This week’s Leaders in Cleantech podcast guest, Ben Pullen, reminded me just how tough life can be sometimes, and in business terms one of the 2020’s many nightmare sectors must be the events industry. I’m fortunate to speak at and attend many cleantech events globally, and that’s how I first met Ben, but that sector fell off a cliff with the COVID-19 lockdowns.
It’s also important to remember, entrepreneurs are humans too! We have families, relationships, celebrations and bereavements. Ben had to deal with these issues too, as we all do, and shared how that can impact and challenge your business.
Ben, who is CEO and Co-Founder of the brilliant events company Generation.E joined me to talk about his fascinating journey from Bristol to Dubai via South Africa and how he has faced the challenges of 2020 head on.
Here is our summary of the key insights from Ben:
1. Money can be made by setting out to do good things – a lesson I learn continuously but it’s worth repeating. If there was a list of criteria for successful entrepreneurship this would definitely come at the top somewhere very close to do something that you truly love doing.
2. Events, events and yet more events….it seemed before lockdown that the cleantech industry was addicted to events, like most of you I could have spent most of my week, every week, at one or more ‘must attend’ conferences. Ben and I discussed how the best of them are now converting into valuable online digital spaces so maybe the challenges of Covid will bring some much needed consolidation. You can check out what you think of Ben’s Smarter Mobility Europe event on 1- 3 July.
3. And finally, Ben’s inspiration is Isambard Kingdom Brunel and his amazing Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol, UK – if you think you face an insurmountable task ahead just look what he was able to do over 150 years ago at the age of 23!
Hear more from Ben on my latest podcast here, and hear from me at Ben’s next event Smarter Mobility Live on July 1-3. Click image for more information.
My passion for this intersection of business and cleantech has driven me for years, and after just a little bit of badgering, I launched my personal website, to share some of the things I do as well as leading the amazing team at Hyperion Executive Search. You can find that here www.davidhunt.co
I’m super excited at some of the podcast guests we have lined up, I have learned so much from the 50+ CEOs and Thought Leaders I’ve already interviewed. I hope you have benefited from them too. Please do share your thoughts and feedback.
Best regards
David
