Take Charge Podcast
Hosted by Take Charge
An insider's podcast for professionals in the battery and electrification industries, focused on talent, technology, and company-building.
A B2B podcast for the battery industry, by the battery industry. The show serves as a content marketing platform for its producer, a recruitment firm, by interviewing the exact C-suite and technical leaders they serve. Conversations are tactical and grounded in the business realities of scaling a hardware company, from navigating supply chains and raising capital to hiring specialized engineering talent.
“Unlike broader climate tech podcasts, Take Charge is narrowly focused on the business and talent aspects of the battery ecosystem. Its connection to a recruiting firm gives it a unique angle, often steering conversations toward workforce development, hiring philosophies, and the specific skills in high demand.”
Who hosts this show
Take Charge is a podcast and global community for professionals in the battery and electrification sectors. Episodes feature interviews with founders, CEOs, and technical experts from pioneering companies, exploring topics like new battery chemistries, manufacturing scale-up, market trends, and talent management. The show is hosted by Jamie Sheard, a cleantech talent specialist, and Blaze Gardner, who joined as a new host in late 2025. The podcast is produced by Strativ Group, a talent solutions firm for the cleantech industry.
Credentials & credits
- Jamie Sheard: Head of Battery Technologies at Strativ Group
- Blaze Gardner: Host
Other ventures
- Strativ Group (Producer)
What kind of podcast
When new episodes drop
- 01Ep 56: Fourth Power - Half the Sun, All the PowerNov 4, 2025 · 26 min
- 02
- 03Ep 54: Avanza Energy - It’s ‘Go Time’ for Energy StorageJun 10, 2025 · 43 min
- 04Ep 53: Decoding the Volta Foundation’s Battery Talent CensusMay 27, 2025 · 44 min
- 05Ep 52: NOVONIX - Creating a Materials Supply Chain in North AmericaMay 13, 2025 · 44 min
- 06Ep 51: Foothill Ventures - How to Secure Investment for Your Battery Start-upApr 29, 2025 · 46 min
- 07Ep 50: Byterat – The Future of Battery DataApr 1, 2025 · 32 min
- 08
Notable episodes
- 01Ep 53: Decoding the Volta Foundation’s Battery Talent Census
A deep dive into the industry's first major workforce study, revealing key data on compensation, in-demand skills, and the gender pay gap, directly aligning with the show's core theme of talent.
- 02Ep 56: Fourth Power - Half the Sun, All the Power
Explores a novel thermal battery technology described as 'sun in a box', offering a look at a potential long-duration storage alternative to lithium-ion.
- 03Ep 55: $463 Million to Power the Future - How Group14 Plans to Lead the Next Battery Boom
Features the CEO of a leading silicon anode company explaining how they solved a major technical challenge to enable faster-charging, higher-density batteries.
- 04Ep 54: Avanza Energy - It’s ‘Go Time’ for Energy Storage
An industry veteran uses a 'Myth or Fact' format to debunk common misconceptions about grid storage, declaring the market has reached a new stage of maturity.
What you'll be asked on this show
Hosts typically open by asking the guest for a brief personal and company introduction. They ask specific, well-informed questions that demonstrate prior research, such as inquiring how a company overcame a known technical hurdle in its field. The questioning follows a clear narrative: origin story, technical differentiation, manufacturing and scaling strategy, and future market vision. Hosts allow guests ample time for detailed, uninterrupted answers and often incorporate questions sourced from their listener community.
The show uses a structured, long-form interview format, with hosts who are well-researched on their guests' companies and technology. Episodes often follow a logical arc from a company's origin story to its technology, business strategy, and future outlook. Some episodes incorporate recurring segments like 'Myth or Fact' and 'Audience Questions' to guide the discussion.
Questions Take Charge keeps coming back to
12 cataloguedIf you're going on this show as a guest, expect some version of each of these. Each note explains when Take Charge reaches for it.
origin
2- Q.01
“Could you please introduce yourself and what you do?”
