The Influencer List Day 12: Christopher Caldwell

Happy Weekend, welcome to the first Saturday of the new year! I hope it's a relaxing, enjoyable day for you all after the hard work you've put in this week to kickoff your new year strong 💪

Speaking of starting the new year off strong, I just wanted to say THANK YOU once more to all 2614 of you who have become Valence subscribers in the past week 🙏

We will continue to grow this community weekly through sharing not only what (and who) I find insightful, but what YOU find in your day-to-day inspires you through great storytelling and influential personal and corporate leadership, particularly in the energy & climate sectors. There are knowable and reproducible elements of great storytelling, and the combining efforts of each of us really does make something bigger and more impactful than the sum of its parts.

As we wrap up, I think it fitting to highlight someone who epitomizes the level of dedication and intention that comes with the modern story-centric CEO. They care enough about our collective mission and their role in it to create a personal brand and engage actively in helping tell the greatest story of our generation - the global transition away from fossil fuels toward a cleaner, decarbonized energy grid. As noted yesterday, I am also closing out this year's list with influencers who have leaned into video more than any other medium (though today's influencer has proven he's more-than-capable in writing as well) by building an audience on Youtube.

Please give a warm welcome to our final influencer YOU should be following in 2024!

Day 12: Christopher Caldwell

Christopher Caldwell has captured the attention of millions of viewers on Youtube over the last 18+ months with the launch of his Podcast & Youtube channel of in-person, candid interviews with climate experts. But, perhaps more importantly, Christopher is the CEO of United Renewables, a company whose mission is Empowering island communities with Renewable Energy. As noted on his website, "Climate change is the single greatest challenge facing our generation... electrification of the planet with renewable energy is a key part of the solution."

Christopher hosts the Conversation on Climate podcast; each episode offers an in-depth look at a specific topic, ranging from sustainable business practices and renewable energy sources to environmental policies and individual actions that can lead to positive change. I was relatively unfamiliar with Christopher until he posted on Linkedin a summary of his Season 1 revealing that they had garnered more than 1 Million views on Youtube! It's EXACTLY this kind of courageous and creative leadership that the industry as a whole needs more of. As CEO, Christopher certainly has "enough" on his plate, yet he intentionally carves out time to engage in these genuinely delightful and insightful interviews, and let's us all vicariously join in.

Christopher has become a leading voice for climate & renewable energy, and here are a few more reasons why you should follow them in 2024:

1. Innovation: Chris and their team at United Renewables are doing incredible work for island communities, helping them utilize renewable energy while continuing to educate them on the benefits of sustainable practices. United Renewables has installed numerous wind, solar and other renewable energy assets, so he speaks from experience when he delves into the 'why' with his expert guests.

2. Expertise: With over 15 years in renewable energy, Christopher has made a name for himself as a leading expert in climate change solutions. They are part of the Top 20 ranked Thought Leaders and Columnists at Illuminem, where he is also a regular contributor, as well as a LinkedIn Community "Top Voice" for Renewable Energy.

3. Communication: As the host of Conversations on Climate, Caldwell communicates the insights and findings of experts across the climate & energy spectrum in an engaging, clear (and enjoyable) manner. Christopher doesn't just communicate verbally, but also visually. Just take a look at the sleek, professional set design of each episode to see the level of investment (time & otherwise) they've put into the craft. The Conversations on Climate team have mastered the art of visual storytelling, and the engagement of their content is proof-positive they're getting noticed for it.

I am honored to be wrapping this series with such an influential figure in sustainability, and, as with post #1 with Alessandro Blasi to be going back across "the pond" to Europe making this a diverse & global list of influencers. Caldwell has shared his expertise with many, including this year's EOY Cleantech Podcaster's Roundtable discussing COP28. So round out your "following" list by adding Christopher Caldwell on LinkedIn and Threads and subscribe to Conversations on Climate on YouTube!

🎬 That's a wrap on this year's Valence Influencer List. It's difficult to pick just 12 folks who are turning the tide on the energy & climate narrative. Please congratulate Christopher and the rest of our 12 Influencers in the messages here on this post and the others in this series.

And, I'm sure I missed some truly noteworthy individuals, so that's where YOU come in. Please 🏷️ tag below OTHERS who similarly inspire YOU with their storytelling and creativity, and be sure to link to the channel you follow (LI, IG, TikTok, Youtube, etc) so we can all follow them and consider them for future lists.

🛎️ And, if you haven't already, subscribe to Valence and join the more than 2600 others who are eager to learn the fundamental elements of connecting the story of our clean energy revolution with the leaders and companies who are making it happen. Stick around and learn how storytelling can help your personal and professional branding in 2024.

Give it all you got 💪, but first, it's the weekend...give yourself a break.

See you next week.