WEBVTT NOTE This file was generated by Descript 00:00:23.400 --> 00:00:24.540 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: Welcome back to The Chemical 00:00:24.540 --> 00:00:27.000 Show Where Leaders Talk Business. 00:00:27.300 --> 00:00:31.110 Today I am speaking with Mike Fanelli, who is the Chief 00:00:31.110 --> 00:00:33.480 Technology and Innovation Officer. 00:00:33.630 --> 00:00:34.380 It's a long title. 00:00:34.380 --> 00:00:37.650 We'll just call him the CTIO for Science Co. 00:00:37.770 --> 00:00:38.010 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: Co. 00:00:38.380 --> 00:00:41.890 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: Mike leads a group of 2000 science co explorers 00:00:41.890 --> 00:00:46.060 and change makers across the group's key strategic platforms including 00:00:46.060 --> 00:00:50.800 battery materials, green hydrogen and renewable materials, and biotechnology. 00:00:50.800 --> 00:00:55.580 So all very innovative areas, while also guiding commercial activities, 00:00:55.580 --> 00:00:56.240 operations, capital planning, 00:00:56.640 --> 00:00:57.090 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: capital 00:00:57.205 --> 00:00:59.240 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: partnerships, and alliances 00:00:59.240 --> 00:01:00.590 with four business incubators. 00:01:00.590 --> 00:01:04.910 So Mike is a busy guy, super excited that he could find time to talk with me today. 00:01:05.220 --> 00:01:05.970 And you know. 00:01:06.155 --> 00:01:10.205 Basically, to put it succinctly, Mike's in charge of this innovation, 00:01:10.205 --> 00:01:14.405 Enogen for Science Co, and we're gonna be talking about that and more. 00:01:14.945 --> 00:01:16.445 Mike, welcome to the Chemical Show. 00:01:16.450 --> 00:01:16.750 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: Show. 00:01:17.080 --> 00:01:17.680 Thanks, Victoria. 00:01:17.680 --> 00:01:18.460 Glad to be here. 00:01:18.935 --> 00:01:19.955 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: Really glad to have you. 00:01:20.140 --> 00:01:20.260 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: you. 00:01:20.465 --> 00:01:22.025 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: start with your origin story. 00:01:22.355 --> 00:01:27.995 What got you interested in chemicals and polymers and ultimately brought 00:01:27.995 --> 00:01:29.345 you to where you are at Science Co. 00:01:29.410 --> 00:01:29.634 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: Cup? 00:01:29.743 --> 00:01:31.033 So it's kind of, it's kind of a funny story. 00:01:31.033 --> 00:01:34.233 So I, I, you know, since I was a kid, I've always loved science, right? 00:01:34.233 --> 00:01:36.723 I remember, you know, as a kid, any science book I could get 00:01:36.723 --> 00:01:37.803 my hands on, it didn't matter. 00:01:37.803 --> 00:01:38.703 I would love to read it. 00:01:39.363 --> 00:01:40.893 Uh, I had a, a little chemistry set. 00:01:40.923 --> 00:01:43.653 Well, actually it wasn't that little, it was about five foot across at a door. 00:01:43.803 --> 00:01:46.353 You know, I would do all kinds of chemical experiments, uh, 00:01:46.353 --> 00:01:48.243 when I was probably 10 years old. 00:01:48.603 --> 00:01:51.453 I would set things on fire and my parents would get upset and, and, 00:01:51.453 --> 00:01:55.473 uh, so I've always had this passion around science and passion around 00:01:55.893 --> 00:01:57.333 chemistry and, and technology. 00:01:57.885 --> 00:02:01.460 how I got into this industry was kind of by chance I, you 00:02:01.460 --> 00:02:02.450 know, wasn't planning on it. 00:02:02.450 --> 00:02:03.650 I honestly, I went to college. 00:02:03.650 --> 00:02:03.680 I. 00:02:04.310 --> 00:02:06.860 didn't really know what I wanted to do when I graduated, uh, I 00:02:06.860 --> 00:02:08.300 graduated in the early nineties. 00:02:08.300 --> 00:02:12.590 The job market was really tight, a friend of my father's who, my father 00:02:12.590 --> 00:02:14.060 was a hairdresser, and he, he cut hair. 00:02:14.060 --> 00:02:15.890 He cut this guy's hair for, for decades. 00:02:16.160 --> 00:02:16.910 He was a headhunter. 00:02:16.940 --> 00:02:20.210 And he calls me up and he said, Hey, Mike, I got a great opportunity, uh, 00:02:20.210 --> 00:02:21.500 for you with this chemical company. 00:02:21.800 --> 00:02:22.790 Uh, it's in the mail room. 00:02:22.820 --> 00:02:24.710 It's a summer job in the mail room, right? 00:02:24.740 --> 00:02:26.100 And I, I said, ed, you know. 00:02:26.743 --> 00:02:27.883 I got a college degree. 00:02:27.883 --> 00:02:29.773 I'm not working in the mail room, I can't do it right. 00:02:30.373 --> 00:02:31.303 And he said, okay. 00:02:31.303 --> 00:02:33.553 You know, at the end of the summer he came back and he said, Hey, 00:02:33.553 --> 00:02:35.143 they made it a permanent job. 00:02:35.143 --> 00:02:37.093 So it's a full-time mail, mail room job. 00:02:37.843 --> 00:02:40.363 And I said, okay, ed, nothing's changed. 00:02:40.363 --> 00:02:43.603 I said, great, it's full-time work, but I still don't wanna work in the mail room. 00:02:44.413 --> 00:02:47.473 Uh, but he kept trying to, he kept telling me how great a company it was and that 00:02:47.473 --> 00:02:51.913 this is exciting and they're doing new stuff and, you know, I liked chemistry. 00:02:51.913 --> 00:02:52.543 And I said, okay. 00:02:52.543 --> 00:02:53.203 I said, I'll tell you what. 00:02:54.103 --> 00:02:55.273 I'll come in for an interview. 00:02:55.273 --> 00:02:57.643 And here I keep in mind, I was a 22-year-old kid, right? 00:02:57.643 --> 00:03:00.013 And I said, I, I'll come in for an interview if they're 00:03:00.013 --> 00:03:01.243 willing to pay for an MBA. 00:03:01.453 --> 00:03:04.543 And he laughed and he said, Mike, come on, because no one pays 00:03:04.543 --> 00:03:06.343 for a, a male boy to get an MBA. 00:03:06.373 --> 00:03:08.203 I said, ed, that's my, that's my deal. 00:03:08.653 --> 00:03:14.593 So he went to the VP of of human resources and the VP said, I'll tell you what. 00:03:14.593 --> 00:03:15.793 He goes, I wanna meet this guy. 00:03:16.393 --> 00:03:18.583 If I hire him, I'll pay for him to get an MBA. 00:03:19.393 --> 00:03:20.443 So I went in for the interview. 00:03:21.568 --> 00:03:22.378 the interview went well. 00:03:22.378 --> 00:03:25.558 They hired me and I started my MBA within a few months of, of 00:03:25.558 --> 00:03:26.818 joining, uh, joining the company. 00:03:27.193 --> 00:03:30.943 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: That is an amazing, bold story. 00:03:31.918 --> 00:03:33.058 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: Well, that's, that's how I started. 00:03:33.058 --> 00:03:36.568 I was, I was the mail boy, literally, uh, the mail boy bringing mail to all 00:03:36.568 --> 00:03:40.678 the executives I just, I worked my way up, you know, when I was in there, I, I, 00:03:40.738 --> 00:03:44.938 we went through a big restructuring at the beginning uh, so there was a lot of 00:03:44.938 --> 00:03:48.808 people that were leaving and I would get all this industry mail that would come in 00:03:48.838 --> 00:03:50.158 and they would tell me to throw it out. 00:03:50.608 --> 00:03:53.128 And I didn't, I threw a lot of it, but I kept it and I, that's all I did 00:03:53.128 --> 00:03:55.948 was read the industry magazines and when I had questions, I went to the 00:03:55.948 --> 00:03:59.398 executives and asked them, what does this mean or what does that mean? 00:03:59.998 --> 00:04:02.308 And I think that helped me build a relationship. 00:04:02.308 --> 00:04:06.088 People realized I didn't want to go, uh, and be in the mail room my whole life. 00:04:06.088 --> 00:04:10.588 So, was also a male boy getting an MBA, so it kind of sent the message 00:04:10.828 --> 00:04:13.948 and I moved out of the mail room within probably four or five months. 00:04:13.948 --> 00:04:15.208 I got into customer service. 00:04:15.208 --> 00:04:16.168 I moved into sales. 00:04:16.543 --> 00:04:19.933 So, and I moved throughout the whole whole company, you know, every few years. 00:04:19.933 --> 00:04:22.663 I, I moved to Europe in, in 2006. 00:04:23.323 --> 00:04:27.073 I, uh, became the president of our specialty Polymers, GBU in 2018. 00:04:27.733 --> 00:04:31.603 And then when the company split the, uh, ve and, uh, VE split into 00:04:31.603 --> 00:04:34.033 Science Co and sve, I became the CTIO. 00:04:34.333 --> 00:04:38.323 So I've had this really, you know, exciting, you know, career and, and, 00:04:38.323 --> 00:04:41.533 uh, it's never been a, you know, 32 years and I've never been, uh, bored. 00:04:41.533 --> 00:04:42.373 I've never had a boring day. 00:04:42.898 --> 00:04:43.828 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: I, I love this. 00:04:43.828 --> 00:04:45.928 I mean, from male boy to C-Suite. 00:04:45.928 --> 00:04:48.058 There is a headline right there. 00:04:48.388 --> 00:04:51.838 But also I think it's just this, it, it demonstrates this. 00:04:52.393 --> 00:04:53.893 Idea of a growth mindset, right? 00:04:53.893 --> 00:04:56.623 You're starting someplace, but you're still, you're reading like, okay, well 00:04:56.638 --> 00:04:56.908 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: well 00:04:57.103 --> 00:04:58.243 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: I'm, I could throw this away, 00:04:58.243 --> 00:04:59.323 but this looks interesting. 