Ascending with Diverso
By: Michael Westell-Ploughman
From walking up the stairs of Lazaridis Hall (Wilfrid Laurier’s business school) for the first time until now has been a whirlwind. The building itself is an immaculate, open space that allows for easy collaboration, the inspiration that can be drawn from all the awards on the wall, and the support of the stone stairs that pushed me towards my first class. Now with my perspective on the construction business, developers should look to inspire feelings like that in all their buildings.
I was nervous. My parents had never been to business school nor understood the corporate world. My view of “business life” itself was from The Office. Not the funny parts either. I focused more on the depressing colors and the low hum of overhead lights, where I would inevitably die in a box that the MAN created. I took a deep breath and made my way to my first class.
4 years later, I can now say that my outlook on the future is far more optimistic. This mindset change can be attributed to finding Diverso Energy.
Let me elaborate. As a student, you read case studies about startups flourishing into major players in the market. Working for one of these places is a dream for most students. However, not everyone can be friends with Steve Jobs in the 70s. Well, when a leading renewable energy company came available, I knew this was an opportunity I could not miss out on.
Having worked in finance during the summer and previous experience with two mortgage companies, I knew that skills were not going to be an issue. Not only that but having concentrated in accounting and minoring in Economics, I felt like a smart cookie.
On my first day, however, my manager informed me that lava was not powering the buildings. Gasp. There was a lot to learn.
Instead, a set of boreholes underneath form a thermal battery that allows a building to harness the natural energy in the ground to provide heating, and cooling to the building. The opportunity for Diverso is clear. Regulations for CO2 emissions are already impacting construction projects and now is the best time to make a switch. With Diverso offering a pricing model with a $0 installation fee, monthly utility payments equal to that of a traditional system, it seems like a home run.
Though the first week of learning was an information overload, I was ecstatic. When the time comes, all buildings will need to be carbon neutral. Diverso and the developers who partner with them will be so far ahead, everyone else will have to play catch up.
As the weeks went on and I experienced the client outreach side of the business. I learned the biggest key to success was to communicate this vision to the developers.
That's easier said than done. If I ever plan on making that Steve Jobs esque impact, there is a lot more to learn. The small team working here has completed over 200 plus projects, backed by 30 years of combined industry experience. Having dealt with almost every construction, business, or sales condition imaginable, I cannot even scratch the surface of what there is to learn.
Despite the upward climb, I'm getting better every day. It's all thanks to the team being more than willing to answer questions and provide guidance every step of the way. I guess that willingness is why developers look to them for guidance during projects.
As I walk down the stairs into my freezing Etobicoke basement, I’m no longer inspired by modern architecture but by the inspiring people working at Diverso Energy and the prospect of helping developers save money and the planet.