Catalyst Collab: Chelsea Boozer & Greg Wukasch | Make Water Work 039

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I'm Isaac with 120 Water
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>> and I'm Chelsea with Rogue Water and
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we're excited to welcome you to the Make
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Water Work and Catalyst Collab.
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There's two people that I can't think of
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that would be better to talk about and
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kick off this series than to have
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Chelsea Boozer and Greg Wukash um come
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in. And so, welcome Chelsea and Greg.
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>> Yeah. Thanks for having us. I was like,
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we're excited.
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>> Great to be back.
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>> Yeah. Yeah. And like I like I was
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saying, like the the theme of
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communications, not just how we do it,
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but why we do it is so important. And um
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you two both have championed that cause
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um so much. You've really been like kind
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of bearing that torch and building the
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community around it. So we always like
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to celebrate people who make water work.
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Um but you have this amazing I'm going
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to say conference. It's really an
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experience called Catalyst. And you can
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correct me on that in a minute.
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>> Yeah. But I really want to dig into what
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makes Catalyst work because it's had
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such a big impact on this industry and
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on many professionals. So Chelsea and
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Greg, what makes Catalyst work? And I'll
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make you fight to to who to decide who
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goes first.
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>> Yeah, I'll start us off and uh uh tag
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team Greg in here on the answer. One,
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I'm really glad for the opportunity to
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just kind of dig in what is Catalyst and
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what makes it work. I think that
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question in of itself is so important to
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what catalyst is because it is something
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that works and there is a lot that goes
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into that and we you know we don't like
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to call it a conference. I know in this
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ind industry sector conferences are what
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we we're used to and like that's the
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word we know for it and if I say hey you
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want to come to this experience all of a
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sudden people get scared like what is
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that we're real uh riskadverse industry
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how do I explain that to to my boss but
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the reason we like to use that word is
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because of something called experience
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design and that's what we use to design
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catalyst because there is one thing to,
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you know, sit in front uh in a
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conference room with your PowerPoint and
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kind of tell you different comm
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strategies like that works. That's fine.
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>> That exists elsewhere. And so we would
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not have created an event to do that
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because there there was not a gap in
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that. There is a gap in really modeling
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what we're preaching real strategic
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communications that is sciencebacked,
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researchbacked, how behavioral science
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works. Um, and and there's a lot of
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research based on your environment, how
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you learn something, where you are when
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you learn it, what you're listening to,
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what you're smelling. Those are the
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details that we we'll put we put into
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Catalyst. And I know we'll get into that
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a little more, but I'll just say that
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>> as a summary to start us off. And the
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other thing I'll add before kind of
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turning it over to Greg, who by the way
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is a co-design partner with Rogue on
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Catalyst. He's been around u from the
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beginning from the very first catalyst
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and really helps put the story um to
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these and the impact behind them. But
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what I want to say to some of your first
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comments Isaac in your podcast series
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which is talking to all kinds of people
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in the water sector, not just
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communicators. What is a common thing
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communications? Like it keeps coming up.
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I'm listening in to your episodes over
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and over because this is a huge need of
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our industry and it's a huge piece to
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all the puzzles to the engineering
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operational puzzles to the finance trust
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building affordability puzzles to the
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leadership puzzles like this is
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something our sector needs and that's
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really why catalyst was created to to
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answer that.
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>> Yeah. Yeah.
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>> Yeah. I I I think that you know Chelsea
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said it perfectly. I mean, when we sit
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down and begin to talk about uh the
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design of of any catalyst, we're going
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to storytell. We're going to sit down
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and we're going to talk about how do we,
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you know, h how do we model it in terms
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of what is being presented to uh those
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that are going to those that are going
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to come. Um but even how do we model it
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in the design of Catalyst itself? Like
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we want to be very thoughtful about how
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we go about doing it. We don't do
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anything haphazard. We we we really
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think about venue spaces. is we really,
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you know, we really think about
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>> um the story it's going to tell what she
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just said a while ago. how are you going
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to feel when you leave a particular uh
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you know experience that that you have.
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And so all of that is built into the
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actual design of Catalyst itself with
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the idea that if somebody who comes to
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Catalyst says well I mean how do you do
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this? Like can I really do this in in my
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own setting? we can say, "Yeah, I mean,
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this is purposefully put together this
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way, and we're going to give you a
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little behind the-scenes look at how
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it's put together so that you can then
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go back and practically begin to do that
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on your own uh in your own setting,
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whatever that may may be." So, it is
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very very intentional in everything that
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we do. We spend a whole lot of time in
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the intentionality of of each step along
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the way.
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>> The only thing I'll add, and just to
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back up, I probably should have said,
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"What is Catalyst?" more literally
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catalyst is a three-day event where you
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skills build and and you register to
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come and and we meet together. Um so it
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does have that conference feel and that
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like we are learning better
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communication, we're learning outreach,
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we're learning government affairs, we
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are doing those things over three days,
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but but the words Greg and I are using
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are because we move venues um very
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intentionally and
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>> it's hands-on that I feel like is an
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overused word these days. I think
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everyone wants to make their event
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interactive and so they pop up a minty
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meter and nope, we're interactive all of
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a sudden.
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>> Y
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>> that's not what we mean by interactive.
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Um but we also don't mean like we're
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pushing anyone to go jump on a stage
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with no prep and be super out of their
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comfort zone. Like I think where growth
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happens is a little bit out of your
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comfort zone, but we're not embarrassing
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anybody. Um no one should fear coming to
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Catalyst, but it's much more interactive
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than a menty mater. I'll say that.
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>> Yeah. Yeah. No, that that makes a lot of
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sense. And I think, you know, when I
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when I reflect on one of the things that
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I have loved about um entering the water
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industry when I did in 2018 was that
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what stuck out to me immediately was
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that the professionals that I interact
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with are placemakers. They're very they
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have a deep understanding of their place
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and they know um I think what you
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highlight is the importance of bringing
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that place context into what they do and
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not to not to um put that off to the
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sides like be proud of your place, know
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how to communicate, know how to bring
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those variables together. And I remember
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in the podcast with um with you, Greg,
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where where you talked about your
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background in, you know, going to theme
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park design school and like bringing
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some of those things that like place
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matters, experience matters, and we
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learn better and internalize things when
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we're experiencing it rather than just
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informationing it. Um if that if I could
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coin that term.
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>> Yeah, it's it's true. I I like to say um
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with really any experience design but
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also with catalyst that it's both
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content and context and I think in the
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water space a lot of times in what we do
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with in communications is we focus a lot
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on the content right we want to have all
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the facts and the figures and and all
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and and that's all important but we all
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know that you can you can sit at any
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conference you can sit in a room and see
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all of the facts and figures and a
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wonderfully put together presentation
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And if it's too cold, if it's too hot,
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if the room is boring, you you it it
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affects you. It affects the way you
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learn. And so I think again, I think
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what we're trying to model and what
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we're trying to do a little bit
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different is is understanding it's both
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content and context. And what we do in
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the water space is the content and
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communication, but it's in the context
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that we do it in. the the types of
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community, the types of people, the
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types of spaces that right, the types of
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tourists, uh why are tourists coming to
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your city? All of that is part of the
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context. And and and I think we we model
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that really well in Catalyst to help
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people walk away and say and and I I
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like I like it when people walk away and
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almost say, "What is it like? What's the
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secret sauce about Catalyst that I don't
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that I'm not seeing that I don't get?"
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Like it's right. There's this thing and
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they're just not quite sure what it is.
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And I think that's the beauty of it is
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to be able to say, "Okay, let's have a
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let's have a additional conversations
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about what that kind of secret sauce is
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all about and how you can go about
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creating that."
