Flipping the Barrel is a podcast created to shine a light on women and men in energy by sharing the stories of successful individuals in this industry. Because everyone has a story that we can all learn from.
“Embracing Authenticity: Managing Emotions in the Workplace” with Magali Anderson- Chief Sustainability and Innovation Officer at Holcim.
May 23, 2023
“Embracing Authenticity: Managing Emotions in the Workplace”
Magali Anderson, Holcim CSO
Magali started working as a field engineer on offshore oil rigs in Nigeria, beginning a 27-year career in oil and gas. She spent the majority of her career with Schlumberger, holding operational line management positions including CEO, Angola; and Region Head, Europe. She has also held several functional roles, including Vice President, Marketing & Sales; Vice President, Shared Services Organization for the Europe and Africa region; and Global Head of Maintenance.
She joined Holcim as Group Head of Health & Safety in 2016, before becoming Chief Sustainability Officer in 2019. In 2021, the Group announced the expansion of Magali’s role to Chief Sustainability and Innovation Officer, putting sustainability at the core of its innovation pipeline.
Magali graduated as a Mechanical Engineer from INSA Lyon. She is a French national and was born in 1967.
Magali brings a wealth of experience and insights to the table. In this episode, she shares her inspiring story, challenges faced by women in the industry, the power of gender quotas, managing emotions at work, and the importance of intentional career navigation. Get ready to be inspired and empowered by the wisdom she imparts.🎧📻🔊
✅ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐃𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧:
Magali emphasized that the more people told her she couldn't achieve something, the more determined she became to prove them wrong. She shared her early career journey, which involved leaving her small village in France to work as a Wireline Field Engineer on offshore platforms in Nigeria. Despite facing skepticism and doubts, she pursued her goals with determination.
✅ 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬:
Magali faced challenges in managing her time as a couple with her husband, who was also a Field Engineer in the same company. To address this, she wrote a book about her story, aiming to inspire young females who aspire to pursue engineering careers while balancing family life. Her book served as a resource to provide answers to questions that young female engineers often have. Additionally, with the advent of the internet, Magali started a blog to share her experiences more effectively.
✅ 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐢𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲:
Magali acknowledged the bias against women in the industry, particularly when it comes to attaining leadership roles. She highlighted the need to address the bias that stems from being excessively nice to women, which can inadvertently make them feel inferior. By raising awareness of these challenges, Magali seeks to create a more inclusive and equal environment for women in the industry.
✅ 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐐𝐮𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐌:
Magali expressed that gender quotas, when implemented effectively and strategically, can help bridge the gender gap and provide more opportunities for women in STEM careers. By setting targets for gender representation, companies and institutions can actively promote diversity and inclusivity. Magali emphasized the importance of utilizing gender quotas as a tool for fostering equal opportunities in engineering and related fields.
Magali recognized that women in the workplace are often more emotional than men. Rather than viewing this as a weakness, she encouraged embracing vulnerability and openness. Magali highlighted the significance of having managers who can display emotions and create an atmosphere where diverse perspectives are valued and heard. This approach fosters open communication and adds humanity to the office space, making it more inclusive and conducive to collaboration.
✅ 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 & 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐍𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧:
Magali emphasized the importance of periodically reassessing one's career objectives. She advised taking breaks in one's career to reflect on personal growth and align goals with changing circumstances. By asking questions such as "Am I who I want to be?" and identifying priorities in life, individuals can be more intentional in navigating their careers. Magali encouraged individuals to take control of their career paths and not leave their professional development to chance.
We hope you enjoyed this glimpse into the thought-provoking insights shared by Magali Anderson on Flipping the Barrel podcast. Her experiences and perspectives shed light on the dynamics of the oil and gas industry, while also addressing important themes of gender equality, personal growth, and authenticity in the workplace. 🤩
Be sure to tune in for more episodes that delve into diverse perspectives, allowing you to gain a holistic understanding of the industry and draw inspiration from remarkable individuals like Magali. Stay curious, stay informed, and continue exploring the ever-evolving landscape of energy and innovation through Flipping the Barrel.📻
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“Leadership Techniques to Build a Strong Team and Culture” with Peter Larden, Chairman and Managing Director for ExxonMobil in Papua New Guinea.
May 09, 2023
“Leadership Techniques to Build a Strong Team and Culture”
Peter Larden, Exxon Mobile
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Peter Larden is an energy executive at ExxonMobil with over 15 years of experience across seven international regions. Recently, Peter accepted the position of Chairman & Managing Director, at ExxonMobil PNG in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. Prior to this, Peter held the position of President of ExxonMobil Canada. His additional experience with ExxonMobil includes positions of Asset Manager (Africa), Global Planning & Business Analysis Advisor (Houston, Texas), and Risk Management Manager (Aberdeen UK)
Peter has also held positions outside of ExxonMobil, which include Director at Ocean Supercluster (St. John’s, NL), and Vice Chairman of the Petroleum Research Newfoundland and Labrador (St. John’s, NL).
Peter holds a Bachelor of Finance and a Bachelor of Engineering University, both from the University of Adelaide (2003). He also attended the Executive Development program (2013-2016) at Thunderbird School of Global Management.
During his appearance on the Flipping the Barrel podcast, Peter shared valuable insights that could inspire and guide listeners in their career journeys. 📻🎧
✅ 𝐄𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞:
Peter highlighted how traveling at a young age helped him appreciate different cultures and become more inclusive. He also shared how his passion for chemistry, physics, and mathematics in high school led him to pursue a career in chemical engineering, despite not initially expecting to work in the oil and energy industry.
✅ 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐝𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲:
Peter shared his experience of working as a reservoir engineer in the desert, which required him to adapt to a completely different environment. This demonstrates the importance of being open to new experiences and learning how to adapt quickly to new cultures and environments.
✅ 𝐍𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫:
Peter emphasized the importance of adding value to your team, continually learning and growing in your career, and enjoying your work. These are the fundamental principles that guide his decision-making process when navigating his career.
✅ 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐒𝐭𝐲𝐥𝐞:
Peter shared how building strong relationships with field workers can help build a strong team, boost leadership, and advance the company's culture. He acknowledged that building trust may take time and energy, but it is an effective approach. Additionally, he discussed how he strives to integrate the company's culture with the culture of the country in which he operates. Being genuine and authentic is crucial for effective leadership.
Overall, Peter's insights offer valuable guidance for anyone looking to navigate their career successfully, build strong teams, and foster a positive workplace culture.’
“Flexibility and Adaptability: The Key to a Successful Career” with Evelyn Vilchez- Mexico Country Manager at Chevron.
Apr 25, 2023
Flexibility and Adaptability:
The Key to a Successful Career
Evelyn Vilchez, Mexico Country Manager- Chevron
Evelyn Vilchez has been the general manager of Chevron Energía de México since March 2017. In this role, she promotes Chevron’s key stakeholder relationships in Mexico to help advance the country’s hydrocarbon sector and Chevron’s interests there. With more than 30 years of experience in the oil and gas industry, Vilchez has held commercial, business development, and strategic planning management positions with Chevron in Venezuela, Angola, and United States. Vilchez is an active member of the American Society of Women MBAs and a leader in several nonprofit organizations, with a particular interest in educational initiatives for Hispanics in Houston. Vilchez graduated from Tulane University with a bachelor of science degree in computer engineering in 1986. She also received a master’s degree in corporate finance from La Universidad del Zulia in Venezuela in 1994.
During her guest appearance on the Flipping the Barrel podcast, Evelyn Vilchez shared several valuable insights on navigating a successful career journey.
Let's take a closer look at each of these insights:
✅ 𝐍𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐉𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲:
Vilchez's initial career passion was architecture, but due to the unavailability of an institution to study it in Venezuela, she started with Civil Engineering, then pursued Architecture in the USA, but eventually switched to Computer Engineering. Vilchez emphasized that life has a weird way of working out sometimes and that it's essential to be flexible and adaptable to the changing times.
✅ 𝐀𝐝𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬:
Vilchez advised young professionals to be prepared to make a swift career move in the wake of digitalization and sustainability. She recommended using her career navigation journey as a reference and adapting to changing times as a crucial aspect of professional success.
✅ 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫:
Vilchez shared that having a supportive partner during your career journey is critical, as most of your career success depends on their support. She further explained that your partner's decision in the relationship can influence your career, so it's essential to have their support.
✅ 𝐃𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐐𝐮𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬:
Vilchez urged professionals not to make career decisions on impulse, and instead take time to think them through. She emphasized the importance of having a support system that can provide valuable advice and to have a wider perspective to see things holistically, not just the challenges but the rewards as well.
✅ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐫:
Vilchez highlighted that a good manager can help scale your career, giving you the confidence to take on the role you deserve and providing all the necessary support to help you excel in your career.
✅ 𝐁𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐓𝐨𝐩 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐫:
Vilchez emphasized that being a top performer in your job is one of the ways to grow in your company, irrespective of gender. She mentioned that top performance can lead to management having trust in your skills and seeing you as capable of leadership positions in the company.
Overall, Vilchez's insights are incredibly valuable, and you can gain more from her by tuning into the Flipping the Barrel podcast. Whether you're a young professional or a seasoned industry leader, Vilchez's insights are sure to inspire you to take your career to the next level.
“Empowering Leadership with Ghassan Mirdad, CEO of Arabian Drilling.”
Apr 12, 2023
Empowering Leadership: Building High-Performing Teams
Ghassan Mirdad, CEO of Arabian Drilling
Ghassan Mirdad, the CEO of Arabian Drilling, is a global expert in the oil and gas drilling industry, business operations, and human resources. With 24 years of experience at SLB, Ghassan held leadership roles across four continents and led the global training and development function, upskilling over 100,000 employees worldwide. He's also the Founder and Non-executive Director at AFKAR Ventures, an EnergyTech firm.
Ghassan is passionate about talent development and has sat on various educational advisory boards, and he holds a master’s degree in Leadership and Strategy from London Business School. Forbes ranked him amongst the top 50 most influential executives in the Middle East in 2018 and 2019.
Our latest podcast episode featured Ghassan Mirdad, CEO of Arabian Drilling, Saudi Arabia. During our conversation, Ghassan shared valuable insights on Leadership and Management in the oil & energy industry. Here are some key takeaways:
Ghassan Mirdad, the CEO of Arabian Drilling, is a global expert in the oil and gas drilling industry, business operations, and human resources. With 24 years of experience at SLB, Ghassan held leadership roles across four continents and led the global training and development function, upskilling over 100,000 employees worldwide. He's also the Founder and Non-executive Director at AFKAR Ventures, an EnergyTech firm.
Ghassan is passionate about talent development and has sat on various educational advisory boards, and he holds a master’s degree in Leadership and Strategy from London Business School. Forbes ranked him amongst the top 50 most influential executives in the Middle East in 2018 and 2019.
Our latest podcast episode featured Ghassan Mirdad, CEO of Arabian Drilling, Saudi Arabia. During our conversation, Ghassan shared valuable insights on Leadership and Management in the oil & energy industry. Here are some key takeaways:
✅ 𝐅𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐃𝐲𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐄𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐬:
Ghassan Mirdad shared that his family dynamic and early interests played a vital role in shaping his personality and interests. He attributed his love for science, maths, physics, and chemistry in school to his curiosity about how things worked and his passion for problem-solving. He also mentioned that his father was very supportive of his interests, which helped him develop a sense of confidence and independence from a young age. Additionally, Ghassan discussed his love for sports and photography, which helped him develop teamwork skills and a creative eye.
✅ 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐭 𝐒𝐋𝐁:
Ghassan Mirdad shared his experience of working at SLB for 24 years, where he held several leadership roles in key countries across four continents: Africa, Asia, Europe, and South America. He discussed how he got started with SLB, mentioning that he first learned about the company at a career fair and landed a summer internship.
Ghassan also shared how he climbed the corporate ladder at SLB by consistently delivering results and demonstrating leadership qualities. He explained how he was given opportunities to take on increasingly challenging roles and how he learned to navigate the complexities of the oil and gas industry. Ghassan emphasized the importance of having a growth mindset and constantly seeking out learning opportunities to develop his skills and expertise.
✅ 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬:
Ghassan Mirdad shared his perspective on how to deal with challenges at work. He emphasized that maintaining a professional attitude and having a learning mindset is crucial, even when dealing with difficult situations where you know you are right and someone else is wrong. Ghassan suggested that it's important to focus on finding solutions to problems rather than getting bogged down by the challenges themselves.
He also emphasized the importance of looking at challenges as opportunities for growth. Ghassan explained that every challenge presents a chance to learn something new and develop skills that can be applied in the future. He advised listeners to approach challenges with an open mind and to be willing to try new approaches, even if they may not work out the first time around.
✅ 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐲𝐥𝐞:
Ghassan Mirdad shared his views on effective management style. He stressed that leaders should focus on giving positive feedback to their team members, encouraging and reinforcing good behavior and work ethics. He also recommended having a growth mindset, which involves being open to new ideas, embracing change, and constantly looking for opportunities to learn and improve.
Furthermore, Ghassan highlighted the importance of focusing on solutions and fixing issues, rather than complaining and dwelling on problems. He encouraged managers to lead by example, taking proactive steps to address challenges and motivate their teams to find solutions
✅ 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐒𝐭𝐲𝐥𝐞:
Ghassan Mirdad shared his perspective on effective leadership style during the podcast. He emphasized that leaders should prioritize building up their team members by providing them with the necessary support and guidance to help them succeed. This involves identifying individual strengths and weaknesses and tailoring their management style to the specific needs of each team member.
Moreover, Ghassan stressed the importance of avoiding unhealthy competition or comparison between team members. He noted that such behavior can lead to resentment and conflicts that can ultimately undermine the effectiveness of the team. Instead, he recommended creating a culture of collaboration, where team members are encouraged to work together to achieve common goals.
We hope these insights from Ghassan Mirdad’s podcast interview have provided valuable information. Don't forget to check out the full podcast episode for more details!🤩🤩
“Inspiring the next generation of female leaders in STEM” with Kimberly Krieger, Chief Operating Officer at BPX.
Apr 04, 2023
Kimberly Krieger is the Chief Operating Officer at BPX Energy, BP’s US Onshore Company, where she is accountable for the safe and environmentally responsible delivery of 500,000 bpd equivalent and $2bn in operating cash. As part of the BPX Executive Team, Kim is delivering on a shared vision to disrupt US Onshore Operations with rapid innovation and game changing technologies.
Prior to joining BPX in 2014, Kim held a number of leadership and engineering roles with BP in Alaska, Trinidad, and the Gulf of Mexico that helped shaped the leader she is today. Kim enjoys mentoring, innovation, and values lifelong learning to stay relevant. She holds a BS in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Wyoming and is a 2017 graduate of the Stanford GSB Executive Program. Kim and her husband (Andy) work to balance their demanding careers and treasure family time with their teenage daughters.
Our latest podcast episode featured Kimberly Krieger, the Chief Operating Officer at BPX Energy, BP's US Onshore Company. During our conversation, Kimberly shared valuable insights on women in STEM and the oil & energy industry. Here are some key takeaways:
✅ 𝐒𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐌 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐆𝐢𝐫𝐥𝐬:
According to Kimberly, it's important to spark an interest in STEM fields among girls at a young age. Using visual arts, videos, and colors to explain STEM concepts can be a great way to do this. She also suggests establishing coding boot camps and mentorship programs for girls, especially those in remote areas.
Kimberly shared her experience with building her competency and confidence as a Wellsite leader. She faced some challenges relating to the crew, but instead of using harsh words to pass her message across, she stayed true to herself and worked on having clear communication and relationships with her crew, which helped build her confidence.
✅ 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐃𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲:
One reason why males scale their careers faster than females in STEM careers is that they have much more clarity about where they want to be. In contrast, females often struggle with clarity, especially when motherhood kicks in and priorities change. To overcome this, Kimberly suggests having a track record of your career successes and making a case for yourself based on your capabilities, not your gender.
✅ 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐌𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐆𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐭:
Kimberly suggests that having shared parental responsibilities can help younger women navigate motherhood guilt in STEM careers. Parenting shouldn't be a one-way street, and fathers should also take on parenting duties to achieve balance. Having a conversation with your supervisor about flexibility can also help prioritize tasks and make time for family. A nanny can also be helpful.
✅ 𝐔𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐌𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩:
Kimberly recommends having real professional conversations on leadership and development skills with mentors to help you have a clear picture of what you want to do with your career. This can help you change your perspective on leadership and debunk myths and theories you may have made up about why you can't achieve your career goals.
With the rise of renewable energy and sustainability, there has been a decrease in interest among younger generations in pursuing careers in the oil and energy industry. Kimberly suggests that outreach and information are important in attracting talent to the industry. The oil and energy industry needs to reach out to campuses and let students know what they are doing and why it matters.
✅ 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐩𝐢𝐞𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐬:
Kimberly's advice for young engineers aspiring to work in the oil and energy industry is to be their authentic selves and bring their uniqueness to work. Everyone else is taken, so being true to yourself can set you apart and help you succeed.
We hope these insights from Kimberly Krieger's podcast interview have provided valuable information for women in STEM and those interested in pursuing a career in the oil and energy industry. Don't forget to check out the full podcast episode for more details!🤩🤩
“Taking Risks and Betting on Yourself” with Adam Anderson- CEO of Innovex
Mar 21, 2023
Taking Risks and Betting on Yourself: Lessons from a Successful Business Leader
Adam Anderson's extensive career in the oil and gas industry spans over two decades, with a track record of leadership and innovation. As the CEO of Innovex, he has been instrumental in driving efficient and effective solutions for the oilfield, building on his past experiences in senior management positions at Baker Hughes and Team Oil Tools. With a background as an engineer at WellDynamics Inc., Adam has a deep understanding of completions and production technology in the oil and gas industry. He holds a B.S. in Petroleum Engineering from the prestigious Colorado School of Mines and an MBA from Duke University. Adam's journey to the top of the industry is a testament to his skills, hard work and dedication. His insights and perspectives on the industry are invaluable to anyone seeking to make a mark in the field.
This podcast episode is packed with valuable insights and advice from Adam Anderson. If you want to learn more about his journey and how to build a successful career in the oil and gas industry, make sure to tune in! 📻🎧
Here are some highlights from this Episode!
✅ Career Transition:
Adam Anderson shared his journey of transitioning from a chemical engineer to a petroleum engineer. He also provided advice for students who are considering the transition from oil and gas to renewable energy. He emphasized that oil and gas careers are still relevant, and there is constant technological advancement in the field. It is important for students to understand the value of their skills and experience and how they can be applied in different sectors.
✅ Taking Risks:
Anderson also emphasized the importance of taking risks and betting on oneself. He advised taking on important jobs that others may not want to do. This can help individuals build their skills and gain valuable experience that can set them apart from their peers.
✅ Building a Strong Team:
Anderson highlighted the importance of having a strong support system to achieve success. Building a team with diverse skills and experiences can help individuals achieve their goals faster and more efficiently.
✅ Branding in Business:
Anderson also discussed the importance of branding in business. He shared his experience of bringing three companies with different cultures together through branding. It is important to define what your brand represents to your employees and clients, as it can help build trust and loyalty.
✅ Diversity and Inclusion:
Anderson stressed the importance of diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Having a diverse team can lead to more innovative and creative solutions, as well as better decision-making.
✅ Positive Impact of Oil and Gas Industry:
Anderson also discussed the importance of recognizing the positive impact of the oil and gas industry. He emphasized the fundamental role that oil and gas products play in our daily lives, and why it is important to advocate for the positive impact of the industry.
Overall, the podcast provides valuable insights for individuals looking to transition their careers, build a strong team, and understand the importance of branding and diversity in business. Listeners are encouraged to tune in to the podcast to gain more insights from Adam Anderson.
In addition, the podcast also invites the audience to attend the upcoming "Fossil Fuel Celebration" on April 18th, hosted by Innovex. This event will be a great opportunity to learn more about the oil and gas industry and connect with professionals in the field.
Tune in to learn more about Adams Anderson Career journey!
“Failure is simply success in progress” with Richard Lynch- SVP Technologies and Services at HESS Corporation.
Mar 13, 2023
LISTEN NOW!!
From internships to leadership: learn from Richard Lynch's journey in the oil and energy
Richard Lynch is Senior Vice President, Technology and Services for Hess Corporation, a leading global independent energy company engaged in the exploration and production of crude oil and natural gas. In this role, Lynch is responsible for functional delivery of field development, major infrastructure, drilling and completions projects and driving functional excellence through standards, processes, technology and talent management.
Prior to joining Hess in April 2014, Lynch spent 14 years with BP, most recently as Vice President, Global Wells Organization where he was responsible for the safe, compliant and reliable delivery of all upstream activities associated with drilling, completions, interventions and wellbore integrity. Under Lynch’s leadership, the organization built the Containment Response System to shut-in a well in the event of an uncontrollable leak, created the BP Global Wells Institute to develop the technical expertise of employees and contractors, and established new drilling and completion standards and policies following the Gulf of Mexico Deepwater Horizon incident. Lynch holds a bachelor’s degree in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Wyoming.
Richard recently shared his insights and experiences on the "Flipping the Barrel" podcast, he provided listeners with valuable advice on navigating a successful career in this dynamic field. You should definitely tune in. 📻🎧
Here are some highlights from this Episode!
✅ Family Background:
Richard Lynch's family background in the oil and gas industry had a significant impact on his career choice. Growing up, he was exposed to the industry through his father's work as a drilling engineer. This early exposure and understanding of the industry shaped his interest in petroleum engineering, which ultimately led him to pursue a degree in this field. However, despite the clear path that was laid out for him, Lynch recognizes the importance of keeping an open mind and being willing to explore different opportunities.
✅ Bridging the gap with internships:
Richard Lynch stressed the significance of internships in bridging the gap between theoretical classroom learning and practical industry experience. According to Lynch, internships provide students with hands-on opportunities to apply their skills, gain industry-specific knowledge, and develop valuable professional skills that are critical for success in the workforce. Drawing on his personal experience, Lynch shared how his own internship provided him with an excellent opportunity to improve his communication and collaboration skills. Through his internship, Lynch learned how to work effectively in a team setting and communicate technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders. He further explained that these skills were essential in his career and that without his internship experience, he would have struggled to succeed in the industry.
