Exploring Energy Storage and Entrepreneurial Struggles with Mike Simpson, Founder and Chief Commercial and Product Officer at Cheesecake Energy | Season Six, Episode Five
Welcome to Season Six of Conversations in Cleantech! From inspiring stories and words of wisdom to future foresight and the tech from the bleeding edge of cleantech, during this season you can expect to learn all about how pioneering start-ups and the founders at their helm are propelling us towards a cleaner, greener tomorrow. In this episode, we’re joined by Mike Simpson, Founder and Chief Commercial and Product Officer at Cheesecake Energy. Contrary to the name, Cheesecake Energy is not a purveyor of desserts! Instead, they are a pioneering cleantech start-up developing thermal and compressed air energy storage technology. Despite Mike's background in aerospace engineering, by the time he had finished studying in the field, he knew he wanted to live his purpose and work in cleantech. The perfect listen for those curious about cutting-edge cleantech or founders looking for fascinating facts about start-up life; this episode covers all you could need to know, including the challenges of innovating new technologies; funding challenges and strategies for securing grants and investments; the traits of successful entrepreneurs that Mike has observed; and the advice he would give his 16-year-old self. Get ready to be inspired to live your purpose in cleantech! Timestamped guide: 00:49 - Introduction to Mike 02:15 - For listeners who don't know Cheesecake Energy: who are you and what is your mission? 04:25 - What is the real-world usage for energy storage? 06:39 - How was the idea of Cheesecake Energy born, and how did you bring the team together? 07:57 - How have you found trying to grow the business at the right rate, ensuring you’ve got the right grants, the right funding or the right investment? 10:21 - What are the top challenges you’ve faced to date? 13:22 - What are the things you didn’t expect with growing a team? 20:40 - How do you destress? 22:20 - How do you keep a positive mindset? 23:30 - What are some of the traits of founders that you’ve seen that you think makes them successful? 25:53 - How much impact do you believe that startups will have in their wider battle on climate change versus the corporates? 28:04 - if you had to go back and give your 16-year-old self a piece of advice, what would that advice be? Connect with your host Jenny Gladman, on LinkedIn. Find your guest, Mike Simpson on LinkedIn. Thanks for listening to Conversations in Cleantech brought to you by Brightsmith. This is a Loaded Hype production.