00:04:59.323 --> 00:05:01.963 Let me read and learn and discuss and grow. 00:05:02.023 --> 00:05:07.183 Um, and that of course is central to your career and what you do today with, 00:05:07.213 --> 00:05:08.953 with Science Co and innovation, I'm sure. 00:05:08.968 --> 00:05:09.213 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: sure. 00:05:09.530 --> 00:05:09.730 Absolutely. 00:05:10.255 --> 00:05:10.525 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: Yeah. 00:05:10.615 --> 00:05:10.765 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: Yeah. 00:05:10.795 --> 00:05:14.365 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: So let's talk a little bit about Science Co. 00:05:14.455 --> 00:05:15.715 Um, and for, 00:05:15.745 --> 00:05:15.955 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: for, 00:05:15.985 --> 00:05:17.185 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: I've told you this and I don't mind 00:05:17.185 --> 00:05:20.485 telling everyone for the first year I mispronounced the name 'cause 00:05:20.485 --> 00:05:22.375 I didn't understand what it was. 00:05:22.855 --> 00:05:26.185 Um, but I think we're in this place where people know who Science 00:05:26.185 --> 00:05:29.005 Co is maybe so tell us more. 00:05:29.160 --> 00:05:30.780 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: we're almost two years old now, so we're 00:05:30.780 --> 00:05:33.810 not, we're not quite at two years, end of this year, we'll hit, uh, hit two years. 00:05:34.203 --> 00:05:37.148 and we're, Uh, about 13,000 employees. 00:05:37.418 --> 00:05:40.958 We have manufacturing sites, uh, 60 manufac manufacturing 00:05:40.958 --> 00:05:41.858 sites around the world. 00:05:42.638 --> 00:05:46.058 you said earlier, uh, 2000 research and development scientists, so 00:05:46.058 --> 00:05:48.758 you might say, how, how does a 2-year-old company end up with, you 00:05:48.758 --> 00:05:50.738 know, that, that size organization? 00:05:50.738 --> 00:05:50.978 Right. 00:05:51.608 --> 00:05:55.328 Um, we have 160 year history, so as I, I mentioned earlier, we 00:05:55.328 --> 00:05:56.438 were part of the solve a group. 00:05:56.798 --> 00:06:00.848 and uh, back at the end of 2023, we split the company into two. 00:06:00.848 --> 00:06:05.468 So Sovi was a, was a large multi, you know, national, I'd say 00:06:05.468 --> 00:06:06.968 diversified chemical company, right? 00:06:06.968 --> 00:06:11.768 So we had commodities, we had specialties, and over the previous, you know, four 00:06:11.768 --> 00:06:16.178 or five years, the company was, was, you know, fixing the portfolio and, and, 00:06:16.178 --> 00:06:19.328 you know, divesting certain parts of it and getting it ready for this split. 00:06:20.768 --> 00:06:24.188 we got to a point where we had achieved our previous growth strategy. 00:06:24.758 --> 00:06:30.068 Um, early and it, and we were prepared to now split the company into a, a commodity 00:06:30.068 --> 00:06:33.428 business, which remained Solvay and then this new company that was the specialty 00:06:33.428 --> 00:06:35.378 business, which became, uh, science Co. 00:06:35.768 --> 00:06:38.721 So, know, pretty exciting, journey, if you will. 00:06:38.751 --> 00:06:41.871 And now, you know, I could sit here and I could explain to you all the wonderful 00:06:41.871 --> 00:06:43.461 products that we, we have, right? 00:06:43.461 --> 00:06:44.751 But that would take hours. 00:06:44.751 --> 00:06:44.991 I'd be 00:06:45.071 --> 00:06:45.311 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: Yeah. 00:06:45.381 --> 00:06:46.041 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: do it, but I don't think 00:06:46.041 --> 00:06:46.731 we have the time in the 00:06:46.951 --> 00:06:47.071 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: Hmm. 00:06:48.201 --> 00:06:49.041 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: Um, but I would tell you we 00:06:49.041 --> 00:06:50.181 have, we have two legs, right? 00:06:50.181 --> 00:06:53.571 So we have a performance and care leg, uh, and then we have a materials leg. 00:06:54.681 --> 00:06:59.025 The easiest way to explain it would be to say, if it flies, we are on. 00:06:59.025 --> 00:07:02.335 It doesn't matter whether we're talking commercial aircraft, whether 00:07:02.335 --> 00:07:05.545 we're talking, talking spacecraft, uh, urban air mobility, the new 00:07:05.545 --> 00:07:08.035 air taxis or defense, uh, aircraft. 00:07:08.395 --> 00:07:11.995 Everything that flies for the last 30, 40 years has had a 00:07:11.995 --> 00:07:13.105 science cool material on it. 00:07:13.640 --> 00:07:14.030 If it 00:07:14.120 --> 00:07:14.870 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: That's amazing 00:07:14.930 --> 00:07:15.140 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: amazing. 00:07:15.593 --> 00:07:17.363 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: and, and I didn't know that. 00:07:17.363 --> 00:07:18.953 Like I was that, so yeah. 00:07:18.953 --> 00:07:19.493 That's cool. 00:07:19.853 --> 00:07:21.083 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: we are, we have, uh, one of the 00:07:21.083 --> 00:07:23.633 largest composite businesses, and it's not just our composites 00:07:23.633 --> 00:07:26.833 business, but we have lubricants, we have elastomers, we have, polymeric 00:07:26.833 --> 00:07:28.603 materials that are all over the plane. 00:07:28.633 --> 00:07:31.033 Coatings, you name it, we're, we're in it. 00:07:31.693 --> 00:07:34.783 Uh, and I was saying if, if it drives, we're, we're in it, right? 00:07:34.783 --> 00:07:38.053 So almost every car on the road, about 80% of the cars on the road 00:07:38.263 --> 00:07:40.243 have a science co material in them. 00:07:40.918 --> 00:07:44.608 And again, it doesn't matter whether it's an ice engine, uh, whether it's a hybrid 00:07:44.608 --> 00:07:49.038 vehicle, a fuel cell vehicle, vehicle, or a, full battery electric vehicle. 00:07:49.398 --> 00:07:52.718 Our materials make them lighter, uh, make them more, fuel efficient, 00:07:52.718 --> 00:07:55.988 whether it's electricity or, or, uh, petroleum, it doesn't matter. 00:07:55.988 --> 00:07:57.248 We make them more fuel efficient. 00:07:57.248 --> 00:07:57.908 We make them lighter. 00:07:57.908 --> 00:07:58.658 We make 'em safer. 00:07:59.141 --> 00:08:03.291 In the space of, healthcare, our materials actually save lives. 00:08:03.651 --> 00:08:04.671 So I'll give you an example. 00:08:04.751 --> 00:08:05.741 Hemodialysis. 00:08:05.921 --> 00:08:08.201 So patients that have kidney failure have to have their 00:08:08.201 --> 00:08:09.671 blood filtered every few days. 00:08:10.331 --> 00:08:14.171 The membrane is made out of a science co material, and, and, uh, there's, 00:08:14.171 --> 00:08:17.081 there's millions of patients around the world that would not be able to 00:08:17.081 --> 00:08:21.878 survive without science CO's technology, uh, water filtration, hundreds, you 00:08:21.878 --> 00:08:25.028 know, hundreds of millions of people are, are drinking clean water that 00:08:25.028 --> 00:08:26.948 are made by, uh, our membranes. 00:08:27.878 --> 00:08:31.725 are, in reverse osmosis systems taking, uh, uh, salt water and turning 'em 00:08:31.725 --> 00:08:35.571 into, uh, potable water that, that you can drink, uh, electronics, right? 00:08:35.571 --> 00:08:37.611 We love our mobile devices. 00:08:37.641 --> 00:08:38.691 We love our laptops. 00:08:38.691 --> 00:08:39.531 We love our phones. 00:08:39.531 --> 00:08:40.641 We love our tablets. 00:08:40.845 --> 00:08:44.175 ai, we'll talk about a AI I hope at some point in this interview, 00:08:44.370 --> 00:08:44.570 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: Absolutely. 00:08:44.870 --> 00:08:45.110 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: absolutely. 00:08:45.115 --> 00:08:49.185 Uh, AI and quantum computing wouldn't be possible without semiconductors, 00:08:49.555 --> 00:08:53.035 and you cannot make a semiconductor without science coast materials. 00:08:53.608 --> 00:08:54.313 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: That's really cool. 00:08:54.418 --> 00:08:54.618 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: cool. 00:08:54.956 --> 00:08:58.736 And if you, if you, this morning in the shower, if you, if you use the shampoo 00:08:58.736 --> 00:09:03.506 or conditioner, uh, probably 25% of the population used a science go material, 00:09:03.953 --> 00:09:05.543 that was biodegradable by design. 00:09:05.573 --> 00:09:09.203 We make surfactants, we make materials for cosmetics, materials for haircare, 00:09:09.203 --> 00:09:13.553 and, and we focus on, uh, being biodegradable and being sustainable. 00:09:13.628 --> 00:09:13.688 Yeah. 00:09:14.183 --> 00:09:14.633 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: Yeah. 00:09:14.663 --> 00:09:15.263 That's awesome. 00:09:15.443 --> 00:09:18.023 Well, and I would say in my career, I probably intersected with 00:09:18.158 --> 00:09:18.398 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: with 00:09:18.863 --> 00:09:20.483 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: ve uh, and now Science Co. 00:09:20.483 --> 00:09:23.453 More in that per the care space, right? 00:09:23.453 --> 00:09:24.743 So surfactants, et cetera. 