✅ Adapting to different cultures:
Richard emphasized the importance of adapting to different cultures in today's globalized business world. He shared his experiences of working in different locations around the world and how it was challenging to adapt to different cultures. However, he highlighted that embracing diversity is essential to succeed in the global energy industry. Richard shared how he learned to appreciate the different perspectives that people from diverse backgrounds bring to the table. He emphasized that it is important to have an open mind and be willing to learn from others. He stressed the need to communicate effectively with people from different cultures and to understand their values and beliefs to build strong working relationships.
✅ Qualities of successful leaders:
Richard Lynch believes that the qualities of a successful leader include effective communication, approachability, and listening skills. He has developed these skills over time by working in various locations and cultures around the world. Richard highlights that successful leaders need to be able to communicate effectively with their team and stakeholders, listen actively to their concerns, and be approachable to build trust and respect. These qualities are essential to lead a successful team and achieve business goals.
✅ Promoting diversity in the workplace:
Richard discussed the importance of promoting women in STEM and helping them attain leadership roles in the oil and energy industry. He emphasized the need for male allies to advocate for women in STEM and help effect change.
✅ Self-evaluation for success:
Richard talked about the importance of self-evaluation and how it can help you overcome difficult situations at work. He emphasized the need to delegate tasks to colleagues who have more skills in certain areas and focus on your own strengths.
✅ OIl and Energy skill set for the future:
Richard discussed how traditional oil and gas skills are transferable to the renewable energy industry. He talked about how young engineers should focus on researching technologies to reduce emissions issues related to oil and gas production and embrace the opportunities in the growing renewable energy field.
Overall, Richard's extensive experience in the oil and energy industry provides a wealth of knowledge for listeners. Tune in to the Flipping the Barrel podcast to gain valuable insights and practical advice for navigating a career in this industry.
“From Legal Counsel to Chief Legal Officer: Journey to the top of the Energy Industry” with Dianne Ralston- Chief Legal Officer at SLB.
Mar 08, 2023
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From Legal Counsel to Chief Legal Officer: Dianne Ralston’s Journey to the top of the Energy Industry.
Dianne Ralston began her career at SLB in 1998, initially serving as legal counsel. As her career progressed, she became director of compliance and then deputy general counsel, specializing in IP enforcement.
Over the next few years, she held executive leadership positions at companies throughout the energy services sector, including serving as executive vice president, chief legal officer, and secretary at TechnipFMC. In 2020, she rejoined SLB as chief legal officer, a position in which she continues to serve.
Dianne has bachelor’s degrees in Business Administration and Operations Management from Texas A&M University, as well as a JD in law from the University of Houston Law Center.
Looking to advance your career in the energy industry? Look no further than Dianne Ralston, Chief Legal Officer at Schlumberger, who recently shared her insights on the 'Flipping the Barrel' podcast. From navigating a career in oil and gas with degrees in business administration and law, to overcoming stereotypes targeting women in STEM, Dianne has some valuable advice to share. 👩🏼⚖️👷🏼♀️
Here are some of the highlights from the podcast:
✅ 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐍𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧:
Dianne shared how she went from studying business administration and law to building a successful career in oil and gas. She also offered advice on how to make a smooth transition into the industry, even if you don't have a technical background.
✅ 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐨𝐭𝐲𝐩𝐞𝐬:
Women in STEM fields often face stereotypes and biases, and Dianne shared some of her strategies for overcoming these challenges. From being confident in your abilities to building strong relationships with colleagues, she has some great tips for women looking to succeed in energy.
✅ 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐬:
Dianne's journey to the top of the energy industry was not without its challenges. However, she learned valuable lessons along the way, including the importance of doing a good job, being authentic, cultivating your personal brand, leveraging organizational systems and resources to showcase your career, and being open to opportunities outside your comfort zone.
✅ 𝐌𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠:
Dianne shared her thoughts on effective mentoring programs and how to ensure that they are beneficial for both the mentor and the mentee. She cautioned against "forced" mentoring relationships and shared strategies for helping mentees make the most of their mentoring experiences.
✅ 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤-𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞:
Dianne also spoke about the challenges of being a working mom and spouse, and how she balances her personal and professional responsibilities.
If you're looking for some career inspiration, Dianne's interview on the "Flipping the Barrel" podcast is a must-listen 🔈🔈. Don't miss out on her valuable insights on navigating the energy industry and building a successful career.
“I don’t believe in Work-Life Balance” with Celine Gerson President of the Americas at Fugro.
Feb 27, 2023
At a young age Celine’s parents began to teach her the deeply rooted family values and principles they follow. She lived by these principles throughout her career and life. The three values she continues to follow today is - Think outside the box, the importance of taking risks and nothing is Impossible. Knowing this was her mantra, makes a lot of sense as to how she became the first woman in Cameron to run a Global division and then went on to become the President of Schlumberger Canada.
Celine didn’t grow up following the crowd. When she graduated from University in France all her friends were taking safe jobs with bigger companies, she decided to travel across the pond and go work for a smaller trading company in Houston.
She talks about building your “Brand” and the importance of knowing who you are and how you want to be perceived. She always took calculated risk that showcased her strengths. Her Brand was built around the ability to break down barriers and bring silos together. Why you should take calculated risks is because the minute you are comfortable you are not showcasing what you are good at.
We talk about challenge status quo; Celine agrees the industry is changing and we need to be ahead of it. Know what you stand for, there should be complete alignment between what people see you as and who you really are. She goes in to talk about how having a board of advisors is crucial in your career and how to identify these mentors.
Celine started Powered by Women in Canada, to change the public image of oil and gas in Canada. She had 40 plus executives involved where they worked on changing the narrative and touching the heart of the public, to change their thoughts on oil and gas. They used social media and influencers to market the movement, it was and still is a huge success! She talks about an amazing story where she completely changed the mind of an activist on the spot. You must hear this!
In this episode, she provides her insight on work life balance and how real balance is the one you choose for yourself. She talks about finding your “True North”. Understanding your “True North” is life changing, she describes all the steps to get there. Knowing this you will have perfect alignment with your mission. To perform at your best, you must understand what you really want, deep down.
If your interested in working with us, please contact : flippingthebarrel@gmail.com
“Go, find where you belong” with Matt Kolesar, Chief Environmental Scientist at ExxonMobil.
Feb 21, 2023
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Matt Kolesar is the Chief Environmental Scientist at ExxonMobil. In that role, he leads global advocacy and issue management of methane and flaring, as well as managing corporate sustainability focus areas for water, land and habitat, and operational waste. As Chief Environmental Scientist, he provides advanced expert technical leadership consultation and advice to senior leaders on sustainability topics central to business decisions and priorities. Throughout his 24-year career with ExxonMobil, Matt has held a variety of leadership positions at ExxonMobil in the Upstream, Downstream and Chemicals businesses. Matt has B.S. in Chemical Engineering from The University of Akron, Ohio, and is an avid runner.
Having Matt as a guest on our Podcast was such an interesting opportunity as we held insightful conversations as relates career.
Here are some highlights from this Episode! To get the full experience kindly tune in 📻🎧
Matt shared that as a young graduate looking for career opportunities, putting yourself out there is necessary if you want to achieve anything terrific in your life, whether it's getting that promotion or a great job opportunity. Being an Average Athlete and an Average Engineer, didn’t stop Matt from advocating for himself during his early career days. Matt shared that he ensured his professional network are aware of his skills and areas he can add value to an organization.
When you put yourself out there, people are going to be able to find you and learn about your capabilities.😃👷♂️📚
Matt shared that employees are often hardwired to want to do things on their own and be independent-minded. Asking for help often makes them feel uneasy because it requires surrendering control to someone else. They don't want to be ashamed of their situation, or come across as incompetent or weak.
According to Matt, One of the nice things in business is that we actually have a system called delegation, if you have a team of people, you can delegate to them, and that's an acceptable way of asking for help.This requires having really wide-open lines of communication.
Although it’s not conscious or intentional, our brain has naturally picked up on the pattern of seeing and hearing about more men in STEM, so when you think “STEM” you think “men”.
According to Matt, some implicit biases that go unchecked or unchallenged can perpetuate harmful stereotypes that ultimately play a role in our social systems, contributing to problems like the systemic under-representation of women and other minorities in STEM.
Going forward, we all need to be mindful of the ways we may label or stereotype activities and identities to avoid negatively influencing children’s interests or discouraging their participation. Also, Matt shared that promoting Women in STEM’s achievements on social media is a useful way to break the gender bias thereby providing mentors for younger girls in STEM professions.
Time blocking can promote a healthy work-life integration. When you set aside time to work, that means you are also setting aside time for your personal life.
Matt shared that with calendar blocking, you create dedicated time for everything on your professional and personal to-do list; instead of trying to find time in the day to get things done, you’re creating time to get things done—which can help you prioritize the things that are most important to you, both at work and at home.
Calendar blocking and communicating your priorities to your colleagues can help set good boundaries. Matt’s relationship with his daughter was a good example on the effective use of calendar blocking to achieve work-life balance.
We can keep going on and on about just HOW amazing his story is, but we will let you tune in and find out for yourself😄
“The Moral Case for Fossil Fuels” with Alex Epstein
Feb 06, 2023
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Tagline: Influential and Vindicated ; yet ignored by the Mainstream.
Alex Epstein is a writer and speaker known for his views on energy and environmental issues. He is the founder of the Center for Industrial Progress, a think tank that promotes the use of fossil fuels and other forms of energy. Epstein is a frequent commentator on radio and television, and has written several books on energy, including "The Moral Case for Fossil Fuels".
In an energy debate where fossil fuels are often condemned as the dirty energy of the past, Alex Epstein argues that they are the life‐ giving energy of the future—and says that we should celebrate, not demonize, the industry that creates them. A philosopher by training, Alex challenges many of our era’s popular notions about energy, industry, and environment, routinely engaging environmentalists in open debate about the often‐ ignored benefits of fossil fuels. His work has changed the way thousands think about energy.
Here are some highlights from this Episode! To get the full experience kindly tune in 📻🎧
Alex shared that he grew up in a liberal area, chevy chase MD, that had no connection to fossil fuels. The key understanding to why he became a fossil fuel champion is a decision he made when he was 19-year old computer science major at Duke University: to become a philosopher - specifically practical philosopher.
He realized that energy policy is being thought about in a very wrong way, because it commits a very basic thinking error with regards to our leading source of energy, fossil fuels: it considers only their negative side effects while ignoring their benefits.
✅ 𝐀𝐥𝐞𝐱 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐰𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐄𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐲 𝐌𝐢𝐱 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞
Alex believes that fossil fuels have contributed to a warming global climate system but argues that they give us more and more mastery over the environment and their renewable replacements can't scale up to fulfill our needs. Humans, he says, are flourishing like never before precisely because oil, gas, and coal allow us to withstand a world that is very inhospitable to our living here. Wind and solar make up just 3 percent of all energy right now and forcing a fast-paced shift to renewables, he argues, would consign billions of people to poverty or death in order to stave off the impact of man-made climate change, the consequences of which have often been exaggerated and with which humans are equipped to deal.
Alex shared that fossil fuel advocacy can be achieved by having a strong moral clarity and internal confidence.
The initial strategy he applied to prove the value of his pro-human energy thinking and fossil fuel advocacy was to make his approach known by taking the fights to people he disagreed with: by challenging them to public debates and even debating them at their rallies.
Alex shared that the most effective way to change the perception of the younger generation on fossil fuels is to teach them what life was before industrialization and energy abundance and how life turned out after, then they might stop glorifying the environment and how we got to ruin it, but will embrace the importance of energy.
“Think outside the Box; Own your narrative!” with Armand Paradis, CEO at ComboCurve.
Jan 30, 2023
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Armand Paradis is a Reservoir Engineer with over a decade of experience, and having been through the pain of using outdated 40 years old desktop tools such as ARIES and PHDwin in a very non-efficient workflow.
Armand was dedicated to bringing the power of the Cloud Computing and Big Data Analysis to the energy industry and improving day to day workflow.
According to Armand “Energy industry must be at the forefront of developing technologies and not being stuck decades behind”.
Armand is currently the co-founder and CEO, Cumbo Curve. Positivity is the main driving force behind the growth of Armand Paradis’ technology company, ComboCurve. He credits maintaining a positive outlook on every challenge he and co-founder Jeremy Gottlieb faced during ComboCurve’s inception as a critical factor in the company’s present-day success.
On this episode, Armand shared how he was able to scale Cumbo Curve to its present-day success, challenges faced and lessons learnt.
Here are some highlights from this Episode! To get the full experience kindly tune in 📻🎧
According to Armand, if you think entrepreneurship is the right path for you, there are steps you can take to build your self-discipline and ready yourself for the tough journey ahead.
From a young age, Armand has always been a disciplined & determined person, and it almost comes naturally for him. On this episode, Armand shared that being disciplined means staying on task even when there are distractions around you. If you want to build self-discipline, you need to be aware of the things that derail you and make changes to avoid similar situations in the future.
Armand shared some insights on how having a creative mindset can be misinterpreted by close-minded people. Phrases like “𝐢𝐟 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤, 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧'𝐭 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐰, 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐮𝐩 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐚". Often times this can be discouraging and you will want to keep your ideas to yourself.
Nonetheless, Armand shared having a creative mindset means living with a mindset that allows you to think, feel and express yourself creatively, and consistently. It’s a mindset that is open and not fixed or closed. It’s a way to view the world with wonder and most definitely look at yourself with wonder. 💪👨🏼💻
Armand shared that Motivation neither just happens nor lasts. It takes focus, drive, and a conscious effort. When it lags, roll up your sleeves, choose a task, and get back to the business-building at hand.
In Armand’s words “𝐐𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐞" 📌📈
✅ 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐄𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐫 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐬 𝐚 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐌𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐫
Armand shared the importance of having a Business Mentor, as the world of entrepreneurship is one filled with resources. A dedicated business mentor with experience in your field can make the most impact on the growth of your business, often bringing decades of niche, industry knowledge to their mentees to help them scale their new business.
According to Armand, some employees come with more self-confidence and self-reliance than others, while some seek constant reassurance from their manager, checking in more frequently than necessary for guidance.
By being objective, you can help them understand in what areas they’re proficient, as well as which of their skills need improving. With this type of transparent feedback and support, even the most insecure employees can benefit from your honest insights and learn to trust in themselves.
Armand emphasized on your “team’s success is your success”. By patiently helping your employees become more confident about their abilities, you’ll not only help them in their career development — you’ll also build a stronger, more capable, and more engaged team.
“Stronger Together; Take a Seat at The Table” with Claudia Jaramillo- EVP, Strategy & Corporate Development at Jacobs.
Jan 16, 2023
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Claudia Jaramillo is a Senior executive with global experience as corporate officer in an S&P 500 company, engineering background and Wharton MBA degree.
She demonstrated track record in leading successful strategic and large-scale transformation initiatives and managing finance organizations through complex business cycles. Claudia served on audit committees as a financial expert with a variety of domestic and international positions leading highly diverse teams in the Americas, Europe and Asia.
Claudia is a frequent speaker on treasury, sustainability, governance, and diversity matters. She has been a panelist at the global Women Economic Forum, EuroFinance and the Board Governance Dialogue conference for Fortune 500 board members. This focus on the development of diverse talent led her to the launching of the #WISE global program which sponsors mentoring for women in 60+ countries.
On this episode, Claudia shared some inspiring career insights she’s amassed so far in her career.
Here are some highlights from this Episode! To get the full experience kindly tune to leverage all 😁
Claudia’s family values instilled by her dad and grand dad at a very young age had such a huge impact in her career. She shared how the continuous learning process she learnt from her dad keeps her curiosity piqued, and how her family values made her see the importance of education during her teenage years.
She shared other importance of family values, you should tune in to learn more about them.
Claudia shared how curiosity drives her. She’s very passionate about nature, the world at large and technology. Being curious led her to ask meaningful questions about technology and her love for maths and physics was the reason why she choose to study electrical engineering. In Claudia’s word “𝐀𝐬 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐦𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐬 𝐦𝐞 𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬, 𝐢'𝐦 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭".
Claudia shared on this episode how she manages doubt and failure. Instead of panicking, she sees failures as a powerful way of learning. According to her mom “𝐈𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐤𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬”. Having that at the back of her mind, she’s never anxious about failure. Claudia puts in her best efforts in all of her endeavors and takes the lessons that comes with it.
Claudia shared that being perceived as “too driven” or “out-spoken” shouldn’t be taken negatively. In other to advocate for yourself and others you need to be assertive.
The best way to change their narrative is to showcase how your work is people centric, and how you are adding value to the company. When you realize you have something different to bring to the table, there’s no use fitting in to a narrative.
✅ 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨 𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩
According to Claudia, leadership styles are different and it’s important to be self aware and be a leader not based on a defined template. Study your environment to know which leadership style works for your subordinates.
We can keep going on and on about just HOW amazing her story is, but we will let you tune in and find out for yourself!
“Be Original; Embrace your Uniqueness.” with Kim McHugh- VP of Wells at Chevron.
Jan 09, 2023
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Tagline: Be Original; Embrace your Uniqueness.
Kim McHugh is the vice president of drilling and completions for Chevron. She assumed the position in May 2018 and is based in Houston, Texas. McHugh is responsible for all aspects of Chevron’s global Drilling, completion and workover operations.
Prior to her current role, she was the general manager of drilling and completions in Houston. McHugh is a second-generation driller who grew up in the industry and has lived in many parts of the U.S. as well as internationally. Her career has spanned operations in the Gulf of Mexico, Thailand and U.S. onshore.
Kim came through on this episode of flipping the barrel. She’s a true believer of “having confidence in your own skills”. Here some highlights from this episode.
Kim emphasized on the importance of having a role model while pursuing one’s oil & energy career. Kim’s dad was an Oil & energy professional, this episode shares all that kim learned from her dad’s mentorship and how she applied them towards achieving her career goals. As her dad will always say “ 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 𝐚𝐧 𝐎𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥, 𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐭 𝐝𝐢𝐞 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲" 😃
📣 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐄𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐲 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐜𝐲
Kim shared some insights on how we can effectively advocate for women in Energy in the workplace. After listening to this episode, you will definitely see good reasons to encourage young girls to build confidence in their STEM skills and careers. In Kim’s words “𝐈𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐢𝐭, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐞 𝐢𝐭". 👷♀️⚒⚙️
Kim also emphasized on the importance of Men’s roles in advocating for women in energy careers, she shared some of her personal experiences while working with men at the rig. 𝐖𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐫? 😄 𝐨𝐫 𝐧𝐨𝐭? 🤔 tune in to find out.
Kim shared some insights on how women in energy can bridge the leadership gap in the oil & energy industry. Towards the end of this episode, Kim highlighted ways sponsors can “put in good words” for women when decisions are being made towards leadership roles, this good words will spotlight the great works these amazing women have done in their career and why they deserve the leadership spot.
📣 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐝 & 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫
Kim shared her inspiring story on navigating maternity, asking for help when needed at home, and exploring other opportunities available while being a professional mom. This episode provided a holistic view into the life of a professional mother in the energy career and the challenges of planning a family. Kim did it all and was successful. We can listen to her story and learn!
This is an excellent episode, filled with ups and downs, challenges and successes, wins and losses, you do not, want to miss it!
“A Year in Review-Catch Up with FTB. Our Top Lessons Learned in 2022” with Jamie Elrod and Massiel Diez.
Jan 06, 2023
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1- Take a risk. Try something new. Challenge yourself by getting out of your comfort zone. All the guests who achieved big goals, didn’t settle and took a big leap of faith into the unknown in order to grow and achieve something greater.
2- Work life balance doesn’t exist. It’s a journey in which certain areas of your life might require more attention than others. Also balance looks very different on everyone.
3- Don’t plan too much and let life work itself out.
4-Other people's opinions don’t define who you could become. If you dream it, put in the work, that's enough. Some of our guests were told they cou;dn’t achieve X and they did everything to prove them wrong.
5- Sponsors are extremely important in one's career. And by sponsors we mean -someone that mentions you when you’re not in the room.
6- Sacrifice is needed to achieve anything in life that's worth going after. All of our guests sacrificed something in their journey( at some point). Whether it was time, family, finances, career stop, time off, etc.
7- take care of yourself first. Many of our guests either put their career or other people first for many years until life made them realize that they had to start putting themselves (their health, their mental health,etc) first in order to be their best version.
8- Everyone's journey is different. Success comes at very different times. Some are right in the beginning and others are later on in life. Don’t give up because you feel like your age is limiting you. So many people outside of this podcast become successful after 50-60, like there is no limit.
9- A partner is crucial in anything you do. By partner we don’t just mean a spouse but it’s important to have a small circle of people who support you. Someone who is there to cheer you on when you need it the most.
“Embrace Change: Difficult chapters make us more interesting” with Amy Chronis-Vice Chairman, US Oil, Gas & Chemicals Leader, and Houston Managing Partner at Deloitte LLP.
Dec 20, 2022
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Amy Chronis is Vice Chair and US Oil, Gas & Chemicals leader, and the managing partner for Deloitte’s Houston practice. She has more than 30 years of experience serving public and private enterprises from emerging businesses to Fortune 500 companies, with a focus on the OG&C, technology, and manufacturing industries. Amy served as Deloitte’s US lead relationship partner for one of the world’s largest integrated oil and gas companies, as well as other Houston enterprises.
Growing up Amy was told, it was going to be hard for her in the corporate world because she looked and sounded like a little girl. This came from a professor, Amy used it as fuel to prove him wrong. Amy talks about what she did to distinguish herself in the boardroom and how difficult conversations with her mentors set her up for success. We discuss the importance of constructive feedback and why as a leader you should be providing it.
Amy talks about down cycles in the industry and how they breed opportunity. She shares one of the most difficult chapters in her career and the steps she took to handle her team through the closing of her firm; she was a partner for 19 years. At the time this was the worst thing that ever happened but looking back it was her biggest learning moment, she shares why.
We talk about motherhood and how important it is to be nice to yourself. She discusses the importance of bringing your authentic self to work. Amy shares how taking care of yourself first is important when managing stress and mental wellbeing. We dive into the Deloitte Women at Work 2022 report - Amy shares her perspective and what she learned about needing to speak up and advocate for herself.
“Leading in Uncharted Waters” with Robin Fielder- EVP & Chief Sustainability Officer at Talos Energy.
