Best Bret Kugelmass Podcasts (2024)

1
#077 Alex Komoroske: Systems Thinking, Builders vs Gardeners, and Working In Large Organizations 1:20:53

1h ago1:20:53

1:20:53

Topics: (00:00:00) - Intro (00:03:52) - The Gardener of Systems (00:07:43) - Builders vs. Gardeners (00:11:09) - Who are the best farmers of miracles? (00:16:52) - How did you become a “systems” person? (00:23:45) - What does Systems Thinking look like for you? (00:53:09) - Alex’s Slime Mold deck (00:55:12) - The iterative, adjacent possible (00:59…

1
Ep 455: Zach Peña - CEO, Empirix Partners 38:20

3d ago38:20

38:20

1) Zach’s journey from the United States Marine Corps to becoming the CEO of Empirix Partners, a strategic sourcing and procurement advisory 2) The growing connections between the data center and nuclear industries 3) Emerging trends and developments in the energy sector that Zach has been keeping an eye on 4) A deep dive into Empirix and what list…

1
Ep 117: Vanessa Chan - Chief Commercialization Officer and Director, Office of Technology Transitions, U.S. Department of Energy 51:48

11d ago51:48

51:48

1. Vanessa’s move to the United States and her early interests in the STEM field, as well as the passion for creation that eventually led to Vanessa being a seller on QVC 2. How Vanessa was introduced to the Department of Energy and began her career there 3. A deep dive into the work of the Office of Technology Transitions (OTT) and the mission beh…

1
Ep 454: Shaheen Dewji - Assistant Professor, Nuclear & Radiological Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology 34:06

9d ago34:06

34:06

1) Shaheen’s upbringing as a fourth generation farmer, her early interest in physics, and how her career eventually ended up on a path towards nuclear 2) How Shaheen’s early work lead to her current job as an educator in Georgia 3) The ways in which Shaheen stays updated on the latest developments in her field, as well as how they become incorporat…

1
#076 The Alliance of Entrepreneurs and Scientists with Arkady Kulik of RPV 1:24:45

17d ago1:24:45

1:24:45

Topics: (00:00:00) - Intro (00:04:43) - Russian interpretations of friendship (00:09:28) - Thoughts on the state of society and its rate of technological adoption (00:13:22) - Creating alliances between entrepreneurs, capitalists, and scientists (00:17:17) - Rick Rubin on Creativity in Investing (00:20:55) - Does Taste exist in the world of VC? (00…

1
Ep 453: Reed Clay - President, Texas Nuclear Alliance 35:45

18d ago35:45

35:45

1) Reed’s career journey and his experiences within the legal and government sectors, as well as how he became interested in nuclear energy 2) A bit about the Texas Nuclear Alliance and what the organization has accomplished since its creation in late 2022 3) How efforts that organizations put forth locally or at the state level fit into the federa…

1
Ep 116: Amy Harder - Executive Editor, Cipher 38:34

22d ago38:34

38:34

1. Amy’s upbringing on a cattle ranch in eastern Washington State and how this developed her understanding of energy and climate change, as well as how her interest in journalism first developed 2. What Cipher is, when it was founded, and the problem it’s trying to solve 3. What Amy thinks about the state of AI as a tool or supplement for clean tec…

1
Ep 452: Juliann Edwards - Chair, United States Women in Nuclear 36:15

22d ago36:15

36:15

1) How Juliann’s energy career began shortly after graduating from the University of South Florida 2) A deep dive into Women in Nuclear and how the organization has grown since being founded in 1999 3) What Juliann finds particularly interesting about the nuclear industry right now and where she keeps an eye out for regulatory news 4) How women can…

1
Ep 115: Paul Ellis - Sustainable Finance Consultant and Host, The Sustainable Finance Podcast 37:11

1M ago37:11

37:11

1. Sustainable investing in the early 2000’s and what drew Paul to the space early in its growth 2. The challenges investors are looking to solve when it comes to sustainable investing 3. A deep dive into The Sustainable Finance Podcast 4. The guests Paul enjoys speaking to on the podcast, as well as how the younger generation will positively impac…

1
Ep 114: Bryan Walsh - Editor, Future Perfect, Vox Media 38:19

1M ago38:19

38:19

1. How Bryan’s love of reading and writing translated into interests in global health, the future, and international news coverage relating to climate and energy 2. The tension between the need for reducing carbon emissions and increasing electricity demand 3. Bryan’s book and what motivated him to write it, as well as what the piece covers 4. A di…

