Better Than We Found It

Hosted by GS2 Partnership

BusinessInterviews guests

Website RSS feed

Episodes

Latest episode

Jun 2026

Language

EN-GB

About the show

At GS2, we believe in leaving the world better than we found it. Our purpose is to connect individuals who share this belief and strive to make a positive impact. We are excited to introduce our new podcast, Better Than We Found It, where we engage with purpose-focused executive leaders and aspiring future leaders to explore the concepts of sustainability and improving the world for future generations.

Listen to episodes

51 recent

June 16, 2026Episode 51 hr 7 min

Sustainability Through Abundance: Why Consuming Less Has Failed

Welcome to Season 5, Episode 5 of Better Than We Found It, the go-to podcast for sustainable leadership and purpose-driven business practices.Today, we're joined by Marco Terruzzin, Chief Revenue Officer at Energy Vault. Marco's career spans mechanical engineering, a PhD in energy economics, carbon credit trading in China under the Kyoto Protocol, and scaling Energy Vault from five employees to a publicly listed modern independent power producer.In this episode, we explore how Marco navigated the tension between engineering ambition and commercial reality, from validating a gravity-based energy storage technology to pivoting the company's entire value proposition when market assumptions didn't hold. We discuss why the energy transition needs to be framed around prosperity and abundance rather than scarcity and reduction, how AI data centres could undo 20 years of grid decarbonisation within 24 months, and why Marco believes the economics will ultimately pull the industry back toward renewables.We also get into Marco's leadership philosophy including his unconventional hiring test, why he values dialogue over interviews, and the guiding principles that have kept Energy Vault's commercial team aligned through rapid growth and strategic pivots.If you're interested in energy storage, the intersection of AI and clean energy, or building high-performance teams in fast-moving industries, this episode delivers.Connect with Josh on LinkedIn Connect with Marco on LinkedInThis podcast is brought to you by GS2 Partnership, the recruitment partner for ambitious, impact-led teams across energy, finance, and the built environment.Find out more about GS2 here

June 2, 2026Episode 41 hr 7 min

The Secret to Scaling "Five-Star Service" in Clean Energy with Mark Liffmann

Welcome to Season 5, Episode 4 of Better Than We Found It, the go-to podcast for sustainable leadership and purpose-driven business practices.Today we're joined by Mark Liffmann, CEO and Co-Founder of Omnidian the company that created an entirely new category in the solar industry known as performance assurance. Mark's career is a masterclass in reading the market before anyone else: after starting as a corporate attorney at Harvard Law, he jumped into solar in 2002 long before the clean tech boom and helped build SunPower's residential business from zero to half a billion dollars in five years.In this episode, we explore how a chance sales call revealed that America's biggest solar companies were managing hundreds of thousands of systems on spreadsheets and how that "aha moment" led Mark and his two co-founders to build Omnidian from a $600,000 angel round into a company guaranteeing 1.5 gigawatts of distributed energy assets. We also dig into the painful reality of raising pre-seed capital while still in your day job, the Bill Walsh management lesson that Mark calls the most important he ever learned, and how Omnidian has built an award-winning remote-first culture with less than 10% annual attrition including eight consecutive years as a Top 100 workplace in Washington State.Whether you're a founder navigating early-stage fundraising, a leader building culture at scale, or someone fascinated by the infrastructure quietly powering the energy transition, this episode is packed with hard-won insight.Connect with Josh on LinkedIn Connect with Mark on LinkedInThis podcast is brought to you by GS2 Partnership, the recruitment partner for ambitious, impact-led teams across energy, finance, and the built environment.Find out more about GS2 here

