Blair is BlueConduit’s Business Development Manager. Get to know Blair through this quick Q&A:
Why did you join BlueConduit?
There are a few reasons why BlueConduit appealed to me. For one thing, I’ve been working in the water industry for 8 years, and I like it. I like the people. It reminds me of my previous life in the military. So the familiarity was something that I really liked. But perhaps more importantly, it’s what BlueConduit does and how it does it – using machine learning and predictive modeling to help communities in need have the water they deserve. I enjoy talking about technology on a professional level, and it was really important to me to work for a company that does social good. We all need water for ourselves, for our kids and for future generations. I absolutely love that BlueConduit is helping with that.
What professional experience and expertise do you bring to BlueConduit?
I have 8 years of business development experience, with 6 years experience specifically selling machine learning in the water industry. I love working with startup companies in the water industry, and I specialize in helping companies improve their go-to market and business development strategies.
What does a day in the life of BlueConduit’s BD manager look like?
My days are quite busy. I reach out to a lot of folks and try to connect with as many people as possible throughout the US. When I am meeting with water systems, I’m learning about their unique perspectives to managing their systems. Everyone is different and in my experience I’ve found that while water systems may have the same challenges to managing their inventories for compliance or figuring out how to prioritize lead service line removal, the way they approach those challenges is unique. My job is to see how I can help. People are busy, so there’s a lot of strategy and thought behind how to reach them. I’m always trying to learn how people communicate and learn so I can best meet them where they are without being overbearing. It’s a fine line to be sure.
What work accomplishments are you most proud of and what goals have you prioritized for this year?
Something I’m really proud of is that I’ve helped a lot of utilities and cities adopt machine learning and become at the forefront of technology across many different companies, so I feel like I’ve done some social good. As I mentioned before, water is something we all need to have, for ourselves and future generations, so I’m proud to help with that in my own way. On a more personal level, I’ve also helped colleagues/peers break into the water industry or helped elevate. I enjoy helping people, so anything I can do around that makes me happy.
For 2024, my main goal is fine tuning my business development skills and ensuring that I continue to grow and learn more about lead pipes and predictive modeling. I’m also working on expanding our reach into more states, and I personally would like to be able to start conversations with utilities in at least 25 states. That’s probably an aggressive goal, but I like a challenge.
I’m also excited that we have new products launching this year, so I’m looking forward to talking with water utilities about them when we have them in hand. That will certainly be a priority for me this year. I’ve also found that in all my experience working with water companies, BlueConduit’s approach is unique. I want to make sure people understand that when I talk to them, because I think it’s important. BlueConduit has a great reputation already, and utilities should know we’re here to help and do good.
How do you spend your time outside of work?
I love martial arts. Brazilian Jiu jitsu and boxing is mostly what I do. I like to lift weights, and I’ve also gotten into archery over the past couple years. My son and I also like to build Lego sets together, especially the Marvel sets. My older son is into all things sports, so we’ve started lifting weights together as he gets ready for football season. When I’m not doing any of those activities, I enjoy hiking and trying new restaurants with my wife in the Austin, TX area. And, I can’t leave my daughter out! She’s an adult, so she does her own thing but she lives in the area so I’m happy I get to see her regularly (for a young adult, anyway!)
