When Katherine McConnell was a Macquarie banker specializing in asset finance she knew there was a genuine & untapped opportunity that no big bank could take advantage of. And that was to provide new ways to help ordinary householders invest hefty upfront charges in renewable energy in their homes, be it rooftop solar, battery or blinds. So she mortgaged her family’s home, scrimped and saved every penny, including her kids’ (former) private school fees, and created Brighte, which essentially offers a Buy Now, Pay Later payment plan – with no interest charged – for expensive renewable energy assets in the home. It was a masterstroke plan that actually started life in 2015 as a blog she wrote to help consumers think about renewables. That blog turned into a business plan, which turned into HER business plan. And that transformed into her startup in 2016 – Brighte. Brighte has since attracted the attention of tech billionaires Mike Cannon-Brookes and Scott Farquhar, who have heavily backed her venture. Hear HOW Katherine stole a march on territory that should have been bread and butter for big banks – providing credit to households; how she built her empire from an initial 6 employees to currently 180 in the team; and how she has navigated and managed Brighte’s wild ride in just 5 years.

<p>When Katherine McConnell was a Macquarie banker specializing in asset finance she knew there was a genuine &amp; untapped opportunity that no big bank could take advantage of. And that was to provide new ways to help ordinary householders invest hefty upfront charges in renewable energy in their homes, be it rooftop solar, battery or blinds. So she mortgaged her family&rsquo;s home, scrimped and saved every penny, including her kids&rsquo; (former) private school fees, and created Brighte, which essentially offers a Buy Now, Pay Later payment plan &ndash; with no interest charged &ndash; for expensive renewable energy assets in the home. It was a masterstroke plan that actually started life in 2015 as a blog she wrote to help consumers think about renewables. That blog turned into a business plan, which turned into HER business plan. And that transformed into her startup in 2016 &ndash; Brighte. Brighte has since attracted the attention of tech billionaires Mike Cannon-Brookes and Scott Farquhar, who have heavily backed her venture. Hear HOW Katherine stole a march on territory that should have been bread and butter for big banks &ndash; providing credit to households; how she built her empire from an initial 6 employees to currently 180 in the team; and how she has navigated and managed Brighte&rsquo;s wild ride in just 5 years.</p>

Candid interviews with successful Self-starters. On Build It. They'll Come, you'll hear from some amazing Australian entrepreneurs who bet big to build great businesses. Journalist Helen Dalley interviews business innovators and visionaries on how they turned their lightbulb idea into a viable, sustainable enterprise. 

This podcast is about the human face behind taking a simple idea and turning it into a business or movement. It's the beating heart behind what it takes to build an empire, from concept to execution, and how they actually achieve it. Fuelled by blind faith and hard slog, how they transform their dream idea into concrete reality.

Journalist Helen Dalley interviews business innovators and visionaries on how they turned their lightbulb idea into a viable, sustainable enterprise.

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