May 20, 2026Episode 31 hr 13 min

From Media Tech to Microgrids: Win or Learn, Never Lose with Ed Wise

Welcome to Season 5, Episode 3 of Better Than We Found It, the go-to podcast for sustainable leadership and purpose-driven business practices.Today we're joined by EJ Wise, CEO and founder of Positive Energy an EV charging infrastructure company at the forefront of America's electrification movement. EJ's story is one of the most compelling career pivots you'll hear: seven successful exits in media technology, from building fantasy football at CBS Sports to working at Will Ferrell's Funny or Die, before a chance investment and a birthday party conversation changed everything.Now leading what could become the largest EV charging contract award in US history, EJ brings a sales leader's clarity, an entrepreneur's hunger, and a refreshingly honest take on what it takes to build something that actually matters.In this episode, we explore:How EJ made the leap from media technology to the energy sector and why not knowing the industry turned out to be his biggest advantageThe Romeo Power story: angel investor turned Chief Revenue Officer, working alongside SpaceX and Tesla alumni to commercialise battery technologyWhy EJ pivoted to found Positive Energy and the vision for the US's most reliable public EV charging networkThe technology roadmap: ultra-fast charging, wireless inductive charging, and autonomous vehicle charging infrastructureHis non-negotiable hiring principle and why good character always beats great credentialsWhat it really means to leave the world better than you found it: climate, team legacy, and the power of accountabilityWhether you're navigating your own career pivot, building a team, or following the future of clean energy this episode is packed with straight-talking insight and more than a few brilliant stories along the way.Connect with Josh on LinkedIn Connect with EJ on LinkedInThis podcast is brought to you by GS2 Partnership, the recruitment partner for ambitious, impact-led teams across energy, finance, and the built environment.Find out more about GS2 here

May 14, 2026Episode 155 min

From Electrician to CCO: What One Career Says About the Future of American Solar with David Reasenberg

Welcome to Season 5, Episode 2 of Better Than We Found It, the go-to podcast for sustainable leadership and purpose-driven business practices.Today we're joined by David Reasenberg, Chief Commercial Officer at Heliene, one of North America's premium solar module manufacturers. David's path to the C-suite is unlike almost any other you'll hear from painting trash cans as part of a school recycling programme in junior high, to becoming a licensed electrician, to installing solar on icy rooftops in Vermont, to founding his own e-commerce solar business, before building a career defined by rare tenure, loyalty, and relentless accountability across some of the industry's most respected organisations.In this episode, we explore:How David's early environmental roots in 1990s California quietly shaped the career that followedThe power of "compound judgment" and why staying in a role longer than most gives you an edge no job-hopper can buyHow Heliene became one of the first US manufacturers to ship modules with full domestic content, and what that means for customers navigating today's policy landscapeWhy "responsiveness is a lost art" and the deceptively simple habits that separate great salespeople from average onesDavid's approach to hiring, referencing, and building high-performance commercial teamsThe role of AI in sales and why discipline will always beat clevernessWhether you're in sales, renewable energy, or building a career with purpose, this episode is packed with hard-won lessons from someone who's done the work at every level of the industry.Connect with Josh on LinkedIn Connect with David on LinkedInThis podcast is brought to you by GS2 Partnership, the recruitment partner for ambitious, impact-led teams across energy, finance, and the built environment.Find out more about GS2 here

May 5, 2026Episode 11 hr 5 min

From Balance Sheet to Boardroom: The CFO to CEO Evolution with Olga Shevorenkova

Welcome to Season 5, Episode 1 of Better Than We Found It, the go-to podcast for sustainable leadership and purpose-driven business practices.Today we're joined by Olga Shevorenkova, CEO of Loop Global, a top-five EV charging network in the United States. Olga's career path is remarkable: from a degree in Applied Mathematics in Moscow, through investment banking in clean tech across Europe and New York, to joining the EV space as CFO and helping take a company public through a SPAC during COVID raising close to $600 million in the process. Now she's taken the CEO seat at Loop Global, applying her financial rigour and obsession with talent to build a lean, high-performing team in an industry where many competitors are going bust.In this episode, we explore:How a mathematician from Moscow found her way into clean tech investment bankingThe realities of switching from advisor to operator and what nobody tells you about that jumpTaking a company public through a SPAC in four months, in the middle of a global pandemicMoving from CFO to CEO: the skills that transfer, and the weight that doesn'tHow Olga restructured Loop Global from the ground up replacing most of the team within 12 monthsWhy talent, not process, is always the first thing to fixThe EV industry's most overlooked problem: reliability over innovationWhat it will take to become a top-three EV charging provider in the USIf you're a finance professional curious about making the leap into an operating role, a CFO considering the step up, or a leader navigating a restructure, this episode is packed with real, hard-won insight.Connect with Josh on LinkedIn Connect with Olga on LinkedInThis podcast is brought to you by GS2 Partnership, the recruitment partner for ambitious, impact-led teams across energy, finance, and the built environment.Find out more about GS2 here

