What happens when the energy market around you begins to collapse?

In 2021–2022, an extraordinary energy crisis swept across the UK. Wholesale gas prices exploded. Household energy bills soared. Thirty energy suppliers collapsed.

And Monica Collings was sitting in the CEO's chair.

As CEO of challenger retailer So Energy, Monica had to navigate one of the most turbulent periods the energy industry had ever experienced—managing volatile wholesale markets, customer debt, regulators, government intervention, emergency board meetings and increasingly angry consumers. At its darkest moments, the hostility became personal, including social-media attacks and even death threats.

Yet So Energy survived.

In this compelling episode of The Energy Insider, Jack Doueck sits down with Monica Collins to explore what separates the companies—and leaders—that survive a crisis from those that don't.

What role did hedging, liquidity, governance and risk management play in determining which UK suppliers survived? Did the government's price cap protect consumers—or inadvertently help create the conditions that destroyed suppliers? And when markets become unstable, should regulators impose more restrictions—or focus instead on transparency and allow competitive markets to innovate?

Monica and Jack also compare the radically different structures of the UK and U.S. electricity markets, explore the growing problem of customer energy debt, and debate how regulators can protect vulnerable consumers without eliminating products and choices that may actually benefit them.

Today, Monica brings those lessons to some of the most important conversations shaping Britain's energy future, including her work advising on electricity-market design and the transition to net zero.

She also shares a lesson every executive should hear: the customer voice belongs in the boardroom. Understanding what customers are experiencing isn't simply a customer-service issue—it can fundamentally change corporate strategy.

And Monica explains why diversity in leadership isn't merely a social objective—it can be a competitive advantage, particularly when organizations are making difficult decisions under extreme pressure.

Recently honored with an OBE for her leadership and work advancing women in energy, Monica emerged from the crisis with lessons forged under circumstances few executives ever experience.

If your company suddenly faced a crisis tomorrow—would your balance sheet, your risk strategy, your board and your leadership team be ready?

This is a conversation about energy markets—but even more, it's about leadership when everything goes wrong.

You don’t want to miss it.

In this episode of The Energy Insider Podcast, Timothy Richmond, Director of Sales at Chariot Energy, joins Jack Doueck to share the remarkable 20-year journey that shaped his career in the retail energy industry.

From his early days at Power Brokers in Dallas in 2006, to leadership roles at TriEagle Energy under Rob Cantrell, Crius Energy under Michael Fallquist, and ultimately Chariot Energy in 2019, Tim discusses the experiences, mentors, and relationships that helped define his success in one of the most competitive industries in America.

Tim also explains Chariot Energy’s unique position in the marketplace as a retail energy startup backed by Hanwha Energy — a Fortune 300 global energy company with generation assets throughout the United States. The conversation explores Chariot’s ambitious expansion plans beyond ERCOT into PJM markets beginning with Ohio, as well as Tim’s perspective on the future of retail energy, including industry consolidation, the continued expansion of customer choice, and growing demand for long-term fixed-rate energy products.

In this episode, you will learn:

• Why Tim believes surrounding yourself with trustworthy, reliable, and hard-working people is one of the most important keys to long-term success in retail energy
• Why every young energy professional should seek out mentors who can provide guidance, perspective, and opportunity throughout their career
• Why Tim believes retail energy choice will continue expanding geographically as customers increasingly seek long-term price stability and budget certainty
• The competitive advantages that gentailers may have over traditional retail energy providers
• What Tim learned transitioning from the brokerage side of the business to the supplier side
• Why “breaking out of routine” can be critical for long-term professional growth and success
• What differentiates Chariot Energy in today’s rapidly evolving retail energy marketplace

Whether you are a seasoned energy executive, a young professional entering the industry, or simply interested in the future of competitive energy markets, this episode delivers valuable insights on leadership, career development, market evolution, and the power of building great relationships in business.

In this episode of The Energy Insider Podcast, Jack Doueck sits down with Matt McGaughey, CEO of Spinakr, for a fascinating conversation about leadership, innovation, entrepreneurship, and the evolution of the retail energy industry over the past three decades.

Matt shares his remarkable 30+ year journey in energy, beginning in 1994 at Price Waterhouse’s energy division immediately after college. From there, he went on to hold leadership roles at companies including Capco and Siebel Systems before helping shape one of the most recognizable brands in retail energy as CIO and later CMO of Stream Energy. In 2014, Matt founded Spinakr, a company focused on helping energy businesses grow through technology, branding, AI strategy, and hands-on execution—bringing together marketing, operations, and technology to move faster and get real work into market.

Throughout the conversation, Matt explains how Spinakr is helping energy companies navigate today’s rapidly changing landscape through AI integration, creative and marketing execution, and operational alignment to drive speed and results. He also discusses the recent acquisition of Brandworks, a digital and brand asset management platform designed to help organizations scale and strengthen their market presence.

Jack and Matt dive into some of the biggest challenges and opportunities facing the retail energy industry today, including:

• How suppliers can differentiate in an increasingly commoditized marketplace — where the product itself doesn’t change, but everything around it does
• The growing importance of customer advocacy and long-term value creation
• The impact of AI and automation on retail energy operations and marketing
• Strategies for reducing customer churn and improving engagement
• Why innovation and branding matter more than ever in competitive energy markets

Matt also shares why he believes the energy industry remains one of the most exciting and opportunity-rich sectors for young professionals, entrepreneurs, and executives looking to build meaningful careers in the years ahead — not always the sexiest industry, but an essential one.

If you are an energy executive, entrepreneur, marketer, technology leader, or anyone interested in the future of competitive energy markets, innovation, and AI-driven business transformation — this is an episode you will not want to miss.