S9 Ep61: Bright Ideas: Smarter Energy for Your Home with Cole Ashman
“In the entire decade of the 2000s, we had about a third of the billion-dollar weather disasters that we've had in the last three years. So in the last three years, we've surpassed threefold that entire previous decade. And it's not only fires in California and the West Coast— it's floods, it's storms, it's winter storms, wind storms. Most states are contending with this in some form or another.” —Cole Ashman
Tired of outdated power systems leaving you in the lurch? Discover how cutting-edge technology is putting the power back in your hands, offering a smarter, more reliable way to keep your home energized.
Inspired by the chaos of Hurricane Katrina, Cole Ashman has dedicated his career to transforming the energy landscape. With a background at Tesla and a passion for innovation, Cole founded Pila Energy to create affordable, smart home batteries that empower individuals and communities. His journey offers fresh insights into the democratization of energy technology.
Tune in as Justine and Cole tackle the challenges of outdated power grids, the development of Pila Energy's smart backup battery, and the importance of making sustainable, affordable energy solutions accessible to all.
Connect with Cole:
Cole Ashman is the innovative founder of Pila Energy, a company dedicated to making smart home battery solutions accessible to all. With a background in engineering and experience at Tesla, Cole has been instrumental in developing Pila's modular home batteries, which offer a cost-effective alternative to traditional backup power systems. Inspired by his experiences during Hurricane Katrina, Cole is passionate about providing reliable energy solutions that empower individuals and communities. His work at Pila Energy reflects a commitment to sustainability, innovation, and making advanced technology available to a broader audience.
Episode Highlights:
02:51 A Wake Up Call From Hurricane Katrina
05:10 Market Gap in the Energy Space
08:12 Pre-Market Product and Customer Response
10:29 The Impact of Power Outages and Market Trends
17:44 Community Support and Future Innovations
20:00 Consumer Decisions and Environmental Impacts
25:23 Innovation for Evolving Consumer Needs
Tweets:
Power outages got you down? Discover @pilaenergy’s smart battery solution as @justine.reichman and Cole Ashman talk about making energy independence affordable. #podcast #entrepreneurship #socialgood #inspiration #impactmatters #NextGenChef #EssentialIngredients #PilaEnergy #SmartTech #SmartHome #EnergySolutions #Sustainability #Innovation
Inspirational Quotes:
01:03 "More and more of us are getting hit with power outages and rising utility bills. It's kind of a mess out there right now." —Cole Ashman
01:48 "Pila is aimed to be the more accessible alternative to that premium home battery, but at a price point that matches that of an off-the-shelf generator." —Cole Ashman
02:19 "As global warming and as things evolve on the planet, we're really going to have a need for accessible energy." —Justine Reichman
03:02 "Hurricane Katrina knocked out power and disrupted things way beyond that, and from that moment onward, I was obsessed with these invisible systems that keep life running smoothly." —Cole Ashman
04:13 "The story started with the question, how do we merge intelligence with the dominant product for backup power?" —Cole Ashman
05:11 "Batteries as we know them today were inspired by electric eels which have internal organs that are stacked together." —Cole Ashman
11:11 "Outages are becoming a more common thing that we're dealing with, not only in the US, but abroad." —Cole Ashman
16:59 "We want to move fast and give people tools to put the power in their hands." —Cole Ashman
21:03 "Get started. Don't be your own biggest barrier and don't be afraid to learn and fail." —Cole Ashman
22:02 "Surround yourself with people that can help orient the path, people that you trust to give advice." —Cole Ashman
22:36 “Be authentic. Be genuine. Have the founder there, because people want to invest in founders.” —Justine Reichman
