Power Moves: Inside Energy Innovation and Consulting with Ashton Fox

In this episode, Cat sits down with Ashton Fox, President of Onix Energy, to explore how consulting and executive leadership are reshaping the future of energy. With an impressive career spanning renewable energy, natural gas, and electricity supply, Ashton brings a wealth of experience on scaling organizations, transforming business models, and leading companies through high-stakes change.

Ashton shares how he helped transform a negative-revenue startup into a $150M powerhouse, scaled solar and renewable operations across new markets, and shifted an energy supplier from 10% to 100% renewables. But beyond the numbers, he dives into what it really takes to be a transformational leader: building trust, managing culture during rapid growth, and creating sustainable strategies that last.

• Energy Leadership: How Ashton navigated the transition from fossil fuels to renewables while maintaining profitability and growth.

• Scaling with Purpose: Lessons on expanding a company’s footprint from one market to six while multiplying revenue by 15x.

• The Consulting Mindset: Why consulting skills are crucial for energy executives — from solving complex problems to guiding strategic pivots.

• Sustainability in Action: How to implement efficiency programs that save clients 25% on energy costs while driving impact.

• Executive Lessons: Ashton’s take on building recurring revenue streams, transforming company culture, and positioning businesses for long-term success.

This conversation is a must-listen for consultants, executives, and anyone interested in how innovation, leadership, and consulting expertise intersect in one of the world’s most important industries.

Power Moves: Inside Energy Innovation and Consulting with Ashton Fox

What Guest is Promoting: https://onixenergy.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashtonfox1/

Ashton Fox is a visionary C-Suite executive with extensive experience in strategic leadership, enterprise transformation, and organizational growth in the renewable energy sector. As the former CEO of a solar EPC company and COO of a natural gas and electricity supplier, Ashton has a proven track record of scaling organizations, driving market expansion, and delivering exceptional shareholder value.

During his tenure at the energy supply company, Ashton transformed the organization from a negative revenue startup to an entity with $150M in assets, expanded its footprint from one market to six, and increased the customer base and revenue by 15x. He pioneered the company's transition from 10% to 100% renewable energy sources and developed comprehensive energy efficiency programs resulting in average customer savings of 25%.

At the solar EPC company, Ashton led strategic growth and market expansion, scaling the sales organization by 50% while maintaining profitability and establishing strategic partnerships with key equipment suppliers.

Currently, Ashton is the President of Onix Energy, where he focuses on energy procurement and specialized sustainability programs for commercial clients. He also provides executive-level consulting services to renewable energy and cleantech organizations, focusing on strategic growth initiatives, operational excellence, and market expansion strategies. He specializes in transforming traditional energy companies into renewable energy leaders while establishing recurring revenue streams and optimizing financial performance.

In this episode of the Art of Consulting Podcast, hosts Andy Fry and Cat Lam sit down with Drew Mair, President of Ridgeline Solar, to explore his inspiring journey from Alberta’s oil and gas sector to building one of the most respected solar manpower companies in Western Canada.

Drew shares how his early career as an electrician shaped his transition into renewable energy, and the challenges of moving from “one guy in a truck” to running a full-fledged solar construction business. He talks candidly about balancing golden handcuffs with flexibility, the risks of entrepreneurship, and the mindset shift from being self-employed to leading a team.

The conversation dives into:

• Starting Ridgeline Solar – why Drew left the oilfields to build something of his own

• Golden Handcuffs vs. Flexibility – making the choice to prioritize freedom and family over security

• Scaling a Business – moving from solopreneur to building teams, hiring operations managers, and creating systems

• Pipeline Fears – how Drew manages the ever-present fear of “dry spells” in project work

• Quality and Transparency – why Ridgeline Solar stands apart, with in-house electricians, rigorous QA, and complete transparency with customers

• Future of Solar Energy – the growth of utility-scale projects, opportunities in Alberta and beyond, and why Drew welcomes any innovation that moves clean energy forward

Whether you’re an entrepreneur, energy enthusiast, or someone curious about the future of renewables, this episode delivers real-world lessons on resilience, leadership, and innovation.

• What Guest is Promoting: Ridgeline Solar

• LinkedIn: Drew Mair

Drew Mair – President, Ridgeline Solar
Drew Mair is the President of Ridgeline Solar, a company specializing in utility-scale solar manpower solutions. With over a decade of experience as an electrician in Alberta’s energy sector, Drew transitioned from oil and gas to renewable energy, driven by a desire for flexibility and a passion for building something of his own. Starting as a solopreneur—just one person and a truck—he grew Ridgeline Solar into a respected organization known for its operational excellence, transparency, and commitment to quality. Drew’s leadership focuses on building strong teams, delivering high-value solar projects, and continuously improving processes to set new standards in the industry.

Breaking Barriers: Svetlana Winters’ Journey from Russia to CFO in American Oil & Gas

In this episode, we sit down with Svetlana Winters, CFO at Alteriver, whose journey from Russia to the executive boardroom of a U.S. oil & gas company is nothing short of inspiring.

Svetlana shares how she left a top finance role in Russia to start over in the United States—facing language barriers, cultural challenges, and the uphill climb of rebuilding her career from the ground up. Her story is a testament to perseverance, adaptability, and the strength required to thrive in male-dominated industries.

• Starting Over with Courage: How Svetlana navigated language and cultural barriers while rebuilding her career in a new country.

• Leadership in Oil & Gas: The realities of being a woman leader in a highly male-dominated sector—and how she earned respect through expertise and resilience.

• The CFO’s Role Beyond Numbers: Why financial leadership is about relationships, trust, and proactive decision-making, not just balance sheets.

• Building Trust as a Leader: Svetlana’s three-part formula for becoming a trusted advisor: build credibility through action, anticipate needs, and communicate with clarity.

• Global Lessons in Leadership: The cultural differences in management styles she’s observed across Russia, the U.S., and beyond—and how they’ve shaped her approach.

Svetlana’s journey shows that even when you have to start over, determination, strategy, and a positive outlook can take you to the very top.

Breaking Barriers: Svetlana Winters’ Journey from Russia to CFO in American Oil & Gas

What Guest is Promoting: https://alteriver.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/svetlanawinters/

Svetlana Winters is a seasoned finance and accounting leader with over 25 years of experience spanning FP&A, regulatory compliance, and strategic financial management. Currently serving as CFO at Alteriver, Svetlana has driven transformative initiatives including a $70 million cost recovery, IPO-critical audits, and the overhaul of asset management systems.

Her career includes senior roles at industry giants like Baker Hughes, CNJ Energy Services, and Tubular Solutions, where she led GAAP/IFRS compliance, tax strategy, and capital planning. Svetlana holds both a master’s and bachelor’s degree in accountancy and auditing from the East Siberian University of Technology, is a certified financial director and professional accountant through IFAC, and is fluent in English and Russian.

Her global perspective, technical expertise, and passion for mentoring make her a powerhouse in the world of finance and a role model for aspiring leaders.