My Climate Journey: Update #14 (January 2020)

Feb 03, 2020

Hi all,

If you are new to this list, welcome! This is an update to My Climate Journey, which I have been sending once a month to keep people posted on the ground I have been covering, what I am learning along the way, my evolving worldview, and the key areas I am planning to tackle next. It is meant both to be forced accountability (it is hard working alone!), and also a way to enable others who care about climate change to better understand the nature of the problem and what they can do about it.

SUMMARY

The pod is rocking. I feel really great about the rhythm and momentum there, and the metrics show it (downloads up 50% month-over-month!). And it is not just a data story, I get inbound feedback from real humans every day that validate the pod is making a difference!

And now, the slack room is rocking too. There have been an influx of new members there, engagement levels and caliber of the discussion have been super high, and some real output is starting to come out of there, as well!

And as you may remember, I committed last month to organizing an MCJ event this year. But before I could, MCJ listeners started self-organizing them in the slack room in their local cities! There is one next week in SF that has I think 40 or 50 people signed up at last count, and even a sponsor lined up (thanks Congruent Ventures!).

I am feeling so good about the direction and momentum, that I finally set up a real entity last week. So, I guess I am officially back at it! :)

VISION FOR MCJ

Well, it is still very much a work in progress, but the big ah-ha for me was that MCJ is not a podcast, it is an ethos, representing dedication, optimism, ambition, and collaborative spirit towards addressing the problem of climate change.

The pod was the first channel by which the MCJ ethos was brought to life (or actually this newsletter before that, if you wan’t to get technical), but there are a number of other ways that brand promise can be fulfilled over time. The pod should and will continue, and media has a bigger role to play beyond the pod. There is also a role for physical and virtual events, and that will be an area for expansion. And there is a role for investing, in getting more capital into the space, allocating it into high potential climate tech ventures, and leveraging the MCJ platform to help these companies reach their full potential.

GOALS FROM LAST MONTH AND RESULTS

CLARITY ON POD BUSINESS MODEL

Done. There will be a sponsorship model, at least initially. Thoughtful, mission-aligned partners incorporated thoughtfully up front.

MCJ EVENT PLANNING IN MOTION

I haven’t started planning the main event, but the local meetups popping up in places like SF and NY (and others in the works) are informing this effort!

GO/NO-GO DECISION ON ANGELLIST SYNDICATE

I think AngelList syndicate will be a no-go, but not because I don’t plan to step up my investing efforts. I will have more to say on this topic down the road :)

GOALS FOR NEXT MONTH

HIRE PAID INTERN OR CHIEF OF STAFF

Someone to come in and take the podcast operations off of my plate. This includes writing show notes, coordinating with editor, pulling out audio snippets for marketing, helping prep for upcoming episodes, etc. Prior podcast experience not required. Ideally, it is someone that doesn’t mind doing this non-sexy tactical work, because they are either excited to be an entrepreneur some day and want to learn from an experienced founder, passionate about helping with climate change and want to use this as an entry point, or both. There is also potential to take on more responsibility over time and grow into a member of the founding team.

GET POD SPONSOR MODEL IMPLEMENTED WITH ONE SPONSOR

Seeing some example media decks for other podcasts or talking to brands that could be potentially interested in sponsoring (who are misson-aligned, and ideally already fans of the pod) would be helpful.

ATTEND AT LEAST ONE MCJ EVENT