Her Story
About Joan
Joan Collins serves as an independent advisor through her firm Joan Collins Advisory, a role she has held for a couple of months following her position as global sales and marketing leader for DNV Consulting's Smart Cable Guards venture. With 25 years in the energy industry, her expertise centers on technology in the renewable energy sector along with leadership and advocacy. She earned a BS in Business Administration, majoring in Marketing and minoring in International Business, from Ohio State University in 1989 and belongs to the American Marketing Association. Collins credits her creativity for her success and emphasizes the importance of authenticity and believing in the potential of people. She is also an artist who paints landscapes, with her work intertwined with her career focus on protecting the planet, and she engages in climate advocacy.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Joan
01What do you attribute your success to?
I think it's my creativity. In my industry, there's less than 20% of women in the energy industry, and yet 70-80% of all consumer purchases around energy and renewable energy are made by women. That's been a driver behind my purpose, bringing awareness to working with utilities across the globe to instill programs that people can participate in to slow down the rapid change in our sustainability of our world.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I received from a CEO mentor early on was never say no. If you're asked to do something that seems like maybe you don't think you can, say yes anyway. Go for it, because that'll be something else that you learn. Experience has also led me to understand that dissension is not a bad thing, and you just have to work through it with level-headedness and creativity, engaging with people and leading teams to move quicker and more efficiently.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would give the same advice that was told to me by a CEO early on, who was a mentor of mine, that, never say no. If you're asked to do something that seems like maybe you don't think you can, say yes anyway. Go for it, because that'll be something else that you learn.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
It's very hard to change human behavior, and that impedes on how slowly change can happen even when there's urgency. We have a lot of big minds and artificial intelligence now, so solutions can be tackled strategically, but with the mind's eye that human behavior is not always predictable. The opportunities are the sky's the limit because we need energy, and combining the power of technology and AI with the human mind and the breadth of experience that young leaders are gaining is an amazing combination.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Authenticity. Believing in the possibility and the potential in people, and supporting that in people, helping others realize their goals and their drive.
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