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>> Yeah.
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>> And I I love designing with Greg for
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that reason, like what he just said. You
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know, sometimes I'm in very like
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executive director mode. I have all
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these logistics that need to get done
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for Catalyst. We have our planning call.
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I get on the call and I'm like, I think
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we should bring in so and so to speak
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about such and such and like D. and he
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he's like, "Okay, well, back that up cuz
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that is a template, right? And this is
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what we do at conferences. This is what
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we as utilities or anyone else in the
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sector do with our events. Like, I'm
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going to send a press release and then
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I'm going to get the CEO to speak and
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then I'm going to do this." But why? Why
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are we doing any of that? What is the
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purpose? What does it mean? And if we
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ask ourselves that, I think a lot of
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times we find, oh, we were just doing
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that cuz like that's how you're supposed
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to put on a press conference or that's
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how you're supposed to put on um so Greg
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and I and there there are other books
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and um learning behind this too, but we
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really use Pria Parker's The Art of
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Gathering, which
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>> talks about using purpose as your
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bouncer and like starting with your
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purpose. Why are you bringing people
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together and what do you want them to
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take away? And then measuring every
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decision against that. And that's how
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Catalyst turns up so unique.
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>> Yeah. Yeah, it does. And I like in our
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conversations um Chelsea, I know I think
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one of the impactful things that um that
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you said on on the podcast that um
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conversation that we had earlier this
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year or last year was just that
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communication strategy is an asset just
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as much as a pump, a lift station, like
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that has to be treated like an asset.
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And so it it is more than just a
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creative arts thing. It's it's a craft.
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There's a science. Like there's there's
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a lot more into that goes into it. And
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so you not only
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bring that to the forefront, but you're
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also allowing people to experience that
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from
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every angle possible within that within
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those three days um three days at
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Catalyst.
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>> Yeah. And you know, if I can wave a
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magic wand across the sector, I would
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get people to believe that, believe what
00:11:01.360 --> 00:11:03.590
you just said because I think we say it
00:11:03.600 --> 00:11:05.829
sometimes or I'll say it and people nod
00:11:05.839 --> 00:11:06.870
their head along,
00:11:06.880 --> 00:11:08.630
>> but at the end of the day, I don't know
00:11:08.640 --> 00:11:11.350
that they value a strategic comm's plan
00:11:11.360 --> 00:11:13.509
as much as they value a preliminary
00:11:13.519 --> 00:11:15.829
engineering report. They don't think it
00:11:15.839 --> 00:11:17.670
carries the same weight. But I think
00:11:17.680 --> 00:11:20.710
we've seen time and time over again when
00:11:20.720 --> 00:11:22.710
you don't engage properly with the
00:11:22.720 --> 00:11:25.030
community, with the city council, with
00:11:25.040 --> 00:11:26.949
your commission, with the business
00:11:26.959 --> 00:11:28.870
community, with whoever stakeholder it
00:11:28.880 --> 00:11:31.670
is that things fail in this sector just
00:11:31.680 --> 00:11:33.430
like a pump fails.
00:11:33.440 --> 00:11:37.269
>> And Catalyst is a place where we slow
00:11:37.279 --> 00:11:42.150
down to really put our attendees in the
00:11:42.160 --> 00:11:44.949
boots of those that they engage with. I
00:11:44.959 --> 00:11:46.310
think, you know, I used to work at a
00:11:46.320 --> 00:11:48.630
utility. Greg still works at a utility.
00:11:48.640 --> 00:11:50.870
I understand, you know, what it's like
00:11:50.880 --> 00:11:53.030
to be in that seat day in and day out
00:11:53.040 --> 00:11:54.550
and all the pressures that are coming
00:11:54.560 --> 00:11:56.389
and how we're needing to communicate out
00:11:56.399 --> 00:11:57.829
and now you're telling me I need to
00:11:57.839 --> 00:11:59.509
listen to people too with what time,
00:11:59.519 --> 00:12:02.790
when am I going to do this? We purposely
00:12:02.800 --> 00:12:05.350
put our attendees in physicians where
00:12:05.360 --> 00:12:07.110
they feel certain things and then we'll
00:12:07.120 --> 00:12:09.509
reflect and say, "Didn't you feel like a
00:12:09.519 --> 00:12:11.829
little angry right then or a little
00:12:11.839 --> 00:12:14.550
confused or a little curious?" That's
00:12:14.560 --> 00:12:16.310
probably how your customer feels when
00:12:16.320 --> 00:12:19.829
you, you know, don't invite their um
00:12:19.839 --> 00:12:22.949
opinion or just leave a a door knocker,
00:12:22.959 --> 00:12:26.310
a door hanger on on the door. And so
00:12:26.320 --> 00:12:30.230
yeah, I I I think this is the stuff that
00:12:30.240 --> 00:12:33.190
makes or breaks all of our projects.
00:12:33.200 --> 00:12:35.430
Like this how we build trust is the
00:12:35.440 --> 00:12:38.150
throughine to everything. Unfortunately,
00:12:38.160 --> 00:12:39.750
you know, people think because they can
00:12:39.760 --> 00:12:41.590
talk, they can communicate and that's
00:12:41.600 --> 00:12:43.509
not true. There is skills behind this
00:12:43.519 --> 00:12:45.590
and that's what we want to dig into at
00:12:45.600 --> 00:12:47.750
Catalyst and spread to everyone like
00:12:47.760 --> 00:12:49.910
everyone needs the skill set.
00:12:49.920 --> 00:12:52.310
>> Yeah. Yeah. Now tell us about this
00:12:52.320 --> 00:12:55.030
year's location. what you're what you're
00:12:55.040 --> 00:12:57.509
excited about for this year's Catalyst
00:12:57.519 --> 00:12:58.949
in particular.
00:12:58.959 --> 00:13:01.590
>> Yeah. So, it's in San Diego, California.
00:13:01.600 --> 00:13:03.430
What a better, you know, can't get a
00:13:03.440 --> 00:13:05.750
better location than that. Um, so if
00:13:05.760 --> 00:13:07.190
that's all that brings you out, we'll
00:13:07.200 --> 00:13:11.030
take you uh you'll leave inspired. It is
00:13:11.040 --> 00:13:13.430
September 1st through 3rd. Although, um,
00:13:13.440 --> 00:13:15.910
for the first time ever, we do have some
00:13:15.920 --> 00:13:18.870
pre or pre- catalyst workshops on August
00:13:18.880 --> 00:13:21.910
31st with a couple different partners.
00:13:21.920 --> 00:13:24.870
And we're really digging in. I'll say we
00:13:24.880 --> 00:13:27.030
have the content and context theme,
00:13:27.040 --> 00:13:29.269
right? Content and creative theme.
00:13:29.279 --> 00:13:33.430
Creativ create creatively. Uh we're d uh
00:13:33.440 --> 00:13:35.430
we're kind of welcoming you into a
00:13:35.440 --> 00:13:37.269
dinner party. I know that makes no sense
00:13:37.279 --> 00:13:39.750
to the common person. I don't mean
00:13:39.760 --> 00:13:42.150
you're necessarily like sitting down to
00:13:42.160 --> 00:13:44.710
a dinner party. It is a three-day thing.