00:09:24.953 --> 00:09:27.563 It intersected with the work I did at Shell and clt. 00:09:27.643 --> 00:09:31.843 But this whole material space is so fascinating and ever evolving. 00:09:32.278 --> 00:09:32.788 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: Absolutely. 00:09:33.193 --> 00:09:33.523 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: Yeah. 00:09:33.793 --> 00:09:39.203 So you and Science Co have been on quite a transformation journey. 00:09:40.133 --> 00:09:44.153 Um, and you've talked a little bit about the 160 year old legacy 00:09:44.153 --> 00:09:47.513 splitting the company into two, becoming the New Science Co. 00:09:48.053 --> 00:09:52.253 What's been the biggest challenges that you as a leader have faced? 00:09:52.607 --> 00:09:53.897 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: like you said, we have this 160 year 00:09:53.897 --> 00:09:57.977 old history going back to Ernest, ve and one of the challenges, you know, 00:09:58.007 --> 00:10:01.367 but we also wanted to be this new company, you know, that was forward 00:10:01.367 --> 00:10:04.697 thinking and, and, and not, not, uh, you know, 160 year old thinking. 00:10:05.054 --> 00:10:11.390 Uh, so how do you balance this, this really rich and important history having 00:10:11.390 --> 00:10:13.070 to become this new company and different? 00:10:13.070 --> 00:10:13.970 You know, we said from the very 00:10:14.060 --> 00:10:14.570 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: Yeah. 00:10:14.570 --> 00:10:14.630 Yeah. 00:10:14.720 --> 00:10:16.847 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: Science Co is just a, a smaller version of 00:10:16.847 --> 00:10:18.827 Solvay, then we've, we've failed, right? 00:10:19.007 --> 00:10:21.167 So we have to shift the culture and, you know, culture's 00:10:21.167 --> 00:10:22.337 not an easy thing to shift. 00:10:22.777 --> 00:10:22.977 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: Yeah. 00:10:23.477 --> 00:10:24.947 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: but he also didn't wanna shift the 00:10:24.947 --> 00:10:28.937 culture and, and not have a connection to this legacy that that is of, 00:10:29.297 --> 00:10:30.977 you know, Ernest Soy was a pioneer. 00:10:30.977 --> 00:10:31.727 He was an innovator. 00:10:32.052 --> 00:10:36.082 You know, so, uh, how do you keep that and, and still, become this 00:10:36.082 --> 00:10:37.612 new entity and this new company? 00:10:37.882 --> 00:10:40.072 So I'd say that was the, has been the biggest challenge. 00:10:40.172 --> 00:10:40.892 And I think we've, 00:10:41.072 --> 00:10:41.132 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: Hmm. 00:10:41.162 --> 00:10:43.412 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: managed that well, uh, because again, 00:10:43.412 --> 00:10:45.117 we, we keep innovation and science. 00:10:45.917 --> 00:10:48.827 At the core of our technology and at the core of our, of our culture, 00:10:49.427 --> 00:10:51.017 which comes from Ernest Salve. 00:10:51.167 --> 00:10:52.877 'cause like I said, he was an innovator and a pioneer. 00:10:52.877 --> 00:10:58.217 So I think we've been able to do that nicely and we, we are projecting uh, for 00:10:58.217 --> 00:11:02.710 the future with sustainable materials and, uh, going in, in, in new directions. 00:11:03.185 --> 00:11:03.485 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: Yeah. 00:11:03.515 --> 00:11:07.025 That's really great and, and we might circle around and talk about that later 00:11:07.025 --> 00:11:11.435 because this whole idea of innovation and sustainability is also attractive 00:11:11.435 --> 00:11:16.775 to new employees, which helps keep revitalizing and evolving the culture. 00:11:17.695 --> 00:11:18.115 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: It's, it's 00:11:18.305 --> 00:11:18.515 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: Yeah. 00:11:19.015 --> 00:11:19.285 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: Right. 00:11:19.285 --> 00:11:19.585 So I mean, 00:11:19.595 --> 00:11:19.925 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: Yeah. 00:11:20.125 --> 00:11:21.565 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: that Elam, our CEO has brought 00:11:21.565 --> 00:11:25.105 to us was we really have become a purpose-driven organization. 00:11:25.345 --> 00:11:29.179 She has taught us how to be, profitable and sustainable. 00:11:29.629 --> 00:11:32.869 And, and I think that's, that's core and in really, as you said, important to our 00:11:32.869 --> 00:11:34.819 current employees and future employees. 00:11:35.134 --> 00:11:35.424 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: Yeah. 00:11:35.449 --> 00:11:36.859 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: having that purpose driven around 00:11:36.859 --> 00:11:37.849 being a sustainable company. 00:11:38.524 --> 00:11:41.164 in the chemical industry, that's sometimes hard to do, right? 00:11:41.164 --> 00:11:44.614 Because a lot of people think the chemical industry was part of the problem. 00:11:44.674 --> 00:11:46.324 Actually, I believe complete opposite. 00:11:46.324 --> 00:11:50.014 I think the chemical industry is absolutely part of the solution, and this 00:11:50.014 --> 00:11:53.944 is the industry that will solve most of, uh, humankind's, uh, biggest challenges. 00:11:54.304 --> 00:11:54.844 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: I agree. 00:11:54.904 --> 00:11:55.234 I agree. 00:11:55.234 --> 00:11:58.174 And even if you just talk about something like water filtration and 00:11:58.174 --> 00:11:59.854 clean water, which is essential, right? 00:11:59.854 --> 00:12:03.664 We would all agree that clean water is essential for, um, a healthy 00:12:03.694 --> 00:12:05.344 population across the globe. 00:12:05.404 --> 00:12:10.804 It's not happening without materials and products from the chemical industry. 00:12:10.999 --> 00:12:11.899 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: A hundred percent. 00:12:12.259 --> 00:12:12.529 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: Yeah. 00:12:12.649 --> 00:12:12.739 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: Yeah. 00:12:13.159 --> 00:12:15.319 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: So let's talk a little bit about 00:12:15.529 --> 00:12:17.959 research innovation and technology. 00:12:18.049 --> 00:12:20.689 What are science coast's top priorities? 00:12:20.689 --> 00:12:26.029 So you're obviously on this quest to keep evolving and innovating and growing. 00:12:26.029 --> 00:12:26.899 So what does that look like? 00:12:26.989 --> 00:12:27.139 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: like? 00:12:27.540 --> 00:12:31.350 Our top priorities in, in research, um, a a as I, I, I already 00:12:31.350 --> 00:12:34.290 touched on a little bit, you know, sustainability's at the forefront. 00:12:34.320 --> 00:12:36.300 It's, it's part of our DNA, it's part of our purpose. 00:12:36.620 --> 00:12:39.860 So everything that we're doing in research, we look at it 00:12:39.860 --> 00:12:41.930 through a sustainability lens. 00:12:42.110 --> 00:12:45.290 So we have this, what we call SPMA, sustainable Portfolio Matrix. 00:12:45.680 --> 00:12:49.910 Every one of our RNI projects, um, and we right now we've got about 350 00:12:49.910 --> 00:12:51.470 projects going on across the group. 00:12:52.490 --> 00:12:55.310 goes through this, this gauntlet of, of a study before we start the 00:12:55.310 --> 00:12:56.540 project to make sure that it's aligned. 00:12:57.370 --> 00:13:00.370 sustainability trends, are we reducing carbon footprint? 00:13:00.370 --> 00:13:01.690 Are we reducing waste? 00:13:01.690 --> 00:13:04.870 I mean, either in our own operations or helping our customers do that. 00:13:04.870 --> 00:13:07.390 So are we developing products that are gonna help the planet? 00:13:07.735 --> 00:13:10.630 And, and if they are, then we call that a sustainable solution. 00:13:11.350 --> 00:13:15.040 I'm really excited, happy to say that, you know, we've been progressing on this. 00:13:15.040 --> 00:13:20.800 We've got about 85% of our RNI portfolio with a, as a sustainable solution. 00:13:21.190 --> 00:13:23.350 Uh, so we're talking about biotechnology. 00:13:23.730 --> 00:13:25.470 We're looking at new ways to do chemistry. 00:13:25.470 --> 00:13:30.540 So, uh, one of the things is if you can use renewable resources right, then you, 00:13:30.540 --> 00:13:31.860 you can have something more sustainable. 00:13:32.410 --> 00:13:35.680 one of the challenges is, you know, in the chemical industry, um, a lot of this 00:13:35.680 --> 00:13:37.570 stuff we have comes from the earth, right? 00:13:37.570 --> 00:13:39.490 We have to, you know, uh, extract minerals. 00:13:39.490 --> 00:13:41.110 We have to extract, uh, raw materials. 00:13:41.140 --> 00:13:45.070 Uh, what we're doing now is we're actually using biotechnology. 00:13:45.070 --> 00:13:47.170 So we have a lab in Cambridge, Massachusetts that is. 00:13:47.537 --> 00:13:49.067 Designing microorganisms. 00:13:49.067 --> 00:13:51.377 So it could be a bacteria, it could be an enzyme, a protein. 00:13:51.437 --> 00:13:53.973 And then we're using those microorganisms to do, to 00:13:54.078 --> 00:13:54.368 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: Okay. 00:13:55.143 --> 00:13:56.643 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: to make a raw material that we could use 00:13:56.643 --> 00:13:59.673 then in our process to replace something that we had the mind from the earth. 