Dec 12, 2022
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Robin Fielder is the Executive Vice President – Low Carbon Strategy and Chief Sustainability Officer at Talos Energy, serving as the lead executive for Talos’s rapidly growing carbon capture and (CCS) business and overseeing ESG initiatives. Prior to joining Talos, Ms. Fielder served as President, CEO and a member of the Noble Midstream Partners board of directors where she guided the Partnership within Chevron.She spent a majority of her career at Anadarko.
She is an extraordinary mother of 2, cancer survivor and recently recognized as the 2022 top 25 influential women in Energy by Hart Energy.
Robin grew up in Deer Park Texas, immersed in the refining industry. Deer Park is the hub for oil refineries, in the 80s they were an essential financial support to the school districts in the area, as they still are today. For this reason Robin was exposed to the energy industry early on as a young girl and she fell in love with engineering. Her father encouraged her to pursue engineering as he told her “ Those guys/gals are always the boss and Robin you need to be the boss”.
Robin spent 17 years at Anadarko moving up the ranks. She walks us through her journey and how sponsors were an essential piece to her growth to becoming a CEO in 2018, when she became President & CEO of Western Midstream. The company was formed by Anadarko to acquire, own, develop, and operate midstream assets. Then shortly after, Anadarko was acquired by OXY in 2019 and she went on to become president & CEO of Noble Midstream Partners until July of 2021- shortly after Chevron acquired it. Right in the heart of covid. Robin talks about the uncertainty during these times and how she managed to lead her team through 2 buy outs and a pandemic before taking her role as EVP and CSO at Talos Energy.
Robin gives her perspective on how we can continue to attract more women into the energy industry and how sponsors play a big role in changing the narrative. We talk about non-negotables and how they play an important part in your career growth. Robin is a believer that you can have it all but there is no “work life balance”. The pendulum will swing depending on what's important at the moment.
After having her second son Robin was diagnosed with breast cancer. 1 in 2 women and 1 in 3 men will develop cancer in their lifetime. She takes us back to this moment and the steps she took to manage to keep her life as normal as possible, as she overcame one of the hardest diagnoses she had to face.
Robin talks about the early years of being a mother and how essential parental leave is to the family dynamic. She brings up the importance of prioritization with your children and understanding what is important to them.
“Leaders get the culture they deserve” with Sivasankaran ("Soma") Somasundaram- President and CEO at ChampionX.
Dec 05, 2022
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Sivasankaran “Soma” Somasundaram is President and Chief Executive Officer of ChampionX and serves on the Company’s Board of Directors. Soma has led the Company in these roles since its spin-off from Dover Corporation (“Dover”) in 2018 and through its transformational merger in 2020 when the Company added Chemical Technologies to its portfolio and changed its name to ChampionX Corporation. He received a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Anna University and a master’s degree in industrial engineering from the University of Oklahoma.
Born in India, Soma shares with us the origin of his name and how he became “Soma” once he arrived in Oklahoma for University. He reflects back on his life growing up as the son of a teacher and the influence his father had. We learn that his father taught him how to enable others to do great work, which became an important part of Somas Story and success.
Soma tells us about the approach he uses to create a positive and collaborative culture. It starts with experiences, to create the belief system that people need, in order to shape the culture. Soma talks about the open email line where employees can reach out directly. These emails are a critical part in ensuring employees have an outlet to express what they are experiencing, good and bad.
Feeling a sense of belonging is important to Soma. We talk about why representation matters and how ChampionX is approaching diversity, specifically on overcoming unconscious bias. Soma talks about the process of continuous improvement and creating positive experiences. He is conscious of the fact that your work life has an impact on who you are at home.
Soma shares how to handle failure. He talks about your first reaction to failure is to think about what it means to you. When you should first not think about yourself, instead focus on how you will solve the problem.
“Transparent Leadership” with Patrick Armstrong- President of North America at DynaEnergetics.
Nov 21, 2022
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One weekend in Texas hooked Patrick, he found himself moving from Tennessee to Austin Texas to attend Engineering school at the University of Texas. With little understanding of the oil and gas industry, he didn't know what he was in for when he took his first internship with Baker Oil tools.
Patrick was a part of the Next Generation program of NOV. Right out of Engineering School he had the opportunity to travel around the world and shadow senior leaders in different business units. This allowed him to understand which part of the business he wanted to work in, he explains why this was so important and pivotal in his career.
We discuss dealing with challenges and how mentorship is essential in having a successful career. Patrick talks about what it takes to be a leader and how his leadership style evolved over time. One of the biggest life lessons he learned is that communication is key to any successful relationship or organization.
Patrick took a big jump leaving NOV after 13 years, he took the leap of faith to work for a smaller organization. He talks about the risk he took and how the failures he faced in the new role taught him that he can be successful no matter what company he is working for. He explains why this was important in the journey to making it to the President of Americas at DynaEnergetics.
Now as President, Patrick is focused on changing the gender landscape of Dynaenergetics. He talks about the programs they are putting in place in order to grow their female talent. He shares his perspective on what is holding women back and how Dyna is challenging those stereotypes.
“I Hit Reset” with Jane Stricker- SVP Energy Transition at Greater Houston Partnership.
Nov 14, 2022
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Jane Stricker is the Senior VP, Energy Transition and Executive Director of the Houston Energy Transition Initiative,She leads a coalition of industry, academia and community partners to ensure the long-term economic competitiveness and advancement of the Houston region towards a more sustainable and net-zero emissions future.Jane holds a bachelor's degree. from University of Maryland and an MBA from Loyola University in Chicago. She spent over 20 years at BP working in several leadership roles prior to being in her current role. She is a National bronze medalist in cycling, a hobby turn passion she picked up in her transformation journey.
Jane didn’t go straight to college, within her first year she didn't think school was for her and instead took the route to work in retail. She talks about how this allowed her the time she needed in order to figure out what she wanted to do with her life before pursuing a degree. Little did she know her career in retail would take her down a path she would have never imagined.
After graduating college she went back to retail at JCPenney, eventually taking a District Manager role at London Fog. During this time she faced one of the hardest moments in her career, bankruptcy. She walks us through the nine months she spent managing the financial crisis at the company. You might wonder how someone in retail ends up in oil and gas?
Jane walks us through her journey in the oil and gas industry, which all started from an ad in the Baltimore newspaper looking for people at Amaco. Jane's retail background fit the need they were looking for in the retail space - gas stations. Jane sheds light on how important the retail part of oil and gas can be and why being dual focused as a retailer and producer can be difficult.
Jane spent 16 years at BP, she talks about how Macanado impacted her both professionally and emotionally. It was difficult for her to navigate through the challenge while seeing all the amazing people working on finding a solution and the media demonizing it. This was the first time she experienced how critical her role was in the company. This experience pushed her to become more involved in the energy transition space, to help solve the problems and find the solutions for the industry.
We dive into Jane’s weight loss journey and what sparked it. We can all relate to Jane’s stress that she endured in her career and the pressure she put on herself as the primary source of income. It’s truly inspiring to hear her talk about how she stopped smoking and put her health first. Making these changes created a ripple effect throughout her life and she made it to the World Championships in Cycling!
“Overcoming the Downturns” with Grant Pruitt- CEO and President at Pruitt.
Nov 07, 2022
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Grant Pruitt has been the President and CEO of his family’s business since 2012, after Pruitt Tool & Supply Co. in Fort Smith got its start back in 1958. Since 1958, Pruitt has provided quality equipment for the oil and gas industry with their service-first approach being the foundation of their success.
Growing up we are told not to go into business with your family or friends. Grant takes us through his perspective and what drove him to work for his dad. He talks about the journey to becoming the CEO in 2012 and the lesson learned when trying to build a team and expand internationally.
Grant takes us through the hardships from the process of hiring people, going through downturns and the pain of layoffs to keep the business running. He tells of the time his dad told him in order to grow you need to go through a downturn - we learn why he was right.
Being excellent at what we do - is the approach Grant takes in business and life. The pride Grant has for the family business bleeds into the culture of Pruitt. He shares why living in the present is important in order to have success both professionally and personally.
Grant is one of the few third generation family businesses still in the oilfield today. We can all learn from how his family business took big measures to keep their brand and culture alive.
“Eye of the Jaguar” with Warren Levy- Jaguar EP CEO.
Oct 30, 2022
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Warren Lee-vi is Chief Executive Officer of Jaguar E&P. Jaguar E&P is a Mexican private company established in 2014 by Grupo Topaz with a strong conviction of strengthening Mexicos national energy industry and developing their communities. He has extensive experience in developing natural resource companies, for more than 24 years, in more than 20 countries. He has contributed strategically to the economic growth and development of the Energy industry in Latin America. What is really interesting is that Warren is a fellow Canadian who studied engineering at Queen's university.
Canadian born with little interest in joining the oil Industry . His father worked for Exxon, he didn’t envision his path to be the same. Like what happens to many of us, the love for the industry and opportunities to travel the world took Warren over, ultimately changing his mind.
Working within diverse cultures was very common for Warren. With 17 years spent at SLB from Latina America to Asia and back, he had an extensive career moving up the ladder before choosing to leave to start Estrella International Energy Services. Warren walks us through his time at Schlumberger and the successful leaders SLB creates through their training program. He describes the pros and cons of the programs and how he took the core values he admired at SLB and the ones he didn’t, to form the culture at Estrella.
In 2009 he decided it was more important to keep his operations team at Estrella then take a paycheck himself. Warren and his partners decided to not take a salary in order to continue to develop the company in the midst of a downturn . Warren shares his experiences with building a team made up of his close friends and the challenges that arise when things get tough.
Not long after his success at Estrella he was approached to become CEO of Jaguar . The top leading service company in South America . This would lead to another move for his dual career wife and two children. Warren brings us back to this time and how the family handled each move throughout his career. He talks about Jaguar being different, the founders truly cared about their employees and their families.
Warren and his team are taking steps to break the mold. They view their people as the core value and asset of the company . As a key supporter for diversity and inclusion, Warren gives his views on what is holding women back, how he is changing this mindset at Jaguar and building a strong diverse team across all parts of the business.
“A Successful Climb” with Mark Heine- FUGRO CEO.
Oct 17, 2022
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Mark Heine is the proud Chief Executive Officer at Fugro, the world’s leading Geo-data company. In his professional journey with Fugro for over 20 years, he’s been lucky to be surrounded by world-class talent in all aspects of geoscience. Working closely with their clients, they’re unlocking insights from Geo-data to safely and sustainably build and extend the lifespan of infrastructure on our vulnerable and precious planet and support the generation of renewable energy. He has seen some big changes in our industry, where the focus has shifted to supporting sustainable infrastructure and new sources of renewable energy, such as offshore wind. Their work examining the influence of climate change on vulnerable coastal communities and unlocking the mysteries of our seabed both support the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development; these and other worthwhile activities unite his employees in the common cause of creating a safe and livable world. Mark gained an MSc in Geodetic Engineering from Delft University of Technology and he is a member of the Board of Directors of the Netherlands based Offshore Marine Contractors (IRO) where he can discuss the challenges in the marine industry, recognize and share good ideas and ways to improve safety.
Mark grew up in Holland fascinated with the mountains starting at the age of 10. Climbing became a passion for him, teaching him that reaching a summit is always the goal but you don't reach the top of the summit without going through the valleys. He kept this same mindset both personally and professionally as he climbed the ladder to CEO.
When starting at Fugro 22 years ago he did not have aspirations to become CEO. Mark talks to us about his career progression, the importance of focusing on the job you have today and not always looking for the next. He explains why it is important to him for his belief system to be aligned with the mission of the company.
Mark shares his thoughts behind why the employees play as important a role as him, how the impact of the team is what makes the organization successful. One of the important pieces to Mark's story is his drive to stay true to himself and his doubts of becoming a CEO. He talks about how he reached out to a Career Coach to help him manage his fears and the high level of stress that comes along with being the leader of a company.
Mark talks about how becoming a successful leader meant he needed work life balance. With a dual career family, strong belief of raising his children right and passion for climbing, Marks tells us how they were able to manage it. He talks about commitment to his schedule and how complaining about being busy is off the table, we are all busy.
Mark has an amazing philosophy on how to support women in the workforce. He gives his perspective on what is holding women back and what we can do today to make a difference. He takes a strong stance on this subject and talks about the lengths Fugro goes to ensure both men and women, in all seasons of life, have support from the company.
Mark is focused on creating a safe and liveable world, as the mission for Fugro. He explains what this means and how Fugro plays an important role in the energy transition.
“Comfortably Uncomfortable” with Gavin Rennick- President of New Energy at Schlumberger.
Oct 10, 2022
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Gavin Rennick is president of Schlumberger New Energy, a position he assumed in April 2022. Prior to his current role, he was vice president of Human Resources. He previously served as president of Software Integrated Solutions and held various corporate and operations management roles, including integration manager for the Cameron International merger; vice president Drilling Products; GeoMarket Manager for Australia, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea; and human resources manager for Drilling & Measurements. Earlier in his career, Rennick held a number of technical and management positions in operations, human resources, and technology development in Malaysia, United States, France, Norway, and Australia.
He joined Schlumberger in 1998 as a directional services drilling engineer in Saudi Arabia.Rennick earned bachelor’s degrees in electrical engineering and business administration, both from the University of Western Australia.
At a young age Gavin’s family backed up their belongings and left India to immigrate to Western Australia. We talk to Gavin about his upbringing in Australia and the unique family tradition that starts at the age of 21. He opens up about the new perception he gained, how important it is to travel, if given the opportunity, and the difference it made in his life.
Gavin shares his experiences as he moved up in his career. The importance of feeling like you are making an impact, even if the next role might not be the role you thought was right for you, there is still learning to be had and impacts to be made. He shares his feelings on imposter syndrome and the difference between the way men and women handle these feelings. We talk about “ Building Character” moments during his career. He shares the difficult period he had to manage as the VP of HR during the pandemic. We end the podcast discussing his view on his new role as President of New Energy and what it means for the future of our industry, recruitment and retention.
“Create Your Own Path” with Jennifer Stewart- Director of Climate and ESG Policy at API, American Petroleum Institute.
Oct 03, 2022
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We want to congratulate Jennifer in her newly appointed role as Director of Climate and ESG Policy, at the American Petroleum institute ( API).
Jennifer Stewart is a senior energy executive with over 30 years of legal, financial and environmental strategy experience. She is the Principal Advisor for Equitable Origin EO100™ Standard for Responsible Energy Development. She also serves as an independent Board Member of Paragon Integrated Services where she chairs the Sustainability Committee and has recently taken a board seat on Seek Ops.
She has received recognition for women’s leadership in the oil and gas industry, including the Houston Business Journal’s Top Women in Energy, the National Diversity Council’s Top 50 Women in Oil and Gas, and the Greater Houston Women’s Chamber of Commerce Trailblazer Award.
Jennifer grew up in Ohio, married her high school sweetheart whose job took them out of state. This led Jennifer into the first part of her career, working for the IRS. At the time she did not have her law degree and found herself working with lawyers, who quite frankly she felt more competent then or at least equal to. This sparked a fire in her to go back to school, despite the fact she had a full time job and two little kids at home. She quickly found herself drained, tired and unsure if she would be able to finish. She walks us through this period in her life and how she managed to pull it off.
Jennifer found herself in an interview with South Western Energy, not knowing anything about upstream oil and gas. The first role of its kind at the company, as the Vice President of Tax. She felt isolated at the start, since the position was a brand new role, as an independent contributor. She talks about how she defined success for her, this strategy made her indispensable at SWN. She was quickly noticed and found herself being asked to take over as CFO in a not so normal situation. You have to listen to find out what happened.
Throughout Jennifer's story she created roles that didn’t exist before her, that are now common within companies today. She provides advice on creating value through self study and learning from the team when taking on a newly created position or job. This strategy brought her to becoming one of the most sought after leaders in the ESG, Certification and the Climate change space.
We end the podcast on advice all parents need to hear, it sure made us think!
“Dare to be Different” with Keila Aries Hand, Managing Director and Head of ESG at Quantum Energy Partners.
Sep 12, 2022
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Keila Hand is the Managing Director and Head of ESG, for Quantum Energy Partners. Before joining Quantum in 2020, she served as Director of Global Sustainability and Regulatory Affairs at Crown Holdings. Prior to Crown Holdings, she was Director of Environmental Sustainability, Asia Pacific, Middle East, and North Africa for PepsiCo. She also led corporate sustainability partnerships at the World Wildlife Fund and was part of environmental science projects at NASA. Keila is a sustainability professional with over 15 years of experience and passion for environmental and social sustainability.
Today on the podcast we have Keila Hand, who grew up in Brazil, close to nature, as her grandparents were farmers with land bordering the Rainforest. Keila experienced humble beginnings with a true farm to table lifestyle. She takes us back to life in Brazil and the curiosity it created within her, to expand her horizons past the farm. She was determined to find a way to achieve a high level of education and be the first in her family to speak english.
Keila takes us back to the turn of events that happened following up to her first job with Nasa at the age of 18, as part of their Earth Science research. This was the start of her mission to become bigger then where she was from and continue to grow her career and education. She developed a love for Environmental Science and went on to finish her Masters in both Business and Environmental Engineering. She talks about the process she went through to receive an exchange student scholarship, called Fulbright, that would give her the opportunity to move to the US and eventually make her way to Duke University.
Keila made a name for herself quickly, her career took her to notable companies from PepsiCO to the World Wildlife fund. She talks about how she was working within “sustainability” functions before it became what it is today. She was able to translate the company's environmental goals into actual operational actions. We ask Keila what her impression was of the oil and gas industry before she joined Quantum Energy Partners and her thoughts on how well the industry is doing in E-S-G.
We end on Keila’s exciting news as she is due in September with her first child. She tells us how she feels about becoming a mother later in life and the support her entire team has given her through this new transition.
Keila's story is the true American Dream, coming from a small farm town in Brazil to now the Managing Director and Head of the leading global provider of private capital to the energy industry - this is a must listen too!
“Stick with it…A career is a lifetime” with Liz Schwarze-VP of Global Exploration at Chevron
Aug 29, 2022
Liz Schwarze is the Vice President of Global Exploration for Chevron Upstream; she is responsible for Chevron’s worldwide exploration program. She chairs the company’s Global Exploration Leadership Team and is a member of Chevron’s Upstream Leadership Team and Global Leadership Forum. As a single mom she learned how to excel in her career while raising her daughter.
Schwarze holds a bachelor’s degree in Geology from Duke University, a master’s degree in Geology from The University of Texas at Austin and a Master’s in Business Administration from Tulane University.
Liz moved around a lot as a child due to her dad’s job. She was used to having to adapt to different environments and cope with change. This exposure made it easier for Liz to say “yes” when she was asked to move around the world for Chevron.
Liz ultimately decided on Geology as her major in College. She was persuaded by her sorority sister and had never really thought about it as a career before she took her first class. She talks about her path to Chevron and the cross functional skills you perform in oil and gas that can take you into your next role. She breaks this down into 5 groups of skills we all have working in Energy, that give us advantages relative to other careers.
With 30 years working for Chevron, Liz has a wealth of knowledge and advice around- focusing on your job today, how to delegate tasks, role models, how she did it as a single mom and what made her stay with Chevron her entire career.
“It seems impossible, until it’s done” with Patricia Vega Founder and CEO of Quantum New Energy.
Aug 22, 2022
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Today on the podcast we have Patricia Vega, she is the founder and CEO of Quantum New Energy, a Climate-Tech company based in Houston. Before founding Quantum New Energy, Patricia worked for GE serving as Global President of the Evaluation & Optimization business, prior to that; she was the president of GE Oil & Gas Latin America and member of GE’s Regional Board of Directors. Before GE, she worked for Halliburton and Baker Hughes having a progressive global career. Her career started as a field engineer with BP and Schlumberger.
Patricia shares how her beginning struggles didn't define her or hold her back from chasing her dreams. While growing up Colombian her father created a curiosity in her, through a diverse range of books he would introduce to her. It wasn’t till she started 1st grade that she found that she was different. She was left handed and the teachers did not approve. At the age of 4 she learned a foundational lesson that followed her throughout her career.
Patricia had a desire to be a gypsy, this brought on a curiosity in her that created a place to explore. She talks about why this was important, not only in her personal life but in her career. We dive into being told “ no” can be a good thing and help you find your voice.
When Patricia started studying Petroleum Engineering she became pregnant, in a very difficult time in her life. This was an unexpected circumstance that Patricia shares how she handled becoming a mother, while in college, in a school that had no idea how to handle the situation. Listen in to find out how she was able to pass her exam after just giving birth and prove that mothers can be Engineers.
We talk about fear, doubt and in the moments where she felt she might fail what kept her going. Patricia shares with us the way she faces her fears through mentorship, a good support system and not allowing the thoughts in her mind to hold her back. She explains that every situation is tough no matter how successful someone is or seems to be.
Things don’t happen by wishing and hoping. Patricia had always had a vision for a Climate-Tech company, it wasn’t until a recruiter told her, “ it sounds like you know exactly what you want, go do it”. Quantum New Energy was born. Listen in to find out the risk she took and how it ended up paying off!
How to shine in a male dominated industry with Ann Fox-Nine Energy Service CEO
Aug 07, 2022
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In this episode, we talk with Ann Fox, CEO of Nine Energy Service, who led her company through an IPO in 2018. Ann is one of the most influential woman in oil and gas right now and we get into her childhood — how she was raised, to how she got to where she is today.
From investment banking to an officer in the Marines, and now a CEO of a public oil and gas company, what hasn't she done? She has learned so many lessons along the way and is here to share some insight with us.
“The Naked Ugly Truth: Embracing leadership lessons” with Regina Jones, Chief Legal Officer at Baker Hughes.
Aug 01, 2022
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Regina Jones is the Chief Legal Officer for Baker Hughes (NASDAQ: BKR). Throughout her career, Regina has held global roles in complex legal environments including assignments based in Europe, Southeast Asia and across the United States. Prior to joining Baker Hughes, she worked as Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary with Delek (NYSE: DK). She has worked in various Legal and Technology roles throughout her 30 years in the Energy industry.
