Hey everyone, we are Stephanie Zavala and Arianne Shipley aka the H2duO. Thank you for joining us for the very first episode of Water in Real Life. Every Monday, we’ll be releasing a new episode. Our content will shift between interviews with thought leaders from inside and outside of the water industry, to solo shows or rather, conversations between Arianne and I that will highlight a resource we feel will benefit you as you work to tell your story to your customers.

Our first nine episodes will be interviews with the speakers from Catalyst. Catalyst is a mastermind summit we are co-hosting with the San Antonio Water System, the Texas section of the American Water Works Association, and the Water Environment Association of Texas. The event will take place June 20-22, 2018 in San Antonio. The speaker lineup is diverse and includes well known water rockstars like George Hawkins, former general manager at DC Water, now founder of his own company Moonshot. We’ll also be chatting with thought leaders from the marketing industry, film, and the academia world. To fit everyone in prior to the summit, we’ll be releasing two episodes a week, one on Monday and one on Wednesday.

In July, we’ll begin with our regularly scheduled weekly releases that will hit iTunes or your podcast player of choice every Monday.

In case you’re wondering “who are the H2duO” that would be me and Arianne. We both worked for municipal water utilities for ten years before we made the difficult decision to leave behind the jobs we loved and forge our own path in the industry. We’ve seen first hand the power of building relationships in the communities we serve and we measure this impact in stories.

We’re both passionate about the men and women that serve their communities in water utilities. Arianne and I share similar origin stories that include being inspired by the hard work they put in daily to ensure public health. Be sure to check out our stories and see how they compare to your own water story.

We encourage you to follow us on Twitter @THE_H2duO and Instagram the_h2duo. We believe in open source knowledge and we love to share the people, places, and resources that inspire, instruct, and incite us to action. To be a part of this sharing of knowledge, please subscribe to our mailing list.

Tom Ferguson is the Vice President of Programming for Imagine H2O, a nonprofit organization empowering people to deploy and develop innovation to solve water challenges globally. Imagine H2O’s accelerator program picks 12 startup companies for over 200 applications from 36 countries. The chosen accelerator companies receive customer validation, industry visibility, investor access and mentorship opportunities.

Three Key Points:

1. Communication is incredibly important to the vitality of the water industry in today’s environment.
2. It’s ok to have fun with water. How a little bit of irreverence, showing you have personality and can have fun, can be a differentiating factor that allows you to cut through the noise.
3. A colorful elevator pitch for the value of water.

Check out Imagine H2O and learn about the twelve companies currently in the accelerator program that are truly changing the world of water. If you have the opportunity, consider attending the Imagine H2O Innovation Forum and Gala in 2019. Sign up to receive updates here.

Please consider rating the podcast with 5 stars and leaving a one- or two-sentence review in iTunes or on Stitcher.  This helps tremendously in bringing the podcast to the attention of others. We give a shoutout to everyone who rates the podcast with 5 stars in future episodes.

Give us some love on Twitter by tagging us @THE_H2duO or by using the #WaterInRealLifePodcast

If you know someone you think would benefit, please spread the word by using the share buttons on this page.

Thank you for sharing some of your time with us. We know how precious those minutes are. Share your story, you never know who needs to hear it and remember, “Those who tell the stories, rule the world.”

Travis Loop is the Director of Communication and Public Outreach for the Water Environment Federation. Professionally, he has nearly 20 years of experience in media and communications. Travis is the host of the WEF Words On Water podcast. He previously served as Director of Communications for the Office of Water at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and as the speechwriter and a communications manager for the Governor of Hawaii. Aloha!!  Travis also worked for eight years in the media as a newspaper reporter and editor in North Carolina; Washington, D.C.; and Hawaii.

Three Key Points:

1. Allowing others to tell our story adds credibility to the story we tell about ourselves.
2. Whether it’s crafting the content of your messaging or in media training, keeping a laser focus on what information your audience wants to hear is key. Write for them, not for you.
3. This industry can be stressful. Channel your inner duck–let it just roll off your back and just keep paddling forward.

Resources Mentioned:

Words on Water Podcast

Blue Mind: The Surprising Science that Shows How Being Near, In, On or Under Water Can Make You Happier, Healthier, More Connected, and Better at What You Do By: Wallace J. Nichols

Please consider rating the podcast with 5 stars and leaving a one- or two-sentence review in iTunes or on Stitcher.  This helps tremendously in bringing the podcast to the attention of others. We give a shoutout to everyone who rates the podcast with 5 stars in future episodes.

Give us some love on Twitter by tagging us @THE_H2duO or by using the #WaterInRealLifePodcast

If you know someone you think would benefit, please spread the word by using the share buttons on this page.

