open to various roles and responsibilities, which can lead to...

Gregory talks with Charlie Donovan, a visiting professor of sustainable finance at the Foster School of Business. The discussion revolves around the integration of climate change and sustainability into finance and business education, drawing on Donovan's experience in teaching and in the industry. Key topics include the importance of understanding climate risks in finance, the transformation of industries due to climate change, the skills gap in environmental, social, and governance (ESG)...

This episode features a conversation with Angela Shelley, the Assistant Director of MBA Global Programs at the Foster School of Business Global Business Center. We had an enlightening discussion about the global study tour program at the Foster School of Business, its objectives, and the transformative impact it has on students' career trajectories. Learn more about the Global Business Center, and the MBA Global Programs. The Global Study Tour Program: An Overview The global study tour...

On this episode, I speak with UW Foster Class of 2024 MBA Priyanka Natrajan about how she used Yoodli.ai to help her prepare for internship interviews. Yoodli is an AI powered speech coaching platform that will record and analyze your speech, transcribe it, provide objective metrics like speed, use of filler words or week words, and can even provide AI powered suggestions for rephrasing your speech. Yoodli has specific features for practicing interview questions (either from their own...

 As you navigate the challenging waters of internship and job searches, your resume and cover letter become your primary ambassadors. But what if I told you there's a tool that can give you an edge? Enter GenerativeAI. Today, we'll dive into how this technology can refine your application materials. First off, let's talk about the basics. GenerativeAI can be a game-changer in improving the grammar and syntax of your documents. We've all been there – after hours of editing, a pesky...

On this episode, I speak with Sean Dew, Foster MBA Class of 2024, about his experience as a ClimateCAP Fellow. ClimateCAP is an organization that focuses on sustainability in business and the MBA program experience across MBA programs. ClimateCAP also hosts an annual conference that brings together MBA students and alumni to discuss various topics related to climate change and business. The fellowship provides support for sustainability projects and fosters a sense of community- among the...

On this episode, I speak with Varun Puri, Co-Founder of Yoodli.ai.  I'm a big fan of Yoodli and have been using it basically since the day it became available. Many of my students in the MBA program are using it to practice for job interviews and other presentations. Full disclosure, I'm on the Yoodli Speech Coaches Advisory Board. I receive no compensation for this. I do it because I believe in the product and the power of public speaking skills to improve people's career opportunities. ...

Music is Arps by Chad Crouch with permission under Creative Commons License

I speak with Class of 2022 Foster MBA grad, Xiajin "XJ" Cai. XJ is originally from China, and started her MBA at Foster in the Fall of 2020, while classes and most activities were being conducted remotely.  I was impressed with the way she engaged not only in the Foster community, through clubs, and recruiting activities, but also participated in case competitions beyond Foster. I wanted to have her on the show to talk about her experiences as an international student, how she handled...