On the podcast Regina talks about growing up in Memphis, Tennessee, as a little black girl who had no path to becoming the “Chief” of anything. She grew up always knowing she wanted to be a lawyer but she didn't have a role model to envision that dream. There were no women of color that she could look up to as inspiration at the time.
Being grounded in her faith has helped Regina through the struggles she encountered early on. When she started her first role she was faced with a life changing diagnosis. She spent her days working at El Paso Energy and her nights in law school, all while battling a brain tumor. Regina walks us through this time and how she overcame her diagnosis, excelled in school and advanced her career.
Throughout Regina’s career she worked for top tier energy companies like Delek, Schlumberger, Shell and Dynegy in leadership positions to name a few. We deep dive into what makes Regina different. She explains how early her diversity presented an opportunity to differentiate herself. When you are the "only one" in the room – you stand out. It was then up to her to help influence how she was perceived. Noblesse Oblige – is a term she uses – it can be translated to mean – "nobility obligates", or “to whom much is given, much is expected.”
Regina talks about how plans change, and your career at times will go a different direction. She describes how she constantly assesses and reassess her career path, to understand where she needs to go next to reach her goal. We talk to Regina about having her boys and the impact motherhood had on her career. This is another pivotal moment in her story. Regina discussed the challenges of prematurity and the loss of a child. We talk to Regina about this time in her life and how her family managed it together. With only two weeks on maternity leave she was right back to work.
We end the podcast asking about her husband and the role he plays in her success. Her husband Kevin is a whitty, charismatic, serial entrepreneur who is also a decorated infantry soldier. A confident, motivator and her counselor. Regina and Kevin are an amazing team.
Regina’s story is full of life advice, perspective and resilience. We can all learn from Regina and stay true to the fact that - what doesn't kill you will only make you stronger.
“Imposter Syndrome is real” with Laura Kuri Benavides, Director of Sustainability at Integrity BioChem.
Jul 25, 2022
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Laura Benavides is the Director of Sustainability at Integrity BioChem & Vice President of Technology at Integrity Mining and Industrial. She graduated from University of Texas at Austin with a biochemistry degree and is passionate about sustainability, she is a new mom who has excelled in her career at a very young age.
Laura's grandmother had a vision to have American grandchildren, even though there was no plan to immigrate from Colombia to the United States. Laura is a first generation college graduate and her single mother worked multiple jobs to get her feet under her once they immigrated to Texas. As Laura grew up her mother decided to go to school and teach her daughter that it is possible to follow your American dream and to never give up.
While Laura was finishing up her degree in Biochemistry at the University of Texas she joined an info session being presented to graduating students. The speaker was a man by the name of Charles Landis, who at the time she didn't know would become a huge part of her career trajectory. After taking a role with Halliburton she excelled quickly and was offered a role overseas with their joint venture. It was here where she found her passion in her job - being in front of clients, presenting and developing training. This gave her the vision for the next step in her career.
Soon after returning to the states she was offered a role at a startup, which was a huge risk for her. She was hand picked by the leadership team to come over to Integrity Biochem in 2017. She took the role and built the labs from the ground up, still young in her career she struggled with imposter syndrome. She talks about how she didn’t see herself the same as her colleagues. She downplays her success, not giving herself the credit she deserves. It's a common theme amongst many women in the workplace. Not to mention as a new mom she is juggling the balance act of getting it all done while not losing time with family.
“From Oilfield Corporate to Fitness Tech Startup” -With Gretell Otano, Chief Commerical Officer at Humango Training.
Jul 11, 2022
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Today on the podcast we have Gretell Otano, she holds a bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering and Masters in Environmental Engineering, both from Georgia Institute of Technology. She spent the majority of her career focused in oil and gas, in several disciplines. From a field engineer to the General Manager of North America for Schlumberger, until she had the chance to work in private equity. She recently took a leap of faith and followed her passion into a completely different industry and became the Chief Commercial Officer at Humango training- in the sports and health industry.
At 10 years old Gretell’s' family immigrated from Cuba to Mexico. The risk her parents took to pick up and move the family was a foundational moment in her life. She didn’t move once but twice. At the age of 17 the family moved to the United States, to Mobile Alabama, for her and her sister to break away from the defined roles that girls were expected of when growing up in Mexico.
Gretell received her Chemical Engineering degree and then went on to get her Masters degree in Environmental Science. It wasn’t long after that she decided to jump head first into the oil and gas industry working offshore. We discuss why she chose the energy industry, building trust, influencing, and inspiring others to follow your mission.
Gretell took on an operational role after being frustrated as the Sales Manager and relying on operations to execute. She talks about the importance of having great supporters and mentors that know you well. We discuss the job of Motherhood and the role it plays in one's career. She emphasizes the need for a great support system and the role her husband played in each career decision.
We ask her about fear of failure, she opens up about her failures and how she made sure each experience taught her something along the way. We discuss finding your passion and what that looked like for her, the steps she took to leave the industry and why. She provides great advice on finding your true self and aligning your goals with your passion.
“Thrown into the deep end” With Renee Helmer, President of Helmer Oilfield Services.
Jul 05, 2022
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Renee Helmer is the President of Helmer Ops, a minority owned company, and the driving force behind keeping the Helmer name alive. Renee became an oilfield queen when she married Richard Helmer, the second generation President of Helmer Directional drilling. Helmer DD was founded by Richard’s father, Hank Helmer, in 1965. Hank Helmer would sell a job and drill the job. He grew the business into the largest GOM Directional drilling company. Richard Helmer worked his way up from braking out as a roughneck to becoming the President in 1994. From 2015 to 2020, monumental changes take place professionally and personally. Renee walks us through her life as a stay at home mother to business owner, the only hope to keep the precious Helmer name alive.
Originally from Thibodeaux, La, Renee participated in many of the festival’s beaty pageants. Her Mother, an English teacher, coached her through the interview process and other skills needed to be a successful young lady. Renee started her professional journey as a
Jr High school teacher at Our Lady of Fatima in Lafayette, La. She was well liked by her students and parents. So much so, that when she decided to leave teaching, she was offered multiple jobs in several different industries. She chose Oil & Gas. Renee talks about these moments that built her confidence and prepared her for the corporate world.
The momentous turning point in Renee’s life came in 2018. Her husband was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and the company was collapsing. Without hesitation, she decided to go back to the workforce and a week later she drove herself to Midland, TX. Renee went back to work as if she did not miss a beat but found that sales had greatly changed with all the technology used to communicate today. She found herself with multiple struggles and fears to overcome.
She discovered one thing that had not changed was the importance of personal relationships and trust. Renee did not want to spend more time away from her family at weekend hunting camps. She talks about her love for cooking and how she built relationships with customers over the Cajun dinners she hosted. This connection allowed Renee to keep Helmer going until Covid struck. Despite all her efforts, the time came to close Helmer Directional drilling. Renee was determined not to lose the legacy that Hank and Richard built. She walks us through the steps she took to create Helmer Ops and her “why” behind it all. Through the difficult challenges that plagued her, Renee never gave up and she continues to push through no matter the circumstances. Her strength is and courage is relentless.
“The Confidence to Speak Up” with Sarah tamilarasan , Co-Founder and CEO of SOTAOG.
Jun 06, 2022
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Can you imagine as a young girl being told after grade 10 there was no future for women in the educational system and beyond ? This was Sarah’s life living in Saudi Arabia . Her father plays a huge role in her life by changing his family’s future and migrating to Canada. Sarah talks about this transition and how there are still parts of the world who don’t believe women should be in the workforce, let alone have the same freedoms as their male counterparts.
Disney or Marathon? What a hard decision Sarah had to make, like many other stories on the podcast money is a driving factor for decisions primarily based on salary differences . We dive into unintentional biases based on culture differences and Sarah struggled with the perception of being a “ diversity hire” . She was named the “Indian girl” from the third floor . Instead of seeing this as a negative Sarah talks about how this made her very memorable and everyone knew who she was, she used this to her advantage.
Being set up for failure was a common theme for Sarah. She was exceptional at connecting with people on a level that drove her team to work harder for her than her colleagues, even when her projects were not initially set up for success. This prepared Sarah for what was next In her career - starting her own business from the ground up with no funding.
Sarah walks us through the challenges of starting her own business as a diverse woman traveling to midland, alone, to convince her first client to trust in her for a 40k project with no prior business.
Sarah is a phenomenal engineer, mom and ceo. Her story is a representation of being your authentic self and pushing past your fears and not allowing peoples opinions affect her path to success.
“The 1% Factor”with Jayme Sperring, of Executive Vice President at Varel Energy Solutions.
May 23, 2022
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Jayme is an innovative business leader with demonstrated success in building companies, M&A and has been described as one of the most effective relationship builders in the industry. Jayme is one of the founders of Rubicon Oilfield International and now the Executive Vice President of Business Development & Strategy at Varel Energy Solutions. Jayme started his career as a pro athlete, playing for a major league baseball team. You will find out how he transitioned from the professional athletics to the oilfield and helped to create a globally integrated, high performing, upstream casing equipment business that was recently sold to Innovex Downhole Solutions in 2019.
Jayme starts off by describing his childhood and how his father was a huge influence in his life. A professional baseball player himself, Jayme had big shoes to fill. Although he didn’t feel the pressure he still felt the need to perform. Early on Jayme was a shining star and received a scholarship to Rice University. He talks about his time as a college athlete and transitioning toprofessional baseball.
Jayme stood out from his fellow teammates, he knew there was more beyond baseball and at some point he was going to have to walk away from the that lifestyle. His time came sooner than he thought, due to an injury. Jayme provides advice on how he made it through this difficult time, similar to one losing their job after a long standing career with the same company. Jayme describes this time as a “mindset shift” that ultimately brought him into his first job as in the oilfield coiled tubing business. He walks us through this huge change in lifestyle. Going from a stadium full of fans cheering you on to the company man yelling at you on location.
Jayme describes how the mentors in his life were the most impactful and inspirational to him in defining his leadership style. These relationships were instrumental in his success. Jayme decided to move away from NOV after 8 years, even though he was put on the fast track to leadership. Jayme knew if he moved to a smaller company he would have more impact then he would at a corporation the size of NOV. This was the most pivotal decision he ever made. Jayme talks about how his decision to leave a large corporation set him up for success later on down the road.
Failure is a word that many people will not own up too. Jayme opens up on the podcast and talks about how he had to walk away from Rubicon, this made him feel like he had failed as a leader. To Jayme, the Rubicon business was everything, subordinating everything in his life to his work. Although the company continued on to be successful, Jayme transitioned onto a new path that has led to a life of stronger purpose, perspective and priorities.
After taking a year off and reflecting back on his career up to this point Jayme decided to create a blog. Jayme’s writing describes a number of life perspectives, leadership principles and insights (e.g. the 1% factor and fulfilling your purpose). We talk to Jayme about his reflections, he provides some of the best advice we have heard on the podcast.
With a profoundly different view towards a professional and personal blend, Varel Energy Solutions came knocking after swearing he would never re-enter an executive position in the oilfield again! You have to listen in to find out why Jayme decided to move forward with Varel Energy and how it's different this time. We can all learn from Jayme and his story on finding your purpose, while remaining loyal to yourself and all that’s important in life.
If your interested in working with us, please contact : flippingthebarrel@gmail.com
To find out more about our mid-roll audio sponsor TechnipFMC please visit: TechnipFMC
To find out more about our pre-roll audio sponsor Varel Energy Solutions please visit: Varel Energy
To find out more about website sponsor Nextier Energy Solutions please visit: Nextier Oilfield Solutions
“The Reward is in the Risk” with Gabriel Rio- CEO of Milestone Environmental Services.
May 02, 2022
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Gabriel is one of those Individuals who didn't follow the typical path, he paved his own. When he started his career he had little aspiration to become CEO. One decision led to another and brought him to where he is today as CEO of Milestone; focused on carbon sequestration and sustainably managing energy waste streams.
Gabriel grew up immersed in the chemical Industry, both his father and grandfather worked for Dow Chemical.Gabriel had a love for music and found himself having to decide which direction he wanted to take his life. He quickly came to realize he wasn't going to be the next rockstar but his love for math and science proved to be a more realistic path for him. He talks about following your passions all while figuring it out as you go, at times your passions might change but you only know till you try. Gabriel decided to pursue chemical engineering and dive headfirst into the business world.
At 24 years old, right after 9/11 and the Enron collapsed , Gabriel packed up his bags and left Houston to move to New york. He struggled to find a job, he was in a new state during a recession and had a few months of savings left. Instead of leaving New York he kept pushing forward, 8 months later he landed a position in investment banking. Throughout Gabriel's story you can find where he connects each change in his life to the next movement in his career. While working in investment banking he learns about the oil and gas industry, particularly on the environmental waste management side of the business. He found himself learning more about the business while working at Three Cities Research. At this firm he was very hands on in helping companies grow to their full potential. Here is where his story changes, where he went from working as a partner to stirring up his own plans to start a business.
Gabriel talks about calculated risks and how he applied this strategy throughout his career to becoming CEO of Milestone today. He shares the biggest lessons he learned along the way and the challenges he faced. He gives us his best advice and the impact his relationships have had on his success. Gabriel said, “ Develop strong relationships with the people that you work with and hang around, as you continue to build your career. I have found that my career has been built more off of the people that I've worked with rather than the companies that I've worked for and that's what carried me and a lot of people I know, through our careers”.
Gabriel has over a decade of experience in the oil and gas environmental services industry. He is currently the President and CEO of Milestone Environmental Services, LLC. Prior to leading Milestone, Gabriel worked as an Operating Partner with Intervale Capital, now known as Amberjack Capital, an oilfield-focused private equity fund with $1.2 billion in assets under management, and a key investor in Milestone. He was previously the Executive Vice President of Strategy and Business Development for R360 Environmental Solutions, Inc., a national provider of environmental services to the E&P industry. At R360, Gabriel orchestrated the strategy and mergers and acquisitions work which led to the formation and rapid growth of the company, and directly managed Williston Basin operations. After R360 completed a $1.3 billion sale to Waste Connections, Inc., Gabriel assumed work with the buyer to help with the integration of the R360 business into Waste Connections. Prior to R360's formation in 2010, he was an investment professional with Three Cities Research, Inc., a mid-market private equity firm, where he was principally responsible for US Liquids of LA, LP, a regional oilfield waste treatment and disposal provider in Louisiana and Texas.
Earlier in his career, Gabriel worked as an Associate Equity Research Analyst covering the global chemical industry at UBS Investment Bank, as a Petroleum Practice Fellow with McKinsey & Company a global strategy consultancy, and as an Associate at Purvin & Gertz, a Houston-based oil and gas consultancy. Gabriel holds a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin.
Gabriel lives in Houston with his wife Mona, two daughters, and two Great Danes. He also is an elected member of the Advisory Board of the Energy Workforce & Technology Council (EWTC) and the Texas Oil & Gas Association (TXOGA) Board of Directors.
If your interested in working with us, please contact : flippingthebarrel@gmail.com
To find out more about our mid-roll audio sponsor TechnipFMC please visit: TechnipFMC
To find out more about our pre-roll audio sponsor Varel Energy Solutions please visit: Varel Energy
To find out more about website sponsor Nextier Energy Solutions please visit: Nextier Oilfield Solutions
“Position Yourself as a Leader” with Andrea Martin , CEO Andrea Martin Consulting.
Apr 24, 2022
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Growing up as an immigrant, college was never going to be a question for Andrea. Her parents migrated from Peru for a better life and opportunity for their family. Andrea felt like she had a lot to prove when coming to the US, since English was her second language. High school was a challenge for her. Her path changed when she went to college, Andrea had a love for the TV show Magic School bus as a child. The show inspired her at a young age to pursue chemical Engineering. If you were born in the 1990s you can relate to her story pre social media ages!
Andrea started her career as an international wireline field engineer. Although exciting, Andrea had aspirations to work on the other side of the table and be a part of the bigger strategy play working for an operator. After deciding to get her MBA she pursues her journey to becoming a production engineer. What Andrea didn’t know is that she would be turned down time and time again for being dabbed - “ over qualified” for the level 1 engineering roles. She was surprised and explains why this happens to so many of us when trying to change roles, industries or even parts of the oil and gas sector. She ends up having to take a role as an intern in order to get her foot in the door, you will find out how well this paid off for her!
After moving up the ranks becoming the Sr. Operations Leader and helping pull Chesapeake out of bankruptcy, she decides to leave the industry all together. While working for Chesapeake she had started a career coaching business. The business was starting to grow legs and really take off. Andrea started to change people's lives in a positive way and she wanted to go full time. She has been a Career Performance Coach for 4 years, after leaving her engineering career she has seen her life excel. You might ask what is a Performance Coach and how does that even make sense to leave a steady income to go and be an entrepreneur? Andrea answers all these questions in her podcast not to mention she does all of this while having 2 kids at home.
Andrea essentially removes your blind spots in your career to allow you to excel faster. While defining the type of leader you want to become. She opens up about the struggles many of her clients face and what holds most of us back in pursuing our professional and personal goals. If you're looking for a growth episode to take your career to the next level then this is the one for you.
If your interested in working with us, please contact : flippingthebarrel@gmail.com
To find out more about our mid-roll audio sponsor TechnipFMC please visit: TechnipFMC
To find out more about our pre-roll audio sponsor Varel Energy Solutions please visit: Varel Energy
To find out more about website sponsor Nextier Energy Solutions please visit: Nextier Oilfield Solutions
“Challenge Accepted” with Ruth Zambrano -RP Division Manager at Schlumberger
Apr 11, 2022
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Ruth Zambrano has been in the oil field for 17 years. She started as a wireline field engineer in Perth Australia in 2005. She joined Schlumberger to have a borderless career and that's exactly what she got. She has been in operations most of her career and she truly enjoys this side of the business. She talks about how authenticity is what makes a leader and takes us through her life from country to country and how each one presents its own challenge.
Growing up in a small town in Ecuador Ruth's parents were both in the medical field. Her family hoped that she would one day follow in their footsteps, she had other plans. Early on Ruth challenged her parents, her father a supporter of his daughter's curiosity, ultimately just wanted her to pursue something she loved. Ruth loved mathematics, with her fathers support she decided to go into Engineering.
Ruth fell into oil and gas by a friend signing her up for a career fair as a sophomore in College.. Ruth knew nothing about Schlumberger. She ended up getting a phone call when she graduated from Schlumberger for a 7:00 PM interview. Ruth explains how she thought the interview was actually a joke. She takes us back to this time in her life over 16 years ago that started her career in oil and gas.
Ruth started offshore working in the field in very difficult conditions. Ruth walks us through her time in Australia running open hole wireline, then moving to Argentina working in extreme weather conditions and away from home. Ruth thrived off the challenge and talks about her hardest transition moving to Chile as the only woman in her product line. She had a belief during her time in Chile that she had to be a certain way in order to manage the team. She talks about how the “ male style” leadership she felt she needed to have was not her real self - she finds out that she never had to take this approach to manage the team.
Ruth shares her view on the future of oil and gas. She talks about why the generations to come are pivotal in the future of our industry.
If your interested in working with us, please contact : flippingthebarrel@gmail.com
To find out more about our mid-roll audio sponsor TechnipFMC please visit: TechnipFMC
To find out more about our pre-roll audio sponsor Varel Energy Solutions please visit: Varel Energy
To find out more about website sponsor Nextier Energy Solutions please visit: Nextier Oilfield Solutions
“Proved them Wrong” with Vicki Knott- Co-Founder & CEO of CruxOCM.
Mar 27, 2022
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Today on the podcast we have Vicki Knott, tune in to learn how this young 30 year old literally automates the control room! She went from working at a major corporation having her ideas shut down to starting her own company CruxOCM.
Vicki originally wanted to work in forestry, after living in a logging camp she decided this wasn’t the path for her. She ended up switching her major to engineering, she picked chemical engineering because of her summer jobs in pulp and paper. At 19 she wrote a published paper on how to automate the pulp and paper mill to be more efficient. Wait until you hear her talking about the algorithms she put together… at 19!
Vicki took on a role at one of the biggest oil and gas pipeline companies in the world. As a junior engineer she purchased her managers to let her work in the operations room. A position many junior engineers would not be able to do. She talks about her motivation behind wanting to work in the role and how it helped develop her skill set.
Vicki challenged the company on automation and new processes. She had ideas to go beyond excel sheets and hands off processes that can be done from any location. No one wanted to hear her ideas, they would rather keep the same processes they have adapted over the years. After being shut down she decided her idea on automating the control room could become a stand alone company. She took the risk, left a comfortable job with a big career ahead of her, to go head first into CruxOCM. Vicki talks about what success means to you and the changes you can make in your environment if you are not comfortable with where you are, or not happy in your position. She tells how you have to overcome the fear and follow your true passion.
She describes the struggle and why she hired a career coach early on. It's about knowing yourself and understanding your personality traits. She talks about going two years door to door with no sales and putting everything on a credit card. It was hard to get buy-in from people who weren’t willing to change their process. Vicki tells how she learned to run a business from not even understanding how to raise capital. Once she started receiving funding and buy in her path began to change. If you are looking for inspiration, this is the podcast for you.
If your interested in working with us, please contact : flippingthebarrel@gmail.com
To find out more about our sponsor TechnipFMC please visit: TechnipFMC
To find out more about our sponsor Varel Energy Solutions please visit: Varel Energy
“You’ll never be CEO” with Felipe Bayon - EcoPetrol CEO.
Mar 14, 2022
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Felipe Bayón is Chief Executive Officer of Ecopetrol, the largest company in Colombia and one of the leading operators in Latin America. He has over 29 years of experience in the oil and gas industry. Before assuming his role as CEO in 2017, he served as Ecopetrol’s COO and prior to that he held different executive positions at BP, most recently serving as Senior Vice President of BP America and Head of Global Deepwater Response.
From the start Felipe knew he wanted to be an engineer. He pursued a degree in Mechanical engineering to be in the automotive industry. His path changed when he was offered a role at Shell. Felipe talks about the differences between working in the automotive industry vs oil and gas.
Felipe was told by a former colleague that he would never be CEO because he simply just didn’t have everything it took and there was way too much competition out there. He talks about this comment and why you don't need to change who you are in order to achieve your goals. Felipe tells of the time he was presenting to a group of younger engineers and was told he was a “dinosaur”. He talks about how the world has moved on with the acceleration of digital, internet and social media and why you need to adjust to the new way of work.