00:13:44.720 --> 00:13:48.069
Um but that's kind of the storyline
00:13:48.079 --> 00:13:50.069
we'll be inviting you into. We always
00:13:50.079 --> 00:13:52.150
invite you into a new world that we
00:13:52.160 --> 00:13:53.829
design for you. That only happens at
00:13:53.839 --> 00:13:55.910
Catalyst and that you can connect with
00:13:55.920 --> 00:13:58.870
your peers over, but we're uh
00:13:58.880 --> 00:14:01.269
contentwise digging into all the things
00:14:01.279 --> 00:14:02.790
we just talked about when it talks about
00:14:02.800 --> 00:14:05.189
building public trust, but specifically
00:14:05.199 --> 00:14:07.910
how we show up. So Rogue Water has
00:14:07.920 --> 00:14:09.350
something called the four pillars of
00:14:09.360 --> 00:14:12.550
public trust and it's transparency which
00:14:12.560 --> 00:14:14.550
telling the truth, relationships through
00:14:14.560 --> 00:14:17.110
experiences, showing up, how we show up
00:14:17.120 --> 00:14:19.750
as anchor institutions and as as the
00:14:19.760 --> 00:14:21.829
public health sector for our community
00:14:21.839 --> 00:14:24.550
and earning advocates. So, we always go
00:14:24.560 --> 00:14:26.550
through all of those in different ways,
00:14:26.560 --> 00:14:29.189
but we really want to explore how we
00:14:29.199 --> 00:14:31.350
show up in service to our communities,
00:14:31.360 --> 00:14:33.110
how we show up in different rooms with
00:14:33.120 --> 00:14:35.189
different audiences and what the
00:14:35.199 --> 00:14:38.389
hospitality pieces to that. So, um, Greg
00:14:38.399 --> 00:14:40.150
with his really unique background, as
00:14:40.160 --> 00:14:42.150
you said, theme parks, but also
00:14:42.160 --> 00:14:44.150
hospitality is bringing a lot to that.
00:14:44.160 --> 00:14:45.509
And I don't know if you want to add any
00:14:45.519 --> 00:14:47.430
anything to the creative side of it,
00:14:47.440 --> 00:14:47.829
Greg.
00:14:47.839 --> 00:14:49.990
>> Yeah. Well, I I it's Yeah, it's funny. I
00:14:50.000 --> 00:14:51.350
think sometimes when we're planning and
00:14:51.360 --> 00:14:52.949
I I tell Chelsea some things. She's
00:14:52.959 --> 00:14:54.470
like, "My gosh, I didn't know you you
00:14:54.480 --> 00:14:55.990
did all of that." And it and that it
00:14:56.000 --> 00:14:57.670
just kind of works into our storyline,
00:14:57.680 --> 00:15:00.550
but I also for 14 years was an adjunct
00:15:00.560 --> 00:15:02.150
professor in the tourism hospitality
00:15:02.160 --> 00:15:04.550
department in a local college here. And
00:15:04.560 --> 00:15:06.550
so, um, yeah, so we're we're bringing
00:15:06.560 --> 00:15:08.710
that idea of, uh, we we talked about the
00:15:08.720 --> 00:15:11.430
idea of a servant who, you know, maybe a
00:15:11.440 --> 00:15:13.189
little bit old school, but but who, you
00:15:13.199 --> 00:15:14.550
know, in a fine dining restaurant, they
00:15:14.560 --> 00:15:15.990
have the towel draped over their arm,
00:15:16.000 --> 00:15:17.189
right? And they're there. They're there
00:15:17.199 --> 00:15:19.750
to serve. and that that metaphor, that
00:15:19.760 --> 00:15:23.590
concept idea of, you know, we're more uh
00:15:23.600 --> 00:15:25.509
we are servants. That's what we do in
00:15:25.519 --> 00:15:27.189
our communities. We are here to serve
00:15:27.199 --> 00:15:28.870
serve the the people uh in our
00:15:28.880 --> 00:15:30.550
communities. And so, what does that look
00:15:30.560 --> 00:15:32.310
like? What what does that look like when
00:15:32.320 --> 00:15:34.230
things are going really well? What does
00:15:34.240 --> 00:15:35.829
that look like when things are not going
00:15:35.839 --> 00:15:37.670
so well, when they're failing? What does
00:15:37.680 --> 00:15:39.189
that look like when, you know, you're
00:15:39.199 --> 00:15:40.949
being called names and you're not
00:15:40.959 --> 00:15:43.430
getting the same hospitality back? And I
00:15:43.440 --> 00:15:45.030
love what Chelsea said while ago and I
00:15:45.040 --> 00:15:46.710
and I want to just reiterate that the
00:15:46.720 --> 00:15:49.509
fact that we we are not afraid in a very
00:15:49.519 --> 00:15:52.550
professional strategic way to dive into
00:15:52.560 --> 00:15:53.990
sort of those emotions and those
00:15:54.000 --> 00:15:55.509
feelings like what are you feeling?
00:15:55.519 --> 00:15:58.069
Yeah. How how does this impact you?
00:15:58.079 --> 00:15:59.509
>> Again, I think that's part of the secret
00:15:59.519 --> 00:16:01.509
sauce of Catalyst that we're not just
00:16:01.519 --> 00:16:03.110
there with facts and figures. We're
00:16:03.120 --> 00:16:05.350
there to deal with the holistic side of
00:16:05.360 --> 00:16:07.749
of the work that we do. So yeah,
00:16:07.759 --> 00:16:10.790
hospitality is a is a huge kind of
00:16:10.800 --> 00:16:13.189
passion of mine and I'm really glad that
00:16:13.199 --> 00:16:15.110
we're diving into that this year. And we
00:16:15.120 --> 00:16:16.629
don't like to give a whole lot away. I
00:16:16.639 --> 00:16:18.470
know we're we sound like we're we're
00:16:18.480 --> 00:16:20.470
talking around it, but part of it is is
00:16:20.480 --> 00:16:21.910
that we don't want to give too much away
00:16:21.920 --> 00:16:23.590
because if we do then,
00:16:23.600 --> 00:16:24.870
>> yeah, then we give you too much
00:16:24.880 --> 00:16:26.310
expectation. We want you to come and
00:16:26.320 --> 00:16:28.150
experience what it is and and experience
00:16:28.160 --> 00:16:29.509
some of the surprises that are going to
00:16:29.519 --> 00:16:31.749
be there. But if you look at what
00:16:31.759 --> 00:16:33.350
Chelsea's been putting out in some of
00:16:33.360 --> 00:16:35.269
the advertisements and social media
00:16:35.279 --> 00:16:37.110
posts, you'll get a really good sense of
00:16:37.120 --> 00:16:38.710
of where things are going and some of
00:16:38.720 --> 00:16:41.110
the icons and and metaphors and things
00:16:41.120 --> 00:16:43.110
of that nature. It's be pretty pretty
00:16:43.120 --> 00:16:44.470
amazing as always. It's going to be
00:16:44.480 --> 00:16:45.910
pretty amazing.
00:16:45.920 --> 00:16:47.269
>> Well, I think that's one of the things
00:16:47.279 --> 00:16:49.749
is that there's so much when you you
00:16:49.759 --> 00:16:51.509
know, I experienced my catalyst for the
00:16:51.519 --> 00:16:54.470
first time last year. Um, and it was an
00:16:54.480 --> 00:16:56.230
amazing experience. And when you look
00:16:56.240 --> 00:16:58.470
at, you know, everything from the
00:16:58.480 --> 00:17:00.310
outside in, it's like there's so much
00:17:00.320 --> 00:17:02.310
FOMO. It's like, it looks like you're
00:17:02.320 --> 00:17:04.069
having so much fun. But let's actually
00:17:04.079 --> 00:17:07.669
talk about how would a water utility
00:17:07.679 --> 00:17:09.990
professional justify like this. It is a
00:17:10.000 --> 00:17:11.669
lot of fun. And
00:17:11.679 --> 00:17:12.390
>> yeah,
00:17:12.400 --> 00:17:16.150
>> it's not just more than fun. It's
00:17:16.160 --> 00:17:18.230
the experience. I I'll just come back to
00:17:18.240 --> 00:17:20.949
it is how it's internalized. So, but um
00:17:20.959 --> 00:17:23.110
but let's unpack that a little bit.