00:13:59.913 --> 00:14:05.456 So now it's a renewable technology, you think about what organisms can 00:14:05.456 --> 00:14:08.306 do, I mean, it's quite mind boggling and I'll, I'll use an example. 00:14:08.786 --> 00:14:10.286 Uh, think of it like a chicken, right? 00:14:10.841 --> 00:14:11.261 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: Yeah. 00:14:11.471 --> 00:14:13.241 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: corn, actually you could feed a chicken 00:14:13.241 --> 00:14:15.798 almost anything, and it can make an egg. 00:14:15.798 --> 00:14:18.798 And if you were to study the material of, of what that egg's 00:14:18.798 --> 00:14:21.348 made out of, it is extremely strong. 00:14:21.378 --> 00:14:22.968 It is extremely thin. 00:14:23.538 --> 00:14:27.378 If you were to try to do, I'm not even sure we can duplicate that in, in, in 00:14:27.378 --> 00:14:31.128 a, in a laboratory, but if you were to do that on an industrial scale, it 00:14:31.128 --> 00:14:33.888 would probably take you 15, 20 steps. 00:14:34.248 --> 00:14:37.578 You plant would probably cover multiple, you know, dozens of acres. 00:14:38.373 --> 00:14:41.253 be very, uh, you know, time consuming and expensive. 00:14:42.213 --> 00:14:46.103 A chicken does it with or, or some other kind of food. 00:14:46.103 --> 00:14:47.753 And it does it all inside its body. 00:14:48.223 --> 00:14:51.643 That's why when we say biotechnology, that's what we're talking about. 00:14:51.853 --> 00:14:52.143 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: Yeah. 00:14:52.723 --> 00:14:53.563 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: uh, we're talking about 00:14:53.563 --> 00:14:57.253 simple chemistry coming out of microorganisms, but that's the concept. 00:14:57.619 --> 00:15:01.039 biological organisms can do chemistry better than we can in a plant. 00:15:01.729 --> 00:15:02.809 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: Yeah, I love that. 00:15:02.809 --> 00:15:03.619 And I think you're right. 00:15:03.619 --> 00:15:07.339 I mean, it's kind of one of these, um, miracles of life and science 00:15:07.339 --> 00:15:11.809 and I think there's a whole lot of art, uh, to science that we still 00:15:11.869 --> 00:15:14.029 are trying to understand and evolve. 00:15:14.588 --> 00:15:18.458 You know, Mike, one of the bits, and it's, it's an interesting dichotomy. 00:15:18.458 --> 00:15:21.268 I feel like we've got going on because I think, as you say, 00:15:21.268 --> 00:15:23.938 biotechnology is the future. 00:15:24.208 --> 00:15:29.588 We are learning so much, we're evolving, we're able to create new products, with. 00:15:29.858 --> 00:15:32.228 Fewer resources or different resources. 00:15:32.378 --> 00:15:32.468 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: Mm-hmm. 00:15:32.618 --> 00:15:34.868 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: Um, and yet at times, you know, let, 00:15:34.868 --> 00:15:37.688 let's talk about, for instance, in the food value chain, everybody's 00:15:37.688 --> 00:15:40.838 like, Ooh, bioengineering is bad. 00:15:41.088 --> 00:15:43.788 And yet we also know this is one of the ways that we fed the planet. 00:15:43.818 --> 00:15:47.748 'cause uh, I think you and I are probably of similar ages and at one point, 00:15:47.748 --> 00:15:51.738 like we were all gonna starve because population was gonna outpace food. 00:15:52.068 --> 00:15:56.148 And yet through ingenuity, um, we figured this out. 00:15:56.358 --> 00:15:57.883 How do you strike that balance? 00:15:57.963 --> 00:15:58.143 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: co. 00:15:58.143 --> 00:15:59.523 Science co helped, uh, do that. 00:15:59.523 --> 00:15:59.943 By the way. 00:15:59.943 --> 00:16:00.093 We 00:16:00.183 --> 00:16:00.783 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: Okay. 00:16:00.903 --> 00:16:02.223 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: seed coatings that 00:16:02.223 --> 00:16:02.763 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: Yeah, 00:16:03.093 --> 00:16:04.893 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: uh, it's a polymeric material that you coat 00:16:04.893 --> 00:16:08.973 the seed that helps germination so the seed doesn't die before it germinates. 00:16:09.003 --> 00:16:10.533 We actually protect the environments. 00:16:10.863 --> 00:16:15.123 Uh, we protect the, the seed and, and have a much higher germination rate 00:16:15.123 --> 00:16:16.773 with using a science co material. 00:16:17.283 --> 00:16:18.093 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: yeah, yeah. 00:16:18.093 --> 00:16:21.603 So you guys are obviously balancing this and, and it's needed, this, this 00:16:21.603 --> 00:16:23.433 biotechnology is needed for modern life. 00:16:23.448 --> 00:16:24.037 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: modern life. 00:16:24.363 --> 00:16:24.643 Absolutely. 00:16:24.809 --> 00:16:26.909 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: So one of the other things we started talking 00:16:26.909 --> 00:16:29.639 about, and I, and I know you said I hope we talk about this and Absolutely. 00:16:29.639 --> 00:16:31.949 'cause I know you're really passionate about it, is ai. 00:16:32.069 --> 00:16:32.519 So 00:16:32.534 --> 00:16:32.804 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: So, 00:16:32.879 --> 00:16:35.069 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: harnessing AI is obviously, 00:16:35.129 --> 00:16:37.079 um, a major focus area for you. 00:16:37.079 --> 00:16:40.919 You've talked about building an AI culture and some of the 00:16:40.919 --> 00:16:42.509 experimentations you're, you're doing, 00:16:42.524 --> 00:16:42.674 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: doing. 00:16:42.929 --> 00:16:46.499 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: what does AI mean for you and for Science Co. 00:16:46.919 --> 00:16:48.389 Just at the simplest level. 00:16:48.574 --> 00:16:50.154 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: No, it's, uh, it's a great question. 00:16:50.354 --> 00:16:54.139 I mean, so, you know, AI for us is, like I said, we're trying to build an AI culture. 00:16:54.139 --> 00:16:58.399 So if I think about what does it mean for us, and we've been coining this phrase 00:16:58.399 --> 00:17:03.529 across the group, you know, AI needs to be for everyone, everywhere, every day. 00:17:04.168 --> 00:17:07.978 So it's not, you know, I, I, I think AI is probably, you know, science 00:17:07.978 --> 00:17:09.688 and, and development and research. 00:17:09.688 --> 00:17:11.938 It's probably one of the best applications for ai. 00:17:12.688 --> 00:17:15.868 we want to have this as a culture across the entire science go group. 00:17:16.408 --> 00:17:20.644 So it's everywhere, every day for everyone in the, in the world of science. 00:17:20.644 --> 00:17:22.864 You know, this is for us, as I said, very, very exciting. 00:17:23.144 --> 00:17:26.271 We've been using ai, and we started this journey about 18 months ago. 00:17:26.331 --> 00:17:30.411 Um, you know, we've used AI for almost a decade, but when I say 18 00:17:30.411 --> 00:17:32.991 months, our journey, it's really about the latest and greatest ai. 00:17:32.991 --> 00:17:34.281 I'm talking about generative ai. 00:17:34.641 --> 00:17:35.991 I'm talking about agentic ai. 00:17:36.381 --> 00:17:39.171 So about 18 months ago, we started down this path and we 00:17:39.171 --> 00:17:42.711 are now using, AI to develop new polymers with unique properties. 00:17:43.086 --> 00:17:45.756 Uh, we're generating, you know, hypothetical polymers 00:17:45.756 --> 00:17:48.966 from a pool of millions and millions of potential molecules. 00:17:49.356 --> 00:17:51.546 And I think that's the, that's the real key, right? 00:17:51.546 --> 00:17:56.016 So in a normal approach without AI and science, the first thing you would do 00:17:56.016 --> 00:17:59.526 is you would go to the literature, you know, you do, you know, the research 00:17:59.526 --> 00:18:02.856 to understand what's the state of the art out there today, what's already 00:18:02.856 --> 00:18:06.426 been published, what's already been patented, just that study alone could 00:18:06.426 --> 00:18:09.246 take you months and months to go through all of this and read all this. 00:18:09.276 --> 00:18:12.576 We can do that now, a bibliographic search in minutes. 00:18:12.996 --> 00:18:13.176 Right. 00:18:13.176 --> 00:18:15.186 We could study everything that's out there and, and get it in a 00:18:15.186 --> 00:18:17.496 concise report in, in minutes, right? 00:18:17.749 --> 00:18:20.179 Then the next step you would do is you say, okay, I've got a problem I'm 00:18:20.179 --> 00:18:21.709 trying to solve for one of my customers. 00:18:21.739 --> 00:18:22.159 Okay? 00:18:22.219 --> 00:18:25.549 And you come up with possible synthesis routes and things to, you know, how you 00:18:25.549 --> 00:18:27.289 could approach that, solving that problem. 00:18:27.979 --> 00:18:31.934 you have to choose which variables you're going to, know, mess around you. 00:18:31.939 --> 00:18:35.659 You could have, a hundred variables that you could play with, but if you tried to 00:18:35.659 --> 00:18:38.539 do that, it would take you 10 years to go through all of the possible combinations. 