Au40 Past Winners: Where Are They Now?
With the 2015 Austin Under 40 Awards just around the corner, past winner John King shares some thoughts on mentorship, clean technology, and community involvement.
In 2013 you won the award for the Technology & Sciences category. What changes have you seen in the industry since then? I was honored to win in Technology and Sciences before there was an Energy, Cleantech and Environmental Services Category. My work was focused on Cleantech cluster development and economic development. Since 2013, our region has seen continued growth in the energy sector and a lot of exciting developments. We have very successful companies such as Omni Water Solutions that are providing water recycling solutions for drilling operations, companies such as Ideal Power, which went through a successful IPO, and at least one major acquisition – SunPower’s purchase of SolarBridge. Beyond the growth and success of the industry, one thing in particular that I have noticed is an emergence of companies and technologies that transcend traditional products, services and technologies in a manner that leverages Austin’s strengths to advance new business and technical models. While Austin’s energy sector still includes a lot of traditional companies and technologies such as solar manufacturers, oil and gas companies, and power generators and retailers, the industry is also developing in a way that draws the intellectual and creative sector into an aging industry, making it more efficient, effective, reliable, and ultimately, cleaner. It’s exciting to see the impact that Austin’s energy sector is having on the greater industry, infusing innovation, technology, and creative thinking into an industry that desperately needs it. As a young professional, how do you find ways to prioritize being involved in the larger Austin community? It’s a challenge. There are a lot of great causes in this town and it’s easy to get spread too thin. Right now I am focused on providing the best and most inclusive personal and professional development platform though the Austin Young Chamber of Commerce (AYC). I’m able to give a significant amount of time and resources to the organization because I’ve been involved now for almost four years, we have an incredible Board of Directors, and an outstanding staff. I’ve gotten so much out of it that giving back to the organization doesn’t feel like work. I’m also very involved in the cleantech community through my role as Vice Chair on the CleanTX Board of Directors. I guess at the end of the day, I have been very fortunate to get involved with great organizations that are made up of incredible people. Austin is an incredible place. I think anyone that reaches out and gets involved will eventually find what drives them. At that point, it’s just about prioritizing what gets you excited and what allows you to have a positive impact, no matter how small - constant reassessing, reevaluating, and realigning. What does the Austin community mean to you? Home. I had the good fortune of growing up in Austin and I am proud to be a third generation Austinite. When I got back after college, I had a lot of help and support from family and friends. Everyone here wants to see others succeed and do well. People here are always willing to lend a helping hand. Austin is a community-centered city and people here are generous with their time and expertise. We care for our own, and for others. It’s part of what makes Austin so special and such a desirable place to be.
Do you have a mentor? What has been one of the more important things that you’ve learned from them, or from the mentorship experience?
Yes, I have a few. I will say that in general, what I have learned most from the mentorship experience is that when faced with a challenge, consult those whom you trust and consider all the information, but always go with your intuition and your heart. We have an amazing capacity to know what is right and what we should do, but I think we are conditioned to mistrust ourselves.
Two specific things that I have learned from my mentors: the first was from a spiritual practitioner who told me to pay attention not to “why” I am making decisions, but rather to the “where.” That is, where am I making this decision from? Is it from a place of love and abundance, or am I making this decision from a place of fear and insecurity? If it is from a place of love, then we are likely to do the right thing.
The second is something that Heather McKissick once told me when I was trying to make a major decision about my place of employment. Heather said, “John, you have to ask yourself, are you running from something, or to something?” Heather seems to teach me something of major significance every time I talk with her, but this particular lesson is one which I revisit on a weekly basis. It’s important to keep things in perspective and to really be sure that we are going after things that are worth pursuing, otherwise we can spend the majority of our lives running from things that maybe aren’t all that bad.
What are you working on today? Any new projects on the horizon?
Today I am working business development with SparkCognition. It’s a really exciting cognitive computing company that is doing groundbreaking work in predictive analytics and cyber security – one of these unique Austin companies that is infusing innovation, technology, and creative thinking into the energy industry. I’m still involved with YMBL, The AYC, CleanTX, and Leadership Austin. My goal right now is to not take on any new projects, but make sure I am managing and maintaining my current projects at a high level of productivity and effectiveness. Any new projects I take on will involve a plane ride or a long drive, and a disconnect from Wi-Fi and cell service.
Join us for the 2015 awards on March 7 and find out more at austinunder40.org