The Plucky Bamboo Podcast

Chris Jones
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  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Weekly

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. Jul 9

    Alexander Blum of Applied Bioplastics talks bioplastics pricing, manufacturing & profitability

    Bioplastics have existed for over 30 years. After three decades of government grants, investor capital, and charismatic founders, the industry still hasn't produced a genuinely profitable company. Alexander Blum, founder of Applied Bioplastics, is trying to be the first. In this episode, Alex breaks down why an industry the world needs has struggled to make money: the gap between scientific leadership and business leadership, a pricing problem that shuts bioplastics out of the markets where plastic actually gets used, and a funding model addicted to grants and capital instead of customers. He also gets into distributed vs. centralised manufacturing, the funding rounds Applied Bioplastics has lost to a pandemic, a crypto crash, and a war, and why "the tech will speak for itself" is the most expensive belief a founder can hold. Find Alex Blum on LinkedIn and learn more about Applied Bioplastics at applied-bioplastics.com. ———Building a climate or sustainability business and feel like the growth still runs through you?Take the free Growth Diagnostic - 6 minutes to find the biggest bottleneck holding your growth back, and see how you compare to 300+ climate founders: pluckybamboo.com/growth-diagnostic

  2. Apr 16

    Akhila Kosaraju of What If Design talks climate tech messaging, UX & selling to non-technical buyers

    Climate tech has a communication problem. And it's slowing down the entire industry. Akhila Kosaraju, co-founder of What If Design, works with deep tech climate companies on design, messaging, and product experience. She's seen brilliant founders with world-changing technology lose deals, confuse buyers, and waste months of development - all because of how they present their work. In this episode, we dig into why technical founders struggle to talk to business buyers, how to build trust with stakeholders before your product is ready, and what great design actually means beyond logos and pretty websites. If you're building in the climate space and wondering why your message isn't landing, this episode will be helpful! ———Building a climate or sustainability business and feel like the growth still runs through you?Take the free Growth Diagnostic - 6 minutes to find the biggest bottleneck holding your growth back, and see how you compare to 300+ climate founders: pluckybamboo.com/growth-diagnosticThe Plucky Bamboo Podcast: sustainability founders on how they actually grow - demand, sales, and the systems behind it. Hosted by Chris Jones.

  3. Mar 4

    Gilad Regev of Kora talks real-time carbon tracking, CFO buy-in & making climate action commercial

    Climate action without measurement is guesswork. In this episode, Gilad Regev explains how Kora is building real-time carbon tracking tools to turn employee behavior into measurable decarbonization. We explore the gap between intention and action - and why most companies still treat sustainability as a reporting function instead of a strategic lever. We discuss: Why carbon data must be real-time to drive change Why many CSOs lack the budget to execute How CFOs respond when climate ties to cost savings The limits of regulation and top-down policy How to engage entire organizations on Scope 3 emissions Gilad’s perspective is clear: sustainability cannot sit in one department. It must create financial value and organizational engagement - or it won’t scale. If you’re operating in enterprise climate tech or building tools for corporate decarbonization, this episode offers both strategic and tactical insight. ———Building a climate or sustainability business and feel like the growth still runs through you?Take the free Growth Diagnostic - 6 minutes to find the biggest bottleneck holding your growth back, and see how you compare to 300+ climate founders: pluckybamboo.com/growth-diagnosticThe Plucky Bamboo Podcast: sustainability founders on how they actually grow - demand, sales, and the systems behind it. Hosted by Chris Jones.

  4. Feb 27

    Helen Zhang of Coffee Elf talks circular business models, commercialization & climate profitability

    Sustainability isn’t sustainable without revenue. In this episode, Helen Zhang shares how she’s building Coffee Elf -a company transforming commercial coffee waste into bio-based materials and cosmetic ingredients. What started as a kitchen experiment is now evolving into a circular system spanning industrial sourcing, processing, and downstream partnerships. We discuss: Why climate founders must commercialize early How to navigate small buyers vs. enterprise procurement teams The complexity of building physical infrastructure in climate tech The overlooked strategic framework climate startups need Why profit and purpose must coexist Helen’s perspective is clear: you’re not building a charity. You’re building a business and profitability is what allows impact to scale and last. ———Building a climate or sustainability business and feel like the growth still runs through you?Take the free Growth Diagnostic - 6 minutes to find the biggest bottleneck holding your growth back, and see how you compare to 300+ climate founders: pluckybamboo.com/growth-diagnosticThe Plucky Bamboo Podcast: sustainability founders on how they actually grow - demand, sales, and the systems behind it. Hosted by Chris Jones.

  5. Feb 24

    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. ———Building a climate or sustainability business and feel like the growth still runs through you?Take the free Growth Diagnostic - 6 minutes to find the biggest bottleneck holding your growth back, and see how you compare to 300+ climate founders: pluckybamboo.com/growth-diagnosticThe Plucky Bamboo Podcast: sustainability founders on how they actually grow - demand, sales, and the systems behind it. Hosted by Chris Jones.

  6. Feb 20

    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. ———Building a climate or sustainability business and feel like the growth still runs through you?Take the free Growth Diagnostic - 6 minutes to find the biggest bottleneck holding your growth back, and see how you compare to 300+ climate founders: pluckybamboo.com/growth-diagnosticThe Plucky Bamboo Podcast: sustainability founders on how they actually grow - demand, sales, and the systems behind it. Hosted by Chris Jones.

  7. 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.

  8. 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. ———Building a climate or sustainability business and feel like the growth still runs through you?Take the free Growth Diagnostic - 6 minutes to find the biggest bottleneck holding your growth back, and see how you compare to 300+ climate founders: pluckybamboo.com/growth-diagnosticThe Plucky Bamboo Podcast: sustainability founders on how they actually grow - demand, sales, and the systems behind it. Hosted by Chris Jones.

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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
    48
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Chris Jones
  • Show Website
    The Plucky Bamboo Podcast