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On the show today is Stuart Lombard, co-founder and CEO of ecobee.

Ecobee is a Canadian home automation company that makes thermostats for residential and commercial use. They are on a mission to create a more sustainable world by simplifying everyday life.

In this episode, we learn more about Stuart’s background and journey into entrepreneurship, how making canoes with his father as a boy inspired his entrepreneurial spirit, and what it was like building one of the first internet service providers in Canada (from his dad’s basement!).

Key Discussion Points:

• Discover why Stuart started ecobee to sustainably address the way we consume energy.
• Learn more about how energy is consumed in the home and the Donate Your Data Program.
• How building things with his dad inspired Stuart’s journey into making and entrepreneurship.
• Starting one of the first internet service providers in Canada from his dad’s basement.
• Learn more about Stuart’s non-fundamentalist, open, and curious approach to business.
• The journey of continuous learning and how it defines the trajectory of any career.
• What ecobee’s customer development and consumer research model looks like today.
• The value of transparency and Stuart’s core philosophies for culture building.
• Using concepts from anthropology in the office space to foster collaboration and connection.
• What to read: Top recommendations for professionals from a business-book junkie.
• The future of ecobee and why the next commuting platform is the connected home.
• The importance of creating a simpler, better life and a sense of wonder for customers.
• Quality versus quantity and the challenges a founder faces in living a more balanced life.
• Find out more about the power of focus and creating great word-of-mouth as a startup.
• You’re not going to out-Google Google: Why you can’t just do what your competition is doing.
• Leveraging partner channels and the importance of identifying where to pour your energy.
• Focus, resiliency, and grit: Stuart’s advice for young CEOs entering the startup game today.

Mentions:

• Ecobee
• Stuart Lombard on Twitter
• Stuart Lombard on LinkedIn
• Playing to Win
• Measure What Matters
• The Infinite Game

This episode of Mission Daily is brought to you by our friends at TriNet. TriNet makes HR easier, from payroll to benefits to compliance. AND they offer full-service solutions tailored to your industry and your company, whether your team is 10 people or 1,000. Check out TriNet today at trinet.com.