00:18:39.364 --> 00:18:40.804 But with ai you can do that. 00:18:40.834 --> 00:18:44.764 You can actually study all the possible combinations and narrow it down to the a 00:18:44.764 --> 00:18:46.534 hundred experiments that you wanna run. 00:18:46.834 --> 00:18:51.228 And now, instead of doing, months or years of experiments, you 00:18:51.228 --> 00:18:53.118 can do it in weeks to months. 00:18:54.138 --> 00:18:55.188 I mean, that's how AI is, 00:18:55.303 --> 00:18:55.843 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: Yeah. 00:18:56.118 --> 00:18:57.428 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: uh, helping us, get there. 00:18:57.638 --> 00:18:59.288 The other thing we've done, which is, I'm sorry, you had a 00:18:59.588 --> 00:18:59.858 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: Now. 00:18:59.858 --> 00:19:00.158 Yeah. 00:19:00.158 --> 00:19:04.028 I was just gonna ask, has there been any resistance to this? 00:19:04.028 --> 00:19:06.668 Because, you know, we've, I've had, you have conversations with people and they're 00:19:06.668 --> 00:19:08.768 like, Ooh, AI is gonna take my job. 00:19:08.768 --> 00:19:09.128 And it's like, hmm, 00:19:09.128 --> 00:19:09.908 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: It's like, yes, 00:19:10.118 --> 00:19:11.288 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: I don't think so. 00:19:11.288 --> 00:19:13.868 But how, how have you, how are you navigating this? 00:19:13.868 --> 00:19:15.038 'cause it's a big change. 00:19:15.218 --> 00:19:17.618 Again, back to this whole change management and culture. 00:19:17.798 --> 00:19:18.848 It's a big shift. 00:19:19.598 --> 00:19:20.768 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: It is a very big shift. 00:19:20.858 --> 00:19:24.368 Uh, so as I said, we're on a journey, uh, and with the, the latest greatest 00:19:24.368 --> 00:19:26.138 ai we started about 18 months ago. 00:19:26.588 --> 00:19:27.818 But I would say, um. 00:19:28.031 --> 00:19:31.751 You know, in the beginning we, we faced a very similar curve. 00:19:31.841 --> 00:19:35.261 Anytime you try to change something in a big way, you, you find this, 00:19:35.261 --> 00:19:38.501 this, this gowing curve where you got about, know, outta 10 people. 00:19:38.501 --> 00:19:42.461 You got about two people that love it and they're pulling, they're like, I got it. 00:19:42.491 --> 00:19:43.181 Let's go. 00:19:43.181 --> 00:19:44.321 And they, they want it faster. 00:19:44.621 --> 00:19:47.591 On the other end of the spectrum, you got a couple of people who are 00:19:47.591 --> 00:19:49.751 fighting it, and I saw the same thing. 00:19:49.751 --> 00:19:53.531 I had scientists sending me emails about how AI's never gonna work for chemistry. 00:19:53.531 --> 00:19:55.061 It's not, it's not ready, it's not gonna happen. 00:19:55.061 --> 00:19:55.151 Right. 00:19:55.689 --> 00:19:58.299 And in the middle you've got the majority of your people. 00:19:58.329 --> 00:20:01.426 You know, 60% of your people who are curious, they're 00:20:01.426 --> 00:20:03.436 interested, but they're skeptical. 00:20:04.366 --> 00:20:04.756 proof. 00:20:04.786 --> 00:20:06.166 Why is this worth my time? 00:20:06.196 --> 00:20:07.696 Is this gonna replace my job? 00:20:07.756 --> 00:20:11.956 You know, I like it, but are we going down a path where I'm gonna lose my job? 00:20:11.956 --> 00:20:12.256 Right? 00:20:12.946 --> 00:20:17.986 So I could tell you over the last months, 10 months, we have seen a complete shift. 00:20:18.436 --> 00:20:21.106 I've got nobody that I could tell, uh, fighting. 00:20:21.256 --> 00:20:23.291 I got nobody sending me emails anymore, that this isn't gonna work. 00:20:23.956 --> 00:20:27.496 In fact, majority of the people in the middle are now pulling for it. 00:20:28.426 --> 00:20:31.426 so I would say that's evidence that we're creating this culture. 00:20:31.966 --> 00:20:32.446 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: Yeah. 00:20:32.506 --> 00:20:34.126 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: bigger challenge right now is scaling. 00:20:34.876 --> 00:20:40.026 how do we get this, to a size that, uh, we can get it to all of our people 00:20:40.026 --> 00:20:41.796 instead of just a, a, a select few. 00:20:41.796 --> 00:20:42.096 Right? 00:20:42.876 --> 00:20:44.076 So that's where we're at right now. 00:20:44.076 --> 00:20:46.986 It's, it's, um, it's been a shift and it, and it is a journey, right? 00:20:47.811 --> 00:20:48.741 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: Yeah, absolutely. 00:20:48.741 --> 00:20:51.591 And the scaling piece is interesting because I think, um, 00:20:51.966 --> 00:20:52.716 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: um, 00:20:53.326 --> 00:20:54.926 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: I had this conversation recently with 00:20:54.926 --> 00:20:56.781 folks at the Chemical Summit that. 00:20:57.031 --> 00:21:00.271 You know about the need for experimentation, the need that we need to 00:21:00.276 --> 00:21:00.666 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: we need to 00:21:00.841 --> 00:21:02.461 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: allow people to experiment with new 00:21:02.461 --> 00:21:04.141 technologies, with ai, et cetera. 00:21:04.621 --> 00:21:06.841 But then scalability is tough. 00:21:06.871 --> 00:21:10.711 And, you know, our IT departments are built on, everybody must have 00:21:10.711 --> 00:21:12.301 the same platform all the time, 00:21:12.546 --> 00:21:12.636 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: Yes. 00:21:12.901 --> 00:21:14.731 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: which can inhibit some of this 00:21:14.731 --> 00:21:16.051 experimentation and growth. 00:21:16.051 --> 00:21:18.961 But then at the same time, figuring out how to get it in the right 00:21:18.961 --> 00:21:22.021 hands of the people, um, is big. 00:21:22.416 --> 00:21:23.376 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: So you're absolutely right. 00:21:23.376 --> 00:21:25.776 And we, so we, we ran into the same thing, right? 00:21:25.776 --> 00:21:29.706 I mean, so, you know, you, it could be a bottleneck sometimes 'cause 00:21:29.706 --> 00:21:31.206 they want one thing that fits all. 00:21:31.596 --> 00:21:34.386 But what we did was we create, you know, 18 months ago, we, we 00:21:34.386 --> 00:21:35.616 said, okay, we gotta be different. 00:21:35.676 --> 00:21:37.776 We're gonna pull this out of the IT group. 00:21:37.776 --> 00:21:40.596 The IT group has to be involved to make sure we're secure, to make 00:21:40.596 --> 00:21:42.966 sure we're, you know, we're, that it's integrated into our systems. 00:21:43.746 --> 00:21:46.686 But the team, we built a team called Science code.ai 00:21:47.376 --> 00:21:51.423 this team, is a group of, but also some scientists, right? 00:21:51.423 --> 00:21:56.289 So we've got a, a, a team of people that, manage and look at and facilitate 00:21:56.289 --> 00:21:57.969 the AI strategy across the group. 00:21:57.969 --> 00:21:59.649 So that was like the first step that we did. 00:22:00.309 --> 00:22:03.909 then what this team did very quickly, they came out with what was called side GPT. 00:22:04.419 --> 00:22:07.654 So side GPT is science CO's own AI chat bot. 00:22:08.308 --> 00:22:12.298 That gave, gave us a chance to put AI in the hands of all 13,000 00:22:12.298 --> 00:22:14.218 employees in a very inexpensive way. 00:22:14.472 --> 00:22:17.742 And what you said before, experiment, and that was part of the cultural building. 00:22:17.742 --> 00:22:18.102 Right? 00:22:18.342 --> 00:22:20.802 You know, we did this over, over 18, well, it was probably about a 00:22:20.802 --> 00:22:22.152 year ago, a year and a half ago. 00:22:22.405 --> 00:22:22.702 Um, 00:22:22.747 --> 00:22:24.427 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: Which is pretty fast, although AI's 00:22:24.427 --> 00:22:26.227 moving fast, but that's still fast. 00:22:26.367 --> 00:22:28.102 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: It's, it was, but you know, at the 00:22:28.102 --> 00:22:31.252 time there were people in the company that hadn't even looked at AI yet. 00:22:31.282 --> 00:22:33.412 They hadn't used chat, GPT, they hadn't used anything. 00:22:33.472 --> 00:22:34.702 And the problem with. 00:22:35.046 --> 00:22:38.256 people using the external tools like Chat, GPT, which I mean, these are all 00:22:38.256 --> 00:22:42.659 great tools, but you can't have them use company data on that open sourced 00:22:42.749 --> 00:22:43.019 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: Right. 00:22:43.409 --> 00:22:44.219 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: chat, GPT. 00:22:44.699 --> 00:22:50.549 So we needed something in-house where we could let our people experiment learn and 00:22:50.549 --> 00:22:52.349 build that culture in a safe environment. 00:22:52.349 --> 00:22:55.829 So that's where side GPT came, then we took it to the next level. 00:22:55.829 --> 00:22:56.939 We said, okay, what's next? 00:22:56.939 --> 00:22:59.489 We said, okay, how could we use generative AI to help us 00:22:59.489 --> 00:23:00.629 in our commercial organization? 