When I arrived in Amsterdam, I accidentally ended up in advertising - the post-production facility I had been interviewing with ended up being absorbed by Wieden+Kennedy. What I thought would be a fun adventure after a few years working in NYC turned into something bigger before I knew it, and I ended up with a pretty amazing career as a producer and project manager for big-name global clients. Honing my hard skills in video production and web project management was great, but perhaps the best soft skill I developed after years of being in advertising was confidence. That's the only way I can explain what happened next: my (engineer) friends started a mini-grid company back in 2012, and found it difficult to explain to the outside world *why* it was important to sell Pay As You Go solar energy to rural communicates with no access to grid energy. I found the idea confusing and fascinating. With zero experience in Energy whatsoever, I said "I bet I could work with an editor and make a short video that can explain this concept to anyone." (ahem... confidence or arrogance?) So I did. Then I wrote their website. Then I went to Tanzania to document their pilot village, and saw the lights turn on for the first time. I was hooked.The project management and communication skills required as a producer translated well into working with Energy Access companies with big ambitions. The budgets weren't the same, but the spirit was: there's always a way to get the hard things done. I excel at taking ambiguous challenges and figuring out how to get started and where to finish. I come up with big ideas and see them through from concept to execution to reporting. I continue to learn from every project developer and every professional working toward #SDG7 and climate solutions, and I care tremendously about seeing universal access to energy within my lifetime. We may not make it by 2030, but that doesn't mean we stop trying.I think the most powerful communication has zero to do with marketing and brand positioning, and everything to do with genuine passion and a smart idea.