Felipe walks us through his top advice in growing your career. You do not want to miss this.He goes into how he uses his own advice in the decisions he makes as a CEO and breaking down the barriers he had based on other people's opinions.
We learn about Ecopetrol and how they have the largest pension fund that touches more than 17 million Colombians. Felipe explains how important the oil and gas industry is and what EcoPetrol is doing to ensure a more sustainable and carbon neutral future.
Felipe talks about recognizing the hard times as CEO. The time away from family and the impact that had on his work life balance. He shares the changes covid made between the relationship with his daughter. Something we can all relate to as well.
If your interested in working with us, please contact : flippingthebarrel@gmail.com
To find out more about our sponsor TechnipFMC please visit: TechnipFMC
To find out more about our sponsor Varel Energy Solutions please visit: Varel Energy
“Be Limitless” -with Starlee Sykes, Senior VP Gulf of Mexico & Canada at BP.
Mar 08, 2022
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On the podcast today we have Starlee Sykes, she is the Senior Vice President for the Gulf of Mexico and Canada, one of the largest deep water businesses in the world. With over 20 years of leadership experience in the energy sector.
Starlee has been recognized as one of the “25 most Influential Women in Energy'', she was named in , “ Women Who Mean Business” by the Houston Biz Journal and most recently recognized in the Houston Chronicle - “ Power Couple” interview.
Starlee shares with us on the podcast her story on how she ended up working offshore and why the numbers for women in offshore positions have stayed stagnant around 3.6%. Starlee always had high aspirations as a child and wanted to work for NASA. She talks about what made her different and how she built confidence. She explains why she has never been someone who “ Self limits” and why this is so important both in your career and personally. This rings true throughout her interview as she describes her balance while having three kids and dual career.
She opens up about her divorce and the hard times that come with it. She brings a sense of normalcy to the chaos that life can bring.Believe it or not Starlee was an introvert growing up. She talks about how she opened up and was able to overcome her fears.
If your interested in working with us, please contact : flippingthebarrel@gmail.com
To find out more about our sponsor TechnipFMC please visit: TechnipFMC
To find out more about our sponsor Varel Energy Solutions please visit: Varel Energy
“Not an overnight success” with Jack Hamlin- Energy Strong Co-Founder.
Feb 22, 2022
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Jack Hamlin, is the Vice President of Sargent and Lundy formerly known as Summit Engineering before being acquired in 2020. Jack is also the co-founder of Energy Strong, a grass roots energy advocacy group dedicated to educating the public about the benefits and safety of oil and gas development to the citizens and municipalities starting in Colorado and expanding it to other oil producing states.
Jack’s curiosity drove him into the oil and gas industry. He shares the story behind his lunch drives that ultimately lead him into his first job in the oilfield. He has always been passionate and intrigued about energy and how it powers the world. Jack started in oil and gas recruiting which ended up being the perfect place to network and grow his career. He shares how he went from working for a recruiting firm to starting his own business. Jack's success came later in life, he didn't start Summit Engineering till he was 36. He shares how being alone in your 20’s and early 30’s can be miserable as an entrepreneur. Running your own businesses does not look like the highlight reels on social media.
Jack opens up about Energy Strong - what it means to him and how it's playing a huge role in changing the narrative around oil and gas.
In November of 2018, the State of Colorado was faced with a ballot measure that, if passed, would have essentially shut down the natural gas and oil industry in Colorado. As a result of this severe threat to the industry, it’s people, the citizens, and the economy of the State of Colorado; well over a million industry supporters came together, fought for, and defeated this egregious ballot initiative.
Shortly after the election, we saw a critical need to build from the unity needed to defeat this reckless attempt to end natural gas and oil development in Colorado. As a result, Energy Strong was born. Since then, this grass roots movement, has grown exponentially and continues to grow daily. Yet, the opposition continues to threaten and spread misinformation about an industry. This threat does not end in Colorado. Each Energy Strong State has its unique battles. As a country we are currently witnessing activists on a national stage threaten to shut down the industry.
If your interested in working with us, please contact : flippingthebarrel@gmail.com
To find out more about our sponsor TechnipFMC please visit: TechnipFMC
To find out more about our sponsor Varel Energy Solutions please visit: Varel Energy
“Breaking the Glass Ceiling” with Sunday Shepherd- General Manager, Corporate Strategy at Chevron.
Feb 07, 2022
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In this episode we have a trail blazing, dual career, mother of three role model - Sunday Shepherd, she is the General Manager of Corporate Strategy at Chevron. She has an undergrad in geology from Elizabeth City State University and a masters from UT. She never thought she’d be in Oil & Gas, let alone a geologist but you’ll find out how her stars aligned!
Sunday’s story starts out in a completely different direction than what you would imagine. Growing up with a single mother in west coast virgina, she learned how to be independent early on. Despite doing well in school she decided to not go back after one summer working at a restaurant on the beach. Her mother, not happy with the decision, sent Sunday off on her own at 20 years old. She spent two years trying to figure out what she wanted to do. Eventually deciding on a liberal arts school where she was the minority. Still struggling with her career choice, one of the professors took her under their wing. This changed her life and ultimately was the turning point for her.
Sunday shares with us her interview with Chevron and how she got the job in the first place and why she decided to take it. She explains how her success is a mix of luck, developing a good reputation and hard work. 18 months into her first role with Chevron she was asked to go work overseas and move to Venezuela. Her now husband was in Houston. They made the long distance work and explains how her dual career family handles the challenges we have today - Both parents working, with three kids, demanding jobs and balancing it all. She expresses her doubts as a working mom striving to continue to move up in her career. She tells how two kids seemed okay and three seemed impossible. Listen in to find out how she managed to not only make it work but get a promotion too.
If your interested in working with us, please contact : flippingthebarrel@gmail.com
To find out more about our sponsor TechnipFMC please visit: TechnipFMC
To find out more about our sponsor Varel Energy Solutions please visit: Varel Energy
“Moving from success to significance” with Clay Gaspar- Devon Energy COO.
Jan 31, 2022
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Today we have on the podcast, Clay Gaspar who was recently appointed as executive vice president and COO of Devon in January 2021 following Devon’s merger with WPX Energy. Clay joined WPX in 2014 before the merger he was President and COO and on the board of directors of WPX energy , he worked for Newfield Exploration, Anadarko Petroleum and Mew-born Oil serving in a number of technical and leadership roles.
Clay talks about the pressure that happens in your 20’s, when you are “supposed” to know what you are going to do with the rest of your life. Clay had the opportunity to work one summer in the field and ended up building a strong relationship with his mentor, this experience changed his career trajectory. He shares the advice his mentors gave him and how having advocates within your organization is essential to your career growth. Clay left his dream company after 16 years. He describes the steps he took to ensure leaving was the right decision. This is a situation everyone in their career eventually faces at one point or another.
The biggest change in Clay’s life happened at his 40th birthday. Was it fate? Listen in to find out.
If your interested in working with us, please contact : flippingthebarrel@gmail.com
To find out more about our sponsor TechnipFMC please visit: TechnipFMC
To find out more about our sponsor Varel Energy Solutions please visit: Varel Energy Solutions
“Leading from the back” with Shad Frazier- VP of Production and Ops at Endeavour Energy Resources.
Jan 17, 2022
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On the episode today we have Shad Frazier, the VP of Operations at Endeavor
Shad’s story starts out with being the first engineer in his very large family. His mother comes from a family of 10 siblings. Before engineering was in the cards, Shad tried his hand at the Airforce. He talks about why he made the change and how he ended up with a full ride in Petroleum Engineering at Texas Tech, despite being on the football team.
He Graduated in DEC 96’ the lowest graduation rate for petroleum engineers in the United States. There were 3,000 jobs for 119 students. With every major operator at this fingertips Shad picked Anadarko, at this time Anadarko was small, it was not a large company. He talks about the field life and spearheading the transition from pumping slickwater to 40/70 proppant.
Throughout Shad's career he pioneered many projects which led to being away from home. The hardest time was when he was rotating in the Rockies. He tells us the impact this had on his family, specifically his son. A struggle many of us face today. Shad provides sound advice and how at the end of it his son thrived in the new environment.
We deep dive into leadership, skills, building your brand online and how to be an effective leader. Shad describes himself as a, “ Pro-Human Energy Developer” , we ask him to elaborate on what that means to him and his view on the future of our industry.
If your interested in working with us, please contact : flippingthebarrel@gmail.com
To find out more about our sponsor TechnipFMC please visit: TechnipFMC
To find out more about our sponsor Varel Energy Solutions please visit: Varel Energy Solutions
“Carving his Own Legacy” with Derek Nixon- Varel Energy Solutions CEO.
Jan 10, 2022
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Redefining the vision of Varel, changing the name and embarking on a complete rebrand during the most difficult time in history was the task of Derek Nixon. The newly appointed CEO to Varel Energy Solutions in 2020. Prior to taking on the role at VES, he served as the Vice President of Downhole Products (DHP), leading one of the leading global providers in primary cementing equipment. Derek started working in the oilfield 14 years ago with Varel Oil Gas Drill Bits in the Barnett Shale as a field sales professional while eventually working through various levels of commercial and global operational leadership responsibilities. Having Varel and DHP under the same ownership structure allowed Derek to transition effectively in leading multiple facets of product manufacturing businesses.
The Nixon name is not new to Varel. His father, Jim Nixon,acquired Varel International in the1980’s as a $30 million dollar business and successfully sold the business for over$700 million. The story is a unique one, Varel has been purchased and sold numerous times, all with a healthy financial return. Derek's father was a key component to the success of Varel. As you can imagine being the CEO’s son wasn’t the easiest situation for Derek. Nothing was going to be handed to him, he started at the ground level. He talks about what it was like being tagged as the “ son of the CEO”, the hurdles he had to overcome and his beliefs on how a business should be run to be successful - Derek's biggest strength is putting the right team together. He talks about how this can make or break the business.
He became CEO a few days after Covid hit. When he took over Varel International had 1200 employees. As a new CEO fresh in his role, he had to take on a gut wrenching task to reduce the size of the business by 400 employees in order to adjust to the impact of Covid. Derek talks about this period and how he brought the team together to take on the most difficult time in the company's history. In the middle of this Derek and his team decided to re-brand the company VarelEnergy Solutions, more accurate and reflective ‘who they are’. They recognized the need to develop a new brand, name and presence online, this was the perfect time to do it. He walks us through their vision and the steps they took to make the re-brand successful.
We ask Derek what ESG means to Varel. He outlines the ESG drivers and how each customer can make a difference through their Tree Planting program. He talks about the initiatives VES is driving to cultivate the right behavior and thought process around being environmentally conscious. He openly tells about the descepaciy between male and female ratio and how VES is working to close the gap.
If your interested in working with us, please contact : flippingthebarrel@gmail.com
To find out more about our sponsor TechnipFMC please visit: TechnipFMC
To find out more about our sponsor Varel Energy Solutions please visit: Varel Energy Solutions
“Fossil fuels are destroying the earth?” with Chris Wright- Liberty Oilfield Services CEO.
Dec 20, 2021
The epic industry leader Chris Wright is on the podcast today. From creating a business around toilet seats in Ghana to CEO of Liberty Oilfield Services, “The Best Dam Frac Company”. Chris tells it all. We hear about his view on life, family, culture, people and climate change.
He started Pinnacle in 92 with just 100k, building a solid network along the way. Chris is an expert at explaining technologies, which turned into his networking strategy. After 10 years he sold Pinnacle to Carbo Ceramics. Then a few years later Carbo sold Pinnacle’s part of the business to HAL. Chris was never a big company guy and didn't like the idea of his baby ( Pinnacle) being taken over by HAL. He doesn’t ever want the culture and long term vision of a company changing once it's sold off, this is something that Chris never wanted to happen again.
Incredibly high turnover is the “norm” for oil and gas frac companies. Chris was told by a large frac company, “ We tell HR to always keep more in the Hopper”. By that they meant, more people as back up when others leave. After Chris was told this he decided it's time to start a frac company. Way before he even knew how to run one, he wanted to change the perception of frac companies and how they treated field personnel. He was driven to change the industry through culture, people and technology - Liberty was then born.
Chris talks about his ESG report, “ Bettering Human Lives”. Chris expresses his feelings on energy poverty and how the oil and gas industry is the only industry that can fix it. You cannot have a modern world without oil and gas.
If your interested in working with us, please contact : flippingthebarrel@gmail.com
To find out more about our sponsor TechnipFMC please visit www.technipfmc.com
“How becoming CEO can be lonely” with Denzil West, Admiral Permian Resources CEO.
Dec 06, 2021
Today we are releasing one of our featured episodes from the DUG Permian Conference Denzil West, the CEO of Admiral Permian. If you did not get a chance to attend the conference this year we highly recommend coming to the next DUG Permian Conference, in May of 2022. It is one of the best events in the industry.
With over 35 years in the industry and growing up in the Permian, Denzil felt at home working in oil and gas. Growing up he didn’t think he would follow in his dad's footsteps. When he graduated college he was newly married and the energy industry was calling his name, it was a natural fit. He started his career at ARCO Oil and Gas, where he worked as a reservoir and production engineer for several years. He was instrumental and led the effort to grow and successfully monetize four other private companies, two of which were in the oil and gas business.
In 2006 he went to work for Reliance energy after working for himself for 10 years. Denzil talks about the difference between being your own boss or working for someone else. We discuss failure and the impact it has on your success. Denzil talks about his strategies to get past the hard times, especially during the pandemic.
Denzil discusses his strategies on ESG and how Admiral is ahead of the game. They culturally are an E - S - G stewart. He brings up an interesting perspective on how it could even be considered “insulting'' to assume companies like Admiral haven’t focused on their environmental impact, when they have all along.
If your interested in working with us, please contact : flippingthebarrel@gmail.com
To find out more about our sponsor TechnipFMC please visit www.technipfmc.com
“The ultimate touch down… My story from the NFL to the Oilfield” with Sallie Sargent- COO of the 23rd World Petroleum Congress.
Nov 22, 2021
Thank you to our Official Podcast Sponsor- TechnipFMC.
Today’s episode is an exclusive interview with Sallie Sargent. The CEO for the upcoming 23rd World Petroleum Congress event, taking place in Houston TX on December 5- 9th . The event is a global symposium assembling more than 100 nations, the World Petroleum Congress convenes every three years bringing together the industry under one roof to solve the problems we are facing today and talk about the future of energy.
Over the past 30 years, Sallie has enjoyed a diverse career planning and managing major events, including six Super Bowls, 14 Fiesta Bowls and the first College Football National Championship. Her exhibition experience includes some of the largest and most recognizable conventions in the world Sallie opens up about her life and how she became involved in the sports industry in the first place. She was the President and CEO of the Super Bowl host committee for 5 years. She tells us how the 51st Super Bowl put her on the map in Houston. Under the leadership of Sallie the Super Bowl generated $347M in economic impact for Houston. The relationships she built while planning and executing one of the largest events in Houston set her up to become the CEO of the World Petroleum Congress. This event is essentially the Olympics for Oil and Gas. Sallie is an expert relationship builder, she tells us how fostering those relationships is essential to your success.
To find out more about the 23rd World Petroleum Congress and get your tickets, please visit: www.23wpchouston.com
If your interested in working with us, please contact : flippingthebarrel@gmail.com
To find out more about our sponsor TechnipFMC please visit www.technipfmc.com
“Fake it… till you make it” with Ryan Keys- President at Triple Crown Resources.
Nov 15, 2021
Thank you to our official podcast sponsor Technip FMC.
This week we are releasing one of our episodes from the DUG Permian Conference. If you did not get a chance to attend the conference this year we highly recommend coming to the next DUG Permian Conference, in May of 2022.
Ryan Keys is the President of Triple Crown Resources, which he co-founded in 2017. Triple Crown is a private Midland basin operator. Ryan comes from an Investment banking background at Jefferies, where he was involved in over $25 billion in M&A transactions. Ryan walks us through his life and how he went from investment banking to President of an E&P, all while being under 40 years old. Ryan has a different perspective on ESG and shares with us how you can make money while reducing your emissions through airborne methane surveys. He talks us through his success story in his recent paper he wrote and presented at DUG.
“My Broken Childhood, Didn’t Define Me“ with James Pung, EnerCorp CEO.
Sep 13, 2021
On today's episode we have James Pung the CEO of Enercorp. EnerCorp offers innovative technologies produced in North America that deliver engineered solutions throughout the lifecycle of the well.
James grew up in a Trailer park; he was the oldest of 3 siblings. There was drugs, alcohol and abuse in the home. His Mom left and Dad abandoned them. There were no adults- only kids living in the household, when James was 8 years old. As time went by people noticed the kids had been left alone. A family found them and turned them into CPS. Unfortunately, things didn't get better for James. It wasn’t till his late teenage years he found guidance, through his parole officer and teachers. You would have thought due to James first chapter of life he would not be where he is today. This is what makes his story truly inspirational.
James walks us through his life and the key people who changed his trajectory. He shares his struggle of comparing his story to those around him and the key difference between his success and those who never got out. He shares how having empathy for others has made him into the leader he is today. He talks about his career and what pushed him to become CEO.
If your interested in working with us, please contact : flippingthebarrel@gmail.com
“Taking Energy Forward” with Lorenzo Simonelli, Baker Hughes CEO.
Aug 23, 2021
Thank you to Energy Workforce & Technology Council for being a proud sponsor of our Podcast.
We have Lorenzo Simonelli, the CEO of Baker Hughes, on the podcast today. We get personal with Lorenzo, asking him - “What a day in the life”, of Lorenzo looks like, as a CEO of a billion dollar Global Energy company. We dig deep into the culture of Baker Hughes, his views on Diversity, how he is positioning Baker in the Energy Transition and his outlook on the future of oil and gas.
Lorenzo believes in executing on what you can control and always keep a open mind to learning something new. He talks about becoming a CEO at a young age and how he did not focus on where he will be 10 years from now but instead concentrated in excelling in the role he was in today. Lorenzo had the opportunity to move 27 times in his career, some questioned his moves but each location brought on a pivotal learning experience.
Lorenzo talks about the merger with GE and what he would have changed, if given the opportunity to go back in time. We discuss Social Media and how active he is on LinkedIn. He believes it's part of the role. It's always better to be open and vocal, it's important to be active. He finds it as a great way to communicate with employees and stakeholders.
Lorenzo truly leads by example and pushes his team to be at the leading edge of the Energy Transition. Lorenzo shares his strategy on the Net 0 commitment by 2050. He explains the three pillars in place at Baker to support customers in becoming Net 0.
Lorenzo shares what the company has learned through the pandemic and the changes they made at Baker to accommodate a flexible work schedule.
If you enjoyed this episode, please make sure to leave us a review and follow us on LinkedIn: Flipping the Barrel Podcast.
If your interested in working with us, please contact : flippingthebarrel@gmail.com
“The Trials of a CEO” with Robert Drummond, Nextier Oilfield Solutions CEO.
Aug 09, 2021
Thank you to Energy Workforce & Technology Council for being a proud sponsor of our Podcast.
The Trials of a CEO
Robert Drummond, CEO Nextier Oilfield Solutions
On today’s episode we have a North American legend, Robert Drummond. He spent 31 years working his way up the ladder at Schlumberger to North America President, to then turn CEO of Key Energy and now CEO of Nextier Oilfield Solutions.
Robert has an interesting story on how he ended up in the oilfield in the first place. He shares with us on the podcast how he found himself in Petroleum engineering, thanks to his fathers field trip down in the coal mines.
Robert took an interesting path in SLB, he worked his way up with never leaving North America Land. This is very uncommon in SLB culture, everyone usually has to do an assignment overseas. Robert was a unicorn in this regard, he talks to us about his experiences and why he thinks his career path was different than the rest.
Robert took on the merger between C&J and Keane to create Nextier, in one of the hardest downturns in history. Not a few months after the merger was announced Covid hit. Robert talks about how he pulled the company through this hard time and what he would have done differently given the chance.
Robert’s story is an example of where you can go by being resilient, focusing on customer needs and putting your team first.
“You’re Toast”…with Ryan Dawson, CEO of Corva.
Jul 19, 2021
Thank you to Energy Workforce & Technology Council for being a proud sponsor of our Podcast.
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On today's episode we have a fun, young, hip CEO, Ryan Dawson who is known as Chief Corvanaut from Corvanation. He Founded Corva in 2014 after having sold part of his successful software Company out of Austin Texas. Ryan joins the podcast today to share his story on how he went from a Midland boy who wanted nothing to do with oil and gas to CEO of Corva - In a nutshell Corva has the oilfield worth of data in a single dashboard.
Ryans walks us through his first venture as part of Thirteen23. If you aren't familiar with Thirteen23 they created the digital strategy for Obama, for America re-imagined grassroots campaign, which lowered the barrier of entry and empowered people to take action. Ryan created Thirteen23 while at UT studying political science. He goes on to tell us what happened to Thirteen23 and the birth of Corva.
Ryan shares with us the struggles of oil and gas compared to silicon valley. The differences in the way you have to sell and the changes he had to make at Corva to be competitive. His experiences from Thirteen23’s digital environment to Oil and Gas felt like going back to the stone age. He shares the interesting differences and the future of where oil and gas is headed.
Will the oilfield become fully automated with a push of a button? Tune in to find out!
“Why ESG?” with Marie Merle Caekebeke, Director Global ESG at Schlumberger.
Jun 28, 2021
Thank you to Energy Workforce & Technology Council for being a proud sponsor of our Podcast.
Marie grew up with a deep appreciation for culture as a French American. Her parents instilled the cultural values of their home land in France, only speaking French in the home and English at school. Marie grew up close to her family, who believed in open communication. Through her career you can see where the values at home built who Marie is today.
Marie talks about how she played a big part in the Smith and Schlumberger merger. Where communication is key, she discusses how she was able to prepare herself for the role with only 7 years of experience at Schlumberger, one of the youngest on the team.
We dive into what ESG really is, how do you quantify it? What is sustainability? How do we get ahead of the energy transition? Marie talks about having a responsible approach to treating the environment, that in turn will have added engagement/performance for your organization. She explains how we can be more efficient and sustainable with new ways of doing business. She provides advice on how to set ESG goals and objectives with a monetary value.