00:17:23.120 --> 00:17:25.909
>> Yeah. Um, how would you respond to that,
00:17:25.919 --> 00:17:26.390
Chelsea?
00:17:26.400 --> 00:17:28.230
>> Yeah, it's a perfect segue because I was
00:17:28.240 --> 00:17:30.230
going to ask you a question and after I
00:17:30.240 --> 00:17:31.909
answer this, it it lines up my question
00:17:31.919 --> 00:17:33.830
for you personally as a first-time
00:17:33.840 --> 00:17:36.470
attendee last year. You know, I think
00:17:36.480 --> 00:17:38.070
people are listening to us and we're
00:17:38.080 --> 00:17:40.390
talking about communications and
00:17:40.400 --> 00:17:42.870
feelings and fun stuff and, you know,
00:17:42.880 --> 00:17:44.390
they're going to have that question of
00:17:44.400 --> 00:17:46.549
like, okay, well, you know, my work is
00:17:46.559 --> 00:17:48.070
paying for me to go. Am I going to get
00:17:48.080 --> 00:17:50.549
anything out of this? I think everything
00:17:50.559 --> 00:17:53.669
Greg just talked about um in relation to
00:17:53.679 --> 00:17:55.990
showing up when people are mad at you,
00:17:56.000 --> 00:17:57.590
this is what we're experiencing in the
00:17:57.600 --> 00:18:00.150
water sector. We're talking about very
00:18:00.160 --> 00:18:02.950
scary stuff with people. And never at
00:18:02.960 --> 00:18:05.590
another time in history have they had so
00:18:05.600 --> 00:18:07.750
much access to information, true
00:18:07.760 --> 00:18:10.310
information, misinformation, people
00:18:10.320 --> 00:18:12.150
hyping them up, people making them
00:18:12.160 --> 00:18:15.029
angry. And we all of a sudden mostly
00:18:15.039 --> 00:18:17.029
trained as operators and engineers and
00:18:17.039 --> 00:18:19.990
finance people are having to deal with
00:18:20.000 --> 00:18:22.230
that. And when I say with it, I don't
00:18:22.240 --> 00:18:24.390
even mean that negatively. I love our
00:18:24.400 --> 00:18:26.710
customers and they are so valid in their
00:18:26.720 --> 00:18:28.789
questions and concerns and thoughts.
00:18:28.799 --> 00:18:31.909
>> I am also questioning and concerning and
00:18:31.919 --> 00:18:34.230
thoughtful about what I put in my body
00:18:34.240 --> 00:18:37.669
when it comes to public health. And so,
00:18:37.679 --> 00:18:39.590
you know, we're we're being asked as a
00:18:39.600 --> 00:18:43.830
sector to meet the moment and, you know,
00:18:43.840 --> 00:18:45.990
have these conversations with people
00:18:46.000 --> 00:18:49.350
under really intense pressure um when we
00:18:49.360 --> 00:18:51.350
don't always have the answers when
00:18:51.360 --> 00:18:54.070
science is continuously changing. So,
00:18:54.080 --> 00:18:56.150
you're we're diving into that at
00:18:56.160 --> 00:18:58.230
Catalyst and we bring in expert
00:18:58.240 --> 00:19:00.789
practitioners who do this day in and day
00:19:00.799 --> 00:19:03.430
out, who are skilled at different
00:19:03.440 --> 00:19:05.830
segments of of how to do that. And I'll
00:19:05.840 --> 00:19:08.870
say the biggest question I get from CEOs
00:19:08.880 --> 00:19:11.990
even from from like top vice presidents
00:19:12.000 --> 00:19:14.310
of engineering is how to do that piece,
00:19:14.320 --> 00:19:16.950
how to engage with people and catalyst
00:19:16.960 --> 00:19:19.590
is where you learn those answers. Um we
00:19:19.600 --> 00:19:22.390
don't also also we don't only do it with
00:19:22.400 --> 00:19:24.390
water professionals. We usually bring in
00:19:24.400 --> 00:19:26.710
a mayor and we hope to have a mayor this
00:19:26.720 --> 00:19:28.950
year. Um not ready to announce it yet,
00:19:28.960 --> 00:19:30.630
but stay tuned to this little summer
00:19:30.640 --> 00:19:31.510
series.
00:19:31.520 --> 00:19:33.830
>> You might um get to speak with him. We
00:19:33.840 --> 00:19:35.909
had a mayor come in every year and tell
00:19:35.919 --> 00:19:36.710
us,
00:19:36.720 --> 00:19:38.789
>> "Hey, what, you know, how can we reach
00:19:38.799 --> 00:19:40.870
you better?" And we love it because or
00:19:40.880 --> 00:19:42.310
our attendees love it because it's not
00:19:42.320 --> 00:19:44.230
their mayor. They have all these burning
00:19:44.240 --> 00:19:45.350
questions that they're scared to ask
00:19:45.360 --> 00:19:47.590
their mayor. They can ask this mayor.
00:19:47.600 --> 00:19:49.029
Um, this mayor could tell them like,
00:19:49.039 --> 00:19:51.270
"Hey, I hate when people text me at 5:00
00:19:51.280 --> 00:19:53.590
p.m. or I would rather people text me at
00:19:53.600 --> 00:19:55.430
whatever time rather than like I'll miss
00:19:55.440 --> 00:19:57.510
an email." We get into those things of
00:19:57.520 --> 00:20:00.950
how to do that. So, you were absolutely
00:20:00.960 --> 00:20:03.270
learning and skills building. In fact,
00:20:03.280 --> 00:20:05.110
in ways that like you don't get to
00:20:05.120 --> 00:20:08.150
anywhere else. What looks like fun on
00:20:08.160 --> 00:20:11.110
the videos is one a lot of fun, but two
00:20:11.120 --> 00:20:13.590
is the actual science and strategy
00:20:13.600 --> 00:20:16.070
behind how humans learn and how humans
00:20:16.080 --> 00:20:18.549
are engaged with. And not only are you
00:20:18.559 --> 00:20:20.549
getting to experience that at Catalyst,
00:20:20.559 --> 00:20:22.710
the whole point is what Greg said
00:20:22.720 --> 00:20:25.110
earlier, we are modeling what we're
00:20:25.120 --> 00:20:26.150
teaching.
00:20:26.160 --> 00:20:28.950
>> You go back and you do this, too. And it
00:20:28.960 --> 00:20:30.710
doesn't mean you got to bring in a
00:20:30.720 --> 00:20:33.110
singer and an improv person. That's not
00:20:33.120 --> 00:20:34.950
the point. And we unpack all that
00:20:34.960 --> 00:20:36.950
catalyst, but the point is genuine
00:20:36.960 --> 00:20:39.430
engagement and everyone can do it and
00:20:39.440 --> 00:20:41.909
that's what you're taking away. So I was
00:20:41.919 --> 00:20:44.470
going to ask you, Isaac, as someone who
00:20:44.480 --> 00:20:46.470
your words have had FOMO because you've
00:20:46.480 --> 00:20:48.470
seen videos and finally you got to your
00:20:48.480 --> 00:20:50.149
first catalyst last year, which is
00:20:50.159 --> 00:20:53.029
amazing uh to have you there.
