“Governor Schwarzenegger gave me that moniker. I wear it proudly. We’re very much intent here in San Jose to be the world center of clean tech innovation; we have our Green Vision with very big bold goals and so I’m happy to be the Green Mayor.”
On his modest beginnings
“I know what it’s like to be poor. I started working when I was in elementary school….I worked in the fields digging trenches -literally – that taught me the value of hard work.”
On his road to San Jose
“I aspired to go to California because of the Beach Boys. All that singing about California beaches and cars and girls and surfing all sounded like great fun. And guess what? It is!”
On his motivations for going green
“I can look back to a conversation I had with a Marine Major in our environmental business cluster. I’m an Air-Force veteran myself… and he said he was tired of paying for both sides of the war, that our energy policy and our consumption of foreign oil was basically funding the Iranians, the Saudis, the Venezuelans, the Russians. He was working on a solar project…and I realized what they were doing in Silicon Valley was actually to give us an opportunity for energy independence and give the world energy independence from oil and fossil fuels.”
I met with San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed at his swanky corner office on the 18th floor of the gleaming City Hall just three days after Barack Obama was elected President of the United States. We discuss what this historic election means for Chuck and his Green Vision for Silicon Valley; and how he got his moniker The Green Mayor. We also explore:
1. Chuck’s own dramatic journey from poverty in Garden City, Kansas (digging trenches) to top public servant in Silicon Valley
2. How the Beach Boys influenced that journey
3. Why his military background helped shape his green motivations today
4. What Mike Honda said to inspire his bold Green Vision
5. Why Silicon Valley companies from Fairchild to startups are getting into clean tech.
6. How a Green Mayor walks the green walk at home and why his lawn has brown spots.
To listen to Part Two of the interview on Tesla, tactics for attracting clean tech etc, click here
In part two of my interview with Laurie Yoler of Growth Point Technologies we explore the historic role Tesla Motors has played in changing the way consumers and car manufacturers view alternative energy vehicles. Tesla founder, Elon Musk says he wants to make Tesla the Apple of electric cars, but for now, he’s had to downshift on his new model plans.
How did Tesla wake up large car makers to the fact that consumers were demanding more choices?
What was Laurie’s role in the early days of Tesla Motors? Why was she so passionate about the company’s mission?
Why did Tesla choose San Jose for its new manufacturing plant and headquarters?
What is Laurie’s motivation for backing clean technology? Does she want to save the planet or make a buck? Or both?
I met with Growth Point Technology Partners Managing Director, Laurie Yoler just 12 days after the historic bailout of the US financial system was signed into law. She’s a seasoned investor in emerging technology, a specialist in clean tech and serves on the board of Tesla Motors, where she was an angel investor. Laurie gives a fascinating insight into the psyche of venture capitalists at this historic time and explains why she remains optimistic. We also explore these questions:
How long will it take before the market stabilizes?
How will the IPO, Merger & Aquisition and private placement markets be affected by the financial turmoil? What about those frothy valuations?
What clean tech trends have emerged this year?
What’s hot in clean tech and why is clean tech in Europe ahead of the US?
I interviewed LinkedIn director, April Kelly, at the Women In Technology International (WITI) conference in Silicon Valley. She’s a former PayPal executive who describes herself as an effervescent leader and energetic coach. I asked her:
– why is it worth joining a (biz) social networking site like LinkedIn?
– tips on building our brand and optimizing our online profile?
– how can you rebrand yourself and build a new career using LinkedIn tools? (April has some great ideas for you if you’ve lost your job, or are looking for a new opportunities)
She outlines how to use “recommendations” and “answer” forums to build your reputation and establish your expertise online. Checkout her online profile if you need inspiration.
