Social Impact Heroes Helping Our Planet: Why & How Vanessa Branco Of Sunbolt Is Helping To Change Our World
An Interview With Martita Mestey
You can’t please everyone, but you can always do the right thing. As long as you are being true to yourself, choosing good, you will rise above.
As a part of my series about “individuals and organizations making an important social impact”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Vanessa Branco.
Vanessa Branco is the Chief Marketing Officer of Sunbolt. Vanessa is responsible for all marketing channels, sales teams, growth strategy, and customer acquisition. She has been in the advertising industry for over 19 years. Prior to joining Sunbolt, Vanessa worked on marketing strategy and business development for companies including MIVA, DraftKings, Newton Baby, Medifast and Carbonite. Her first job out of college was in the digital marketing space where she spearheaded the first vertical toolbar in the early 2000s, resulting in a partnership with Google and Epicurious. Certified in Attribution Fundamentals, she toured the United States as the staple panel speaker for an attribution company, speaking about programmatic advertising, and has participated in many podcasts, conferences, and a Q&A presentation from Amazon’s NYC HQ where she helped the team enhance their programmatic business.
Vanessa spent her college years as President of a civic organization in Queens, NY, and was educated at Adelphi University, earning a BBA in Business Administration and induction into Delta Mu Delta Business Honor Society. Vanessa is the Director for Carlo’s Legacy, named after her uncle, Carlo Lanzillotti, which provides housing and support services to homeless veterans. She is proud to be part of the Sunbolt team, where she feels she is part of a positive, sustainable solution every day!
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit. Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how you grew up?
I grew up in Queens, NY. My parents are also from Queens, and we still live in NY to date. I received my Bachelors in Business Management from Adelphi University. Even with my concentration in marketing, I always wanted to be in finance and had a job offer as a financial advisor. My very last interview I decided to go to was for a digital company. Loving the challenge in the early days of the internet, I decided to take the marketing job and ultimately turned down the financial advisor position.
You are currently leading a social impact organization that is making a difference for our planet. Can you tell us a bit about what you and Sunbolt are trying to change in our world today?
Thank you for acknowledging this! We created Sunbolt because we wanted to create a solution. After 10 years (we are celebrating our anniversary this year), we remain proud of the workstation line. The feedback and appreciation from our community and customers keep us motivated to create durable products and expand our product line to allow the freedom to work or study outside, regardless of if you are in a rural area or if you may lose power.
Can you tell us the backstory about what inspired you to originally feel passionate about this cause?
During Superstorm Sandy, our founders saw many people trying to work and also connect with family and friends. Already in the solar business, they knew that they could create a solution. They created an extremely powerful, durable workstation with outlets and lights, so people could continue to have power for their mobile devices and laptops when they needed to get back to work, or connect with loved ones to tell them they were safe following the natural disaster.
Witnessing their dedication to solving such a critical issue resonated with me deeply. The vision of creating a sustainable solution that not only addresses immediate needs during emergencies, but also promotes long-term environmental benefits inspired me to join the Sunbolt team. The commitment to innovation, sustainability, and community impact aligned perfectly with my values and passion for making a positive difference in the world. This backstory and the founders’ proactive approach motivated me to become part of a team dedicated to creating meaningful change through solar technology.
Many of us have ideas, dreams, and passions, but never manifest them. They don’t get up and just do it. But you did. Was there an “Aha Moment” that made you decide that you were actually going to step up and do it? What was that final trigger?
The pivotal moment in my decision to pursue a career in business development and marketing came after my first marketing job. I began receiving numerous referrals to individuals who wanted to kick start their businesses, address marketing challenges, and liaise with agencies to ensure strategic alignment. This demand led me to establish a consulting company. At Sunbolt, our team developed a product that has grown into four product lines, a 10,000-square-foot warehouse, and an international presence. The breakthrough for our business occurred when the University of California, Riverside purchased twenty-two of our CampusXLs, becoming our first repeat customer. This confirmed the market need for our solutions, and ten years later, our journey continues.
Many people don’t know the steps to take to start a new company or organization. What are some of the things or steps you took to get your project started?
When I was first told about Sunbolt back in 2018, I had never heard of a solar charging workstation. After my first meeting, I was eager for the challenge. I put a lot of time into learning the products, the goals, the renewable energy space, completely revamped the marketing strategy and campaigns, and utilized my certification in attribution to create a successful marketing funnel. We expanded our marketing team, some of whom I worked with in the past and had a proven track record of success and dedication, and the team is still in place today.
