Arcbound

EV charging at the office isn’t getting enough attention. According to a recent CBRE report, 70% of prime office buildings now offer EV charging, highlighting the rise in EV adoption. ChargePoint has reported that from 2022-2023;? - Active ports at workplaces increased 22% - The number of unique drivers charging at work jumped by 57% The International Council on Clean Transportation projects 1.3M workplace chargers are needed to accommodate EV growth over the next 6 years. The EVAL (Electric Vehicle Adoption Leadership) certification program addresses the growing need for workplace EV charging by assisting and certifying employers advancing clean transportation initiatives, including offering EV charging at work. Backed by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and managed by Forth, the EVAL certification program supports and celebrates employers and workplaces providing clean transportation options. Programs like EVAL play a significant role in ensuring charging infrastructure deployment keeps pace with the growing rate of EV adoption. EVAL is offering a lifetime certification for FREE now through October 31. Learn more in the link below.

The great part about building a team is picking people who really love bringing their best energy and self day in and day out. Ashley Ryall and Ali Dondero exemplify positivity, intelligence, reliability, and a very hard working nature to make their clients happy. So fun to spend time in person with those making the work come to life.

Thanks, Bryan Wish. Charlene Li did a phenomenal job, and her human digital twin did a good job too! It’s exciting for our team at Simulus AI to be working with Charlene, and I can’t wait to how this evolves in the near future.

It’s a really hard jump. Moving from start up to scale up. A lot of companies don’t get a chance to take it. And countless others harden their operations around what works in start-up mode. Key Differences in Start Ups vs Scale Ups Start-Up ?Finding what works ?Hiring for versatility ?Massive learning curves? ?Agile, informal (often messy) “processes”? ?Survival mode Scale-Up ?Rapid growth ?Specialization of roles (it’s efficient!) ?Structured systems? ?ICP Fit/Customer qualification 5 Critical Shifts for Scaling: ? Leadership From doing everything to empowering others? ? Culture from “whatever it takes” to sustainable ? ? Operations From ad-hoc to predictable processes (my favorite) ? Sales from “walks and talks and chews gum” to increasing qualification Remember: "What got you here won't get you there." - Marshall Goldsmith Scaling Challenges: ?Maintaining innovation while adding more structure to doing things the right way? ?Evolving your product/service for the next generations of growth ?Hiring for scale without losing startup spirit? ?Developing a management layer? ?Managing cash flow ?? If you’re on the new company “hamster wheel” you may not be familiar with the signs it’s time to make the jump. Some questions to ask yourself to see if it's time: ?? Is my team stretched thin?? ?? Is demand outpacing our capacity?? ?? Are our systems groaning and popping at the seams? If yes, it’s time to make the leap!

It’s a hard way to make a living. Brand is both super familiar at the surface level and poorly understood more deeply. For example, most people don't know: ? Brands are built in the minds of others ? Brand is in *everything* that connects to people ? Brand comes from intentional and unintentional "touches" ? Brands are represented by tangible assets (but that's a fraction of all there is to it) My first exposure to “brand” came when I was in college in Kentucky, and working at the yearling auctions. I learned the logo for the farm I was working with represented “the unfertilized ovum and the possibility of successful reproduction.” A chamber in my mind opened. I was studying (and loving) iconography and learning about hidden meanings in school and had previously not even registered that there were modern equivalents. To this day, the logo for Gainsway Farms is my roman empire. In the struggle to fight my way into continuous gainful employment, I didn’t get to spend much time thinking about brand or the possibility of making a living from it. But the concept followed me–first in Andrew J. Sherman's class on "Harvesting Intangible Assets," at GULC, then in my work at TrackMaven. There, I kept running up against the (unnecessary) tension between brand and performance marketers in delivering our analytics products. Fast forward to BERA, and their massive, pristine, consumer insights data set . . .all on brand perceptions. They have literally proven (many times over) with the confidence that can only come with ten years of continuously collected data?that brand and performance marketing go best together (see the May June 2023 issue of HBR) . . . Still the job of convincing customers of what brand is and isn’t is one that requires a lot of persistence. That’s why I *love* this illustration from Kevin Russell of Dark Forces. Not only does it reference the meta message of “The Treachery of Images” (chef's kiss for the professional reference to the classic art history 101 exercise). It is the PERFECT education on the very first thing you need to know if you care about brand. . . that “brand is in everything.”?

We grow most through pain. But, we grow steadily through the support and encouragement of the people around us. There are a lot of good expressions about the people we spend our time with: ??"Show me your friends and I'll show you your future." ??“You’re the average of the five people you spend the most time with” (Jim Rohn) ??“If you lie down with dogs, you will get up with fleas” (Ben Franklin) ??"Tell me with whom you consort with and I will tell you who you are."?(Goethe) ?? This morning, I’m reflecting on what a privilege it is to work with People who want to grow themselves and each other and Customers who inspire us.

