Season 3, Episode 1 of the Family IN Business Podcast
Though Kartik Wahi’s father started a successful OEM business, Wahi wasn’t ready to work for the family business. In this episode, Wahi takes us on his entrepreneurial journey from his days at Kellogg School of Management to discovering the opportunities in solar and the founding and growth of the social enterprise Claro Energy.
Listen to Wahi discover, through trial and error, the wisdom that his father had tried impressed upon him: focus on cash flow, create value for all stakeholders, and try to internalize the wisdom of your elders.
Show Notes:
Theme: Striking out on your own vs. leveraging the family business
Your host:
Esther Choy, CEO and Chief Story Facilitator of Leadership Story Lab, author of Let the Story Do the Work (HarperCollins Leadership)
Special thanks to:
Kartik Wahi, Founder and Director at Claro Energy, KSM ‘10
Jennifer Pendergast, Executive Director of John L. Ward Center for Family Enterprises, Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University
Contact us: familyenterprises@kellogg.northwestern.edu
Key Moments
0:23 Hindsight bias
5:00 Understanding entrepreneurship in family enterprises, with Jennifer Pendergast
7:43 How Kellogg changed Wahi’s worldview
8:12 The path to Claro Energy, a renewable energy social enterprise
11:44 Wahi’s requirements for opportunity
13:13 How Wahi unlocked different forms of capital
14:48 Wahi’s accolades
16:11 Wahi’s markers of success become more holistic
17:43 How Claro Energy became a social enterprise
18:47 Wahi’s family entrepreneurial story
21:25 What Wahi learned from his father’s enterprise: value creation & employee retention
23:43 Value means for all stakeholders
24:14 Most important lessons Wahi’s learned
26:22 Why didn’t Wahi join the family enterprise?
28:00 Businesses stuck in the Valley of Death and the succession of the second generation
29:58 Writing his own glory vs. leveraging what you already have
30:46 Increasing relevance in a rapidly changing world, with Jennifer Pendergast
Next Episode:2. Leading Entrepreneurial Ventures Within A Family Business: Ian Rosen of Harry Rosen Inc.
Download “The Entrepreneurial Journey of Writing Your Own Glory In A Family Enterprise: Kartik Wahi of Claro Energy” Transcript-Kartik-Wahi-Final.pdf – Downloaded 565 times – 144.45 KBBetter Every Story
"This is an amazing and insightful post! I hadn’t thought of that so you broadened my perspective. I always appreciate your insight!" - Dan B.
Join the thousands who receive Esther Choy’s insights, best practices and examples of great storytelling in our twice monthly newsletter.
People forget facts, but they never forget a good story. In her book, Esther Choy shares business storytelling methods, examples and practical tools and templates. It’s your essential leadership storytelling toolkit.
People forget facts, but they never forget a good story. In her book, Esther Choy shares business storytelling methods, examples and practical tools and templates. It’s your essential leadership storytelling toolkit.
