Meet the Team: Joe Johnson

Meet Joe Johnson, Account Executive at Zevero. He's had more jobs than most people have had hot dinners, from labouring to cabin crew to estate agent, before finding his footing as the founding UK sales hire at a European ClimateTech company. That stint, speaking to sustainability teams across industries every day, gave him a rare ground-level view of what organisations actually struggle with. He brought that to Zevero, and hasn't said no to anything since. When he's not managing sales cycles or running the partnerships function, Joe is doing Muay Thai in South London and quietly hoping the Spencer family gets in touch.

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Tell us a bit about your background.

I grew up in South-West London and never really left. Lots of concrete, not much greenery, but I wouldn’t change it!From a young age I loved Geography. I’d steal my Gran’s atlas and sit there memorising capital cities and flags. Surprisingly, it didn’t help me much with my Geography degree, but that early interest in the world and individual countries mean’t it was the only subject I wanted to pursue. Links very nicely with sustainability as well, so I’ve found out!

What’s your previous work experience?

It would be a lot quicker to name what I haven’t done. From Labouring to Cabin Crew, and everything in-between, I’d always hop from job to job, quickly find out whether I liked it or not and then move on. In sustainability though, I started off as the founding UK sales hire for a European ClimateTech company. I’d just finished being an estate agent, so it was the natural next step… I spent a few years there, and it’s where I built my knowledge around climate, carbon measurement, ESG frameworks. Speaking to sustainability teams across all industries, at large multi-nationals and SMEs every single day mean’t I got a rare glimpse into their role, pain points, and crucially what is most important to them.

What inspired you to join Zevero?

I was contacted out of the blue about an opportunity to join a growing ClimateTech start up based in London. At this point, I was working remotely for a French-based company in the same space, and the idea to contribute a company with a strong and growing presence in the UK was the initial pull. It was really the call I had with our Co-Founder, George, that inspired me to join though. He presented a clear plan for where he wanted Zevero to be, and crucially, a core customer base of clients who were already seeing decarbonisation progress, and impact happening. It was a combination of having a gut feeling that ‘I can trust this guy’ and seeing the impact Zevero were already having that made me join!

What’s your role at Zevero?

My official role at Zevero is Account Executive, which is managing sales cycles, and prospecting for new customers, but being in a fast-scaling company, you often roll up your sleeves and get stuck in elsewhere. Outside of what a typical AE might do, I look after our partnership function, manage a team of brilliant SDRs and whatever else I can get involved with.

What’s one project or moment at Zevero that you’re particularly proud of?

I’m proud of the overall expansion of Zevero since joining, but particularly being named the 32nd fastest growing tech company in Europe. I can definitely not take all the credit, but being part of such a driven and talented team that have worked incredibly hard to scale Zevero is huge for me personally. It’s vindication for all those times you open the laptop on a Sunday, or give that little bit extra, because it’s paid off.

What’s a skill, mindset, or habit that helps you succeed in your role?

I would say the habit of never saying ‘No’ to anything has helped me succeed in my role. While it’s terrible for time-management, it has mean’t I have learnt so much about different business functions and had conversations which initially might ‘seem’ to lead nowhere, but longer term, have paid off.

What sustainability trend, technology, or policy shift are you keeping an eye on right now?

UK SRS is what I’m keeping an eye on. The EU has CSRD which has been a big mover of the needle, even with the goal posts being moved several times and outside of SECR, the UK has had fairly little legislative requirements on carbon disclosure. Could this be our CSRD moment?

What’s one misconception about sustainability you find yourself correcting often?

Generally, I find myself correcting a companies ‘carbon neutral’ ambitions, politely of course, to Net Zero. I’m personally of the opinion that some action is better than no action, however when you feel an element of responsibility to present all the options of best practice in the industry when you discuss the sustainability roadmap of an organisation. These aren’t my decisions to make, but aiming to reduce what you can prior to offsetting, is not only better for the planet, but also a more powerful story to communicate externally about.

What’s something about you that people might not expect?

I am related to the royal family. I couldn’t be any less regal, and believe me there wasn’t one penny of generational wealth left for me (how selfish) but nonetheless if the Spencer side of the royals would like to meet their long lost cousin, drop me an email.

What’s your go-to coffee/matcha order?

My go to coffee order is a sugar free Boost or Red Bull, it’s actually a problem now, I go through 3 a day so if you see me shaking violently from caffeine in Holborn somewhere, mind your business please!!

If you weren’t doing your current job, what would you be doing instead?

I joked in the video interview that I’d be doing time somewhere, it was definitely a joke… If I wasn’t at Zevero, I would have gone into sports agency, I’d love to be a football agent, sneakily giving Fabrizio Romano ‘Here We Go’s’.

One song that always boosts your mood?

When I’m looking to boost my mood, I play the (un)official UK National Anthem, ‘One More Chance Freestyle - Skrapz’.

What’s one goal you’d like to achieve in the next 5 years?

To be able to buy a pint in London without checking with my accountant (the Revolut App) first. On a more serious note, I’d love to have a family of my own!

Favorite quote or a philosophy you try to live by?

My favourite quote is a reminder to always be yourself, never to tone yourself down, be scared to talk your mind or change who you are because: Those who matter, don’t mind, just as those who mind, don’t matter.

Outside of work, what do you love spending time on? (any hobby or passion of yours)

Outside of work, you’ll find me doing Muay-Thai or watching UFC. I’m from South London, you can’t be too careful!

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