December 9, 20251 hr 7 min

From Engineer to Storyteller: A Leadership Masterclass with Irfan Bharde

Welcome to Season 4, Episode 8 of Better Than We Found It, the go-to podcast for sustainable leadership and purpose-driven business practices.Today's guest is a leader who proves that the most powerful skill in the technical world isn't engineering, it's storytelling. Irfan Bharde is the SVP and Chief Commercial Officer at NovaSource Power, one of the world's largest O&M service providers for solar and storage assets. His journey is a masterclass in cross-industry leadership, with a career spanning traditional power at GE, industrial automation at Honeywell, and robotics and AI at Domatic.Irfan was brought into NovaSource as part of a new leadership team with a clear mission: to transform the company and bring a mature, process-driven playbook to the rapidly growing renewables industry.In this episode, we explore:- The multicultural advantage how speaking multiple languages and understanding different cultures shapes leadership effectiveness- His pivotal career transformation from engineer to executive storyteller working directly with a CEO- The outsider's advantage of bringing lessons from software, robotics, and traditional power into the solar industry- Why the best leaders listen more and speak less and how to make that shift- Navigating the current challenges in renewables and building resilient business models- His vision for total asset optimization and the future of sustainable energy- The role of AI in education and personalized learning- What it means to leave a legacy by empowering the next generationIf you're in energy, sustainability, or any technical field looking to scale your leadership impact, this episode is packed with actionable insights.Connect with Josh on LinkedIn Connect with Irfan on LinkedInThis podcast is brought to you by GS2 Partnership, the recruitment partner for ambitious, impact-led teams across energy, finance, and the built environment.Find out more about GS2 here

November 18, 20251 hr 6 min

Simple as Sunshine: A CEO's Playbook for Disrupting the Energy Market with Michael Chanin

Welcome to Season 4, Episode 7 of Better Than We Found It, the go-to podcast for sustainable leadership and purpose-driven business practices.Today, we're joined by Michael Chanin, founder and CEO of Cherry Street Energy, the largest non-utility renewable energy provider in Georgia.Michael's journey is one of conviction, meeting opportunities from studying human rights at the University of Cambridge to high-stakes finance at Goldman Sachs during the financial crisis, his path took an unexpected turn during a casual Friday lunch.A conversation about a change in state law opened his eyes to a market opportunity, and he went home that same day to start a power company.In this episode, we explore:- How a single moment of insight during "Fried Chicken Friday" led to founding Cherry Street Energy.- The audacity required to challenge a century-old energy monopoly.- Building a business at the intersection of purpose and profit—not doing good as a byproduct, but as the core.- The power of making complex solutions "simple as sunshine" for customers.- Why behavioral traits trump technical skills when building a high-performing team.- Navigating political headwinds while staying true to a mission.- Creating a 100-year business focused on enduring value.Michael shares invaluable lessons on leveraging privilege responsibly, the importance of asking for what you want, and why the best leaders are storytellers who can take complexity and make it accessible.If you're an entrepreneur, energy professional, or anyone interested in building purpose-driven businesses that create lasting impact, this episode is essential listening.Connect with Josh on LinkedIn Connect with Michael on LinkedInThis podcast is brought to you by GS2 Partnership, the recruitment partner for ambitious, impact-led teams across energy, finance, and the built environment.Find out more about GS2 here