Listen in to find out who you can meet your business objectives and frame out a strategy to measure the financial benefits of ESG.
“Are you thinking of leaving the oilfield?” with Career Expert, Amanda Rico.
Jun 08, 2021
Today we bring you Amanda Rico on the podcast, she is a Resume, Cover Letter & Linkedin Expert. She is a public speaker and columnist in the oil and gas industry. Not to mention she is a viral sensation on Linkedin, helping people find their next job.
We dive into Amanda's history and how she became a LInkedin sensation in just a matter of months, with over 25K followers. Amanda explains how she found her niche and used her skills in English. She has a PHD from Texas A&M and her husband’s coaching to grow her network in the Energy Sector. She has helped hundreds of engineers transition into new jobs within Energy and outside the industry.
At 31 she pivoted her career into oil and gas. She talks about overcoming her fears to move away from Academia and start her own business, helping engineers and executive-level progressions optimize their profiles and land new jobs.
We ask her:
Which industries are the most popular for her applicants, is it Google, Amazon, Tesla, Exxon, Shell, Schlumberger or not in energy at all?
If you are looking to move outside the Energy Industry how do you apply your skills to something like Tech?
How do you change your Linkedin profile to attract recruiters?
What should you post or should you even post on social media?
Will using Linkedin alone get you that next job?
Amanda provides real life examples that we can all apply to our resumes.
You hear it here first on Flipping The Barrel from Richard Spears - “ The Oil and Gas sector will become the most profitable business in the world, more than the Tobacco Industry” - “Oil will hit 150”.
In this episode we interview the oilfield legend Richard Spears. We ask Richard off the cuff questions that dive into his life story. We covered everything from where he grew up, how they did market research in the 70's, what made his firm successful, business mistakes and great advice on the future of the oil and gas service sector.
In this podcast you will find out that Richard worked together with his brother and father to help build Spears and Associates. In the business of market and research they gather data from around the world on all service lines. Richard talks about how in the 70s knocking door to door was the only way to gather data. There was no internet to pull information from. He tells us about the secret sauce in the 2000’s that changed the direction of their marketing firm.
In 1974 Richard took a “Gap” year before going to college. You have to hear about his 13th year and what this meant for his future. Richard did NOT want to work in the oil and gas business, he wanted to work for John Deer. There is an interesting twist to this story that ended up leading him right to his roots in oil.
Richard talks about his pump truck business in the 80’s and the cease and desist letter he received from HAL. There was a massive downturn that happened shortly after starting his business. We ask Richard the hard questions about the oil and gas service sector and how he kept pushing forward after his business failed multiple times.
“Me, work for a service company? No... they bring the Donuts.” with Paula Harris, CEO of DPM Alliance Energy.
May 11, 2021
Paula is a graduate of Texas A&M with a Petroleum Engineering degree.
She travelled the world working 33 years for the oilfield giant Schlumberger . She began her career as an field engineer working land rigs and then offshore and climbed her way to being the ESG Global Director before retiring in summer of 2020. She didn’t retire for long, she is now as of January 2021- the CEO of DPM Alliance Energy Group.
She is also the author of 2 books, “For Sister: The Guide for Professional Black Women,” which helps first generation professionals navigate corporate America, and “ When I Grow Up I Want to be an Engineer,” a children’s book focused on introducing girls and minorities to careers in Engineering.
Paula had many reservations working for a service company as a Petroleum Engineer from Texas ATM in the 1980’s. She was the first in her family to graduate with an Engineer degree and had aspirations to work for an operator.
When she graduated jobs were hard to find and Schlumberger came knocking. Paula opens up on the podcast about her reservations going to work for SLB, especially since her first assignment was land rigs. She then found herself working out of Louisiana and Texas for the next 6 years, until her commitment to working on her “days off” paid off with a promotion. Paula put effort in when others didn’t and landed a commercial role. Paula went on to travel the world for SLB taking multiple roles as she moved up the ladder. Before retiring she was the ESG Global Director. Safe to say working for a Service company turned out to be the best decision she ever made. Paula talks about how building her personal brand led to her successful career in Schlumberger.
We discuss the changes that occurred throughout her career and the lessons she learned. From receiving a C grade from a Manager that wasn’t fond of her, working offshore as the only woman and taking an assignment in Australia after 6 months of giving birth to her baby girl. She explains the impacts this had on her life and what she would have done differently. Paula is a pioneer to all of us and a huge inspiration.
“Starting over at 40… It’s never too late”- with Rani Puranik, CFO of Worldwide Oilfield Machine (WOM).
May 03, 2021
Thank you to Energy Workforce & Technology Council for being a proud sponsor of our Podcast.
In this episode we sit down with Rani Puranik the CFO of WOM- Worldwide oilfield machine in houston texas. She directs financial controllership, strategy, investments and enterprise growth for WOM, a privately held, family-owned oil and gas equipment manufacturing firm with more than 3,000 employees operating in 11 locations around the world.
Over the course of 15 years, she has developed and implemented the framework for communication, standardization, operations and business development at WOM. Puranik along with her father, have led WOM to grow to more than $350 million in annual revenues Website.
As a leader RANI has found the strength to reinvent herself in order to overcome challenges in her personal life and in her family’s business. Rani talks on the podcast about the life changing moment she had when turning 40. Rani went from running one of the first Dance Studios in India to coming to the USA to help grow her fathers business.
Rani has always been a leader and never turned away from taking a risk. She talks on the podcast about the culture bias she had to overcome in India for starting her own business. Her idea of one studio to build girls confidence transpired into a 19 year thriving career. She brought the same passion she had for the studios into her fathers oil and gas manufacturing business.
Rani proves that age is just a number and it’s never too late to make a career change or blaze a new trail.
Puranik received a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Pune in India and a Master of Business Administration in Finance from Rice University. As a seasoned motivational speaker and certified Master Coach in Leadership Development, Puranik is passionate about mentoring the next generation of leaders. In 2016, Puranik was named one of the Top Leading Women in Energy by the Houston Business Journal and Business Woman of the Year by the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston. The Houston Chronicle’s Top Workplaces Program recognized WOM as a Houston metro area Top Workplace of 2020. The Texas Women’s Foundation recently recognized Puranik as a recipient of the Maura “Women Helping Women” Award. Outside of her work environment, Puranik is an Indian classical trained vocalist and dancer, and a certified yoga instructor.
As a leader, innovator and creative, Puranik has found the strength to reinvent herself in order to overcome challenges in her personal life and in her family’s business. Puranik’s debut book titled “Seven Letters To My Daughters” is slated to launch in 2021.
The businesswoman on a mission wears many hats on any given day but is most proud to be a mother of two grown daughters and two rescued dogs. Puranik enjoys scuba diving, traveling and spending time with family.
“Stick with it… A career is a lifetime” with Liz Schwarze-VP of Global Exploration at Chevron.
Apr 19, 2021
Liz Schwarze is the Vice President of Global Exploration for Chevron Upstream; she is responsible for Chevron’s worldwide exploration program. She chairs the company’s Global Exploration Leadership Team and is a member of Chevron’s Upstream Leadership Team and Global Leadership Forum. As a single mom she learned how to excel in her career while raising her daughter.
Schwarze holds a bachelor’s degree in Geology from Duke University, a master’s degree in Geology from The University of Texas at Austin and a Master’s in Business Administration from Tulane University.
Liz moved around a lot as a child due to her dad’s job. She was used to having to adapt to different environments and cope with change. This exposure made it easier for Liz to say “yes” when she was asked to move around the world for Chevron.
Liz ultimately decided on Geology as her major in College. She was persuaded by her sorority sister and had never really thought about it as a career before she took her first class. She talks about her path to Chevron and the cross functional skills you perform in oil and gas that can take you into your next role. She breaks this down into 5 groups of skills we all have working in Energy, that give us advantages relative to other careers.
With 30 years working for Chevron, Liz has a wealth of knowledge and advice around- focusing on your job today, how to delegate tasks, role models, how she did it as a single mom and what made her stay with Chevron her entire career.
If your interested in working with us, please contact : flippingthebarrel@gmail.com
“Breaking into Oil & Gas” with Shobhana Mani-Strategic Business Director at Halliburton.
Apr 14, 2021
Shobhana Mani is a strong, proven leader with a track record of successfully delivering product development to maximize returns. She brings over 20 years of experience in diverse industries including energy, aviation, healthcare & oil field services. She is currently the Strategic Business Director- Perforating at Halliburton. Her story reflects on how the underlying methodologies between industries is very similar, whether be it medical, aviation or oil and gas.
The oil and gas industry intrigued Shobhana because of the extensive evaluation and complex challenges that take place when looking to extract oil from the ground - the challenges we face on a daily basis. Shobhana started working for Halliburton as an Engineering Manager for Sperry Drilling after leaving GE. She was able to leverage the same basic engineering principles that are successfully used in other industries.
When discussing diversity and inclusion, Shobhana shared her experiences and the steps companies can take to become more inclusive. “Inclusion is what creates employee engagement,” she said, “Studies show that when people feel a sense of belonging, they tend to work harder and are happier in their job.” For example, she explains how parental leave – leave for both parents after the birth or adoption of a child – has been welcomed at Halliburton and should become more common with companies going forward. She says we need to eliminate the idea of having a child as a “disruption” in your career.
Shobhana explains how you should leverage your network in order to build your career. She describes her strengths and how they were essential in her career development and landing the position she is in today. She also provides advice on how you can transfer skills into your next management position.
If your interested in working with us, please contact : flippingthebarrel@gmail.com
“He started from the bottom, Now, He’s here” with Aron Marquez, CEO of WildCat Oil Tools.
Mar 26, 2021
In this episode we sit down with Aron Marquez , a multi-industry entrepreneur, who came to the US with his family at age 12. His parents left everything behind to move their family, they knew no English at the time and were hoping for a brighter future. Aron felt the struggle his family endured as immigrants, this put a lot of pressure on Aron. He wanted nothing more than to pay his family back for the sacrifices they made for him.
Aron talks about the hardships his father had and how his upbringing pushed him to become his own boss. Aron began his career working for Nabors Industries, he went on to leave Nabors to start St Andrews Royalties and WildCat Oil Tools. Aron is not only in the oil and gas business. Aron is also CEO of Flecha Azul Tequila LLC and Black Quail Apparel LLC. Flecha Azul is an ultra-premium tequila company. Black Quail Apparel manufactures and sells premium golfing and leisure apparel.
Aron took a different approach with WildCat Oil Tools then many CEOs in our industry do. He used social media to build his brand and has a huge presence on all platforms. Outside of social media marketing Aron is one of the first service companies to sponsor a player on the PGA tour. Aron talks about his thoughts on social media and how it opened up doors for WildCat to work internationally.
Aron shares the story behind WildCat and the many chapters it took to get to where he is today. You can find out more about Aron’s story in his recent book, “Never Settle: Leading with a Daring Vision, Plan and Winning Mindset”.
If your interested in working with us, please contact : flippingthebarrel@gmail.com
“Backed by the Oil & Gas Industry, Sky High for Kids Is on a Mission to End Childhood Cancer“ with Brittany Hebert Franklin CEO of Sky High Kids.
Mar 11, 2021
On the podcast today we have the pleasure of speaking with Brittany Hebert Franklin the Co-Founder and CEO of Sky High for Kids. With oil and gas donations as their backbone, Sky High pledged a 10 million dollar commitment for the first immunotherapy dedicated solely to pediatric cancer at Texas Children’s Hospital. You can learn more about their commitment here https://skyhighforkids.org/our-impact/who-we-support/ and donate to the cause here https://skyhighforkids.org/donate/. Brittany was recently named as one “Houston’s 20 Most Influential Houstonians” by Modern Luxury.
Helping her family on their crawfish farm in Abbeville, LA and participating in local beauty pageants is where you would find Brittany at age 13. Little did she know the pageants would be the groundwork to something much bigger than she could have imagined. The first fundraising event she was a part of was “ Beanies for St. Jude”, as part of her duties as Miss Acadiana. Brittany talks about the progression from Beanies for St. Jude to her own sporting clay tournament fundraiser when she was 21 for the very hospital that inspired her years prior. Listen in to find out how she not only met the initial 10k goal but surpassed it, not to mention she left the tournament with multiple job offers without still in college.
Brittany founded Sky High in 2007. During this time, she met a young boy who was battling cancer, Bryce Norwood, at St. Jude. Bryce would ultimately become the drive behind Sky High.
“When Bryce passed away on his 6th birthday (Valentines Day), God spoke to me. Ok, not literally, but this was his final sign that he put me on earth to do something bigger than myself and this time I would listen! Our Co-Founder, Christl and I sprang into action! Christly hired a lawyer & CPA and before I blinked, we were signing the Articles of Incorporation on October 5, 2007 (my birthday). We would be called “Sky High for St. Jude” (now Sky High for Kids) and our Founding Board of Directors would consist of six young women ready to fundraise by hosting sporting clay tournaments”
Brittany shares her struggles growing up and how she spent her 20’s building Sky High for Kids, which left little time for her to focus on her life outside of work and Sky High. She shares on the podcast the impact this had on her life and how she became CEO of Sky High in 2018.
If your interested in working with us, please contact : flippingthebarrel@gmail.com
“OilMan”-The LinkedIn Legend with Alahdal A. Hussein.
Mar 01, 2021
Today we sit down with Alahdal A. Hussein. His name might not ring a bell right away, but we bet you follow him on Linkedin or have come across one of his viral posts, regarding the Oil and Gas Industry. Many of you know him as the Oilman. He is the Founder of “Oil Industry Insight'', an analytical and business intelligence platform offering insights and analyses on oil and gas market outlook.
He is the Oil and Gas industry expert, recognized and featured on LinkedIn with more than 350,000 followers. He is passionate about sharing knowledge, turning information, data and intelligence into insights and analyses. All creating value to investors, traders, decision makers and O&G professionals.
You're probably wondering how someone like Alahdal became an Oil and Gas sensation. Not to mention he only worked in the industry for one year before Schlumberger moved out of his country and everyone was laid off at the time. He didn’t let this set him back, he was determined to stay in O & G. He took it upon himself to begin researching, reading and connecting with O&G professionals to eventually become who he is today. His story is not just inspiring but a testament to hard work, persistence and not letting your setbacks define your future.
If your interested in working with us, please contact : flippingthebarrel@gmail.com
“Turning Down my Dream Job“ with Stephanie Cox, CEO Americas at Wood.
Jan 06, 2021
Stephanie Cox spent over 25 years at Schlumberger, leading and managing functions and businesses globally. In October 2019, Stephanie was named Americas CEO for Wood, a global leader in engineering and consultancy across energy and the built environment. This is a milestone for all of us as only 7% of CEO positions are filled by females in the US Energy sector.
Stephanie’s work ethic started at a young age. Her parents taught her, “if you really want something you have to work for it and earn it”. The same went for College , Stephanie worked her way through college and graduated from Michigan State University with a Supply Chain Management degree. She talks about how this shaped her into who she is today.
Stephanie is known in the industry for her management style. She has one of the highest reputations in oil and gas. She developed these skills and appreciation for employees back in her college years. She had a summer job at a manufacturing company working a plastic injection molding machine and the management team would stroll through the assembly line during peak hours, not saying a word to anyone. Noticing this was a pivotal moment for Stephanie. The internship is an important time in her story and a lesson we could all learn from.
Stephanie aggressively pursued her dream job at Compaq Computer right out of college. She wrote letters, flew to Houston on her own dime, all hoping to land an interview. She eventually received an offer letter from Compaq, yet the timing wasn’t right. She learned a very important life lesson on commitment and staying true to her word, during this chapter in her life. She talks in depth about the consequences she faced when she had to go back on a previous commitment and followed through accepting a job with Schlumberger.
Stephanie tells it all and covers her time at Schlumberger and the pivotal HR role she accepted that changed her career path. She faced many challenges during her career, including the time she took on a new role running a manufacturing wireline facility for Schlumberger at three months pregnant, with their first child at age 29. Her husband, the backbone in her decisions, sacrificed his own career as the stay at home dad of their 2 children. Married for over 25 years, she explains how the key to their relationship is communication and keeping each other in check.
The time Stephanie spends with her family is extremely valuable. She explains that work can be overwhelming and talks to the fact that it takes sacrifice and of course, hard work. Stephanie has realistic expectations of herself and how she manages her work-life-balance as an executive leader.
Stephanie’s story is truly life changing. Her insight, experiences and the advice she provides will leave you feeling inspired.
If your interested in working with us, please contact : flippingthebarrel@gmail.com
my WHY behind Solar? with Steph Speirs, CEO of Solstice.
Dec 29, 2020
Steph Speirs is co-founder and CEO at Solstice. She is a social entrepreneur and community builder with operational experience in the U.S., Middle East, and South Asia. All to say she is incredible, all these achievements at such a young age is inspiring not to mention spearheading a huge operation to help communities with Solar.
Steph grew up watching her single mom struggle as a first generation American Citizen, with 2 siblings. Her father was an entrepreneur and ended up losing everything after years of hard work. With her mother working multiple jobs and seeing her father fail, Steph immersed herself in school and had no intentions of following in her fathers footsteps as a business owner.
Steph graduated with a B.A. from Yale, a Master in public affairs with distinction from Princeton, and an MBA from MIT. Steph’s dream job was working for the National security Council, eventually becoming a “Secretary of State”.
She wanted to be a medium for better diplomacy in the world. She had the opportunity out of college to work for the Obama Administration. She started taking on additional tasks supporting Middle East Policy for the Administration. She was promoted to the Director of Yemen at age 25. Steph’s talks about her time working for the Administration. Her insight is very different then anything we have heard on the podcast, her perspective is refreshing and shows a different view of the White House, Policies and Leadership.
While working in Yemen and the Middle East, countries rich in Oil, Steph started noticing a huge disconnect. The policies OPEC put in place have a negative effect not just on the US but locally as well. Due to terrorism and political instability people struggled to access gasoline and fuel to provide for the family. Steph talks about the corruption and the turning point for her, when she decided there had to be a better way.. The Middle East not only has an abundance or oil but sunlight too.
Steph began her solar journey in the middle east & India, investing in renewable sources. Many families had no Access to the “grid” and needed a clean energy resource. She started noticing the positive impact solar had on people’s lives and wanted to do the same thing back at home in the US.
With a battle ahead of her, Steph decided to take it head on and Co-Founded Solstice. A community solar concept to share energy sources and provide credits back to the household. She talks about her experiences and how she is working towards providing solar to every American.
About Solstice: Solstice is dedicated to bringing affordable solar power to the 80% of Americans who cannot install a rooftop system. Community solar offers a solution, enabling residents to support local clean energy at no upfront cost and save money on their electric bill every year. Solstice enrolls households and community organizations in shared solar farms, creates financing innovations that expand access to underserved Americans (the EnergyScore), and provides frictionless subscriber management software for community solar projects. Solstice has partnered with Techstars Ventures, Obvious Ventures, the Dept. of Energy, and Echoing Green, and has been featured by TEDWomen, the Sierra Club, the White House, Forbes, Fast Company, Marie Claire, Elle, and Greentech Media.
If your interested in working with us, please contact : flippingthebarrel@gmail.com
“Our Greatest Asset? Our People” with Ron Gusek, President of Liberty Oilfield Services.
Dec 14, 2020
Ron grew up with a love for all things Mechanical. His father was a huge influence in his life, growing up outside of Edmonton, Canada spending most of his time either - on the farm or working with his dad, in their shop. In the early 80’s Ron experienced the impacts of a downturn had on his community. People losing their job, mortgage rates at an all time high, interest rates were through the roof and Alberta was not in a good place. Ron was not much of a risk taker and seeing the impacts of the oil industry deterred him from wanting to pursue a career in an unstable environment . His first job out of college was working in the HVAC industry as an Engineer.
It didn’t take long for Ron to have a change of heart and find himself accepting a job in the oil industry. With a 50% increase in pay, he couldn’t say no. He started his career in fracking. When he started in the late 1990's fracking looked very different. Imagine this... Being home before dark, putting away one stage a day and calling that a success.
Through Ron’s career he helped develop and grow the technology space in Fracking. In June 2003 he started his job at Pinnacle. He was working as a sales person, naturally introverted, this was an uncomfortable role for him. Ron talks about his experience working for Pinnacle and the lessons he learned when Halliburton bought them in 2008, this was a life changing moment for Ron. He talks about his regrets during this time.
After leaving Pinnacle due to the buyout, he began embarking on new roles. Ron moved through companies during the next 8 years, trying to find the small company feel we had at Pinnacle. Each company he worked for was a learning experience that built him into the leader he is today. He talks about each of these experiences and what it taught him.
In 2011 his world turned. The exact company he had been searching for appeared, Liberty. He found himself back at home with the same guys he started with at Pinnacle. Ron used his experiences from each company he worked for to build the culture of Liberty with Chris Wright. There were a few key differences they wanted for Liberty and their employees. Ron talks about how they built the reputation and culture they have today. This is one of the most important parts of Ron's story.
Have you seen Liberty’s marketing? With 20,000 followers on LinkedIn and Tech Tuesday videos, Liberty is doing something right. Ron talks about the people behind their Marketing efforts and how it’s not to only promote Liberty, it's to show what the oil industry does for each one of us every day to change the way society perceives the industry.
If your interested in working with us, please contact : flippingthebarrel@gmail.com
*Special Edition* Oilwoman Magazine Q&A with Your Host- Jamie Elrod & Massiel Diez
Nov 30, 2020
Text below taken from the Oilwoman magazine blog- Link
Having celebrated the one-year anniversary of their podcast, Flipping the Barrel, co-hosts Massiel Diez Melo, business development manager at Extreme/SLB, and Jamie Elrod, senior account manager NexTier Oilfield Solutions, interview each other and talk about their experiences as women in the field, the impressions their guests have made on them, and the meaning behind the name of their podcast, which they say, “Signifies us talking about the industry from a woman’s perspective. It’s our turn to talk – flipping to the other side of the story.”
What interview from our podcast made the biggest impression on you and why?