Thank you for sharing some of your time with us. We know how precious those minutes are. Share your story, you never know who needs to hear it and remember, “Those who tell the stories, rule the world.”

Since 1998, Greg Wukasch has worked in the External Affairs Department with the San Antonio Water System, beginning as an Education Coordinator and now as the External Affairs Manager. Greg really considers himself more of a “story teller” putting together water stories for citizens across the city he loves. When not talking H2O, this self-professed water nerd also enjoys talking strategic planning and corporate culture.  

Greg and his team have developed impactful programs that have continued to create community between SAWS and the community it serves. These programs include the high school education program Impact.  

Three Key Points:

1. The whirlwind is never going to go away. The key is to find the tools to manage it to stay laser focused and on mission.
2. We accomplish more when we break down the silo mindset of departments i.e. engineering, education, customer service, etc.
3. Mentorship is not about just smiling and nodding. Real mentors aren’t afraid to have the tough conversations and will challenge you to be the better you every day.

Resources Mentioned:

Good to Great by Jim Collins

The Advantage: Why Organizational Health Trumps Everything Else in Business by Patrick Lencioni

The 4 Disciplines of Execution by Chris McChesney, Sean Covey, Jim Huling

Please consider rating the podcast with 5 stars and leaving a one- or two-sentence review in iTunes or on Stitcher.  This helps tremendously in bringing the podcast to the attention of others. We give a shoutout to everyone who rates the podcast with 5 stars in future episodes.

Give us some love on Twitter by tagging us @THE_H2duO or by using the #WaterInRealLifePodcast

If you know someone you think would benefit, please spread the word by using the share buttons on this page.

Thank you for sharing some of your time with us. We know how precious those minutes are. Share your story, you never know who needs to hear it and remember, “Those who tell the stories, rule the world.”

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, we will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, we only recommend products or services we use personally and believe will add value to my readers....

Duke Greenhill has nearly 20 years of success as a global marketer, a widely published thought leader, and an award-winning filmmaker and screenwriter. He has held senior positions at some of the world’s most respected agencies in Manhattan and Washington, DC, and he founded Greenhill+Partners, a Manhattan-based boutique consultancy specializing in brand storytelling and luxury brands. He has worked with some of the world’s most respected organizations, too, including Levi Strauss & Co. (Dockers), Chanel, Adidas, MasterCard, Red Bull, Tiffany & Co., Ritz-Carlton, Ameriprise Financial, L’Oreal, the Government of Monaco and more.

As a widely published thought leader, Duke has written numerous articles on business and marketing for The New York Times, The Telegraph (U.K.), Fast Company, Inc., Entrepreneur, the Harvard Review and others. Duke has been honored to receive numerous industry accolades and ranks his graduate Academy Award nomination chief among them. He has a BA from the University of Texas at Austin and an MFA with honors from Columbia University. But, whether Duke’s working on digital media or traditional, moving images or still, strategy or creative, he brings a priceless skill set to the table: that of a steadfast storyteller.

Three Key Points:

1. “The human brain is hard-wired to react to certain structures that we call storytelling, beginning, middle, end.”
2. “If a conveyance of information, and we can call that story, is authentic to the world in which the story is taking place and the person who’s telling it, then it’s compelling.”
3. “In the context of a brand, the idea is connection. You don’t just want a customer or a supporter, you want a zealot. And that’s where you find them, when you’ve connected. Not just convinced, but connected.”

Resources Mentioned:

Pukka’s Promise by Ted Kerasote

Meditation by Osho

Daring Greatly by Brene Brown

Laudato Si by Holy Father Francis

Please consider rating the podcast with 5 stars and leaving a one- or two-sentence review in iTunes or on Stitcher.  This helps tremendously in bringing the podcast to the attention of others. We give a shoutout to everyone who rates the podcast with 5 stars in future episodes.

Give us some love on Twitter by tagging us

Ryan Beltrán, founder of elequa and the Make Water program, is an award-winning filmmaker and innovator with unique experience connecting DIY water technology, student collaborators, and creative storytelling. His early film experience included interning for Oscar-winning director Michel Gondry on productions with Kanye West, White Stripes, Conan O’Brien, Daft Punk and more. Over the years Ryan has taken his ideas to the White House Water Summit, Flint Michigan, and impoverished communities in Colombia.

So how does a filmmaker rubbing elbows with Kanye and Richard Linklater get involved in water? Sometimes you come across a story that just has to be told and water’s story spoke to him. Ryan shares with us his involvement as a mentor on the open source technology team for the teen Impact education program at San Antonio Water System.

Although he claims not to have a water “a-ha” moment where it all just clicked, he definitely felt drawn to water’s story through a culmination of experience around the world related to issues surrounding clean drinking water. This led him to his passion for electrocoagulation as a potential solution. As a true believer in collaboration, he shares all of the innovation and technology coming out of his company, elequa, by practicing open source technology via his involvement with maker spaces and his Make Water film series to be released beginning in 2018. You can check out the work of he and his high school Impact teams at makewater.org.