00:23:01.274 --> 00:23:03.614 So we created, uh, s Grow, right? 00:23:04.004 --> 00:23:04.304 S Grow. 00:23:04.304 --> 00:23:06.314 We think of it as a sales buddy, and it's able 00:23:06.389 --> 00:23:06.569 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: Hmm. 00:23:06.584 --> 00:23:08.384 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: out and look at all the markets and, and draw 00:23:08.384 --> 00:23:10.634 some, some insights from our markets. 00:23:10.814 --> 00:23:14.354 Long story short, with the, the sales buddy, our commercial frontline 00:23:14.834 --> 00:23:18.794 has found over $140 million of opportunities that we didn't know 00:23:18.899 --> 00:23:19.409 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: Wow. 00:23:20.024 --> 00:23:21.014 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: Now we have to turn that into, 00:23:21.014 --> 00:23:23.504 into actual business, but you gotta start with the lead. 00:23:23.939 --> 00:23:24.359 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: Yeah. 00:23:24.359 --> 00:23:25.019 That's big. 00:23:25.019 --> 00:23:25.799 That's great. 00:23:25.859 --> 00:23:26.449 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: super exciting. 00:23:26.934 --> 00:23:27.224 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: Yeah. 00:23:28.019 --> 00:23:29.549 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: with the support of Microsoft, so we've 00:23:29.549 --> 00:23:31.019 been partnering a lot with Microsoft. 00:23:32.219 --> 00:23:34.319 we've created the, the research buddy, right? 00:23:34.319 --> 00:23:37.679 So in a similar way we've got a, a, our scientists now have access 00:23:37.679 --> 00:23:40.379 to a research buddy that helps them do the literature searches, 00:23:40.379 --> 00:23:41.909 helps 'em design their experiments. 00:23:42.119 --> 00:23:47.309 and these are real life tools that our teams are using now, and we've also now 00:23:47.309 --> 00:23:49.199 embarked on a new program with Microsoft. 00:23:49.199 --> 00:23:50.099 We are their first. 00:23:51.164 --> 00:23:54.794 partner, their primary partner in, uh, the chemical space for what 00:23:54.794 --> 00:23:56.324 they call Microsoft Discovery. 00:23:57.134 --> 00:24:00.554 And this is a new platform to do chemistry and to do science, not just chemistry. 00:24:00.554 --> 00:24:01.724 It's doing all kinds of science. 00:24:02.414 --> 00:24:04.874 But this tool will help us create new molecules. 00:24:04.874 --> 00:24:08.674 It'll help help us create new, chemical pathways and, and it'll, you know, it'll 00:24:08.704 --> 00:24:16.054 design, let's put it this way, I, I, I see this as a way to augment and improve 00:24:16.324 --> 00:24:17.734 the capabilities of our scientists. 00:24:18.094 --> 00:24:18.904 You said earlier. 00:24:19.714 --> 00:24:21.034 are worried about losing their jobs. 00:24:21.214 --> 00:24:25.144 I've said this in clearly in, in the webcast to all 2000 of our scientists. 00:24:25.564 --> 00:24:26.734 That is not our objective. 00:24:27.184 --> 00:24:31.024 Our objective is to give you tools to help you do even more than you can do 00:24:31.024 --> 00:24:33.034 today to, to augment your abilities. 00:24:33.694 --> 00:24:37.114 And I, we've got, some of our scientists have been using this and they will 00:24:37.114 --> 00:24:40.594 tell you very clearly, they feel like they have superpowers, you know, 00:24:40.594 --> 00:24:43.444 compared to what they could do before, uh, the speed at which they could 00:24:43.444 --> 00:24:45.184 move now is, is just mind boggling. 00:24:45.394 --> 00:24:46.894 So, and we're not, we're not finished. 00:24:46.894 --> 00:24:48.854 We've got, uh, still a quite a bit of our journey to go. 00:24:49.554 --> 00:24:49.914 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: Yeah. 00:24:50.064 --> 00:24:50.964 I, I love that. 00:24:50.964 --> 00:24:52.914 And I think I like the word augmentation. 00:24:52.944 --> 00:24:55.514 'cause I think that's the right, approach to this in that 00:24:55.569 --> 00:24:55.689 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: that, 00:24:55.844 --> 00:24:57.554 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: leading companies are using AI 00:24:57.554 --> 00:24:59.474 to augment what they're doing. 00:24:59.554 --> 00:25:03.874 And even that the, as you describe it, creating a sales buddy or a, a science 00:25:03.874 --> 00:25:06.454 buddy, I mean, it's a, it's a team. 00:25:06.454 --> 00:25:08.884 It's becomes part of the team as opposed to. 00:25:09.494 --> 00:25:10.664 Something different. 00:25:11.279 --> 00:25:11.759 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: Exactly. 00:25:11.954 --> 00:25:12.254 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: Yeah. 00:25:12.388 --> 00:25:15.838 so I know that, you know, you got innovation's not just about technology. 00:25:15.838 --> 00:25:19.918 You're doing a lot obviously with technology, with ai, et cetera, and yet 00:25:19.918 --> 00:25:24.298 I also know you guys are working really closely with your customers to, and 00:25:24.298 --> 00:25:24.525 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: in 00:25:25.108 --> 00:25:27.118 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: customer centric innovation. 00:25:27.538 --> 00:25:28.618 How do you do this? 00:25:28.618 --> 00:25:30.763 How, what's your focus as you collaborate with customers? 00:25:30.868 --> 00:25:31.223 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: with customers? 00:25:31.635 --> 00:25:34.065 our job is to turn molecules into money, right? 00:25:34.665 --> 00:25:35.655 I mean, that's, that's what we do. 00:25:35.685 --> 00:25:38.805 And, and we do that by solving our customer's biggest challenges. 00:25:39.165 --> 00:25:41.415 So you can't do that if you're not interacting with the customer. 00:25:42.165 --> 00:25:45.465 I, and I'll tell you the, you know, if you want your, your research 00:25:46.245 --> 00:25:49.935 be spot on and you wanna solve the problem your customer has, you, you've 00:25:49.935 --> 00:25:51.315 gotta be intimate with the customer. 00:25:51.345 --> 00:25:53.685 You've gotta be collaborative right up from the get go. 00:25:54.795 --> 00:25:57.765 I, I, many, many times I've seen, you know, we developed something and in 00:25:57.765 --> 00:26:00.555 the, we didn't fully understand the customer's needs, so we gotta go back 00:26:00.555 --> 00:26:01.755 to the drawing board and do it again. 00:26:01.755 --> 00:26:02.055 Right. 00:26:02.685 --> 00:26:04.575 We, that's, we've been moving away from that. 00:26:04.575 --> 00:26:08.155 So by being more, uh, customer centric, We're, we're hitting 00:26:08.155 --> 00:26:09.705 the target, the first time. 00:26:09.765 --> 00:26:12.225 Uh, instead of having to go through some iterative process, sewing, throwing 00:26:12.225 --> 00:26:13.695 samples over the fence to the customer. 00:26:14.115 --> 00:26:18.025 And the way we do that is that we have built, what we call our, our, 00:26:18.025 --> 00:26:20.005 um, uh, customer innovation centers. 00:26:20.125 --> 00:26:22.405 So Alpharetta, where I'm, where I'm calling from, where we're 00:26:22.405 --> 00:26:25.975 having the conversation from right now, one of our Starship sites. 00:26:26.005 --> 00:26:27.715 It's a, uh, customer innovation center. 00:26:27.715 --> 00:26:30.775 And when I say innovation center, it's not just a. 00:26:31.600 --> 00:26:34.570 Uh, a, a building where we have laboratories, it's where we have 00:26:34.570 --> 00:26:39.130 the entire cycle of the development, uh, in one under one roof, right? 00:26:39.130 --> 00:26:39.910 So that we're fast. 00:26:39.910 --> 00:26:44.283 So on the other side of this building, we've got or six pilot 00:26:45.453 --> 00:26:48.063 that can make all the different types of polymers that, that we have. 00:26:48.238 --> 00:26:52.473 You, you make a new polymer, you walk down the hallway, you know, 30 yards, and 00:26:52.473 --> 00:26:54.753 you could turn that polymer into a part. 00:26:54.753 --> 00:26:55.863 You could turn that polymer into a. 00:26:56.688 --> 00:26:58.158 a thermoplastic composite tape. 00:26:58.338 --> 00:27:01.398 So we have, we have, you know, equipment here that actually then turns it into 00:27:01.398 --> 00:27:03.138 a material that the customer would use. 00:27:03.588 --> 00:27:05.988 We could then walk down the other side of the building and turn that 00:27:05.988 --> 00:27:10.158 tape into a part and then take it into our, uh, a development lab, customer 00:27:10.158 --> 00:27:14.238 development lab, and then test it in the way the customer would use it. 00:27:15.018 --> 00:27:16.878 customers don't want to be our laboratories. 00:27:16.878 --> 00:27:19.188 They want us to bring them finished solutions. 00:27:19.518 --> 00:27:22.968 So we bring the customers in and they spend time with us in 00:27:22.968 --> 00:27:24.588 our customer development labs. 00:27:25.413 --> 00:27:27.993 And we test the, the, the, the materials in the finished 00:27:27.993 --> 00:27:29.433 form right there with them. 00:27:29.806 --> 00:27:31.996 it's, it's been pretty effective. 00:27:32.026 --> 00:27:35.056 And, and we've also started bringing AI into this and we've been digitally 00:27:35.056 --> 00:27:36.856 connecting our facilities, right? 00:27:36.856 --> 00:27:40.246 So not every facility around the world has the exact same capabilities. 