00:20:53.039 --> 00:20:55.430
>> What did you take away from it? Was it
00:20:55.440 --> 00:20:57.430
more than just kind of having fun for
00:20:57.440 --> 00:20:58.470
three days?
00:20:58.480 --> 00:21:00.630
>> It it was it was a lot more than just
00:21:00.640 --> 00:21:03.669
having fun. And I had a lot of fun.
00:21:03.679 --> 00:21:08.070
>> So So I had a lot of fun, but I I think
00:21:08.080 --> 00:21:11.590
for me, one, it was in Milwaukee, which
00:21:11.600 --> 00:21:13.750
was a great city. Milwaukee mayor, to
00:21:13.760 --> 00:21:18.230
your point, was a great so so gracious
00:21:18.240 --> 00:21:21.430
with with kind of letting us peek under
00:21:21.440 --> 00:21:23.510
the hood of of how his mind works and
00:21:23.520 --> 00:21:26.470
and how that relationship works. But I
00:21:26.480 --> 00:21:28.470
think for me when I think about a
00:21:28.480 --> 00:21:31.669
specific session, there was um there was
00:21:31.679 --> 00:21:35.750
a a mirror put had a
00:21:35.760 --> 00:21:39.110
had this roll thing where you just
00:21:39.120 --> 00:21:42.470
walked in and you were in the in the
00:21:42.480 --> 00:21:45.510
middle of a crisis communications
00:21:45.520 --> 00:21:48.549
issue. You had you had angry
00:21:48.559 --> 00:21:50.390
constituents. You had an advocacy group.
00:21:50.400 --> 00:21:52.549
You had the mayor call. Like so she was
00:21:52.559 --> 00:21:54.470
walking you through and just kind of
00:21:54.480 --> 00:21:56.470
saying, "Hey, this information just came
00:21:56.480 --> 00:21:57.909
in. How would you respond? How do you
00:21:57.919 --> 00:22:00.470
respond?" And so you got to feel the
00:22:00.480 --> 00:22:01.990
anxiety
00:22:02.000 --> 00:22:05.270
>> um of that. And it's better to have that
00:22:05.280 --> 00:22:07.750
>> in that space than it is to wait to
00:22:07.760 --> 00:22:10.230
build to say, "Oh, wait. I wish I had a
00:22:10.240 --> 00:22:11.590
really good relationship with my mayor
00:22:11.600 --> 00:22:12.710
right now."
00:22:12.720 --> 00:22:14.549
>> Um so it wasn't just building
00:22:14.559 --> 00:22:15.990
relationship or trust with the
00:22:16.000 --> 00:22:17.510
community. was also saying, "Who else am
00:22:17.520 --> 00:22:20.390
I going to have to work with when things
00:22:20.400 --> 00:22:22.630
happen and how do I build and how do I
00:22:22.640 --> 00:22:24.710
anticipate those?" So, I felt like that
00:22:24.720 --> 00:22:27.110
was really valuable. Um, and that kind
00:22:27.120 --> 00:22:30.310
of went deep. And then, you know, you
00:22:30.320 --> 00:22:34.230
had a um Britain Smith from New York
00:22:34.240 --> 00:22:36.630
City who kind of walked people through
00:22:36.640 --> 00:22:38.950
this like how to be creative, how to
00:22:38.960 --> 00:22:41.110
open open yourself up. It was a wider
00:22:41.120 --> 00:22:42.549
experience. It was really just giving us
00:22:42.559 --> 00:22:43.990
permission to like
00:22:44.000 --> 00:22:47.350
>> Yeah. be safe, play, and understand that
00:22:47.360 --> 00:22:49.510
like when you're playing, you're in a
00:22:49.520 --> 00:22:51.669
safe space, you have good ideas, and
00:22:51.679 --> 00:22:54.230
that helps helps keep you rooted. Um,
00:22:54.240 --> 00:22:55.990
and so that there was a lot
00:22:56.000 --> 00:22:57.110
>> there's a lot there.
00:22:57.120 --> 00:22:59.270
>> And Amir Palasio session you mentioned,
00:22:59.280 --> 00:23:00.789
it was really like through that was an
00:23:00.799 --> 00:23:03.190
example of through immersion. It's, you
00:23:03.200 --> 00:23:05.669
know, we can think all we want all day
00:23:05.679 --> 00:23:08.149
of like someone, you know, just showing
00:23:08.159 --> 00:23:11.029
how they did a case study, but when
00:23:11.039 --> 00:23:13.830
you're having to live think through
00:23:13.840 --> 00:23:15.990
these things, feel these emotions, you
00:23:16.000 --> 00:23:17.990
learn so much better and you can figure
00:23:18.000 --> 00:23:19.990
out practically how you take that back
00:23:20.000 --> 00:23:22.789
into the situation you are in back in
00:23:22.799 --> 00:23:25.029
the real world. Greg and I talk a lot
00:23:25.039 --> 00:23:26.789
about and we we talk to our attendees
00:23:26.799 --> 00:23:27.750
about
00:23:27.760 --> 00:23:29.430
>> you get to be in this world for three
00:23:29.440 --> 00:23:31.669
days and three days only. like the world
00:23:31.679 --> 00:23:33.830
ends and I hope you take this community
00:23:33.840 --> 00:23:36.710
with you but we want to prepare you here
00:23:36.720 --> 00:23:39.669
how to be who you were here to be a
00:23:39.679 --> 00:23:41.990
bring a piece of that person back to the
00:23:42.000 --> 00:23:43.909
real world and how you can engage this
00:23:43.919 --> 00:23:46.470
way there so there's a lot of prep and
00:23:46.480 --> 00:23:48.630
what which goes into the second piece
00:23:48.640 --> 00:23:51.029
you highlighted with Britain Smith who
00:23:51.039 --> 00:23:53.510
is um I think like an Emmy-winning
00:23:53.520 --> 00:23:56.230
artist out of New York City a singer uh
00:23:56.240 --> 00:23:59.750
performer is complex human dynamics that
00:23:59.760 --> 00:24:02.310
is something you know, most professional
00:24:02.320 --> 00:24:04.470
organizations and conferences like steer
00:24:04.480 --> 00:24:06.630
away from like what do you mean emotion?
00:24:06.640 --> 00:24:08.470
That's not professional. We bring
00:24:08.480 --> 00:24:11.029
emotions with us every single day. Um
00:24:11.039 --> 00:24:13.029
the people-to-people interactions are
00:24:13.039 --> 00:24:16.070
what is hard and and what either drives
00:24:16.080 --> 00:24:19.269
work forward or doesn't um I took a lot
00:24:19.279 --> 00:24:21.590
away personally from Britain's session.
00:24:21.600 --> 00:24:24.070
People were leaving his session in tears
00:24:24.080 --> 00:24:25.990
because it opened up so much in them.
00:24:26.000 --> 00:24:29.269
And Catalyst is a place where everyone
00:24:29.279 --> 00:24:31.430
commits to the fit and like shows up
00:24:31.440 --> 00:24:33.909
vulnerable. It is so unique to
00:24:33.919 --> 00:24:35.990
experience that. Like it moves me every
00:24:36.000 --> 00:24:38.390
single year to be in a room with that
00:24:38.400 --> 00:24:40.789
many people who have opened up in that
00:24:40.799 --> 00:24:44.470
way. And in that particular we Greg and
00:24:44.480 --> 00:24:46.549
I call this the soul moment of catalyst.
