Brandon Colker – CEO of Sustainable Venture Capital

Brandon Colker is the CEO of Sustainable Venture Capital and also serves as the director of the Lithium Exploration Group, and both firms are keenly focused on development and innovation in the sustainable technology field. Known for his thorough nature and his detail-oriented approach to each prospective project, Colker has long been at the forefront of the sustainability movement and brings a great deal of industry experience to his roles with Sustainable Venture Capital and Lithium Exploration Group. A graduate of the University of California at Santa Barbara, Colker remains very active in the Santa Barbara community and has long been involved in a number of local charitable endeavors.

What are your favorite books?

A friend of mine recommended the Master and Margarita some time ago and it quickly became my favorite book by a wide margin. You’d be hard-pressed to find a more complete novel than Mikhail Bulgakov’s, which is devastatingly funny, insightful and beautifully crafted in every sense imaginable. I’ve read it so many times since it was first recommended to me, and there are many instances in which I’ll just re-read a random chapter if I don’t have the kind of time necessary to commit to starting a new book.

What’s your favorite film?

Gabriel Byrne has always been one of my favorite actors, so it’s pretty likely that I’ll enjoy any film in which he is principally involved. Obviously, “The Usual Suspects” is one of his more recognizable roles, and I certainly feel comfortable identifying it as my favorite film.

What’s the best advice you ever received?

I’ve received a lot of wonderful advice over the years — mostly due to the fact that I try to seek out advice from others whenever possible — but the best advice I ever received focused on a simple principle reinforcing the importance of thorough preparation. Everyone understands the benefits of preparation, but not everyone takes the time to thoroughly prepare for a full range of possible situations and circumstances in the way that they should.

What’s your biggest accomplishment to date?

I have been involved with so many critical projects over the years, but my work with Sustainable Venture Capital and Lithium Exploration Group has enabled me to be deeply involved with stimulating growth in an industry that is so absolutely important to our future. I feel unbelievably grateful that my role has enabled me to remain at the forefront of the sustainable energy technology industry.

What did you learn from your biggest failure?

The most important thing I learned is that there is no failure so devastating that it cannot be overcome. Even the most difficult or seemingly overwhelming circumstance represents an opportunity to become stronger and to develop more efficient and effective strategies in order to avoid repeating the mistakes that led to failure in the first place. Every failure, no matter how big or how small, is a critical component of both personal and professional growth.