00:27:40.426 --> 00:27:42.976 Some have, are specialized in, in different areas. 00:27:42.976 --> 00:27:47.956 So for example, what we've, we just did in Shanghai, big RR and D center in Shanghai. 00:27:48.811 --> 00:27:53.728 We've created a room where we have, digital screens all around the room 00:27:53.728 --> 00:27:55.138 and, and there's all kinds of cameras. 00:27:55.318 --> 00:27:59.878 So we can bring a customer into our lab in Shanghai and they can digitally 00:27:59.878 --> 00:28:02.098 connect with our lab and say, bate Italy. 00:28:02.998 --> 00:28:05.578 it, when you walk in that room, you feel like you're in the lab 00:28:05.608 --> 00:28:07.228 and the people are on the screens. 00:28:07.228 --> 00:28:11.968 You walk around and they could work with the customer from 5,000 miles away. 00:28:12.400 --> 00:28:13.870 You know, this is something new that we've done. 00:28:13.870 --> 00:28:16.540 We're gonna start doing more of this to connect all of our labs digitally, 00:28:16.540 --> 00:28:19.060 so you don't have to be at our center. 00:28:19.120 --> 00:28:22.120 You could be close to where, you know, you could join one of our centers 00:28:22.120 --> 00:28:23.350 close to where the customers are. 00:28:24.100 --> 00:28:27.520 think this is, this has been, uh, very, uh, successful for us and as, as a way 00:28:27.520 --> 00:28:28.930 that we really connect with our customers. 00:28:28.975 --> 00:28:29.092 That's 00:28:29.170 --> 00:28:29.470 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: great. 00:28:29.470 --> 00:28:31.420 What's the, what's the customer response? 00:28:31.450 --> 00:28:33.160 What do your customers say about this? 00:28:33.415 --> 00:28:34.405 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: they've been blown away. 00:28:34.465 --> 00:28:34.765 Right? 00:28:34.765 --> 00:28:36.715 I mean, I can tell you at least, I mean, from this digital 00:28:36.715 --> 00:28:38.425 connection, they've been blown away. 00:28:38.535 --> 00:28:38.825 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: Yeah. 00:28:38.905 --> 00:28:40.195 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: they come in there and, and we've 00:28:40.195 --> 00:28:42.535 got some of the biggest customers, the biggest brands out there. 00:28:42.535 --> 00:28:45.415 They come in and they, they're just, they've never seen it before. 00:28:45.475 --> 00:28:45.745 Right? 00:28:45.745 --> 00:28:47.125 So they're, they're quite impressed. 00:28:47.860 --> 00:28:49.975 the ultimate thing is, are we getting business? 00:28:50.185 --> 00:28:51.025 And the answer's yes. 00:28:51.055 --> 00:28:52.825 So I, I, you know, it's, it's effective. 00:28:53.365 --> 00:28:53.755 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: Yeah. 00:28:53.815 --> 00:28:54.175 Awesome. 00:28:54.175 --> 00:28:54.415 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: Awesome. 00:28:54.505 --> 00:28:57.535 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: Um, so let's we're, as we kind of get 00:28:57.535 --> 00:28:59.965 close to the end here, let's talk a little bit about leadership. 00:28:59.965 --> 00:29:02.635 So, um, it was recently announced that Science Co is, 00:29:02.669 --> 00:29:06.599 Having a CEO change that your longtime CEO Elam cadre is 00:29:06.599 --> 00:29:08.009 stepping down end of this year. 00:29:08.356 --> 00:29:09.346 To be replaced by Mike 00:29:09.406 --> 00:29:09.676 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: Mike 00:29:09.736 --> 00:29:09.916 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: Radici. 00:29:10.356 --> 00:29:12.876 Leadership transitions can be 00:29:12.966 --> 00:29:13.056 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: tough, 00:29:13.236 --> 00:29:14.616 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: tough, right? 00:29:14.616 --> 00:29:16.806 I mean, these are critical times 00:29:16.986 --> 00:29:17.076 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: for a 00:29:17.226 --> 00:29:18.936 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: for a company and organization. 00:29:18.936 --> 00:29:22.686 How are you and the organization preparing for this transition? 00:29:22.686 --> 00:29:22.716 I. 00:29:23.496 --> 00:29:25.338 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: So the good news is, um, it's been 00:29:25.338 --> 00:29:27.948 under the works for, for quite some time, for some months, right? 00:29:28.158 --> 00:29:30.948 there was a, a, a thorough search internally and externally 00:29:30.948 --> 00:29:32.388 for, uh, a replacement. 00:29:32.658 --> 00:29:34.938 they selected Mike Rodi, who was an internal candidate. 00:29:35.238 --> 00:29:38.508 Mike's been with the company for, you know, over a decade. 00:29:38.538 --> 00:29:39.768 Uh, he came from an acquisition. 00:29:39.828 --> 00:29:42.798 He's been managing, you know, different parts of our business. 00:29:42.798 --> 00:29:45.768 He's been part of all of the leadership team meetings that we have. 00:29:46.188 --> 00:29:46.388 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: Yeah. 00:29:46.533 --> 00:29:48.333 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: been, uh, uh, helping, you know, 00:29:48.363 --> 00:29:49.563 contributing to the strategy. 00:29:49.563 --> 00:29:52.490 So my, you know, when you have somebody from the outside, they come 00:29:52.490 --> 00:29:54.710 in, they want to change everything and put their fingerprint on it. 00:29:54.710 --> 00:29:58.443 Mike's already been part of who we are today, right? 00:29:58.443 --> 00:30:01.500 So I think one from a leadership change standpoint, it, I think 00:30:01.500 --> 00:30:04.290 it's gonna be much smoother than if we had an, an external candidate. 00:30:04.820 --> 00:30:08.207 You know, the fact that this was, uh, uh, was not short notice. 00:30:08.207 --> 00:30:08.897 It was planned. 00:30:08.897 --> 00:30:11.897 I think we're gonna be, you know, it's gonna be, you know, smooth transition. 00:30:11.897 --> 00:30:14.867 Of course, Mike's a new CEO, he is gonna put his fingerprint on things. 00:30:14.867 --> 00:30:16.353 But, people know him. 00:30:16.627 --> 00:30:18.697 he's got great credibility in the organization. 00:30:19.537 --> 00:30:22.477 you know, honestly, uh, I think, you know, we'll be able to do this, 00:30:22.477 --> 00:30:23.737 uh, in a, in a pretty smooth way. 00:30:24.202 --> 00:30:24.532 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: Awesome. 00:30:24.607 --> 00:30:24.847 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: Awesome. 00:30:24.952 --> 00:30:25.462 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: That's great. 00:30:25.537 --> 00:30:25.777 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: great. 00:30:25.912 --> 00:30:28.012 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: Okay, so two final questions and 00:30:28.012 --> 00:30:29.422 these are questions with advice. 00:30:29.632 --> 00:30:30.922 So my first question is, 00:30:30.997 --> 00:30:31.207 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: is, 00:30:31.432 --> 00:30:33.982 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: you're obviously deep into this AI 00:30:33.982 --> 00:30:36.052 transformation and creating an AI culture. 00:30:36.607 --> 00:30:37.477 For Science Co. 00:30:37.477 --> 00:30:37.717 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: Co. 00:30:37.837 --> 00:30:40.627 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: What advice would you give to other 00:30:40.837 --> 00:30:45.217 C-Suite business leaders about putting AI at the center of the company? 00:30:45.247 --> 00:30:46.537 How do they do this? 00:30:47.018 --> 00:30:48.728 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: So I, I, you know, it's not, not easy. 00:30:48.728 --> 00:30:52.208 I think the first thing that has to happen is you've got, uh, this 00:30:52.368 --> 00:30:52.488 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: I. 00:30:52.538 --> 00:30:53.588 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: change and it requires 00:30:53.588 --> 00:30:54.668 massive change, right? 00:30:55.238 --> 00:30:56.978 Mindset change, cultural change. 00:30:57.038 --> 00:30:58.238 It has to start at the top. 00:30:58.578 --> 00:31:03.618 Uh, if the CEO of the company is not this is not driving this, uh, 00:31:03.618 --> 00:31:06.588 it's probably not gonna happen, So I think that's your first step. 00:31:06.588 --> 00:31:09.108 If you're, if you're a C-suite, you know, if you're a CEO of a company, 00:31:09.108 --> 00:31:10.998 if you're not, if you're on the fence. 00:31:11.420 --> 00:31:12.200 You are not gonna get there. 00:31:12.470 --> 00:31:14.480 So find a way to get yourself there, right? 00:31:14.480 --> 00:31:15.230 That's the first thing. 00:31:16.100 --> 00:31:18.590 you've gotta find the people in your organization who 00:31:18.620 --> 00:31:19.970 already have this mindset. 00:31:20.420 --> 00:31:22.580 Uh, and I could tell you, I mean, there are, like I said, there's, there's, 00:31:22.580 --> 00:31:26.090 there's a PO population in your company that, that is already there. 00:31:26.540 --> 00:31:30.110 They're pulling, find out who they are and get them to catalyze this, 00:31:30.115 --> 00:31:31.220 uh, you know, across the group. 