The Future of Energy Efficiency: Innovation & Talent Retention
I had the pleasure of sitting down with Clay Reichenbach, President of Next Step Energy Solutions.
Clay shared his incredible journey—from playing baseball at Rice University to leading teams in real estate, automotive logistics, and now energy efficiency. We dove into what makes Next Step Energy a leader in large-scale LED retrofit projects, especially in the healthcare sector, where operational complexity is a major challenge.
Clay also broke down what he looks for when hiring and retaining top talent, emphasizing personal pride in excellence and perseverance in the face of adversity.
Hiring for Intangibles: The Secret to Building a Great Team
In this clip, I had the pleasure of chatting with my guest, Clay, who shared some fantastic insights about the kind of people he values both in life and at his company. Clay emphasized how much he appreciates those who put in the effort, especially when it comes to the little things that make a big difference. He gave this awesome example about taking the grocery cart back to the front of the store—no matter the weather, he and his daughters always do it. It’s a simple act, but it says so much about character. At his company, that’s the standard they’re setting: they want folks who get the easy stuff right and show up with that kind of commitment. I absolutely loved that analogy—it’s such a relatable way to think about effort and integrity.
