We had the good fortune of connecting with Shawn Mclaughlin and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Shawn, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Emporia was founded with the goal of revolutionizing home energy. My 25+ years of experience as a commodities trader specializing in energy made me a true believer in the energy transition. We have been powering our homes the same way for the last 150 years and the team at Emporia wanted to find a way to make homes more energy efficient. We were inspired by the amazing energy management tools for large, industrial buildings but saw a need for an affordable and easy to install option for small commercial and residential buildings. We knew we could fill this gap and bring one to the market.
As we continued to pursue this venture, our next focus became bi-directional EV charging. To meet the climate goals we set forth as a country, we must put mass amounts of energy storage on the grid to balance renewable energy production. With bi-directional EV chargers, EV owners can access the large battery in their electric vehicle to store and use energy when it is needed – managing energy consumption in a much more efficient and cost-effective way.
What should our readers know about your business?
Emporia is an innovative energy company that has developed an array of products that can be used independently or in tandem. A software-driven Home Energy Management System not only controls our ecosystem of products –– which includes energy monitors, EV chargers, smart plugs and home battery systems; it also controls third-party smart home devices like thermostats and smart appliances. This provides a holistic approach to managing a home’s energy consumption, driving real saving and energy efficiency for our customers.
We are dedicated to delivering the best consumer value proposition possible. We hold our customer service team to the highest standard. Our products offer the most robust features in the market at extremely competitive prices.
None of this is easy. Building a company from scratch that designs, builds, manufactures and sells its own novel hardware and software products during a global pandemic and the aftermath of chaos it left in the global market has, at times, felt like what Elon Musk described as ‘staring into the obis while chewing glass,’ but our obsession with customer satisfaction and with having a positive impact on the world keeps us going.
If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I have spent 51 of my 55 years in Colorado. I love this state, and I love the city of Denver. My favorite things to do and what I love showing off the most are our amazing mountains. Skiing, biking, hiking or just visiting one of our small mountain towns never gets old. If you have not been to Silverton, it’s a must –– a place where beauty and time truly stands still.
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Wow, the list of those that deserve a shoutout for what we have accomplished so far is huge. They deserve all the credit. We have 64 employees who are committing a massive amount of their time, talent and treasure to Emporia. We have over 200,000 customers who have taken a chance on a young brand, showing us grace and giving us tons of advice. We have partners like Honda Motor Company and Siemens who continue to support our mission and investors who have taken huge risks on our startup. Our biggest supporter and fan is my wife, Kristi. She never waivers in her belief in our success and we are very blessed to have her support.
Website: https://www.emporiaenergy.com/
Instagram: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emporiaenergy/
Linkedin: https://www.instagram.com/emporia_energy/
Twitter: https://x.com/emporia_energy