This is the standard opening question to establish the guest's role and expertise.
- Q.02
“What was the founding belief or inspiration that led you to start this company/project?”
The host asks this early to understand the core motivation behind the guest's venture.
process
1- Q.01
“How does your technology solve a well-known industry challenge, like silicon expansion or grid balancing?”
This question probes the technical specifics and competitive advantage of the guest's solution.
craft
1- Q.01
“What makes your approach or technology stand out from competitors?”
Used to directly address the company's unique value proposition in a crowded market.
future
2- Q.01
“What does your product development and manufacturing roadmap look like?”
This question seeks to understand the company's current stage and future scaling plans.
- Q.02
“Looking ahead 18 months to a decade, what does the ideal scenario look like for your company and technology?”
A forward-looking question asked near the end to capture the guest's long-term vision.
mindset
1- Q.01
“What is your philosophy on building a team and getting the right people in the right seats?”
Reflecting the podcast's talent focus, this question explores the guest's approach to hiring and culture.
industry
2- Q.01
“Myth or Fact: [Common industry assumption]?”
A recurring segment used to debunk or validate common beliefs within the energy storage field.
- Q.02
“What are the biggest challenges in meeting energy demand at scale?”
This broad question invites the guest to comment on macro trends affecting the entire industry.
advice
3- Q.01
“What job titles or skill sets will be in high demand over the next few years?”
An audience-favorite question that provides direct career advice for listeners.
- Q.02
“How important are advanced degrees versus hands-on experience for a career in this field?”
This question addresses a practical concern for both employers and aspiring professionals in the industry.
- Q.03
“What's the key message you want investors and potential talent to take away about your vision?”
A closing question that allows the guest to make a final pitch to key stakeholders.
Signature segments
- · Myth or Fact
- · Audience Questions
- · Question from a Former Guest
Topics covered repeatedly
Who gets booked here
Guests are typically founders, CEOs, VPs, or principal engineers from companies developing new battery technologies, energy storage solutions, and related software. The show features leaders from venture-backed startups (e.g., Fourth Power, Group14) and industry analysis groups (e.g., Volta Foundation).
- Christina Belsitoon Ep 56: Fourth Power - Half the Sun, All the Power
- Rick (Eric) Luebbeon Ep 55: $463 Million to Power the Future - How Group14 Plans to Lead the Next Battery Boom
- Christopher Johnsonon Ep 54: Avanza Energy - It’s ‘Go Time’ for Energy Storage
- Wendy Papakostandinion Ep 53: Decoding the Volta Foundation’s Battery Talent Census
- Andrew Wengon Ep 53: Decoding the Volta Foundation’s Battery Talent Census
Where to find this show
Audience & reach
The podcast is explicitly produced by Strativ Group, a talent solutions company specializing in the cleantech sector. The show's focus on talent, team building, and industry leadership directly aligns with Strativ's business, making it a strategic tool for networking and brand building within their target market.
Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.
Pitch Take Charge
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People also ask
- Who are the hosts of the Take Charge Podcast?
- The primary hosts are Jamie Sheard, Head of Battery Technologies at Strativ Group, and Blaze Gardner, who joined the show in late 2025.
- Is this podcast still active?
- Yes, based on the episode release dates from late 2025, the podcast appears to be actively releasing new episodes on a monthly or bi-weekly basis.
- What is the format of the show?
- The show is a long-form interview podcast. Each episode features a conversation with one or more leaders from the battery and electrification industry.
- How can I pitch a guest for the podcast?
- The podcast's public description provides an email address for guest inquiries: [email — gated].
- Where can I listen to the podcast?
- The video version of the podcast is available on the Take Charge Podcast YouTube channel, and audio versions are on platforms like Apple Podcasts.
- Who produces the Take Charge Podcast?
- The podcast is created and powered by Strativ Group, a talent solutions and recruitment company focused on the cleantech industry.
Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.
Sources & how this page was built
This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence
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