00:31:31.220 --> 00:31:34.917 Then, then I'd say the most important thing you gotta do is, is um, then 00:31:34.917 --> 00:31:37.437 give them some tools that they can experiment and play with so they 00:31:37.437 --> 00:31:39.057 could start seeing the value of it. 00:31:39.362 --> 00:31:40.257 And you gotta train 'em. 00:31:40.287 --> 00:31:42.097 It's not intuitive, chat. 00:31:42.097 --> 00:31:44.737 GPT, for example, is not a replacement for Google. 00:31:44.737 --> 00:31:48.667 And in fact, I know OpenAI is pretty upset that that's what most people use it for. 00:31:48.667 --> 00:31:51.517 They use it to do Google searches, that they would usually use 00:31:51.517 --> 00:31:52.807 Google, they now use chat GPT. 00:31:53.767 --> 00:31:55.087 so much more powerful than that. 00:31:55.087 --> 00:31:57.847 So you need to learn how to prompt and you gotta train your people 00:31:57.847 --> 00:31:59.077 a little bit on how to do that. 00:31:59.077 --> 00:32:00.427 And, and I'll tell you the other thing. 00:32:00.427 --> 00:32:03.247 What we did, a lot of our guys did was just ask the GPT 00:32:03.277 --> 00:32:04.687 to teach us how to use GPT. 00:32:05.467 --> 00:32:06.607 And it's pretty simple, right? 00:32:06.607 --> 00:32:07.267 It's pretty cool. 00:32:07.657 --> 00:32:08.647 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: Yeah, I That is cool. 00:32:08.832 --> 00:32:09.072 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: that is cool. 00:32:09.127 --> 00:32:11.617 You gotta get the tools in their hands and then you gotta show them 00:32:11.617 --> 00:32:13.777 how it's make, bringing them value. 00:32:14.017 --> 00:32:17.497 'cause if the employees don't find value in using the tool, it's 00:32:17.497 --> 00:32:19.057 not gonna spread widely, right? 00:32:19.537 --> 00:32:22.687 And if they see that value, they're gonna be using it all across the boards. 00:32:23.017 --> 00:32:25.507 And then the hard part is you gotta decide which rate route 00:32:25.507 --> 00:32:26.527 you're gonna go as a company. 00:32:27.367 --> 00:32:29.557 steps, it's about just getting awareness on it. 00:32:29.797 --> 00:32:31.747 After that, you gotta decide, am I gonna do this? 00:32:32.182 --> 00:32:33.172 Model by model. 00:32:33.172 --> 00:32:34.732 Am I gonna do something over here? 00:32:34.762 --> 00:32:39.052 Like, kind of like piecemeal, which is fine, the real value 00:32:39.052 --> 00:32:40.582 comes when you do an end to end. 00:32:40.762 --> 00:32:40.942 But 00:32:41.192 --> 00:32:41.492 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: Hmm. 00:32:41.692 --> 00:32:43.282 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: getting expensive, complicated, 00:32:43.282 --> 00:32:44.062 and will take years. 00:32:44.392 --> 00:32:47.122 So you, you kind of have to, you know, figure out how, what 00:32:47.122 --> 00:32:48.412 your strategy is around ai. 00:32:48.992 --> 00:32:49.262 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: Yeah. 00:32:49.520 --> 00:32:49.970 Great advice. 00:32:50.000 --> 00:32:53.570 Okay, so now I'm going to the other end of this, uh, of our, 00:32:53.570 --> 00:32:55.400 or our industry, which is, 00:32:55.415 --> 00:32:55.685 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: is, 00:32:55.880 --> 00:32:57.740 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: you know, what's your advice to a 00:32:57.785 --> 00:32:57.795 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: a. 00:32:58.250 --> 00:33:01.070 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: young professional who's early in their 00:33:01.070 --> 00:33:05.096 career in the chemical industry, and that wants to realize success, perhaps 00:33:05.096 --> 00:33:06.716 the success that you've realized. 00:33:06.716 --> 00:33:06.746 Um, 00:33:07.333 --> 00:33:08.053 your advice? 00:33:08.638 --> 00:33:10.774 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: My advice would be, I think that 00:33:10.774 --> 00:33:13.684 probably the most, and I would say this is for anybody at any point in 00:33:13.684 --> 00:33:16.604 their career, but especially when you're early in your career, you gotta 00:33:16.604 --> 00:33:18.134 learn to be grounded and balanced. 00:33:18.284 --> 00:33:19.634 Right now, I, I've been fortunate. 00:33:20.009 --> 00:33:25.889 I've had the opportunity, uh, ELAM, uh, re has, has brought this, uh, team in I've 00:33:25.889 --> 00:33:27.059 worked with 'em for the last five years. 00:33:27.059 --> 00:33:28.169 It's called Insight Principles. 00:33:28.889 --> 00:33:31.079 And what they do is they teach you how your mind works. 00:33:31.379 --> 00:33:31.889 That's all they do. 00:33:31.889 --> 00:33:34.109 They don't teach you tips and tricks and all this kind of, they 00:33:34.109 --> 00:33:35.189 just teach you how your mind works. 00:33:35.189 --> 00:33:37.469 And it can only work one way and everybody's mind has 00:33:37.469 --> 00:33:38.684 to work the exact same way. 00:33:38.684 --> 00:33:40.769 And we go through life thinking. 00:33:40.769 --> 00:33:43.589 Most people live their entire lives thinking they live in an outside 00:33:43.589 --> 00:33:46.829 in world, when in fact you're living in an inside out world. 00:33:46.889 --> 00:33:47.159 And what I 00:33:47.334 --> 00:33:47.624 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: Yeah. 00:33:47.909 --> 00:33:49.169 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: in is the world happens. 00:33:49.574 --> 00:33:50.564 Stuff goes on. 00:33:50.654 --> 00:33:54.614 You know, things go on, stuff in the office goes on, stuff 00:33:54.614 --> 00:33:55.904 at your, at your home, goes on. 00:33:56.224 --> 00:34:00.054 And most people believe that, whatever happened made you feel a certain 00:34:00.054 --> 00:34:03.321 way, made you feel happy, made you feel sad, made you feel angry, and 00:34:03.321 --> 00:34:04.371 that's not really what's happening. 00:34:04.376 --> 00:34:09.351 What's really happening is you're taking that input and your brain based on your, 00:34:09.981 --> 00:34:11.721 your, your programming we call it, right? 00:34:11.721 --> 00:34:13.671 So your, your experiences in your life. 00:34:14.153 --> 00:34:15.323 Are interpreting that 00:34:15.713 --> 00:34:16.003 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: Yeah. 00:34:16.013 --> 00:34:18.203 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: it's, your feelings are coming from your 00:34:18.203 --> 00:34:20.273 own brain, so it's really inside out. 00:34:21.143 --> 00:34:26.176 when you realize that right, when you catch that, you can turn it off, right? 00:34:26.176 --> 00:34:29.596 And, and you recognize it takes a lot of practice, a lot of time and mean, there's 00:34:29.596 --> 00:34:31.966 a book out there if anybody's interested, and I don't make any commission on 00:34:31.966 --> 00:34:35.926 this, but it's called Invisible Power, uh, by Robin Shart and Ken Manning. 00:34:36.631 --> 00:34:36.751 I'm 00:34:37.051 --> 00:34:37.531 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: All right. 00:34:37.531 --> 00:34:39.001 I'll link to it for people. 00:34:39.001 --> 00:34:39.571 Yeah. 00:34:39.631 --> 00:34:41.251 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: on Amazon, I think it's $11, 00:34:41.416 --> 00:34:41.706 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: Okay. 00:34:41.731 --> 00:34:45.451 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: it's $11 well spent, and you learn 00:34:45.901 --> 00:34:48.964 that the stress in life is optional. 00:34:49.278 --> 00:34:53.148 And when you can get your brain to a grounded and balanced state where it's 00:34:53.208 --> 00:34:57.378 clear, insights start popping, that's where the insight principles come from. 00:34:57.618 --> 00:34:59.988 And, and you, you let your brain do what it was designed 00:34:59.988 --> 00:35:01.308 to do, which is solve problems. 00:35:02.118 --> 00:35:04.188 And I've, I brought this, I got a book for my kids. 00:35:04.278 --> 00:35:05.658 It's changed their lives already. 00:35:05.658 --> 00:35:07.338 They're young and they're entering the workforce. 00:35:07.608 --> 00:35:10.758 And I could see the maturity and, and the groundedness that my, my 00:35:10.758 --> 00:35:12.498 kids are approaching their jobs in. 00:35:12.558 --> 00:35:13.878 And it's, it's quite impressive. 00:35:14.688 --> 00:35:18.648 think if, if mo more people had this, I think the, the entire world would be 00:35:18.648 --> 00:35:20.754 a, easier place to, to get along in. 00:35:21.071 --> 00:35:21.731 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: great advice. 00:35:21.731 --> 00:35:22.181 Awesome. 00:35:22.181 --> 00:35:22.871 Thank you for that. 00:35:23.081 --> 00:35:24.581 And Mike, thanks for joining me today. 00:35:24.581 --> 00:35:26.981 This has been a great conversation. 00:35:27.401 --> 00:35:29.166 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: I, I, I've thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed it. 00:35:29.166 --> 00:35:29.826 Thank you very much, 00:35:29.991 --> 00:35:30.711 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: Thank you and 00:35:30.846 --> 00:35:30.996 squadcaster-db0e_1_10-23-2025_100814: and 00:35:31.191 --> 00:35:32.871 victoria_3_10-23-2025_090814: thanks to everyone for joining us today. 00:35:32.871 --> 00:35:35.631 Keep listening, keep following, keep sharing, and we will 00:35:35.631 --> 00:35:37.281 talk with you again soon.