00:24:46.559 --> 00:24:48.950
It changes every year. Um it's always
00:24:48.960 --> 00:24:51.430
through a different method. Uh the year
00:24:51.440 --> 00:24:54.630
before we had a poet come in um who like
00:24:54.640 --> 00:24:56.870
a poet for the city of Philadelphia that
00:24:56.880 --> 00:24:58.549
that led us through some things of like
00:24:58.559 --> 00:25:00.149
how our customers feel and like we had
00:25:00.159 --> 00:25:02.470
to put ourselves in their shoes. But
00:25:02.480 --> 00:25:03.830
yeah, where I was getting to with with
00:25:03.840 --> 00:25:06.789
Britain is he really had us talk about
00:25:06.799 --> 00:25:08.870
and show with our fingers on a level of
00:25:08.880 --> 00:25:11.590
one to five how we felt about certain
00:25:11.600 --> 00:25:13.590
statements or how comfortable certain
00:25:13.600 --> 00:25:15.590
things were for us. And when you looked
00:25:15.600 --> 00:25:18.390
around that room, which had older and
00:25:18.400 --> 00:25:20.710
younger, newer to the industry, 30 years
00:25:20.720 --> 00:25:23.590
in the industry, manufacturers, CEOs,
00:25:23.600 --> 00:25:25.510
communication specialists, engineers,
00:25:25.520 --> 00:25:28.710
like all different types of people, they
00:25:28.720 --> 00:25:32.149
saw each other in that way where they
00:25:32.159 --> 00:25:34.950
were practicing vulnerability in, you
00:25:34.960 --> 00:25:36.789
know, an easier, comfortable way by just
00:25:36.799 --> 00:25:38.950
holding up their hand. But when you
00:25:38.960 --> 00:25:41.269
unpacked with them later on at dinner or
00:25:41.279 --> 00:25:44.070
at at happy hour, they felt really
00:25:44.080 --> 00:25:46.549
emotional when they saw, you know, one
00:25:46.559 --> 00:25:48.789
of the questions was, um, do you feel
00:25:48.799 --> 00:25:50.870
seen in your work? Do you feel seen in
00:25:50.880 --> 00:25:53.590
your workplace? Um, and and a lot of
00:25:53.600 --> 00:25:56.149
people held up a one that moved people
00:25:56.159 --> 00:25:58.070
who held up a five to tears cuz they
00:25:58.080 --> 00:26:00.630
never realized that. So that's the kind
00:26:00.640 --> 00:26:03.590
of stuff we're digging into in Catalyst.
00:26:03.600 --> 00:26:05.590
um that you know we don't think or I
00:26:05.600 --> 00:26:07.510
I've just never experienced other spaces
00:26:07.520 --> 00:26:09.590
out there that that open up to that kind
00:26:09.600 --> 00:26:11.590
of stuff. So I'm glad that was one of
00:26:11.600 --> 00:26:12.870
your moments.
00:26:12.880 --> 00:26:15.830
>> Yeah. Well and I I also think it's it's
00:26:15.840 --> 00:26:17.590
worth answering the question this way
00:26:17.600 --> 00:26:21.350
too because you know I where 120 water
00:26:21.360 --> 00:26:23.669
will be a sponsor. I think it's worth
00:26:23.679 --> 00:26:25.430
from a sponsorship standpoint. So when
00:26:25.440 --> 00:26:29.269
I'm there with my with my I also have a
00:26:29.279 --> 00:26:31.990
solution that I hope to bring to market
00:26:32.000 --> 00:26:35.990
hat on. Um that's me with a hat on. Um
00:26:36.000 --> 00:26:39.669
>> I get a lot and I think the best the
00:26:39.679 --> 00:26:41.350
best organizations get a lot when they
00:26:41.360 --> 00:26:44.230
are willing to spend time listening to
00:26:44.240 --> 00:26:47.029
the community and participating. I'm not
00:26:47.039 --> 00:26:49.029
there with an answer. I'm there with a
00:26:49.039 --> 00:26:51.269
lot of curiosity, a lot of questions,
00:26:51.279 --> 00:26:54.310
and I want to understand
00:26:54.320 --> 00:26:56.870
>> how I want to understand what the
00:26:56.880 --> 00:26:59.750
biggest needs are. And to me, it's so
00:26:59.760 --> 00:27:02.390
important for
00:27:02.400 --> 00:27:03.830
we know that the work that water
00:27:03.840 --> 00:27:06.950
professionals do require
00:27:06.960 --> 00:27:09.590
a lot to be a lot of data to be reported
00:27:09.600 --> 00:27:11.669
up to regulators, but also a lot of
00:27:11.679 --> 00:27:15.190
information to be communicated out. and
00:27:15.200 --> 00:27:19.029
that relate that's a complex a complex
00:27:19.039 --> 00:27:21.269
dynamic that doesn't necessarily exist
00:27:21.279 --> 00:27:24.950
for a lot of other industries um where
00:27:24.960 --> 00:27:26.630
you're needing to balance both of those
00:27:26.640 --> 00:27:29.029
at once and so I think that's like the
00:27:29.039 --> 00:27:31.350
missional part of me is like I I want to
00:27:31.360 --> 00:27:33.190
be at the epicenter of that like
00:27:33.200 --> 00:27:35.909
whatever's going on and I believe that
00:27:35.919 --> 00:27:39.909
that's at the catalyst community is it's
00:27:39.919 --> 00:27:42.230
the people who value that and that's
00:27:42.240 --> 00:27:44.390
that's where the changemaking is going
00:27:44.400 --> 00:27:45.430
to happen.
00:27:45.440 --> 00:27:47.669
>> Yeah. And I love to hear that from your
00:27:47.679 --> 00:27:49.909
perspective both as an attendee and a
00:27:49.919 --> 00:27:51.909
sponsor because you know one thing we
00:27:51.919 --> 00:27:53.909
tell our sponsors and we hear back from
00:27:53.919 --> 00:27:57.269
both attendees and them is that um
00:27:57.279 --> 00:27:59.029
Catalyst really is a community of
00:27:59.039 --> 00:28:01.350
innovators. These are the ones pushing
00:28:01.360 --> 00:28:03.269
the conversations forward, pushing the
00:28:03.279 --> 00:28:05.029
needle forward, the ones at their
00:28:05.039 --> 00:28:07.029
workplaces that are gonna go back to
00:28:07.039 --> 00:28:08.870
whoever, whether they are the decision
00:28:08.880 --> 00:28:10.470
maker or there's a different team and
00:28:10.480 --> 00:28:12.630
say, "Hey, I think we should think about
00:28:12.640 --> 00:28:14.470
this." or hey this would be on the
00:28:14.480 --> 00:28:16.230
cutting edge like these are the daring
00:28:16.240 --> 00:28:18.549
people that are going to do that and
00:28:18.559 --> 00:28:21.269
unlike you know a bigger event this
00:28:21.279 --> 00:28:24.710
curated community like you're able to
00:28:24.720 --> 00:28:27.830
sit and build relationships get to know
00:28:27.840 --> 00:28:30.149
people like join them along the journey
00:28:30.159 --> 00:28:31.510
like you said instead of just being
00:28:31.520 --> 00:28:34.789
there to sell something to them and yeah
00:28:34.799 --> 00:28:37.510
people have found that so valuable and
00:28:37.520 --> 00:28:39.750
what I like is that it also models what
00:28:39.760 --> 00:28:41.350
we teach you know I said one of the four
00:28:41.360 --> 00:28:42.950
pillars is relationships through
00:28:42.960 --> 00:28:46.470
experience. And no, you know, whatever
00:28:46.480 --> 00:28:48.149
piece you play in the catalyst journey,
00:28:48.159 --> 00:28:50.310
whether you're a partner uh in
00:28:50.320 --> 00:28:51.830
sponsorship, whether you're an attendee
00:28:51.840 --> 00:28:54.070
or a guest, whether you're a guide,
00:28:54.080 --> 00:28:55.430
which is what we call our speakers
00:28:55.440 --> 00:28:56.789
because they really guide us along the
00:28:56.799 --> 00:28:57.750
journeys,
00:28:57.760 --> 00:29:00.789
>> you are getting to be a piece of that
00:29:00.799 --> 00:29:03.590
story and like getting to experience the
00:29:03.600 --> 00:29:06.310
full full four pillars of public trust.
