370: Clearing the Air: Entrepreneurship on the Spectrum
Summary
On this episode of Startup Junkies, hosts Victoria Dickerson, Jeff Amerine, and Grace Gill talk to Peter Mann, founder and CEO of Oransi. Oransi is a leading manufacturer of HEPA air purifiers and a motor technology company with a sustainable mission based in Radford, VA. Peter’s passion for clean air began with his son who struggled with asthma. Conducting extensive research, he learned the significant impact of poor air quality on one’s health. Peter aimed to create an affordable and accessible solution for others, thus, Oransi was born in 2009. Peter shares his passion for neurodiversity advocacy, and discusses how being on the autistic spectrum has impacted his career as an entrepreneur and the lack of awareness about neurodiversity in the workforce. He details how entrepreneurship may be a viable option for those on the spectrum rather than corporate jobs. Throughout the episode, Peter discusses his passion for marketing, clean air advocacy, and autism advocacy.
Show Notes
(0:49) Introducing Peter Mann and Oransi
(3:41) Maintaining a Competitive Edge
(6:50) Strategies for Marketing Clean Air Energy
(8:33) Making the Jump from Corporate to Entrepreneurship
(12:48) Entrepreneurship on the Spectrum
(24:29) Advice to Younger Self
(25:16) Closing Thoughts
Links
Quotes
“There’s been a lot of work recently in terms of raising awareness and education about the importance of indoor air. And there’s a guy at Harvard who leads their healthy building program who says your facility or building manager has a bigger impact on your health than your doctor does.” - Peter Mann, (7:13)
“We’re really kind of, shockingly in some ways, in the early days of understanding the impacts of poor indoor air quality and what we’re doing is really just trying to raise awareness for [the danger of that] as well as provide solutions that are affordable and accessible.” - Peter Mann, (8:14)
“For me, I think how I got to where I am is largely in part due to [being autistic] and that drive for autonomy. I don’t know anyone who’s autistic that worked their way up through a large organization to the top, but I know several folks that are autistic that started their own business…if your interest is work or producing new things or bringing products to market or working on problems, and that’s where you get your energy, I think that’s definitely an advantage.” - Peter Mann, (14:28)
“You’re going to work most of your life. You could have a fifty year career and you don’t have to crush it in year one…and everything always takes longer so you have to have patience and be able to stick with it.” - Peter Mann, (24:38)
