Transforming Energy and Inspiring Entrepreneurs in Boston

Boston is full of entrepreneurial success stories. But, rarely are they celebrated as well as they should be. The stories of visionaries who are transforming industries need to come to light, and a prime example of the same is EnerNOC, a startup by Tim Healy, who currently serves as the CEO and Chairman of this company. His recent hour-long conversation with Eric Paley from Founder Collectives, was sponsored by the great folks at VentureFizz. I have blogged about VentureFizz in the past. I feel that Keith and his team are doing terrific work in gathering and organizing the great tech entrepreneur community here in Boston. This conversation is important for two reasons:

1. Boston needs to celebrate our success stories in our backyard. EnerNOC is a great example.
2. This video is a must watch for any entrepreneur - it is very inspiring and it includes lots of lessons learned.

So, let’s dig deep into what this conversation was all about, and understand what makes Healy’s story so inspirational for aspiring entrepreneurs, and others. 

The Power Of EnerNOC 

EnerNOC, or Energy Network Operations Center was established in 2001, and aimed at transforming energy management. For this, the company empowered businesses to monitor, manage, and minimize consumption of energy by utilizing advanced technologies. While it started with a small idea, EnerNOC rapidly grew into a world famous organization. But, this success was not without challenges. Healy, in this conversation shared candidly some of the biggest struggles the company faced during its initial years, being a tech-driven firm in a sector that, at the time, was still largely traditional. Convincing stakeholders of the potential of this revolutionary idea was, as such, the biggest challenge that Healy faced. 

For entrepreneurs, Healy reinforced the importance of persistence and perseverance in the face of setbacks and doubts. He further elaborated how important it is to build a strong team and work on spreading awareness about your unique idea, by sharing how his team had to proactively take measures for educating the market about the potential impact of technology in the domain of energy consumption. It was this consistent drive that, as Healy shares, which kept the company going, and led to its eventual success

Boston’s Ecosystem

Further in the conversation, Healy elaborates on the impact that the thriving and vibrant startup culture in Boston has had for his venture. The highly supportive startup community of the region, consisting of mentors, investors, and entrepreneurs pushed Healy to pursue his idea. The city’s environment that nurtures a collaborative spirit, paving the way for innovation continues to extend support even in the most troubling times a startup can experience, and it is what keeps entrepreneurs going. 

Eric Paley, being the big-time investor, prominent in Boston’s startup ecosystem, shared the same sentiments as Healy, going on to explain how the city presents a fertile ground for startups. He shared that Boston is perhaps one of the very few (if not only) cities, where technical talent, blended with academic excellence, and collaborative inclination all come together to create exemplary opportunities for startups. Those that dream of building a startup, find immense support here. 

Apart from this conversation between Eric Paley and Tim Healy, VentureFizz has done a lot of exemplary work as well. Be sure to watch the video below and also check out other great content on the VentureFizz site.

Learning 

EnerNOC’s story is something that every entrepreneur can relate with, and draw motivation from, especially those that seem to be introducing innovation and modernity in a conventional domain. The struggles will be seemingly endless, but when the rewards start rolling in, it would be that much better.