Massiel Diez Melo: Aron Marquez, CEO of Wildcat Oil Tools. He has an amazing and inspiring story. He is the perfect example that you can truly become anyone you want to be in life and that your background/childhood does not ever limit your potential; if anything, it makes you stronger and a fighter. Aron spoke to us about immigrating from Mexico to Odessa, Texas, at a very young age with his parents to work on an onion farm. He knew even back then that he would be a millionaire one day. It truly is all mindset, goals and hard work.
Jamie Elrod: Celine Gerson, president of Schlumberger Canada. Celine is a woman that never lets anything get in her way. No matter the circumstance or position she has to tackle, she is always taking risks on herself. She was the first woman to run a global profit and loss (P&L) for Cameron and she brought really great insight on work/life balance. What I loved most was the emphasis she put on her personal brand. She talks about building your “brand” and the importance of knowing who you are and how you want to be perceived. She always takes calculated risks that showcase her strengths. Her brand is built around the ability to break down barriers and bring silos together. The truth is, the minute you are comfortable, you are not showcasing what you are good at.
What is a quote from one of our interviews that has stayed with you and why?
MDM: Ashley Zumwalt-Forbes, co-founder and president of Black Mountain Metals. “Luck looks like a lot of hard work.” So many people look into people’s lives who are successful and just assume they got lucky, when in reality they worked extremely hard for everything they have and have had their own share of challenging times.
JE: Ashley Zumwalt-Forbes, “If you can’t bet on yourself, I don’t know what you can bet on.” We all have great ideas, but we tend to sit back and let our dreams pass us by. In reality you can become whoever you want to be in this life; take a bet on yourself for once. I think about this quote all the time. We get comfortable in our day jobs and the unknown scares us. When really, the one thing you can trust in this world is you. Why not invest in yourself and spend your life doing what you want to do?
Who would it be a dream come true to have on the podcast and why?
MDM: Andrew Gould, former CEO Schlumberger, whom I really look up to. He led an incredible organization when he ran Schlumberger and is still until this day loved in the industry. I’d love to pick his brain and get to really know who he is deep in his core. I would love to ask him about his past, how he navigated his career, and what he thinks about the future of the industry. Also, Stephanie Cox, CEO – Americas at Wood, is a dream interview for me because she has always been inspiring and a leader for women in oil and gas.
JE: Vicki Hollub, CEO of Occidental Petroleum (Oxy), hands down, would be an amazing person to learn from. She is such an incredibly powerful woman. She worked for Oxy over 30 years, climbing the ranks all the way to CEO. She was able to buy Anadarko in a price war with Chevron. Now Oxy is the largest player in the Permian Basin and she is steering the ship. I would love to know what a “Day in the Life” looks like for Vicki or what her process was when she decided she wanted to buy Anadarko, what strategies took place, and how she navigates her team. It would be interesting to know how she feels about the future of our industry.
We get feedback from listeners that makes us know doing the podcast is a worthwhile endeavor and really is making a difference to people, particularly other young women. Do you remember a specific comment that made a lasting impression on you?
MDM: The most memorable ones are from a few young field engineers who tell us they love listening to our podcast when they feel alone or exhausted from being in the field and by tuning in they felt like there was hope for them to keep pushing and that they, too, would eventually have their turn to move up in the company and have a great career.
JE: Every time I read comments, it reminds me why we started this, especially when it makes younger women want to join oil and gas. We have had many write us and ask for advice on how to enter the industry. We have inspired them to get into oil and gas which, if you see the stats, oil has a low rate of incoming new talent. The more people we can inspire to join us makes every episode worthwhile. We want to change the perception of the industry and I feel we are doing just that.
Just during our time in the industry (the last six to eight years), how have you seen attitudes toward women change?
MDM: Since the beginning of my career, I have always felt like I belonged or was “wanted” on the team and felt like the oil and gas industry was very welcoming. From a very early start in my journey, I had male colleagues who became mentors, who always had my back, were supportive and helped me progress in my field career. I also did find that as the years went by, a bigger, louder movement rose toward including women in oil and gas. Diversity, equity and inclusion are at the forefront of all conversations in 2020. I must say, things have progressed for the better since I joined.
JE: When I started in the field selling drill bits, I was one of two women. The men I worked with in the field and office were very protective and supportive. I honestly can say, I never had an issue. I received more respect from company men than my male counterparts. When I started in city sales, I was once again one of the only women on the team and have been ever since I started. Like Massiel, I have always had male mentors who helped guide me through my career.
Within the last two years, I have seen a huge shift to inclusion and diversity being a prime topic of discussion outside of major operators and service companies. This is where I think the biggest change has occurred. Even the private sector is wanting to bring on more diversity, which leads to more women working in the industry. Overall, my experience has always been positive. With that said, I do see a lot more women now at events then I would have in the past, which shows things are changing.
At 15 percent, women (as well as other minorities) are still underrepresented in industry. Based on our own experiences, here is what we think companies need to do to attract more women and minorities.
MDM: Overall, companies are doing a great job at recruiting talented young women straight out of college by promoting “women in the field, women in oil and gas,” recruiting campaigns (trust me those do work; that’s how I ended up in oil and gas). I think continuous displays of women in the industry at career fairs, online, on social media, etc. really do help younger women feel like they belong and that they have a place in the industry. Companies need to continue to include both pictures of females and males in their covers, ads, posts, etc. I also think it starts a lot of earlier than college years. Companies need to start in high school and promote the industry as well as what a career in oil and gas in their company would look like. My best advice would be to start young!
JE: Companies are trying hard to give women more opportunities. The issue is not on companies recruiting, the issue is retainment and turn over. Women seem to begin to feel undervalued or looked over as their career progresses. They feel left out as most things still revolve around activities perceived to be what men enjoy – hunting, fishing, clay shoots and golfing. I love to participate in these activities, but not everyone does. If team building is centered around getting out of the office and doing things that aren’t inclusive, then it makes it hard for women to connect. They feel left out, which leads to self-doubt. Outside of team building and functions many of the C-suites look very similar – all men. How can women or minorities feel like they can progress, if upper level management doesn’t reflect a diverse group? The focus needs to be how are we going to keep women once we have hired them.
Tune into Flipping the Barrel podcast to hear the continuation of this conversation between co-hosts Maissel Diez Melo and Jamie Elrod.
If your interested in working with us, please contact : flippingthebarrel@gmail.com
“How My Own Unconscious Bias Held Me Back“ with Sofia Barrios, VP Measurement Products at TechnipFMC.
Nov 23, 2020
Sofia grew up in Venezuela during a time when the country was flourishing. There were many opportunities with a rich democracy run government and an abundance of natural resources where Oil and Gas were the primary income source. Sofia expresses her love for Venezuela during these years and how growing up, she dreamed of working in Oil and Gas.
Sofia talks about the effects one leader can have on the wellbeing of the people. Venezuela went from the 4th wealthiest nation per capita to the poorest country in South America. In 1997 when she was close to graduating as an engineer, she realized her potential in Venezuela was limited. She needed to find an international company to work for to leave. She eventually found ways to connect internationally and permanently leave the country in 2004 for a better future for herself. Sofia's first job was in the field, selling wellheads in Venezuela. At this time, Venezuela was open-minded about women working in the field; it wasn't out of the ordinary to see a woman on a rig.
She talks about how she was successful in her approach to leave the country, move to the USA to do her masters, and then landed a job working for Tefchnipfmc in Singapore. She worked in Singapore, Australia, and Asia over the 10 years before moving to the US.
Working in Asia, she was categorized as "Westerner". Being a Westerner brought some social benefits since you were immediately respected. When her job sent her back to the US, she began to doubt herself and built an unconscious bias in her mind of what people would think of her as Hispanic. This bias affected Sofia in many ways.
She talks about the struggles she had adapting to the American culture when, in reality, it was her thoughts holding her back. She provided sound advice on her approach to overcome the unconscious bias that we all fall victim too.
Sofia is a mom of two; she talks about balancing work/life and the adjustments she had to make moving back to the US.
Promotions, we all want one. Sofia advises on how to be recognized within a large company. She is now the VP of Measurements Products at TechnipFMC.
When she lost some sponsors at the company due to the downturn, she changed her approach and went from relying on someone to promote her to become her own advocate.
Sofia believes in the power of writing; to this day, she still has the goals she wrote for herself as a young girl. She had her life planned out on paper. She knew who she wanted to become. She explains how she was able to achieve these goals. Her #1 advice is to start with the end goal in your mind written down on paper.
If your interested in working with us, please contact : flippingthebarrel@gmail.com
“What No One Tells You About the Oilfield” with your Hosts Jamie Elrod & Massiel Diez
Nov 09, 2020
“ What no one tells you about the oilfield”
Jamie and Massiel provide industry insight on this special episode, from their session at the Women’s Global Leadership Conference, held on Nov 3-6th.. They were asked to speak during the Stem Workshop, to help educate the younger generation on the oil industry. WGLC had a record turnout this year, with 6,500 attendees and 75 speakers from all over the world.
The oil and gas industry is one of the largest sectors in the world in terms of dollar value, generating an estimated $3.3 trillion in revenue annually. Oil is crucial to the global economic framework, especially for its largest producers: the United States, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Canada and China.
In this episode you will discover:
What is a barrel of oil?
The products made from one barrel of oil
Due to the wide variety of products made possible by oil and natural gas, the U.S. consumed approximately 7.3 billion barrels of petroleum in 2017.
How oil and gas helps saves lives
Total household and North America Energy usage and sources
How oil and gas companies support schools and education
Free Education at UT
44 Billion Dollar Fund
ExxonMobil Stem Education
Data shows that not enough students are pursuing STEM careers to meet the oil and natural gas industry’s workforce needs. The industry will need to hire nearly 1.9 million oil and natural gas workers between 2015 and 2035. Expanding STEM education opportunities will be critical to keep the US competitive in an ever-changing world.
If your interested in working with us, please contact : flippingthebarrel@gmail.com
“The Face behind the Voice” @ NOV with Michael Gaines.
Nov 02, 2020
In today’s episode Jamie and Massiel sit down with another known podcaster in the oil and gas space, Michael Gaines, aka “ The Voice”, on NOV Today Podcast. Many people know Michael
as an expert communicator and dynamic public speaker, with 11 years of experience in Marketing, Product Development and Branding at NOV. What many people don’t know is the leap of faith Michael took when offered his first position at NOV.
Michael was a A student in College, student body President and checked all the boxes after graduating to land a great job. Reality set in after his first role in outside sales selling shipping services. He was cold calling, knocking on doors and felt like he was annoying people more than selling to them. He ended up leaving the shipping service company and going to work for a temp agency. Where he was stacking floor samples, he thought to himself, “ This must be what it’s like to be a classically trained chef and be asked to make french fries”. During this time Michael learned many life lessons that he shares on the podcast.
After a few years of not being able to find a stable job, Michael received a call from a woman at NOV that he knew from years ago. She remembered Michael from college and thought he was the perfect candidate for a role they were looking to fill, Product Line Champion - Drill Bits. Michael said, YES with no hesitation but he knew nothing about drill bits. This is when his story gets interesting. Let’s just say Wikipedia and Google is your friend. Michael walks you through what he did to prepare for the interview and how he ended up becoming the Product Line Champion with no experience, knowledge or even understanding of what a Drill Bit was, outside of his internet search, at the time.
Michael grew into his role at NOV becoming a trusted resource and Manager. He did not pretend to know everything and was never scared to ask questions. He moved on to take on a role as a Global Product Line Champion, after many months of asking for this position. At the time the role did not exist but Michael saw a pain point within the company that lacked communication between two regions. He talks about how he approached management diplomatically in order to eventually convince them to let him oversee the operation.
He is a great example of paving your own path. Even though he works for a large company he was able to still be an entrepreneur within NOV. Many of his roles were created for him or he created for himself. When he found a pain point instead of complaining about it, he asked to be put into a role to take it head on. Listen in to find out how he ended up becoming “ The Voice” for NOV since 2017.
If your interested in working with us, please contact : flippingthebarrel@gmail.com
“The New GenZ Oilfield” with Sara Al-Hinai, Halliburton Field Engineer.
Oct 19, 2020
Today is a special episode, we interviewed a Social Media Influencer, who is working hard to inspire Women in our industry.
Sara Al-Hinai was born and raised in the Middle East, she brings a different perspective to the podcast, as many of us have our own assumptions of what it’s like for Women growing up in Oman and what their oilfield experiences are.
Sara is our first GenZ guest and youngest female Drilling Fluids Engineer for Halliburton, working for an operator in Oman. She is only 23 years old, she graduated Chemical Engineering at the end of 2018, in the UK. Sara received a full ride scholarship to the University of Huddersfield from the Omani Government. She talks about the process of receiving the scholarship, it’s much different than the United States. During her time in University she found herself immersed in fitness. She even started her own online fitness company. We touch on the correlation between fitness and confidence, which we find to be a foundational attribute when working in our industry.
After graduating she then moved back home to the Middle East and joined the O&G industry in 2018. She has been working as a Drilling Fluids Engineer in the field for almost 2 years now.
We talk about what makes Gen Z tick, how they operate, and the future of selling to a generation who is connected to their devices.
If your interested in working with us, please contact : flippingthebarrel@gmail.com
Boys will be Boys… with Karen Olson, the Frac Queen.
Oct 12, 2020
Thank you to PESA (Petroleum Equipment & Services Association) for being a proud sponsor of this episode.
Karen started in oil and gas back in the 80’s where women were few and far between. Throughout her 36-year career she has been faced with many trials and tribulations. When she decided to pursue Petroleum Engineering at LSU, she was approached by her professor with concern, he told her: “Women do not belong in the oilfield”. Karen did not realize at the time that the professor was setting her up for what would become a common thought from many men she would soon be working with.
Her first job out of college was as a field engineer in training with Western Company of North America, a completion services company. She was the first two female engineers they had hired. What is interesting about her time at Western is the stories she tells of the constant harassment that went on for over 2 years. She realized this was not what she signed up for and approached her boss, what you learn next during the episode will really surprise you.
Karen’s career changed when she decided to pursue a Graduate degree at A&M. During her time pursuing her degree, she received a Masters on Completions optimization in the Marcellus shale. This was the turning point in her career. She wrote her thesis over a DOE study on completions in the Devonian Shale. Karen wrote a proposal on how to optimize the completions in the basin. Through her research and recommendations, she received a 5M$ research grant and a job offer from Mobil.
While at Mobil she started working in the field as a Frac Engineer over the pad. During this time, she just gave birth to a little girl. With only 8 weeks off before she had to head back to work, there were a lot of changes in her life she was having to adjust to. Karen talks about how she managed being a first-time mother, while working out on location away from her family. Not to mention, she went into labor on location.
Karen spent time working overseas in Norway for Exxon Mobil. She faced another bump in the road, when the new regime in Norway, believed Karen’s job could be replaced by her writing out a step- by-step procedure. Karen called her bluff, and decided she needed to leave. Soon after she received a job offer from BP in Norway, for her experience fracing in Midland. Karen did not realize her experience working in Midland would become extremely crucial, as the industry started to progress with unconventional plays.
Karen went on to become the Director of Technologies for Southwestern Energy due to her Completions and Reservoir experience. After leaving SWN she started devoting her time to supporting Women and young girls to pursue a degree in Engineering. She has been invited to talk at A&M multiple times and is very active with SPE. Karen has been a part of SPE for more than 36 years. She was awarded SPE International Sustainability Award in 2019. For the past three years she has been the SPE Chair for the Hydraulic Fracturing Conference. She is also one of the pioneers for Women in Hydraulic Fracturing Organization, where she heads up live events on LinkedIn every week.
If your interested in working with us, please contact : flippingthebarrel@gmail.com
“Forbes 30 under 30” with Ashley Zumwalt-Forbes, Co-Founder & President of Black Mountain Intl.
Sep 28, 2020
Thank you to PESA (Petroleum Equipment & Services Association) for being a proud sponsor of this episode.
President and COO of Black Mountain Metals, nicknamed the Nickel Queen, listed in Forbes 30 under 30 and now pioneering frac in Western Australia, there isn’t much Ashley Zumwalt-Forbes has not accomplished. Did we mention she just turned 30?
In this Episode Ashely talks with Jamie and Massiel on how she made her way to becoming one of the leading females in the mining & O&G industry at age 28. She then went on and co-founded a second company- Black Mountain Exploration, based in Dallas but operating in Australia.
Growing up in a hard working family in Oklahoma, Ashley learned that if she wanted something she would have to put in the work to get it. She was one of the first to attend University in her Family. Ashley knew she wanted to leave her hometown and travel. This is what drove her to go to OU to become a petroleum engineer. During Ashley’s first internship with Exxon she developed a close relationship with a few key people on her team. These individuals ended up as her mentors and she was one of the only 2 engineers that year, that got selected for a full time job on the Exploration team. Although she was a rising star at Exxon, she began to feel like something was missing. She knew she didn’t want to continue to work for a large corporation. She always wanted to be entrepreneurial and decided to go get her MBA at Harvard.
Ashley took a bet on herself, left a high paying job to go to Harvard on her own dime. She took full advantage of the Harvard network and met some folks that changed the course of her life. Through the network and posting her resume, she met Rhett the CEO of Black Mountain. After 4 months working for Rhett Bennett, she Co-Founded Black Mountain Metals, then in 2019 she acquired 1.7 million acres in Australia Co-founding Black Mountain Exploration. Ashley describes her journey and how she Co-Founded companies without having any knowledge, at the time on mining and electrification. Nickel is widely used in batteries, with the increased need for batteries in electric cars Ashley knew this would be a great opportunity for a business. Ashley walks us through her process in creating the team that helped found Black Mountain Metals for battery metals.
Black Widow is Ashley’s nickname in Western Australia, due to the purchase of Mitsubishi land assets in Australia, to start one of the first frac projects in over 5 years in the Canning Basin. With the lack of information in the area and fear mongering on fracking has led to public concerns. Ashley provides advice on how she deals with backlash from the community and her reasoning for wanting to frac the gas play.
Ashley talks about work life balance, she follows the “seasons theory”. Meaning that every season has a beginning and an end. Ashley is the President for a company based in Forth Worth with operations in Australia, she has first hand experience with balancing different time zones and her relationship.
If your interested in working with us, please contact : flippingthebarrel@gmail.com
“Hard Work Does Pay Off” with Bill Langin, VP Exploration North America & Brazil at Shell.
Sep 21, 2020
PESA- Petroleum Equipment Service & Association is a proud sponsor of this episode.
PESA- Petroleum Equipment Service & Association is a proud sponsor of this episode.
Bill Langin, the VP of Exploration - North America & Brazil at Shell, shared his amazing oilfield story with us, and we hope you are as inspired as we were.
Raised by a single mother, Bill and his two siblings grew up in a depressed area in Northeastern Pennsylvania. He was particularly close to his maternal grandfather who taught him from an early age that hard work, dedication, and perseverance were the keys to success. Bill was also deeply impacted by the humbling stories his grandfather shared about growing up during the Great Depression, including taking his wagon to the government food bank to get food and supplies so that the family had enough to eat. Times were so tough that his grandfather was forced to turn down a full scholarship to Penn State so that he could serve in the army to support his family. These poignant stories of resiliency instilled in Bill an unwavering resolve to succeed, no matter what the odds. He was inspired and propelled to excel in both academics and sports. Eventually, that hard work was rewarded with an acceptance letter to one of the most prestigious academic institutions in the US: Princeton University! Bill’s story goes to show that you can develop yourself and work your way from humble beginnings to an executive role at a major company!
Despite his grit and determination, Bill’s oilfield journey was not without its challenges. While Princeton was a dream come true, the academic rigor of the Ivy League college was a struggle at first. But he soon found a passion for geology and landed an internship as a field engineer with Schlumberger. It was another success, but it also was the summer of 1998, when the industry was knee-deep in a downturn. The price of oil was a mere $9.00 per barrel. It was a sobering experience to see so many colleagues lose their jobs and to witness firsthand how volatile the oil field service sector can be.
At the end of this internship, he decided that furthering his education would give him the strongest chance of securing the best possible job. When he looked into his options, it appeared that a PhD program (as opposed to a Masters or MBA) was actually the most cost-effective way to obtain the degree he would need. Instead of paying, he would be paid as a teaching and research assistant while working towards a degree. So that’s what he did, completing a PhD at Cornell University in just under four years.
In August of 2003, Bill started his first full-time job in the energy industry with Shell. He came into Shell with an open mind and started to not just apply the standard workflows, but also to try to improve the tools and processes for everyone so that the company could benefit. In one particular module in the seismic software, he noticed that something looked off. Despite a high-end computer workstation sitting under his desk, he told his boss “I don't think this is correct and I need a protractor”. He went back to the “old school” way of figuring out problems, with paper, pencil, and handwritten math. Ultimately, on this occasion, he was right! Through this story, Bill describes his approach to how he addresses Shell with his thoughts and ideas on improving processes. This is great advice for anyone looking to approach their employer with a solution, without coming across in a negative way.
In the podcast, Bill talks about his progression over the years with his leadership style and how he had to adapt as his team grew. In Houston he managed a group of 80, then in Oman a group of 200, and after that in Australia he found himself responsible for a group of nearly 2,000. He describes how, in his experience, you need to stay connected with your employees. He reflects on a pivotal career moment in Australia that shaped his leadership approach to safety and taught him that empowerment, combined with genuine, heartfelt care, could positively impact an entire organization.
Bill also touches on diversity and inclusion. He talks in depth about some of the factors that drive his focus on inclusion and making sure everyone feels that they can bring all of their effort, talent, and creativity into their job. Bill believes that focusing on an inclusive culture is one of the keys to getting the best out of employees.
Bill also touches on Shell’s views on reducing emissions and its carbon footprint. He describes the breakdown of the emissions impacts in different aspects of the oil and gas value chain. Listen in to find out how Shell is striving to reduce their overall net footprint to deliver a net zero emissions business.
If your interested in working with us, please contact : flippingthebarrel@gmail.com
Our One Year Anniversary Special Edition Episode with your host Massiel & Jamie.
Sep 15, 2020
It’s Flipping The Barrel One Year Anniversary! Jamie and Massiel have a one on one conversation, explaining the lessons learned and obstacles they overcame to get to where they are today. “Failure is not a permanent experience, you must rise above it and choose to be better than you were a moment ago. Changing and growing is what makes you win”.
