Read Time: 7 minutes

Nick Martin, Co-Founder of Carbon Reform, is a leader in climate tech innovation, blending sustainability with entrepreneurial spirit. With a background in chemical engineering, Nick’s journey has been shaped by his passion for addressing climate challenges and building resilient businesses. In this part of the interview, Nick discusses key lessons learned, from overcoming setbacks to creating a lasting social impact. Readers will gain insights into strategic growth, effective leadership, and maintaining purpose in business.

Thanks again for joining us, Nick—it’s always great to hear your insights. To start off, let’s talk about the impact entrepreneurs can have on society. How do you see this, and how do you incorporate philanthropy into your business model at Carbon Reform?

Entrepreneurs have a unique opportunity to make a positive impact on society by addressing real-world challenges through innovative solutions, creating jobs, and fostering economic growth. At Carbon Reform, we integrate this mindset into everything we do by focusing on sustainability and equity. Our technology directly contributes to reducing carbon emissions and improving indoor air quality, which not only helps fight climate change but also benefits communities that suffer from poor air quality, particularly underserved populations.

What legacy do you hope to leave through your business, and how do you envision your impact on future generations?

The legacy I hope to leave through Carbon Reform is one of tangible environmental impact and equity in climate solutions. I want to demonstrate that businesses can address global challenges like climate change while being socially responsible **and** profitable. By helping to reduce carbon emissions and improve air quality in commercial buildings, I envision our technology playing a critical role in creating healthier, more sustainable environments for future generations.

My goal is for future generations to inherit a world where sustainability is the norm. I want to inspire other entrepreneurs to embed purpose into their business models, showing that profit and impact can go hand-in-hand.

It’s clear that you’re driven by a powerful vision of making a real difference, not only for the environment but also for future generations. With that in mind, let’s shift gears and discuss aspiring entrepreneurs—what common mistakes do you see them making, and how can they avoid those pitfalls?

A common mistake aspiring entrepreneurs make is focusing too much on perfecting the product and not enough on validating it with customers. It’s crucial to engage customers early, gather feedback, and ensure the product solves their real problems. Another pitfall is hiring based solely on skill without considering cultural fit can hurt long-term success—building a team with shared values is just as important as technical expertise.

If you could go back in time, what advice would you give to your younger self when you were just starting out?

If I could go back in time, I’d tell my younger self that you’re too creative to fail—a reminder I now keep as a sign on my desk. I wouldn’t want to believe I’m too big, too profitable, or too smart to fail, but rather that my creativity will always help me find new solutions and adapt to challenges.

What resources (books, courses, mentors) have been most valuable to you in your entrepreneurial journey?

One of the most valuable books for me has been “Never Split the Difference” by Chris Voss, which taught me the power of negotiation and how to approach conversations with empathy and strategy. When it comes to mentors, the strong women in my life have had the biggest impact—whether it’s my late mother, my co-founder and CEO, or the advisors and friends who have supported me along the way. Their wisdom and encouragement have been essential to my growth as an entrepreneur. Lastly, the podcast “How I Built This” by Guy Raz, have been a constant source of inspiration, offering real-world stories and lessons from other founders.

It sounds like those resources have been incredibly influential in shaping your journey. Now, looking ahead, I’m curious—what emerging trends in your industry do you think will have the biggest impact on the future of entrepreneurship?

Emerging trends in the climate tech space will greatly shape entrepreneurship. The price on carbon and penalties for greenwashing are pushing companies to be more accountable and transparent. We’re also seeing a rise in scalable, equitable, and profitable startup business models that prioritize both impact and revenue. Additionally, more VC firms are focusing on catalytic capital, helping startups navigate the critical stages of growth, particularly through the challenging “valleys of death.” These trends will drive more responsible and innovative business approaches in the future.

How do you envision your business evolving over the next five years, and what steps are you taking to prepare for that future?

Over the next five years, I see Carbon Reform scaling our Carbon Capsule® technology to become a key solution for commercial buildings, reducing carbon emissions, improving energy efficiency, and creating healthy indoor air. We’re preparing by securing more funding, building strategic partnerships (with other startups as well as multinational organizations), and hiring top talent to support growth. We’re also refining our product and staying ahead of regulatory changes to meet increasing market demand for sustainable building solutions.

You’ve clearly got a well-defined plan for the future of Carbon Reform. Before we wrap up, what final thoughts or key advice would you like to share with aspiring entrepreneurs?

For aspiring entrepreneurs, the most important takeaway is to stay adaptable. Your initial idea will likely change as you learn from customers and the market, so be open to iteration and growth. Secondly, surround yourself with the right people—whether it’s a co-founder, mentors, or a supportive team—because entrepreneurship is not a solo journey. Lastly, remember that persistence is key. Challenges are inevitable, but how you respond to them will determine your success. Keep pushing forward, trust your creativity, and don’t be afraid to take risks.

Nick, thank you for sharing your journey, insights, and plans for the future. Your thoughts on adaptability, resilience, and building a purpose-driven business are sure to inspire many. We can’t wait to see what’s next for you and Carbon Reform!

Marc J. Bernstein JD, ChFC®, CLU®, CAP®

Financial Planner and Consultant, Bestselling Author, and Creator of the Forward Focus Forums

Marc helps high performing entrepreneurs and business owners create a vision for the future, accomplish their business and personal goals, financial and otherwise, and assists them in following through on their intentions.  Marc recently co-founded March, a forward-looking company with a unique approach to wealth management.  He captured his philosophy in his #1 Amazon Bestseller, The Fiscal Therapy Solution 1.0.  Marc is also the founder of the Forward Focus Forum, a suite of resources tailored specifically to educate and connect high performing entrepreneurs, and to help them realize their vision of true financial independence. The forum includes;

• the Founders’ Forward Focus Forum: a series of articles focused on entrepreneurship
• the Founders’ Forum Radio Show and Podcast: featuring interviews with some of the area’s top founders and their experiences in business
• the Manufacturers’ Forward Focus Forum: a specialized resource group for owners/founders of manufacturing companies, including a private Facebook group; a private discussion group for high performing leaders of manufacturing companies to share resources, news, network with each other, and collaborate