Hello and happy Saturday!

For those of you in the US (which is most of us), I hope you’re enjoying the start of the long weekend.

In today’s email:

1. My thoughts on the subscriber survey

2. A new mission for Acclimate

3. How you can help

This email is a bit of me thinking out loud, so bear with me.

Subscriber Survey

Thanks to all who filled out the subscriber survey!

Climate and clean energy is an extremely broad space. Everyone has their own unique background and connection to the space, so it’s always fun and educational to hear from people directly. The fact that I’ve heard from more than 50 of you is awesome.

My preference is to keep the survey results primarily anonymous, but here are a few key takeaways…

1. The quick readability of the newsletter is a significant differentiator from the rest of the inbox. This is especially helpful to people who are new to the space, but there’s a desire for deeper insights and analysis, as well.

2. Many want to want to work in the climate and clean energy space if they don’t already. But there’s no specific vertical of interest. Some are new to the space and just figuring it out, others are interested in everything from renewable energy and electric transportation to nature-based solutions.

3. There’s a broad mix of job functions and industries. I write for a business/tech in mind, so this was not surprising, but good to confirm.

So, what does this mean for the newsletter?

For Acclimate to continue to be my “professional hobby,” I need to turn it into a sustainable, profitable business (i.e. make money).

My original goal was to keep the newsletter free and advertising supported. The more people joining the energy transition, the better off we will all be. Why keep information behind a paywall?

But there’s been a few developments over the last month…

1. The advertising market is shaky due to the slowdown in venture capital and general unease about the global economy. There are signs this may be overblown but not enough to try to grow 10x in a short period of time.

2. People now come to me as an emerging expert. This has been kind of surprising, but I do have experience building software products for energy and mobility. And obsessing over a topic for a year can go a long way.

3. A daily newsletter is only the tip of the iceberg. Knowing what is happening in the energy transition and why is a great start, but taking action is the next step.

So what does this mean?

A new mission for Acclimate

I want to refocus on my time on the following:

1. Diving deep into the markets, industries, and solutions. Less time curating and synthesizing.

2. Working with businesses selling into industries most affected by the energy transition (i.e. software powering renewables, EVs, building electrification, etc).

3. Learning from and collaborating with people working in clean energy, electric mobility, and building electrification.

By making these changes, I can align Acclimate (and myself) with this mission…

That’s a hefty mission for a newsletter, so I’m expanding my efforts.

Here’s what to expect…

Acclimate

The newsletter you know and love will now be sent one time per week, with a new refreshed look based on your feedback.

This will continue to be FREE and supported by sponsors. If your product or business is in sustainable goods, home electrification, impact investing, climate software, or similar industries, check out our sponsorships here.

Acclimate Pro

Acclimate Pro will be a paid subscription for industry leaders, investors, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and more driving the clean energy transition.

• This will be a weekly newsletter with analysis, industry insights, and deep dives on the clean energy transition

• You’ll also get early access to private online events and new products, plus climate and energy funding, grants, and M&A database

• And - you’ll get my eternal gratitude 🙏🏼

To get this started, I’m offering a 14-day FREE trial to get you started. This early access offer expires on 9/10.

Referral program

Subscriber growth is still a main goal for me. And the best way to do that is for people who already read Acclimate to spread the love.

A referral program rewards you for sharing Acclimate with your coworkers, friends, and anyone else who is working on (or wants to work on) the clean energy transition.

For each referral milestone, you’ll get rewarded:

• 2 referrals - Recommended Reading + Startup Database

• 5 referrals - Shout out in the newsletter - a great way to get in front of investors, hiring managers, and other decision-makers

• 8 referrals - Acclimate Insider - an inside look at the business behind this newsletter

• 15 referrals - Acclimate Pro FREE for 3 months

• 25 referrals - Become an Acclimate Ambassador - get paid to refer new subscribers

All you need to do is share your custom URL on LinkedIn, Twitter (X?), or directly with coworkers and friends.

A few other things I’m working on…

1. Opening up availability to consult for early-stage founders. If you’re working on software for renewable energy, building electrification, EV charging, or workforce development, I’d love to help. Contact me at [email protected], or book a 15-minute chat with me.

2. [Maybe] attending a few conferences like NY Climate Week, RE+, and Verge 2023. If you’re going to any of these, let me know!

3. My list of recommended readings for people new or in need of a refresh on the space

4. A tactical playbook on “How to transition to a career in climate”

That’s it for now! If you have any feedback, thoughts, or questions about any of the above - or want to collaborate - just reply to this email!

Talk soon,

- Rick Jarrell, Founder of Acclimate

🚀 Build. Deploy. Scale.