What do product leaders need to consider when finding product market fit with customer insights? The scale and urgency of the transformation required to fight climate change has never been more clear. Building hardware and software products, acquiring the funding and creating a diverse community to enhance talent capacity and to drive innovation, is essential to tackling this global environmental crisis. In this podcast, Silicon Valley Bank (a division of First Citizens Bank) Climate Tech & Sustainability SVP Maggie Wong will be interviewing Carbon Collective Investing President Breene Murphy to discuss finding product market fit and scalability through understanding customer needs, optimizing adoption with user friendly process flow and technology, as well as leveraging market signals and relevant stakeholders to amplify product impact.
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Show Notes
- Maggie Wong hosts the Climate Tech podcast, which discusses products that make the world a better place in climate tech and sustainability.
- Breene Murphy’s personal journey into climate activism was inspired by her grandmother’s legacy and community involvement.
- Carbon Collective Investing was founded to address the issues with passive investing and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) investing, which still include fossil fuels.
- Carbon Collective Investing aims to stop investing in fossil fuel expansion and increase investments in climate solutions.
- The company offers financial products like an ETF and target date funds that divest from fossil fuels and reinvest in climate solutions.
- Educating investors on financial literacy and the importance of investment timelines is a key challenge for Carbon Collective Investing.
- The company pivoted to focus on 401(k) plans, recognizing the demand for sustainable investing in workplace retirement plans.
- Carbon Collective Investing’s “design spike” process aims to create a platform for inclusive decision-making and incorporating diverse perspectives.
- Breene acknowledges the company’s current lack of diversity and the importance of listening to and incorporating diverse perspectives.
- Breene sees the climate tech space as embodying the collaborative and innovative spirit of America.
- The company sees opportunities to use no-code apps to enhance financial literacy and educational resources for HR leaders and employees.
- Breene expresses excitement about the potential for software development to support sustainable investing.
- Aspiring climate product managers should research the climate world using resources like “Designing Your Life” and Project Drawdown.
- Connecting with communities and networks in the climate tech space is crucial for aspiring product managers.
- Product managers should focus on their strengths and market signals, iterating from a solid foundation.
- Understanding the organization’s mission, consumer base, and metrics are key for successful product management.
- Startups often die from drowning in too many options, rather than thirst, so focus is essential.
- Breene emphasizes the importance of understanding where the market is pulling you and solving the problems that consumers want solved.
- This episode aims to inspire and educate product managers and industry professionals about the importance of addressing climate change.
About the speaker
Breene Murphy is the president of Carbon Collective Investing, a climate focused investment advisor that specializes in 401(k)s/403(b)s for employers, individual accounts, and investment produts. He's passionate about unblocking people in the climate community to help us solve our generation's most important problem. He writes about climate, investing, careers on LinkedIn, and when not working he's with his family, reading, or surfing!
About the host
Maggie Wong is an accomplished product management and capital markets leader with over 15 years of experience in driving product strategy, delivering global products, fundraising & capital allocation, and leading cross-functional teams. Outside of her role at Silicon Valley Bank to support New York / East Coast based climate tech companies and investors, she is also experienced in increasing program impact, growing community reach and implementing DEI initiatives at travel and fintech non-profits. Maggie is passionate about making a social impact for the next generation, tackling climate change and traveling. She is fluent in Mandarin and Cantonese and a beginner in Spanish.