00:29:06.320 --> 00:29:08.710
So, yeah, I loved kind of hearing those
00:29:08.720 --> 00:29:10.950
pieces in your answer. Yeah, you've said
00:29:10.960 --> 00:29:12.870
some key key phrases there and I know
00:29:12.880 --> 00:29:14.870
again I you know again not to be too
00:29:14.880 --> 00:29:18.870
cliche here but we do we we have said
00:29:18.880 --> 00:29:20.870
uh that catalyst is really a movement
00:29:20.880 --> 00:29:23.110
and that's you know that's a really good
00:29:23.120 --> 00:29:25.909
I think a really profound larger way I
00:29:25.919 --> 00:29:28.710
see and and this is just the way my
00:29:28.720 --> 00:29:31.430
brain works but I I see this whole sort
00:29:31.440 --> 00:29:33.990
of catalyst ecosystem that goes far
00:29:34.000 --> 00:29:37.110
beyond just
00:29:37.120 --> 00:29:38.870
and and the and the three days is
00:29:38.880 --> 00:29:41.909
powerful but It goes it goes beyond that
00:29:41.919 --> 00:29:44.389
and and sometimes I think we don't even
00:29:44.399 --> 00:29:46.870
know and I don't think we will ever know
00:29:46.880 --> 00:29:49.190
the impact that those three days and
00:29:49.200 --> 00:29:51.590
then the greater ecosystem that's being
00:29:51.600 --> 00:29:54.549
developed is having upon the industry. I
00:29:54.559 --> 00:29:56.549
think once a boulder begins running
00:29:56.559 --> 00:29:58.710
downhill on on certain concepts and
00:29:58.720 --> 00:30:01.590
ideas you can't stop it. uh but you also
00:30:01.600 --> 00:30:03.669
can't control it and so it just it just
00:30:03.679 --> 00:30:06.149
goes and that's again the beauty of the
00:30:06.159 --> 00:30:08.470
movement of catalyst is it stirs in
00:30:08.480 --> 00:30:11.190
people it creates a a catalyst community
00:30:11.200 --> 00:30:13.110
of people that maybe have never spoken
00:30:13.120 --> 00:30:15.269
to one another it brings new partners in
00:30:15.279 --> 00:30:17.190
that say oh gosh we want to be a part of
00:30:17.200 --> 00:30:19.590
this that means the whole ecosystem
00:30:19.600 --> 00:30:21.590
that's being sort of uh put together
00:30:21.600 --> 00:30:23.590
whether we see that or not I believe
00:30:23.600 --> 00:30:25.190
it's there I believe it's being
00:30:25.200 --> 00:30:28.549
assembled and uh it's just it is so much
00:30:28.559 --> 00:30:31.110
fun it it after almost 30 years of being
00:30:31.120 --> 00:30:34.389
in the water space. It It is one of my
00:30:34.399 --> 00:30:36.149
all-time most favorite things to be a
00:30:36.159 --> 00:30:38.789
part of. For for sure.
00:30:38.799 --> 00:30:41.830
>> Yeah. Yeah. Well, and I I think it's,
00:30:41.840 --> 00:30:45.830
you know, it's I love what you just said
00:30:45.840 --> 00:30:49.110
because we can get so focused on
00:30:49.120 --> 00:30:51.590
measuring the impact and measurement is
00:30:51.600 --> 00:30:53.669
absolutely important and we need key
00:30:53.679 --> 00:30:56.310
performance indicators and we need to
00:30:56.320 --> 00:30:58.389
have measurements, but we also have to
00:30:58.399 --> 00:31:00.630
leave enough space to hold it loosely to
00:31:00.640 --> 00:31:04.230
have something else happen that might be
00:31:04.240 --> 00:31:08.230
we didn't anticipate because
00:31:08.240 --> 00:31:10.870
those things happen anyway. way. Like 5
00:31:10.880 --> 00:31:14.230
years ago, who would have predicted
00:31:14.240 --> 00:31:18.230
that data centers would be at the
00:31:18.240 --> 00:31:19.990
forefront of every community
00:31:20.000 --> 00:31:21.430
conversation and now all of a sudden we
00:31:21.440 --> 00:31:23.269
have to have like STR like there
00:31:23.279 --> 00:31:24.310
>> like
00:31:24.320 --> 00:31:26.870
>> and it went from
00:31:26.880 --> 00:31:30.630
the sentiment went is is swinging so
00:31:30.640 --> 00:31:33.430
wildly or like anything any of those
00:31:33.440 --> 00:31:35.190
topics like we actually have no idea
00:31:35.200 --> 00:31:36.149
what's going to happen.
00:31:36.159 --> 00:31:38.789
>> Yeah. But we also have no idea what's
00:31:38.799 --> 00:31:40.549
going to happen. Like it's just not like
00:31:40.559 --> 00:31:42.149
that's not like we have no idea what's
00:31:42.159 --> 00:31:42.789
going to happen.
00:31:42.799 --> 00:31:43.509
>> Yeah.
00:31:43.519 --> 00:31:46.149
>> Ter like let's be terrified. We also
00:31:46.159 --> 00:31:47.350
have no idea what's going to happen.
00:31:47.360 --> 00:31:49.110
Like that that actually can be a
00:31:49.120 --> 00:31:51.430
statement with just as much hope.
00:31:51.440 --> 00:31:52.549
>> Um
00:31:52.559 --> 00:31:55.750
>> and I do want to let people know what is
00:31:55.760 --> 00:31:59.269
going to happen. So today is the start
00:31:59.279 --> 00:32:01.990
of a minieries on the Make Waterwork
00:32:02.000 --> 00:32:04.710
podcast. Um, and what is going to keep
00:32:04.720 --> 00:32:06.549
happening is that we're gonna get to
00:32:06.559 --> 00:32:09.430
have a lot of the guests um or a lot of
00:32:09.440 --> 00:32:12.630
the guides be guests on on this, whether
00:32:12.640 --> 00:32:15.509
they're current going to be a guide for
00:32:15.519 --> 00:32:19.190
the upcoming Catalyst or or been a a
00:32:19.200 --> 00:32:21.509
guide in a previous Catalyst and um
00:32:21.519 --> 00:32:22.950
which a lot of those folks have already
00:32:22.960 --> 00:32:25.110
been guests on on my podcast because I
00:32:25.120 --> 00:32:27.669
met them at Catalyst. So um that that's
00:32:27.679 --> 00:32:28.389
another
00:32:28.399 --> 00:32:31.029
>> excited for that though because you know
00:32:31.039 --> 00:32:33.590
actually a lot of the practitioners we
00:32:33.600 --> 00:32:36.070
bring in to be expert guides at Catalyst
00:32:36.080 --> 00:32:38.549
are not always the ones you you see at
00:32:38.559 --> 00:32:40.389
every conference are not the ones
00:32:40.399 --> 00:32:43.110
speaking you know everywhere the same
00:32:43.120 --> 00:32:44.950
all like we are really trying to push
00:32:44.960 --> 00:32:48.149
the sector forward um and hopefully
00:32:48.159 --> 00:32:51.269
introduce you guys to like a broader um
00:32:51.279 --> 00:32:53.509
swath of experts out there. So I'm
00:32:53.519 --> 00:32:55.269
really excited too and you know some of
00:32:55.279 --> 00:32:56.630
the things you'll you hear them talk
00:32:56.640 --> 00:32:58.710
about is exactly what you just got into
00:32:58.720 --> 00:33:01.909
Isaac. Well hey everyone needs KPIs. How
00:33:01.919 --> 00:33:03.909
do I measure that? what is public
00:33:03.919 --> 00:33:06.870
perception of reuse and data centers and
00:33:06.880 --> 00:33:10.310
um del and what is uh how do we pull our
00:33:10.320 --> 00:33:12.310
customers like we will get into all of
00:33:12.320 --> 00:33:14.389
that and we have experts you know coming
00:33:14.399 --> 00:33:17.190
in on all those piece p pieces too but
00:33:17.200 --> 00:33:20.149
then also the complex human dynam
00:33:20.159 --> 00:33:22.549
dynamics and the behavioral science
00:33:22.559 --> 00:33:24.950
between behind hey if you message this
00:33:24.960 --> 00:33:27.029
way humans tend to respond this way but
00:33:27.039 --> 00:33:29.110
if you message that way they tend to
00:33:29.120 --> 00:33:31.190
respond that way those are some key
00:33:31.200 --> 00:33:33.190
strategies um that we need to know. So,
00:33:33.200 --> 00:33:34.710
yeah, I'm so excited that you'll be
00:33:34.720 --> 00:33:36.710
hosting um all of them over the summer
00:33:36.720 --> 00:33:38.789
and everyone will uh get to hear from
00:33:38.799 --> 00:33:40.149
these guys.