“Overcoming Rejection” with Lindsy Sallee VP Sales Rig Tech at NOV.
Sep 07, 2020
Thank you to NOV-National Oilwell Varco for sponsoring this episode. To find out more about NOV please visit their: Website and make sure to follow them on Linkedin.
Lindsy Sallee grew up in a household that strongly believed quitting wasn’t an option. Her family had the belief,if you try something you have to stick to it for a year before you make any decisions. Little did Lindsy know, at the time,this would be her mantra throughout her entire career and life.
Lindsy went to a non-traditional oil and gas school in St. Louis, Washington University. Wash U is a liberal arts focus school. Lindsy was on a political science path until her Junior year when she realized, Business School was more of a fit than the political scene. Interestingly enough, NOV was making a push for Western state schools at the time, due to familiarity with “smart kids” coming from these universities. With no idea about the oil and gas industry she fell in love with the personality of the NOV recruiters and their overall demeanor... “They seemed so cool”. She then decided this is the place she wanted to work after graduating.
Although Lindsy was set on working for NOV she received a rejection letter after her interview process. She was devastated. A few weeks later she received a call from NOV for a different position, an inside sales role. She jumped on the opportunity and her path at NOV started.
With little technical knowledge, Lindsy had to overcome the fact that others around her knew more than she did. She didn't allow this to set her back, she took it upon herself to learn each role and make time to go to the field and understand the products she was selling.
Lindsy is a mom of two and gives advice on her perspective of work life balance. With her first kid, 7 years ago, she was concerned that having kids was going to set her back in her career. She had a mentor at the time that said, “ Just do it, everything will fall into place”. She described the anxiety she had telling her first boss about her pregnancy… needless to say his response was surprising.
Lindsy provides insight into the changes she has seen over the last 16 years with diversity and inclusion. She expresses the need to continue placing nontraditional people into roles that might not seem like a good fit, in return diversity in all aspects will grow. Having people succeed in roles that were perceived in the past to only have “ XYZ” traits begins to change people’s thoughts on who should fit that role. Lindsy describes the time they hired a History Major into a Commissioning role, at the time it didn't seem like the right fit, based on the perception of who would excel in that role. He ended up exceeding expectations, their thoughts on the former educational requirements were forever changed.
Thank you NOV and PESA for sponsoring this episode.
If your interested in working with us, please contact : flippingthebarrel@gmail.com
“Being Underestimated is Your Competitive Edge” with Richa Bansal CEO PinkCareers
Aug 31, 2020
PESA- Petroleum Equipment Service & Association is a proud sponsor of this episode.
At a young age Richa's parents pushed her to strive in school, with aspirations that Richa would become an engineer, a lawyer or a doctor. This seemed to be the norm for many children who grew up in India. She originally wanted to go into Aerospace engineering but her parents persuaded her to pick Mechanical Engineering, due to a broader opportunity outside college. Her advisors told her “Girls do not do Mechanical Engineering”, she went against their recommendation and decided to do it anyways. She was the only girl in her class.
She loved the lifestyle Schlumberger provided to young engineers. She applied for Schlumberger and was turned down twice. During one of her interviews SLB asked, “ What would you do if your car broke down on the side of the road”, she wasn’t sure how to respond. She didn’t get the job. Richa was discouraged but wasn’t going to give up. She ended up deciding to invest in herself since SLB wasn’t in the cards just yet. She was later accepted to Purdue University, where she pursued her MBA. During her time working on her MBA, she tried once again to work for SLB. She ended up fulfilling her dream and was offered her dream job.
While pregnant working on her MBA and working full time can be stressful, having to tell your boss can be scary. Richa explains, how she approached her boss and their response to her news. She goes into detail on how she was able to manage her time and still be successful at work. There comes a time where you have to prioritize and say “No” when it's not the right time to take on more.
Richa started Pink Careers to help women in the industry and provide a resource for those who might not have a mentor. The valuable knowledge she gained from the mentors was substantial, she wanted to give back to others,to help them in their career. As Pink Careers expanded she added more resources including - resume tips, interview tips, qualities of a leader and mentor programs all for free. She started a program called “ Emerging Leaders Academy”. During the program she did a questionnaire on, “ Your Biggest Challenge at work”. The biggest one was Confidence. We go into detail on how to overcome this challenge.
Richa and her husband lost their job due to Covid, they both were working for Schlumberger at the time. She took this as an opportunity to upgrade their resumes and look outward for a new role. She talks about how to find a job and streamline your efforts to land the job you really want. She was able to start a new career within a few weeks and even moved her family to Canada from Houston. Listen in to hear her top 5 tips to up-sell yourself and customize your resume.
If your interested in working with us, please contact : flippingthebarrel@gmail.com
“Strategy Matters, Culture Matters More” with Mike Reeves CEO Rubicon Oilfield International.
Aug 17, 2020
PESA- Petroleum Equipment Service & Association is a proud sponsor of this episode.
Growing up in the UK Mike studied to be a Civil Engineer. In the midst of finishing up his degree he decided he did not want to work as a Civil Engineer but perhaps a different Engineering role. As a senior in college he came across a big poster that said “free beer” hosted by Schlumberger, he had no idea who Schlumberger was, he was attracted to the post for the free alcohol and decided to give it a go. The recruiter at the time captivated Mike and he knew from that moment he wanted to work in oil and gas for Schlumberger.
His first job in the oilfield was as a Mud Logger field engineer. Mike is color blind and every time he would identify the mud samples they were always “grey” to him. The company man one day walked into his trailer and said “ what have you been drinking all week? Every sample you give me is the same color! This doesn’t make sense”. At this moment they decided he could not be a Mud Logger and instead got a promotion to become an offshore MWD engineer. From then on Schlumberger sent him around the world and Mike continued to grow his oilfield career through several management roles.
Mike talks about his struggles as a young entrepreneur and immersing himself into his career. At this time he lacked self-awareness on work life balance. Being an entrepreneur it is very easy to find yourself lost in your work and turn into a workaholic. He learned early on that he would have to make a change in order to keep his close relationships and continue to be successful in his career. He gives insight on how to deal with work life balance, at the end of the day you have a choice to make.
He has made a total of 7 acquisitions in creating Rubicon, this brought on a multitude of different cultures he had to bring together into one. As Mike and his Partners built Rubicon they did a round table discussion to build a structure around the culture that they wanted to create for Rubicon. They built and described this through their “Intolerables”. He explains these intolerables and how it shaped Rubicon into a successful international business.
Another key point Mike discusses is the expectation that you have to be right all the time as a CEO, which is completely unrealistic. Being more vulnerable and open when being a CEO allows you to have open discussions within the organization, which is vital to having the leadership team that you want ,and strive for, within the organization. With the intention of a global business Mike wanted the leadership team to represent this vision. He strategically placed his team to represent the countries they worked in, it was vital to Mike to represent diversity to show employees that Rubicon has all intentions to have a diverse and inclusive workforce. Mike gives advice on how to break the mold of gender specific roles and bring more representation at the board level to show diversity matters.
Mike talks about the changes happening with online buying behavior and the adaptations that are needed for the industry to survive. He believes oil and gas has a place in society but we need to let go of the past to embrace the future.
If your interested in working with us, please contact : flippingthebarrel@gmail.com
“Unleash Your Leadership” with Enrico Biscaro Director at Baker Hughes.
Aug 10, 2020
PESA- Petroleum Equipment Service & Association is a proud sponsor of this episode.
Enrico grew up in Italy, in a small town where he became a part of the boy scouts at 7 years old. It was during these years that Enrico grew to recognize the importance of service. He learned that acting in the service of others is the most impactful thing you can do for yourself and your community. This drove Enrico to be a passionate leader, with a goal to inspire others.
Enrico wanted to travel the world and have a positive impact on his community by working within Energy. He started with Baker Hughes as a field engineer and grew into his role as the Pacific Asia Drilling Director. He believes if you stop worrying about your career progression and start focusing on providing consistent results you will become successful. At the end of the day if you continue to deliver results and are vocal about what you want to do, then people will notice.
He talks about a time when he thought he might lose his job and the toll it took on him while working in Israel. Throughout this experience he learned that no matter what you do you need to take care of yourself, he talks about how to handle these times of struggle.
With the restrictions on travel due to covid, Enrico was given back 15-20 hours a week since he can’t travel for work. He decided to use this time to be more present on social media and provide a resource to inspire others within Energy. He wants to continue to attract young talent into the industry and understood that social media would be the best way to reach the masses. He has developed a motivational platform and mentorship for those who might not be able to have a mentor themselves.
We discuss challenging the status quo to grow the company and different ways to get to a better result. Thinking outside of the box is a growing attribute needed to excel in the energy industry. We discuss how to drive change with a more methodical approach. Tune in to discover more.
If your interested in working with us, please contact : flippingthebarrel@gmail.com
“I don’t believe in Work-Life Balance” with Celine Gerson VP at Schlumberger.
Jul 27, 2020
PESA- Petroleum Equipment Service & Association is a proud sponsor of this episode.
At a young age Celine’s parents began to teach her the deeply rooted family values and principles they follow. She lived by these principles throughout her career and life. The three values she continues to follow today is - Think outside the box, the importance of taking risks and nothing is Impossible. Knowing this was her mantra, makes a lot of sense as to how she became the first woman in Cameron to run a Global division and then went on to become the President of Schlumberger Canada.
Celine didn’t grow up following the crowd. When she graduated from University in France all her friends were taking safe jobs with bigger companies, she decided to travel across the pond and go work for a smaller trading company in Houston.
She talks about building your “Brand” and the importance of knowing who you are and how you want to be perceived. She always took calculated risk that showcased her strengths. Her Brand was built around the ability to break down barriers and bring silos together. Why you should take calculated risks is because the minute you are comfortable you are not showcasing what you are good at.
We talk about challenge status quo; Celine agrees the industry is changing and we need to be ahead of it. Know what you stand for, there should be complete alignment between what people see you as and who you really are. She goes in to talk about how having a board of advisors is crucial in your career and how to identify these mentors.
Celine started Powered by Women in Canada, to change the public image of oil and gas in Canada. She had 40 plus executives involved where they worked on changing the narrative and touching the heart of the public, to change their thoughts on oil and gas. They used social media and influencers to market the movement, it was and still is a huge success! She talks about an amazing story where she completely changed the mind of an activist on the spot. You must hear this!
In this episode, she provides her insight on work life balance and how real balance is the one you choose for yourself. She talks about finding your “True North”. Understanding your “True North” is life changing, she describes all the steps to get there. Knowing this you will have perfect alignment with your mission. To perform at your best, you must understand what you really want, deep down.
If your interested in working with us, please contact : flippingthebarrel@gmail.com
“I quit on my 1st day as a offshore field engineer.” Bill Henn -VP Canyon Oak Energy.
Jul 19, 2020
PESA- Petroleum Equipment Service & Association is a proud sponsor of this episode.
Third generation Oil and Gas Bill Henn, grew up in a small town on a farm in Kansas, 1 of 6 kids. Life was all about God, family and work. Bill studied computer science and quickly realized he did not want to sit behind a desk and program all day for the rest of his life. He decided to switch into engineering technology.
Once he graduated, he moved to Houston in 1988 when the job market crashed. He got his first break as a field engineer working for Baroid, after his interview, they asked him to pack his bags and was immediately shipped offshore. The boat ride was horrendous, he got sea sick several times and once he arrived to the platform, he quit on his first day!
Communication, discipline and staying together as a family is a hard balance when you are working 60/30. Bill provides his insight into managing the international life and what a Global Account Manager really does. He handled growth upwards of a billion dollars during that role. He deep dives into the amount of product lines and client relationships that had to be closely linked in order to meet the company's goals.
During his time at HAL, he helped found and lead the Women's Sharing Excellence Program, which is still active today. Find out why he thought it was an important program to start and how they made it a success internally. He has always been a big advocate of Diversity and Inclusion in our industry.
30 years later, Bill is still in the industry and has had an amazing career in O&G. Listen to this episode to find out what changed, how he made his way to the top and how his career strived at Halliburton for several decades before moving into a new adventure at a start up.
If your interested in sponsoring please contact : flippingthebarrel@gmail.com
“The Next CEO” with Yogashri Pradhan.
Jul 06, 2020
PESA- Petroleum Equipment Service & Association is a proud sponsor of this episode.
Youtube: @flippingthebarrel
Yogashri always had a knack for math and science. Starting at a young age her parents enrolled her in a life changing engineering camp. She went on to write a paper on CO2 Flooding, in High School, that won the SPE International Student Paper contest. Her first internship in the field started her career in Oil and Gas. She never turned down an opportunity to network, which helped grow her career further then she could imagine. She goes into detail about her cold emails, calls and landing her next job.
Since her first paper she has written 12 more and she is the SPE Section Chair for the Permian, while being a full time reservoir engineer at Endeavour Energy Resources. Yoga goes into detail on diversity in the workplace and how as an industry we can become more inclusive.
She is a reservoir engineer for Endeavor Energy Resources. At Endeavor, she is involved with field development planning for unconventionals in the Midland Basin. She's also worked as a senior production engineer for Texas Oil and Gas Institute and Devon Energy, overseeing various production optimization studies and field operations in the Permian Basin. Yogashri is the recipient of Houston Engineers Week Young Engineer of the Year representing SPE-Gulf Coast Section for 2018 and the International Young Member Outstanding Service Award from SPE in 2018. She graduated from the University of Texas with a Bachelor's in Petroleum Engineering in 2015 and is pursuing her Masters in Petroleum Engineering at Texas A&M University.
“Started from the bottom, now she is here.” with Jaime Butler- VP Permian at Baker Hughes.
Jun 29, 2020
PESA- Petroleum Equipment Service & Association is a proud sponsor of this episode.
In this episode we speak with Jaime, she describes the influence her dad had on her life growing up and the life changing moment during a baseball game where she met the President of Hughes Christensen Drill Bits . She talks about her experiences as a female leader in the industry.
Even with a learning disability, Jaime did not let it hold her back… In 2009 Jaime was headed home from an international trip, when she received a phone call, that turned into the most pivotal moment in her career. She was unsure if she could take on the role presented to her but she said yes to the opportunity.
“If you serve others, then everything will come naturally. Focusing on others around you and their success is important,” she says. “It’s the one big piece of advice that I offer young professionals. That, and be a ‘learn-it-all’ rather than a ‘know-it-all.’ I tell my team to make sure they listen to understand, not to respond.” -Jaime Butler [Quote taken from Hart Energy interview.]
If your interested in sponsoring an episode please contact : flippingthebarrel@gmail.com
“From Field Engineer to CEO” with Dave Christmas.
Jun 15, 2020
In today's episode Maise & Jamie zoom with Dave Christmas, CEO of Fluid Delivery Solutions in Midland, TX. They cover everything from starting his oilfield adventure in his twenties, as a wireline field engineer, in the Iraqi deserts. To writing letters to his soon to be wife, who was thousands of miles away. Dave had enough of the long distance relationship, back in those times the internet did not exist and having a relationship from afar were not as easy as today.Mind you there are no cell phones, google maps or tender at this time. He quit his very 1st oilfield job for love and to be with his partner back in the UK. Funny enough, he ended back at SLB through not one but two mergers.
David had a successful career in the oil and gas industry. He spent over 3 decades working for Schlumberger around the world. He moved to 10 different countries and held various positions from starting as “wireline field engineer” all the way to being a Managing Director for the Permian operations. In 2019, he made a significant pivot and left his comfort zone to become the CEO of Fluid Delivery Solutions in Midland ,TX.
If your interested in sponsoring please contact : flippingthebarrel@gmail.com
“It felt like a Divorce… with Joana Araujo Pescarini.
Jun 08, 2020
In this episode we sit down with Joana Aurajo Pescarini. Joana spent 20 years in the Oil & Gas industry while working for Schlumberger. She several positions within the organization, is a mom of two, a wife and an excellent coach. She moved around the globe with her family to pursue both hers and her husbands career. She is the perfect example of a strong woman who does it all.
Joana explains how to ask yourself – “Am I living the life I want as opposed to am I living the life that was presented to me”? She goes into to depth on how she dealt with constant change, having over 10 different HR roles in 8 different countries and the impact that had on her newborn. We ask her about managing a dual career from both the employee and company perspective, finding work-life balance, dealing with the effects of the choices we make and finding your purpose.
Joana wrote an amazing article that she published in ISSUU Magazine- We totally recommend to check it out:
If your interested in sponsoring please contact : flippingthebarrel@gmail.com
“How to Reinvent Yourself” with Leslie Beyer, President of PESA.
May 27, 2020
“Reinventing yourself" , with Leslie Beyer - President of PESA
Outside of leading as a Woman in a male-dominated industry, Leslie talks about the powerful reason why a culture of inclusion is so important: everyone is working against something, no matter where you come from.
She gives us a look inside the White House, politics, and what it was like inside the Bush Campaign. From a political background to becoming President of the largest oilfield trade association, PESA, she talks about developing a passion for the industry and changing the face of the Association into a successful, advocating trade association for the Oil and Gas service sector.
Thank you to PESA (Petroleum Equipment & Services Association) for being a sponsor and a supporter of Flipping the Barrel Podcast.
Find out more about PESA, please visit : www.pesa.org
If your interested in sponsoring please contact : flippingthebarrel@gmail.com
“Girl, Raise your hand”, with Stephanie Hertzog -CEO Sodexo North America
May 20, 2020
Stephanie Hertzog, Sodexo CEO Energy & Resources North America, is conscious of the role she can play to develop the leaders of tomorrow in an evolving but still rather traditional, typically male-dominated industry. She joins Flipping The Barrel to discuss her journey to the top, imparting some wise advise for young women navigating the energy industry.
Stephanie always took risk and didn’t shy away from a new opportunity. We dig deep into Stephanie’s story and how she learned how to navigate working full time, traveling, running her own P&L and having her first child. She provides advice that we have never had on the podcast before, including the top tips her Mentors gave her that truly impacted her life.
Thank you to Sodexo North America for being a sponsor and a supporter of Flipping the Barrel Podcast.
If your interested in sponsoring please contact : flippingthebarrel@gmail.com
Take a risk, build an empire - CEO of Empowering Brands Charli Matthews
May 11, 2020
Learn how Charli found a niche within the pumping industry 8 years ago today, that has grown into Empowering Brands. In this episode we discuss how personal brands connects people from around the world, opening up new opportunities for you and your business . Building relationships on social media and using it to empower people in a positive way. We discuss the story behind the red suite and how Charli juggled three kids while building her empire.
How to find, prepare and apply for a high paying Oilfield job with David Forster.
Apr 21, 2020
In this episode, we talk with David Forster Co-Founder of Oilfield Job Shop. OJS has over 200,000 followers on FB for a good reason, they bring together open job opportunities to one platform. David talks about the history of OJS and how it accelerated to where it is today. David provides detailed information on how to transition your profile into a eye catching resume for recruiters. It’s all about standing out in the right way. David provides his top 5 tips on how to lay the ground work for your next job and grow your career in Energy. Tune in to find out how you can land your next job, even in a down market.
Boom to Bust with #hottakeoftheday Host David Ramsden-Wood.
Apr 13, 2020
On this Episode we deep dive into the world of David Ramsden-wood, aka #hottakeoftheday. David brings his straight – shooting, no bull attitude to the episode. David always calls it like he sees it and backs up his claims with data. David shows a softer side as he talks about family, his book and what lead him to where he is today. David has recently been seen on CNBC’s “Fast Money” and Bloomberg’s “Commodities Edge”, speaking about the recent fall out in Energy. You might not always like what he has to say but he brings a good point.
“Our Oilfield Lay-Off Story-What to do to get through it.” With Massiel & Jamie-Host.
Mar 29, 2020
This Podcast idea came from @maisefitlife Linkedin Post on her getting laid-off in 2016. Her post got over 1,500,000 views and 20,000+ likes within 36 hours. We noticed how much it resonated with people and we decided to share our lay-off story. During these crazy times with the oil industry going downhill and this global pandemic (COVID-19) we wanted to make a podcast on this situation since it will connect with a lot of people in these times.
"Giving Yourself Grace" with CEO of Reservoir Data Systems- Rebekha Shipman
Mar 16, 2020
Rebekah is a prime example that life doesn’t always go as planned but that didn’t hold her back. Having a child at a young age didn’t derail Rebekah. She embraced the challenges and took life head on. Her daughter carved her into who she is today as the CEO of RDS (Reservoir Data Systems). We dive into Rebekah’s life, all the nitty gritty – college, children, being a wife, and building a company from the ground up with her Father.
Creating a New Future – Katie Mehnert, Pink Petro CEO
Feb 26, 2020
Today we sat down with one of the biggest names changing Energy today, Katie Mehnert with Pink Petro/Experience Energy. She’s an author, speaker, social media influencer, and frequently sought after source and culture expert. She is the Founder and CEO ofPink Petroand Experience Energyand Chairman of the Board for Lean In Energy. She is working hard to bridge the gap in diversity, inclusion and the image of energy. Listen in to find out how she started Pink Petro and the steps she is taking to change our industry.
Energy 2.0 (formerly HerWorld) Conference is happening this March 9 - 11 in Houston, TX. Flipping the Barrel will be there and we hope to see you there too.
Building Confidence in the field through Diversity, Jamie Sutton- Director of Technology At Apache Corp.
Feb 10, 2020
On this episode we sit down with Jamie Sutton. Jamie is a mother, former college athlete, Director of Technology at Apache, Presidents Award winner, not to mention a pioneer in the industry. On today’s episode we dive into how being a lifelong learner can move you forward in your career. We ask Jamie, does it matter what college you go too? Do you have to have an engineering degree? What’s it like having kids while in the field? Jamie also describes the benefits of working in Midland and the impact of a diverse workforce. FTB018
Breaking The Mold in 1980 as a Young Female Roustabout in Oklahoma
Jan 14, 2020
In this episode, we sit down with JoAnne Meyers. She is a petroleum engineer from the University of Oklahoma. She has over 3 decades in the oil and gas industry!!
She spends her time in several groups that encourage young girls and students to think about joining engineering. She teaches the younger generation how important engineering is and why its such a great career. She has an amazing story and we can’t wait for y’all to hear her out.
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