On the marketing side, it’s different when you are an early stage company with less resources than publicly traded companies. I had to really identify avenues of success that weren’t too costly. We had to strategize organically and be consistent in our branding to build a global presence. We have identified key decision makers who are striving to meet sustainability goals. We have grown into a global brand, developed a dealer network, and have a presence in 35 states, Puerto Rico, Togo, Nova Scotia and Mexico. When I first started we had 5 products. Now we have 11 and more to come!
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company?
There really are so many, as we work with interesting companies and customers all the time. Product wise, I have been able to be a driving force in creating different styles of solar charging units from listening to our customers. Seeing the team work tirelessly to answer through product innovations and custom fabrication jobs is always so rewarding. Working with the U.S. Embassy to bring units to Africa is high on my list, and perhaps the one I felt most proud of is the University of Puerto Rico. We reached out to them after a hurricane and they reported back that the units were in “mint condition”, and sent photos of students trying to stay dry by standing under our units. It brought us back to the reason Sunbolt started. Students and faculty were able to power their devices and most importantly communicate with their families.
It has been said that sometimes our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Do you have a story about a humorous mistake that you made when you were first starting and the lesson you learned from that?
I attended my first conference and learned very quickly that if the camera is pointed your way, you might be in the photos shared to thousands. Since then I have made sure to not yawn, or make any kind of weird faces!
None of us can be successful without some help along the way. Did you have mentors or cheerleaders who helped you to succeed? Can you tell us a story about their influence?
My parents have always been so encouraging. I took on a career that was completely opposite of what I was planning to do, in a space that was really unknown at the time, and they always were excited for me and trusted my decisions. When I was in school, my parents would never say no to buying me books, so I grew to love local bookstores! There were so many people who were leading the way in the early stages of the internet boom, when I started my first job, who took me under their wing and spent time to allow me to learn, be myself, and started to include me on panels, networking events, and many engagement opportunities. One of my greatest mentors, Mark Hughes, is the one who referred me to Sunbolt in 2018.
Are there three things the community, society, or politicians can do to help you address the root of the problem you are trying to solve?
Remote work has now become accepted in many areas. People have a bit more freedom to enjoy a nice day while still working, instead of working indoors in an office. Being outside improves health and wellness. Businesses are seeing the benefits and how our units are ideal outdoor office products.
Communities can work together to raise awareness to educate the public about the benefits of reducing their carbon footprint and how using renewable energy products such as solar workstations can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and reliance on the grid.
Sunbolt charging stations provide safety, sustainable messaging, and a means to enjoy the outdoors. The grants that are continuing to be awarded are a great help in leading the way to a more sustainable future. Many of our customers are able to purchase our solar charging stations, thanks to the politicians and communities who are involved in making a positive impact on our environment.
How would you articulate how a business can become more profitable by being more sustainable and more environmentally conscious? Can you share a story or example?
When a business genuinely cares and contributes positively to society, I believe the appreciation will return. The tax credits and many grants available allow businesses to save on costs by being more sustainable. Some of Sunbolt’s customers purchase our charging stations and get sponsors. For example, a customer at a soccer stadium purchased CampusXL solar workstations and had their local utilities’ company sponsor the units with their branding.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why?
I was fortunate to have advice given to me since I first started out, and I have shared these pieces of advice with those I have mentored along the way: When things are going well, that is when you want to work harder. When I first started my consulting company, I was told that when things are very busy, work harder. You don’t want to feel comfortable when things are going well, especially because, as we have seen during COVID or other things out of our control, anything can happen.
You can’t please everyone, but you can always do the right thing. As long as you are being true to yourself, choosing good, you will rise above.
Work as hard as you can and keep on top of your industry. During my free time, I attend webinars, read articles or listen to podcasts.
Meet as many people in your industry as you can by attending conferences, meet-ups, joining groups, and saying yes to those ballgame invitations!
If you can’t give 100%, it is ok to ask for help.
If you could tell other young people one thing about why they should consider making a positive impact on our environment or society, like you, what would you tell them?
You feel good! It’s nice to wake up in the morning and go to work when you know that you are contributing positively to society. You just feel much better. I have to stop myself from working because it doesn’t feel like work. It makes me very happy to do something rewarding, and hear the positive feedback from customers.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
“Do what you love and you will never work a day in your life.” It is relevant because you spend ⅓ of your life working, so please try to enjoy it!
Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would like to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. 🙂
Oprah.
How can our readers follow you online?
@vanbranc and @gosunbolt. You can learn additional information about our company and products at https://gosunbolt.com.
This was very meaningful, thank you so much. We wish you only continued success on your great work!
Social Impact Heroes Helping Our Planet: Why & How Vanessa Branco Of Sunbolt Is Helping To Change… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.