In recognition of Earth Day, we’ve been speaking to entrepreneurs who have used their business school education to make a difference. These individuals have created start-ups that solve a business problem in a sustainable way.

Jason Utton has used his significant experience in the renewable energy sector, alongside an MBA gained at the Hough Graduate School of Business, University of Florida, to found Utton Consulting Solutions. Established in 2019, his company provides comprehensive consulting services to help clients develop long-term value in the renewable energy space throughout the United States.

Alongside his entrepreneurial endeavours Jason also serves as Vice President of Atwell, a national consulting, engineering and construction services firm with over 1,700 professionals across the country that deliver a broad range of strategic and creative solutions to clients in a diverse range of industries including power, oil & gas, and real estate/land development.

Between his start-up, and by joining Atwell’s efforts to support all facets of clean energy development including land acquisition, environmental studies, survey, engineering support and construction oversight, Jason is working at the forefront of the clean energy movement in industry, helping companies navigate this transition and growth.

We spoke to him to find out more about his work…

What inspired you to start your business and tackle this issue?

After serving ten years in the Army (petroleum officer), including multiple combat deployments in the Middle East, I dreamed of a day when America could be fully energy independence. I believed if we could reduce our dependence on foreign energy, it would make our country safer and provide cheaper power to all Americans. 

After the military I went to work doing just that and more. 

Climate change was becoming a bigger issue and I decided to start developing renewable energy power plants across America, by taking a role with the nation’s leader in renewable energy – NextEra Energy. My team and I developed wind farms, solar facilities and even one of the first large-scale battery storage facilities in Minnesota. 

After 11 years at NextEra and developing thousands of megawatts of clean generation projects (~$4.5B in capital deployment), I decided to focus on helping others find ways to leave their mark on the industry.  This transition requires a lot of smart people at many different sized companies to sustainably meet the needs of our growing country. 

I’m excited to be a part of that transition and it feels like it’s a way for me to continue serving my country.

How did your business school experience help to launch your venture?

I was a late bloomer for business school. At 38, I started my MBA at the University of Florida while continuing to work at NextEra. Throughout most of my classes I thought, “I wish I knew this back when…”.  It was really enlightening for me to realise the significance of a business education, and it’s a perspective I’ve tried to impart to my two teenagers. 

Whatever you want to do in life – there’s a business opportunity out there, and the foundational skills you learn in business school can give you that edge to make a dream a reality. Quite simply – there is no way I would be where I am today without the University of Florida.

“Be authentic – always do what you say you’re going to do and do it your way. Stay true to yourself and keep challenging yourself to push boundaries.”

Jason Utton – Vice President of Atwell

Filling in the gaps with self-learning in my professional career – enhancing these building blocks allowed me to do my job better, lead my teams more effectively, and allowed me to continue up the ranks at NextEra. It also gave me the confidence to leave NextEra and chart my own path. 

I’m not insinuating you can’t be successful if you don’t go to business school, but without that foundation, I believe, you’re putting yourself at a disadvantage. 

What challenges have you encountered while integrating sustainability into your business operations, and how have you overcome them?

The first challenge I almost always face when tackling sustainability is an initial resistance to change.  Change can be scary to many people and even when something makes sense to me, I never expect everyone to see the value and immediately get on board. We exist today in an environment where just about any issue can be highly charged and overly politicised. 

Patience and education are critical when trying to implement change, and if you engage all of the relevant stakeholders with open and transparent communication to foster buy-in and collaboration across the organisation, it can help create something that others can get behind and support.

Implementing sustainability requires upfront investments, which can strain budgets and impact short term financial returns. But the challenges we’re faced with today are not going away, and if unaddressed will continue to get worse. A long view is required. 

There are creative ways to streamline processes or leverage technology that can counter the short-term financial impact. Creating a detailed, strategic plan can help identify the different levers to pull to show the overall benefit to the company and environment. 

In your current role, how do you navigate the balance between profitability and purpose?

Profitability is always front and centre in my mind every time I’m evaluating ways to integrate sustainability.  But profitability and sustainability aren’t conflicting goals (it is not an either-or proposition). If planned out and done correctly, sustainability can drive profitability at many levels. 

The all-in cost of renewable energy today is cheaper than the variable cost of existing fossil fuel generation. However, challenges exist in renewables across the development spectrum and finding the right partner to help navigate can save you a lot of time, money and heartache.   

Looking ahead, what are your aspirations for the future of your sustainable work?

I want to smartly grow my team’s work with Atwell while increasing our positive impact on the environment and society. The next five to ten years are going to be amazing in the power industry and a lot has to happen to get the country where it needs to be. 

As we continue to grow – I have to ensure my team never losing focus of the first priority in our “Client Promise”; to provide quality deliverables and maintain our culture of excellence. I want to continue to grow my own professional and technical skill sets and look for ways to improve our standards – all while inspiring others to join. 

It’s going to take a sustainability army to meet our nation’s energy challenges, and continuing to foster a culture that values sustainability and empowers employees to contribute their ideas and efforts towards our goals will go a long way to getting us there.   

What advice would you give to other sustainable business founders?

Mission – spend as much time as it takes to validate your idea (ensure the need and your unique viable solution) and then define a clear, compelling mission statement (beyond profit) that resonates with your stakeholders and inspires others to join you. Specifically address how your business is going to make the positive impact on society and the environment.

Be authentic – always do what you say you’re going to do and do it your way. Stay true to yourself and keep challenging yourself to push boundaries but also recognise that you’ll need a strong team with you.  

Network – building a strong team will come from first building a trusted network of people and companies that you can collaborate with as you get started. Finding thoughtful council can make a big difference in setting you down the right path and making sure you don’t lose focus on what’s most important.

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