1
Ep 451: Stefano Buono - Founder and CEO, newcleo 39:27

1M ago39:27

39:27

1) A re-introduction to Stefano Buono, the Founder and CEO of newcleo 2) Diving back into newcleo’s technology, the fuel landscape, and fast reactors 3) The intersection of being both pre-revenue and an established, growing company engaging with equipment suppliers 4) Stefano’s entrepreneurial background, the benefits of a higher temperature system…

1
#075 Flywheel Masterclass, Flying Planes, and Building For Creators with Nathan Barry of Convertkit 1:31:02

1M ago1:31:02

1:31:02

Topics: (00:00:00) - Intro (00:05:10) - The decision to live in Idaho (00:08:21) - Nathan’s flying hobby (00:15:09) - Building Flywheels (00:46:07) - Incentive compensation and giving people ownership (01:06:39) - Inflection points in building ConverKit (01:14:16) - How to work on a ton of things (01:23:15) - What are the rules of thumb you use the…

1
Ep 450: Bill Kennedy - Vice President, Environmental & Waste Mgmt. Issues, National Council on Radiation Protection 1:22:59

2M ago1:22:59

1:22:59

1) How Bill quite literally followed his dreams and ended up in the nuclear space, as well as the impactful experiences that shaped his education 2) A deep dive into the philosophy behind regulation and how the public typically views radiation (and why) 3) The current state of the nuclear landscape in regards to new builds and current nuclear law 4…

1
Ep 113: Jacqueline Novogratz - Founder and CEO, Acumen 52:48

2M ago52:48

52:48

1. Jacqueline’s background, an abundance of travel, and how it all lead her to a career in impact investing 2. What drove Jacqueline to begin her work tackling poverty and the first projects she chose to begin in this new space of impact investing 3. Acumen’s Hardest-to-Reach initiative and what it focuses on 4. The future of investing in clean ene…

1
Ep 112: Kate Gordon - CEO and Fmr. Sr. Advisor to the U.S. Sec. of Energy, California Forward 50:00

2M ago50:00

50:00

1. Kate’s background of many moves, tenant law, and an interest in clean energy conversations both domestically and internationally 2. How Kate ended up in the ground floor of the Apollo Alliance, the first green jobs organization in the United States 3. Kate’s transition from Apollo to the United States Department of Energy and how her experience …

1
Ep 449: Ieuan Williams - Labour Party Candidate, Ynys Môn 48:27

2M ago48:27

48:27

1) Ieuan’s background and interests - from music to politics and everything in between 2) The transformation of nuclear energy policy in the United Kingdom over the past five years 3) Ieuan’s campaign to become the next Member of Parliament for Ynys Môn, specifically Ieuan’s motivation to run as well as his platform 4) A take on what the future hol…

1
#74 Rolling Fun #8: New LPs, Mark-ups, Giant Guns for Space Cargo, How to Find a Lead Investor, Software for Manufacturing, AI for Ecomm. 56:09

2M ago56:09

56:09

Links: Join us in Rolling Fun! Hear our other Rolling Fun eps! Rolling Fun GPs: Al Doan - Founder of Creativity Inc., a $100m+ collection of e-commerce brands. Founder of Pretzel. BS from BYU Hawaii, OPM at HBS. Makes one hell of a peach cobbler. (Twitter, LinkedIn) Bo Fishback - Founder of Lightspeed Genomics (acq 2008), Orbis Biosciences (acq 202…

1
Ep 111: Leo Banchik - Director, Voyager Ventures 56:00

2M ago56:00

56:00

1. What motivated Leo to make a difference and become interested in clean energy technology 2. A deep dive into the many different types of carbon removal 3. Voyager’s investment thesis and how it resonates with Leo 4. The constantly evolving technologies of the energy transition and what we might see from them in the future…

1
Ep 448: Trey Lauderdale - Founder and CEO, Atomic Canyon 52:14

2M ago52:14

52:14

1) Trey’s early career and his experiences working closely with the healthcare industry 2) The massive growth of AI and how it can affect various industries, such as healthcare and energy, for the better 3) A deep dive into Atomic Canyon, the impetus for starting the company, and what Atomic Canyon is working on right now 4) Trey’s hopes for the fu…

1
Ep 447: Rachael Zisk - Lead Reporter, Ignition 31:14

2M ago31:14

31:14

1) Rachael, Lead Reporter for Ignition, discusses her background in journalism, focusing on business, science, and technology 2) Ignition, a new digital media outlet covering the nuclear energy sector, particularly advanced reactor startups and policy 3) An exploration between the nature of startups in the nuclear and space industries 4) The import…