November 12, 20251 hr 8 min

From Boom & Bust to Building a Renewable Future with Jody Snodgrass

Welcome to Season 4, Episode 6 of Better Than We Found It, the go-to podcast for sustainable leadership and purpose-driven business practices.Today, we're joined by Jody Snodgrass, CEO of TruGrid, a turnkey EPC for utility-scale solar and energy storage.Jody's career is anything but linear. He's been a founder who built and sold multiple companies, a top-tier consultant at Deloitte, and a C-suite executive for some of the largest energy companies in the world.He's seen the industry from every possible angle: as the owner, the contractor and the consultant.In this episode, we dive into the brutal truths of that journey, the personal sacrifices required for a global career, the hard lessons learned from failure, and the relentless drive for continuous improvement that defines his leadership style.From starting his first business at 20 and selling it for a 13.5x multiple, to losing everything in the 2008 financial crisis, to navigating the rigid structures of corporate giants like Jacobs and Deloitte, Jody shares it all.We explore how he's built resilience in organisations, why he values loyalty over competency, his philosophy of "embrace the red," and how he's leading TruGrid through one of the most challenging times in renewable energy.If you're looking for honest, battle-tested insights on leadership, career growth, and the energy transition, this episode delivers.Connect with Josh on LinkedIn Connect with Jody on LinkedInThis podcast is brought to you by GS2 Partnership, the recruitment partner for ambitious, impact-led teams across energy, finance, and the built environment.Find out more about GS2 here

November 4, 20251 hr 6 min

From Barcelona to Brooklyn: Building Circular Mobility with Marta Anadon

Welcome to Season 4, Episode 5 of Better Than We Found It, the go-to podcast for sustainable leadership and purpose-driven business practices.Today, we're joined by Marta Anadon, Head of US at Upway, a fast-growing circular economy startup making light electric mobility accessible through refurbished e-bikes.Marta's career journey spans civil engineering in Barcelona, power trading at EDF in Europe, scaling Uber and UberEats across multiple continents, and now building Upway's US business from the ground up.In this episode, we explore:- How switching industries with intention builds transferable leadership skills- The art of launching a business in a new market with just an incorporation and a vision- Building talent-dense teams where feedback is a gift, not a threat- Why urban mobility is one of the most powerful levers for sustainable cities- Balancing mission-driven impact with commercial growth in the circular economy- The future of refurbished electric vehicles and battery innovationWhether you're navigating career transitions, scaling a purpose-driven business, or passionate about sustainable urban design, this episode offers practical wisdom from someone who's done it all.Connect with Josh on LinkedIn Connect with Marta on LinkedInThis podcast is brought to you by GS2 Partnership, the recruitment partner for ambitious, impact-led teams across energy, finance, and the built environment.Find out more about GS2 here

October 28, 202557 min

Building a Purpose-Driven Engineering Powerhouse with Sohan Das

Welcome to Season 4, Episode 4 of Better Than We Found It - the go-to podcast for sustainable leadership and purpose-driven business practices.Today, we're joined by Sohan Das, Vice President of Renewable Energy at EVS, Inc. a consulting engineering firm specializing in utility-scale solar, battery storage, and transmission infrastructure. Sohan's journey is one of purpose, resilience, and serendipity - from growing up in India watching his father's environmental initiatives, to navigating the 2009 recession, to building a renewable energy division from the ground up that now supports 230 families.In this episode, we explore:How early environmental awareness in India shaped Sohan's career trajectoryThe reality of joining start ups during a recession and what it takes to thriveBuilding a renewable energy division from scratch at EVS, Inc. over 11 yearsThe critical transition from individual contributor to leader of leadersNavigating industry uncertainty while staying mission-drivenWhy consulting engineering firms are the best place for engineers to truly learn their craftThe importance of diversification strategy in a rapidly changing energy landscapeSohan shares invaluable lessons on risk-taking, the art of listening, and how to balance technical excellence with people-first leadership. Whether you're an engineer, entrepreneur, or sustainability professional, this episode offers practical wisdom on building with purpose while weathering industry storms.Connect with Josh on LinkedInConnect with Sohan on LinkedInThis podcast is brought to you by GS2 Partnership, the recruitment partner for ambitious, impact-led teams across energy, finance, and the built environment.Find out more about GS2 here