00:33:40.159 --> 00:33:42.789
>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Me, me, too. It's It's
00:33:42.799 --> 00:33:44.630
great. And I again, I just can't thank
00:33:44.640 --> 00:33:47.669
you both enough for what you've brought
00:33:47.679 --> 00:33:50.710
and what you've created. I know that it
00:33:50.720 --> 00:33:53.350
has already gone beyond what you could
00:33:53.360 --> 00:33:56.470
have imagined and I already am excited
00:33:56.480 --> 00:33:59.190
for how much further it's going to go. I
00:33:59.200 --> 00:34:01.909
do want to say to the listeners um as
00:34:01.919 --> 00:34:04.950
well, there's still time perhaps when
00:34:04.960 --> 00:34:07.269
you're listening to this to sign up. So,
00:34:07.279 --> 00:34:09.510
so Chelsea, where do they go to find out
00:34:09.520 --> 00:34:11.510
more information about the Catalyst
00:34:11.520 --> 00:34:12.869
experience?
00:34:12.879 --> 00:34:15.750
>> Yes, great question. Um if they go to
00:34:15.760 --> 00:34:18.550
catalyst.org,
00:34:18.560 --> 00:34:20.310
um there'll be a catalyst tab there.
00:34:20.320 --> 00:34:21.669
They can find out everything they need
00:34:21.679 --> 00:34:24.310
to know, how to register. Um, we do have
00:34:24.320 --> 00:34:26.310
limited seating. So, if you are hearing
00:34:26.320 --> 00:34:28.950
this and there is time before September
00:34:28.960 --> 00:34:32.310
1st, 2026, uh, go ahead and get your
00:34:32.320 --> 00:34:34.069
seat locked in.
00:34:34.079 --> 00:34:35.990
>> And there's opportunities for
00:34:36.000 --> 00:34:38.470
sponsorship. Again, that's that's been
00:34:38.480 --> 00:34:41.349
already been a value to to me and to
00:34:41.359 --> 00:34:43.750
120. We're excited to sponsor um, this
00:34:43.760 --> 00:34:46.389
year. And and if you're listening to
00:34:46.399 --> 00:34:47.909
this and you're like, well, it is
00:34:47.919 --> 00:34:50.629
September 4th and I missed it. Catalyst
00:34:50.639 --> 00:34:51.990
is a community and it's going to happen
00:34:52.000 --> 00:34:54.149
again next year and there's there's
00:34:54.159 --> 00:34:56.869
other programming beyond this, but but
00:34:56.879 --> 00:34:58.470
we are really excited to shine a
00:34:58.480 --> 00:35:01.589
spotlight on the guides for this year to
00:35:01.599 --> 00:35:03.990
really let you get to see a little bit
00:35:04.000 --> 00:35:06.150
of that and um and we'll make sure to
00:35:06.160 --> 00:35:09.829
not um not not spill everything out in
00:35:09.839 --> 00:35:13.910
the uh all all at once um and to
00:35:13.920 --> 00:35:15.589
surprise us which actually makes
00:35:15.599 --> 00:35:18.230
Catalyst so fun and return attendees.
00:35:18.240 --> 00:35:20.310
We've kind of got like this little cult
00:35:20.320 --> 00:35:21.829
following and they're always looking for
00:35:21.839 --> 00:35:24.069
our Easter eggs. We have Easter eggs in
00:35:24.079 --> 00:35:26.310
the design and the story every year. But
00:35:26.320 --> 00:35:28.150
yeah, I can't thank you enough, Isaac.
00:35:28.160 --> 00:35:29.510
One, for the opportunity to talk about
00:35:29.520 --> 00:35:32.390
this, but two, you know, 120 being a
00:35:32.400 --> 00:35:34.470
partner, you know, the partners and
00:35:34.480 --> 00:35:36.310
sponsors who sign on to Catalyst are so
00:35:36.320 --> 00:35:39.349
important because it takes a unique like
00:35:39.359 --> 00:35:41.750
forwardthinking innovative company to
00:35:41.760 --> 00:35:44.470
get behind this work and to see like the
00:35:44.480 --> 00:35:47.109
impact of this work in our sector. um
00:35:47.119 --> 00:35:49.670
and they also help keep this accessible
00:35:49.680 --> 00:35:53.109
so that everyone can um kind of come and
00:35:53.119 --> 00:35:55.430
reach the skills building. So, thanks to
00:35:55.440 --> 00:35:58.390
120 and um yeah, so excited for uh all
00:35:58.400 --> 00:36:00.470
the conversations over the summer.
00:36:00.480 --> 00:36:03.430
>> Yeah, absolutely. And thank you all for
00:36:03.440 --> 00:36:07.349
tuning in. I say this every time. I love
00:36:07.359 --> 00:36:09.510
um this Make Waterwork podcast. I love
00:36:09.520 --> 00:36:11.910
the community that it gets that it gives
00:36:11.920 --> 00:36:15.349
me the opportunity to to um to interact
00:36:15.359 --> 00:36:18.710
with and we really hope that you take a
00:36:18.720 --> 00:36:21.190
look at Catalyst and take a look at
00:36:21.200 --> 00:36:22.550
where you can have an impact and where
00:36:22.560 --> 00:36:24.390
you can grow your skill set um in this
00:36:24.400 --> 00:36:26.630
industry and we'll talk to you next
00:36:26.640 --> 00:36:29.349
time. Thanks for listening to the Make
00:36:29.359 --> 00:36:31.670
Water Work podcast. If you enjoyed
00:36:31.680 --> 00:36:34.069
today's episode, please take a moment to
00:36:34.079 --> 00:36:36.470
like, share, and subscribe so you never
00:36:36.480 --> 00:36:39.030
miss a conversation. We'd love to hear
00:36:39.040 --> 00:36:41.030
your thoughts and questions. Connect
00:36:41.040 --> 00:36:42.870
with us on LinkedIn or send us a
00:36:42.880 --> 00:36:45.030
message. Together, we can make water
00:36:45.040 --> 00:36:48.680
work for everyone.