1
#073 Rolling Fun #7: Q4 Updates: Nuclear Fusion, AI for Kids, AI Manufacturing — and how founders can find lead investors 50:23

2M ago50:23

50:23

Links: Join us in Rolling Fun! Hear our other Rolling Fun eps! Rolling Fun GPs: Al Doan - Founder of Creativity Inc., a $100m+ collection of e-commerce brands. Founder of Pretzel. BS from BYU Hawaii, OPM at HBS. Makes one hell of a peach cobbler. (Twitter, LinkedIn) Bo Fishback - Founder of Lightspeed Genomics (acq 2008), Orbis Biosciences (acq 202…

1
Ep 110: Michael Terrell - Senior Director for Energy and Climate, Google 41:23

3M ago41:23

41:23

1. What drew Michael into Google and the early iterations of renewable energy 2. Google’s leadership in the energy procurement realm 3. What Michael has learned about driving innovation over the years and some valuable lessons for problem-solving 4. Taking a look at advanced technology and what the future holds for energy generation…

1
Ep 446: Vince Zabielski - Partner, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP 48:01

3M ago48:01

48:01

1) Vince’s journey to nuclear power and how it all started at the Salem and Hope Creek Nuclear Generating Stations 2) Attitudes toward nuclear energy around the world as Vince has experienced them during his career 3) The barriers to a good solution for an inevitable problem 4) The importance of nuclear energy and how it will serve to uplift humani…

1
Ep 445: Kyle Hill - Science Communicator & Founder, [THE FACILITY] 1:12:04

3M ago1:12:04

1:12:04

1) Kyle’s journey into the world of content creation, the details that go into the art, and what interests drive him to keep creating 2) A long-awaited visit to the Dresden Generating Station and Kyle’s other experiences with learning about nuclear energy 3) The public’s common perceptions of nuclear energy content and how to adjust communication b…

1
Ep 444: Todd Abrajano - President & CEO, United States Nuclear Industry Council 42:22

3M ago42:22

42:22

1) Todd’s first encounter with the subject of nuclear energy and how he came to be the President and CEO of the United States Nuclear Industry Council 2) What Todd would say to a policymaker to emphasize the importance of the U.S. nuclear industry and accelerate development 3) The USNIC’s domestic and international reach 4) How the USNIC thinks abo…

1
Ep 443: Alan Howard - Nuclear Nexus: Data Centers, Episode 4 44:25

3M ago44:25

44:25

1) A deep dive into the recent growth of the data center industry and infrastructure 2) Power usage in data centers and the power that different components traditonally use 3) How data centers decide on siting and the relationship between this process and existing power supply 4) An exploration of nuclear data center development and recent conversa…

1
Ep 109: Charlie Donovan - Senior Economic Advisor, Impax Asset Management 51:54

4M ago51:54

51:54

1. Why everyone should care about and be invested in energy and the progression of the energy industry 2. How the energy transition may fundamentally change the industry and how this intersects with finance 3. The ways in which interest in the sustainable finance space has increased exponentially in the past decade 4. How communities will interact …

1
Ep 442: Robert Boswall & Michael Crabb - Nuclear Nexus: Data Centers, Episode 3 44:25

4M ago44:25

44:25

1) How the nuclear industry can adapt to the development of the data center industry and energy needs 2) The relationships between generation, transmission, and your end user 3) The ways in which baseload power generation is valuable to data centers and the benefits of co-location 4) Social perceptions of data centers and energy demand, as well as …

1
Ep 441: Shannon Bragg-Sitton & Bill Kleyman - Nuclear Nexus: Data Centers, Episode 2 51:51

4M ago51:51

51:51

1) An introduction to the relationship between nuclear energy and data centers 2) The different sizes of nuclear power plants, electricity demand from data centers, and factory manufacturing for nuclear 3) Data center leaders’ growing support for nuclear and the evolution of the procurement process 4) Use cases for nuclear and how nuclear power pla…

1
Ep 440: Michael Crabb & John Chaplin - Nuclear Nexus: Data Centers, Episode 1 14:01

4M ago14:01

14:01

1) An introduction to Nuclear Nexus, data centers, and what the rest of the series will hold 2) What the experts may discuss as the conversation surrounding data centers continues 3) Where the nuclear industry and data centers converge 4) The topics of energy reliability, power consumption, and data center development…

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