Brand in the Making by ThinkTank Thought Leadership

Elliot Parker, CEO of Alloy Partners, shares the story of Woodchuck AI—a Michigan startup transforming wood waste into clean electricity. Elliot explains how his venture studio teams up with corporations to launch “advantaged startups,” why big companies struggle with true innovation, and how running fast, weird experiments creates breakthroughs.

Chapters:
(00:00) Welcome & Elliot’s Role at Alloy Partners
(03:20) How Woodchuck AI Was Born
(08:05) Using AI to Divert Waste from Landfills
(12:40) The Future of Clean Energy and Recycling
(17:30) Why Big Corporations Struggle with Innovation
(23:10) Building Advantaged Startups Outside the Brand
(28:15) What’s Next: New Ventures and Industry Shifts

Creators and Guests

Host
Jonathan Tasman
Jonathan Tasman is a high-performance growth marketer, content strategist, and founder of the Side Quest Book Club podcast. As Director of Growth Marketing at City Innovations, he builds and operationalizes full-stack content engines across multiple brands, driving traction for startups, corporate ventures, and thought leaders. Jonathan also leads strategic initiatives for ThinkTank, Traction Lab, and Beacon Services, while producing weekly podcast content and managing audience growth systems for clients. By day, he scales early-stage ventures. By night, he ships content, builds frameworks, and reads speculative fiction with a mic in hand.

What is Brand in the Making by ThinkTank Thought Leadership?

Behind every brand is a person.
We share their unheard stories as their journeys unfold.

Brand in the Making is a raw, unscripted podcast featuring founders, creators, and thought leaders who are building something meaningful. These are the voices you haven’t heard yet—captured in real time, before the headlines.

Each episode takes you inside the process: the sparks, the setbacks, and the strategies that shape personal brands and breakout businesses.

If you're curious about what it takes to build a brand that matters, this is your front-row seat.

Presented by ThinkTank Thought Leadership — the content engine for ambitious leaders.