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Fighting Climate Change With Finance and Technology Solutions With Alex Wright-Gladstein, Sphere
10 November 202142 min

Fighting Climate Change

With Finance and Technology Solutions With Alex Wright-Gladstein, Sphere
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Contents:

Have you been investing in fossil fuels and climate change without realizing it?

Alex Wright-Gladstein, Founder, and CEO of Sphere, sits with A.J. Lawrence to discuss how the investment holdings of most people’s 401(k)s support the financing of fossil fuels. They also talk about her journey in climate change and sustainability, transitioning from being CEO of Ayar Labs to starting Sphere, and all the entrepreneurial lessons along the way.

Listen to this episode to learn more about climate change, entrepreneurship, and understanding where the finance in your investment holdings actually goes.

Alex Wright-Gladstein is an entrepreneur with a passion for addressing climate change.  She is also the Co-Founder of Ayar Labs founded in 2015, formerly OptiBit, a company transforming computing performance by moving data with light.

Importance of supporting businesses that deal with environmental issues

There are different reasons why you should support businesses that deal with environmental issues.

First off, these businesses actively work to address urgent environmental issues including habitat destruction, pollution, and climate change. By supporting these companies, we help them in their quest for answers and the adoption of environmentally friendly business practices.

Also, companies that support environmental issues frequently try to save and preserve natural resources. They are essential for maintaining biodiversity, safeguarding ecosystems, and guaranteeing resource sustainability. We actively contribute to the long-term resilience and health of our natural environment by patronizing these companies, customers.

Moreover, it can be beneficial to the economy to support environmentally focused businesses. Particularly in industries like sustainable agriculture, environmental consultancy, and renewable energy, these enterprises generate job opportunities. They support regional economies, encourage innovation, and draw eco-aware customers, which promotes market expansion and economic development. They also encourage corporate accountability and responsibility. Consumers send a strong message that sustainability is important when they deliberately choose to support companies that emphasize environmental challenges. This inspires further businesses to embrace green practices and think about their environmental impact, which results in a wider transition to sustainable business practices.

Last but not least, it is crucial for the welfare of both present and future generations to support companies that support environmental causes. These companies help to create a healthier and more sustainable living environment by decreasing pollution, preserving natural resources, and combating climate change. Public health, quality of life, and the general wellbeing of people and communities are all directly benefited by this.

What do entrepreneurs need to be intentional about and focus on?

[22:39] “Be really intentional about hiring. It can be so easy to take shortcuts and bring someone on because you desperately need to fill a gap, but it is very hard to reverse mistakes.”

Episode highlights:

  • Meet Alex Wright-Gladstein, Founder and CEO of Sphere – 00:50
  • Alex shares where she stands in her entrepreneurial journey – 03:51
  • The difference switching from technology to finance – 08:18
  • The importance of developing a community focus when creating a movement – 12:08
  • The approach for advocating climate-friendly practices in companies today – 16:19
  • Alex explains the impact of each person’s “pocketbook” – 17:41
  • Alex talks about what had the most significant impact on improving her growth as an entrepreneur – 20:52
  • The intentionality required for building the right team – 23:29
  • Alex shares about what she currently finds really interesting – 27:42
  • How Alex defines success – 33:01
Connect with Alex Wright-Gladstein:
Resources mentioned:

Transcript

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