Resources Mentioned:

Make Water Project

Water, Texas Film Project

Republic of Makers Maker Space

San Antonio Water System’s Impact Program

Reply All Podcast

Gimlet Media Podcast

Rocket Book

Please consider rating the podcast with 5 stars and leaving a one- or two-sentence review in iTunes or on Stitcher.  This helps tremendously in bringing the podcast to the attention of others. We give a shoutout to everyone who rates the podcast with 5 stars in future episodes.

Give us some love on Twitter by tagging us @THE_H2duO or by using the #WaterInRealLifePodcast

If you know someone you think would benefit, please spread the word by using the share buttons on this page.

Thank you for sharing some of your time with us. We know how precious those minutes are. Share your story, you never know who needs to hear it and remember, “Those who tell the stories, rule the world.”

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or...

Jennifer Oliver Henderson is a marketing communication specialist with nearly 20 years of experience. Her professional achievements include “40 Under 40” awarded by the Fort Worth Business Press in 2008, Texas Wesleyan University’s Alumni Service Award in 2012, the Distinguished Alumni Award in 2014, Great Women of Texas in 2014, Top 20 Women to Watch in 2016 and alumni scholar of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses. She is also recipient of more than 100 local to international design and public relations awards. For fun, she runs Gallery 440, featuring a large collection of international modern art as well as local contemporary Texas artists.

Jennifer conveys the incredible value consistent public relations efforts has on building relationships with your community rooted in trust and transparency. We also discuss the world of art and the value art plays in evoking emotion and creating connection with our messages.

Top Takeaways:

1. An apology, when appropriate, goes a long way. Accountability and honesty is refreshing in a day and age filled with spin, misdirection, and the misperception of perfection conveyed on social media.
2. What someone else says about you, including reporters, is eight times more valuable than any advertisement you pay for.
3. Make your content relevant to your audience. Tell your story but through their eyes.

Resources Mentioned:

Coverage Book

Purple Cow by Seth Godin

All Marketers Tell Stories by Seth Godin

Please consider rating the podcast with 5 stars and leaving a one- or two-sentence review in iTunes or on Stitcher.  This helps tremendously in bringing the podcast to the attention of others. We give a shoutout to everyone who rates the podcast with 5 stars in future episodes.

Give us some love on Twitter by tagging us @THE_H2duO or by using the #WaterInRealLifePodcast

If you know someone you think would benefit, please spread the word by using the share buttons on this page.

Thank you for sharing some of your time with us. We know how precious those minutes are. Share your story, you never know who needs to hear it and remember, “Those who tell the stories, rule the world.”

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission....

Megan is a bridge builder. Over the last 12 years, she has had the opportunity to work for a myriad of private sector consulting firms and for several public agencies. She has also served on several boards of directors, and she currently serves as the elected Director of Division 7 for the Municipal Water District of Orange County, in addition to her role as Policy Director to 5th District Supervisor Lisa Bartlett in Orange County.

Megan has also served on dozens of committees for the Water Environment Federation (WEF), the California Water Environment Association (CWEA), and the Santa Ana River Basin Section, in addition to several other professional associations over the last 14 years. Currently, she is the Vice-Chair and incoming Chair of the WEF Public Communications and Outreach Committee and the Chair of the CWEA Kirt Brooks Memorial Scholarship Committee. She’s organized over a hundred conferences, seminars, plant tours, presentations, community events, and more, and she is part of the inaugural graduating class of the Water Leadership Institute.

Megan’s company, Seven Management and Consulting, Inc., is also a partner with Blue Drop.

Top Takeaways:

1. Educating the youth not only impacts the adults of day through their parents, but also is growing the next generation of water ambassadors.
2. Brain-based learning is about finding the most effective way to teach adults, which is much different than the way children learn.
3. When ideas are created in a silo they only benefit the people in the silo. Collaboration creates solutions with more widespread impact.

Resources Mentioned:

Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth

Podcast: Building your Dream Team with Shane Snow by EOFire

Please consider rating the podcast with 5 stars and leaving a one- or two-sentence review in iTunes or on Stitcher.  This helps tremendously in bringing the podcast to the attention of others. We give a shoutout to everyone who rates the podcast with 5 stars in future episodes.

Give us some love on Twitter by tagging us @THE_H2duO or by using the #WaterInRealLifePodcast

If you know someone you think would benefit, please spread the word by using the share buttons on this page.

Thank you for sharing some of your time with us. We know how precious those minutes are. Share your story, you never know who needs to hear it and remember, “Those who tell the stories, rule the world.”

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive...