The Plucky Bamboo Podcast

Chris Jones
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We feature some of the top business leaders in Sustainability, talking through their growth challenges and how they're solving them. From marketing & sales to recruitment & retention, what does it actually take to grow an impact-first business today? If you're growing a Sustainability business or want to move into it, this show is a must-listen for you. Learn from the brightest and most cutting-edge minds in the sector!

  1. 1D AGO

    Mallika Reddy of Cancelled Plans talks scale, sustainability & selling without greenwashing

    What does real scale look like in a sustainability business? For Mallika Reddy, founder of Cancelled Plans, it doesn’t mean producing more. It means producing differently. Mallika’s studio transforms industrial waste, from pharmaceutical packaging to billboard misprints, into high-value design pieces. But along the way, she’s had to confront some uncomfortable truths about growth, marketing, and what actually drives adoption. In this episode, we explore: Why “saving the planet” isn’t a strong enough sales message The tension between profitability and purpose How to pivot without losing your core philosophy Why performance marketing failed and what worked instead How founder-led storytelling builds credibility in a world of greenwashing This is an honest conversation about redefining scale, resisting overproduction, and building a sustainability business that can stand commercially, not just morally.

    32 min

  2. 6D AGO

    Jane Melia of Harvest Thermal talks heat pumps, product-market fit & scaling climate tech

    Clean heat is one of the biggest pieces of the climate puzzle - but it won’t scale unless it makes financial sense. In this episode of The Plucky Bamboo Podcast, I sat down with Jane Melia, Co-Founder and Chief Revenue Officer of Harvest Thermal, to explore what it really takes to bring climate hardware into the mainstream. Harvest combines heat pumps with thermal storage to deliver low-carbon heating and hot water that cuts emissions by around 90% - while lowering bills and supporting grid flexibility. But this conversation goes far beyond the technology. Jane shares: Why economics - not emissions - determine whether climate solutions scale The reality of product-market fit in climate tech Why go-to-market is often harder than building the product What founders underestimate about selling into utilities and infrastructure The mindset shift required when transitioning from CEO to CRO Why hiring the right team is one of the most important decisions a founder makes This episode is a practical look at scaling sustainability in the real world - where incentives, timing, and trust matter just as much as innovation.

    30 min

  3. FEB 17

    Brett Walter of Climate Action Now talks civic action, climate advocacy & scaling impact through technology

    Turning climate concern into meaningful action is one of the biggest challenges facing the sustainability movement today. In this episode of The Plucky Bamboo Podcast, I sat down with Brett Walter, founder & CEO of Climate Action Now, to explore how technology can mobilise individuals to drive systemic climate impact. After a career building scalable software in Silicon Valley, Brett launched the Climate Action Now app on Earth Day 2021 with a clear goal: make it easy for people to influence legislation, corporate behaviour, and public policy directly from their phones. But creating the platform was only the beginning. Sustaining engagement, motivating action, and scaling participation required deep thinking around behavioural psychology, product design, and advocacy strategy. In this conversation, we explore: • Why systemic action scales faster than lifestyle change • How software can amplify individual climate impact • The psychology behind sustained user engagement • Why fear-based messaging often limits participation • The role of hope in driving climate action • Monetisation strategies for impact platforms • The challenges of scaling civic advocacy technology • Advice for founders building mission-driven startups If you’re building at the intersection of climate, technology, and systems change - this episode offers a thoughtful look at how digital platforms can turn awareness into action at scale.

    40 min

  4. FEB 13

    Marc McConnaughey of Biobond Adhesives talks product-market fit, scaling bio-based materials & industrial adoption

    Commercialising sustainable materials is one of the hardest and most misunderstood challenges in climate tech. In this episode of The Plucky Bamboo Podcast, I sat down with Marc McConnaughey, CEO of Biobond Adhesives, to unpack what it really takes to bring bio-based industrial products to market. Biobond is on a mission to replace petroleum-based chemicals in adhesives and coatings with plant-based alternatives - removing microplastics, VOCs, and harmful toxins from global supply chains. But as Marc explains, breakthrough technology alone isn’t enough. Success depends on execution, market timing, customer adoption, and the ability to sell into industries that are often slow to change. In this conversation, we explore: • Why the #1 startup failure is building something the market doesn’t need • Why execution accounts for the majority of startup success • How to identify early adopter “rabbit customers” • The psychological and commercial barriers to industry change • The role of sales capacity in driving growth • How regulation and labour pressures influence adoption • Lessons from failed sustainability scale-ups • What the future holds for bio-based materials If you’re a founder, operator, or commercial leader scaling innovation in sustainability, manufacturing, or materials - this episode offers a grounded look at the realities behind impact.