Today is International Day of the Girl, and I'm reflecting on the hopes and dreams I have not just for my own daughter, but for all girls and women around the world. Inspired by advice I give my daughter, here are 10 truths I wish for every girl, around the world, to embrace. You are powerful beyond measure. Never forget it. #InternationalDayoftheGirl #WomenEmpowerment #DreamBig #SelfLove #DayoftheGirl #IamInpowered

Calling it an eye opening is an egregious understatement “If you didn’t have this urge to fight it out, what would you be?” I had just answered a question we routinely ask our customers “what is your core value” with the response “I’m enterprising. I always *always* figure it out.” Then I doubled down in an uncomfortable silence with “if I was dropped in the middle of the Paleolithic era, I would be fine. I would find a way to make it work.” To be clear, I have come to no answer to the question. My ability to find a way for myself and my companies to get through and up has been tremendously rewarding to me personally and professionally. But it has me thinking about a part of myself I don’t like much. I love to be a hero. . . I capital “L” love LOVE? it.? Not intellectually or at the macro level -- but in the moment, resounding yes. I love the feeling of having saved the day, or the customer, or to have helped someone in an "emergency." If? you’re working in very young companies, being a hero is a massive asset, until the inevitable day when it becomes a huge HUGE problem. Let me tell you when that happens . . .it’s when you're not a 10 person company anymore. And then it gets way way worse when you need to make the jump from startup to scale up mode. For my companies, that’s at the point and which you’ve found what works (or enough of what works) and need to be able to do more of it more efficiently. “Heroes don’t scale” is an expression for a reason. And if a hero goes on too long . . .it papers over a lot (maybe an infinite amount depending on the heroes capacity) of problems needing solutions, depriving the company of a chance to fortify and. . .in the worst cases, building on a foundation of sand. Here are some of the routine downsides of heroics that go on too long: Team downsides to heroics ?Dampens initiative ?Demotivates others ?Resets the baseline? ?Leaks time/productivity ?Creates a massive bus factor ?Masks problems. . .sometimes big problems Personal downsides to heroics ?Needing to apply increasing elbow grease as problems grow ?Suboptimal performance ?Resentment? ?Burnout ?Fatigue I'm sure there are MANY more. I have taken a lot of arrows being a “hero” and I’ve learned the hard way (again and again) . . . If you’ve got to do it more than twice, it doesn’t need a hero. . .it needs a real solution. h/t to Andrea Mantagena and to Rich Keller, The CATALYST (SCORE) for his work helping me (and 1M others) find their core value.

This #WorldMentalHealthDay, remember: mental health is critical for effective leadership. Being stressed, overwhelmed, or burnt out significantly affects decision-making, team morale, and company culture. Here are just a few mental health wins from my practice:? - A startup founder’s commitment to recovery weeks (prioritizing sleep, exercise, and eating better while working) kept them and their team sane following regularly intense work periods - Three leaders saw regular meditative breaks (weekly hikes, daily journaling, and backyard gardening) improve focus and creativity - An executive who sought therapy became more self-aware, empathetic, and approachable The good news?? You can take a major step toward better mental wellbeing today! Maybe it's blocking off "thinking time" in your calendar, starting a gratitude practice, or booking that therapy appointment you've been considering. If you feel comfortable sharing, drop what you plan to do below! I’ll go first…? # WMHD2024 #LeadershipWellness #ExecutiveMentalHealth #WorkplaceMentalHealth

Announcing the launch of the EVPowerInsights Premium Membership, a community created for leaders shaping EV charging infrastructure. Why Membership? EV industry executives, investors, and policymakers are navigating an increasingly complex market, where decisions need to be informed by the latest news, data, and trends. This membership provides the tools and insights to help leaders make confident decisions and “skate to where the puck is going.” This membership is our way of supporting the people driving EV adoption and the development of charging infrastructure. Robert Diamond and I are passionate about offering a resource that supports the companies being built, the capital invested, and the government initiatives implemented today that will shape how we live, work, and move for generations. Who benefits from Membership? - Executives driving electrification and infrastructure - Investors looking for the next big sustainable energy opportunity - Founders building the next generation of charging solutions - Policymakers shaping the future of transportation infrastructure Top 3 Benefits: - Insider Expertise: High-level analysis that empowers leaders to capture opportunities and maintain a competitive edge in a rapidly evolving market - Exclusive Connections: Build relationships with key decision-makers and thought leaders - Actionable Intelligence: Receive curated insights that go beyond the noise, highlighting the most essential factors for your company's success Membership gives you: - EVPowerPulse: Covering the business and policy of charging infrastructure - EVPowerPitch: Profiles of startups shaping the future of EV charging - Monthly Deep Dives: Detailed analyses of industry trends - Monthly Policy Briefings: Insights for a shifting regulatory landscape - Quarterly Industry Reports: In-depth reports on the state of the market - Private Dinners: Invitations to exclusive dinners - Priority Job Postings: Highlight job openings with our community --> Become a Premium Member by clicking here:? https://lnkd.in/ePcw86eJ