    33 min

  5. FEB 10

    Emilio Sassine of Cedrus talks AI in real estate, energy audits & climate tech commercialisation

    In this episode of The Plucky Bamboo Podcast, I sat down with Emilio Sassine, Founder & CEO of Cedrus, to talk about what it really takes to commercialise AI in the built environment. Cedrus is building a platform that helps real estate owners reduce emissions across building portfolios - using AI to replace static energy audits with dynamic, data-driven retrofit planning. But as Emilio shared, the technology is only part of the story. A big part of the challenge is trust. When you’re selling innovation - especially AI - to engineers, asset managers, and technical experts, you’re asking people to rethink how they’ve worked for decades. And that creates friction. In our conversation, we explore: • What early sales look like when your product is still being built • The challenge of selling AI to technical stakeholders • How Cedrus uses data to reduce building emissions at scale • Why founders need to challenge their own value proposition first • Balancing customer feedback with product vision • Lessons from moving from MVP to a market-ready platform One insight that stuck with me was Emilio’s view that before convincing anyone else, founders need to be fully convinced themselves - stress-testing their product, positioning, and differentiation. If you’re building in climate tech, proptech, or energy, especially with an AI layer, this episode offers a grounded look at the commercial realities behind bringing innovation to market.

    29 min

  6. FEB 6

    Josh Knauer of ReSeed talks carbon markets, farmer income & ecosystem services

    In this episode of The Plucky Bamboo Podcast, I sat down with Josh Knauer, Co-Founder & CEO of ReSeed, to explore how environmental markets can work better for the farmers at the centre of them. Josh has spent his career building businesses at the intersection of technology, sustainability, and economic inclusion. Through ReSeed, he’s focused on a simple but powerful idea: If we want farmers to deliver climate impact, they need to share in the financial value it creates. The conversation unpacks how carbon and ecosystem markets function today - and why many have historically been inaccessible to smallholder farmers due to cost, complexity, and delayed revenue. Josh shares how ReSeed is helping farmers generate income from environmental data, connect to global carbon markets, and participate in new financial systems that reward land stewardship. Together, we discuss: • Why ecosystem service markets have struggled to scale • The importance of early revenue in farmer adoption • Turning farm data into a new income stream • Building trust through partnership, not prescription • What founders must understand about emerging climate markets • The commercial realities behind nature-based solutions This episode offers a grounded look at what it really takes to align climate impact, farmer livelihoods, and scalable business models.

    37 min

  7. FEB 3

    Sara Baxter of Paperclip talks green premiums, trust & growing a values-led consumer brand

    Building a sustainability business isn’t just about good intentions.It’s about the trade-offs you make when values, margins, and growth collide. In this episode of The Plucky Bamboo Podcast, I’m joined by Sara Baxter, Co-Founder and CEO of Paperclip. Sara shares what it’s really like to build a consumer sustainability brand under real commercial pressure - from absorbing higher material costs to competing with cheaper alternatives and navigating growth without losing trust. We talk about: Why sustainable materials often come with a “green premium” How founders decide when to protect margins vs values The reality of DTC and wholesale growth for early-stage brands Why influencer marketing and agencies often disappoint How trust, education, and transparency shape long-term demand The hard lessons Sara learned as a founder - and what she’d do differently This episode is for sustainability founders and operators who want an honest look at what it takes to grow a values-led business without shortcuts.

    25 min

  8. JAN 30

    Brad Stutzman of o3 Energy talks commercial solar, messaging & market pivots

    In this episode of The Plucky Bamboo Podcast, Chris Jones sits down with Brad Stutzman, Founder and CEO of o3 Energy, to talk about what actually drives adoption in commercial renewable energy. Brad shares lessons from building o3 Energy across residential, commercial, and small utility-scale markets - including when to pivot, how to evaluate new offerings, and why many sustainability messages fail to resonate with business decision-makers. Rather than leading with ideology, Brad explains why successful renewable energy companies focus on outcomes that can be measured: energy costs, risk reduction, grid reliability, and operational impact. The conversation also covers how o3 Energy works with real estate owners and developers, why relationships and trust still matter in B2B sales, and how founders can make clearer decisions in fast-changing markets. This episode is for sustainability founders, operators, and commercial leaders who want a grounded, practical view of how renewable energy gets adopted in the real world.

    25 min
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About

We feature some of the top business leaders in Sustainability, talking through their growth challenges and how they're solving them. From marketing & sales to recruitment & retention, what does it actually take to grow an impact-first business today? If you're growing a Sustainability business or want to move into it, this show is a must-listen for you. Learn from the brightest and most cutting-edge minds in the sector!

Information

  • Creator
    Chris Jones
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    44
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Chris Jones
  • Show Website
    The Plucky Bamboo Podcast