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Devin: What is your superpower?
Natalie: I truly believe, Devin, that my superpower is faith.
In today’s episode of Superpowers for Good, I had the pleasure of speaking with Natalie King, the dynamic Founder and CEO of Dunamis Charge. Natalie’s passion and commitment to electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure are truly inspiring, and her insights highlight the importance of equitable access to EV charging stations.
Natalie emphasized the “chicken and the egg” scenario that has hindered the widespread adoption of EVs. While EV adoption rates have not met initial expectations, she pointed out that this is largely due to insufficient EV infrastructure. This gap presents a unique opportunity for Dunamis Charge to step in and make a significant impact. As she put it, “You do have real range anxiety for EV drivers and for those interested in purchasing an EV but won't because the EV infrastructure is not there.”
Dunamis Charge is not just another player in the EV market; it is a trailblazer focused on serving underserved communities. Natalie passionately described how Dunamis Charge is leveraging billions of dollars in federal investment to create reliable and accessible EV charging stations. By setting up a manufacturing plant in Detroit, Dunamis Charge is not only addressing the infrastructure gap but also creating jobs and supporting local communities. “We are uniquely positioned to take advantage of all of the billions of dollars being invested right now in this EV infrastructure industry and to make it well and to make it right here in America and to employ workers from America to build it,” Natalie shared.
Moreover, Natalie’s commitment to environmental justice is evident in her approach. Dunamis Charge’s “Communities in Charge” program partners with faith-based and nonprofit organizations to educate and engage communities about the benefits of EVs. This initiative ensures that the transition to EVs is inclusive and beneficial for all. As Natalie eloquently put it, “We want to be that bridge to those communities because we already work in those communities, we hire from those communities, and we believe that we can bring the EV deployment as an opportunity.”
In essence, Dunamis Charge is not only solving the current EV infrastructure challenges but also paving the way for a more inclusive and sustainable future. Natalie King’s visionary leadership and dedication to equitable access make her a true changemaker in the EV industry. I am excited to see how Dunamis Charge will continue to transform the landscape of EV infrastructure and make electric vehicles a reality for everyone.
Dunamis Charge is conducting a regulated investment crowdfunding offering on Rise Up Crowdfunding.
tl;dr:
1. Guest Introduction and Topic Overview: Devin introduces Natalie King, the CEO of Dunamis Charge, emphasizing her role in the electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure industry in Detroit. They discuss the growing demand and the issues around EV adoption and charging infrastructure.
2. Challenges in EV Adoption: Natalie explains the "chicken and egg" issue with EV adoption and charging infrastructure. Despite investments, the anticipated growth rate for EV adoption has not been met, causing some to pull back on infrastructure investments. However, she sees this as an opportunity for Dunamis Charge to address range anxiety and ensure reliable EV infrastructure.
3. Focus on Equity and Inclusion: Dunamis Charge aims to bring EV infrastructure to underserved and underrepresented communities. Leveraging initiatives like the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Natalie speaks about promoting environmental justice and ensuring all communities benefit from EV infrastructure.
4. Community Engagement and Education: Natalie discusses the "Communities in Charge" program, which partners with organizations to bring EV education and charging solutions to faith-based and nonprofit groups. This initiative includes educating communities about the benefits of EV adoption and providing information on incentives and economic opportunities.
5. Company Growth and Future Plans: Natalie highlights Dunamis Charge's progress, including a forecast for significant revenue growth and ongoing efforts to expand their EV charging solutions across various states. The discussion also covers the company’s crowdfunding campaign on Rise Up Crowdfunding to enable broader community investment and support for their mission.
How to Develop Faith As a Superpower
Natalie King’s superpower is her unwavering faith. This faith has guided her through numerous challenges in the clean energy technology space, particularly as a minority woman in a field with few peers. Her faith propels her to persevere, innovate, and give back to the community, even when the path ahead is unclear.
Natalie shared a compelling story about her struggle to secure capital for Dunamis Charge. Despite numerous banks praising her business concept and her vision, they repeatedly turned her down due to various reasons. This recurring disappointment was challenging, but her faith kept her determined. Natalie believes that resources follow passion and vision, which eventually helped her overcome these financial hurdles.
Tips for Developing the Superpower:
Persevere Through Challenges: Keep moving forward even when the path is unclear and obstacles arise.
Maintain a Vision: Have a clear vision of your goals and believe in them, even if others do not immediately see the potential.
Seek Support: Connect with people and organizations that believe in your mission and can offer support.
Prepare in Advance: Secure resources before you need them to avoid last-minute challenges.
Trust the Process: Have faith that if you are doing what you are meant to do, everything will eventually work out.
By following Natalie’s example and advice, you can make faith a skill. With practice and effort, you could make it a superpower that enables you to do more good in the world.
Remember, however, that research into success suggests that building on your own superpowers is more important than creating new ones or overcoming weaknesses. You do you!
Guest Profile
Natalie King (she/her):
Founder and CEO, Dunamis Charge
About Dunamis Charge: To make high-quality, affordable EV charging solutions accessible everywhere.
Dunamis Charge takes great pride in empowering individuals and enhancing their mobility, with a strong emphasis on energy cost savings for our customers across various sectors. We are committed to making best-in-class, cost-effective EV charging solutions available while benefiting our planet.
Dunamis Charge aims to transform lives with world-class, dependable EV charging technology. We are dedicated to revolutionizing how people access energy. Our goal is to create a world where going electric is easy and accessible for everyone, whenever and wherever it’s needed.
Website: dunamischarge.com
X/Twitter Handle:@dunamischarge
Crowdfund Offering: riseupcrowdfunding.com/co/dunamis/#/
Facebook Page: fb.com/dunamischarge
Linkedin: linkedin.com/company/dunamis-charge/mycompany/
Instagram Handle: @dunamischarge/
Biographical Information: Natalie King is the founder and CEO of Dunamis Clean Energy Partners, LLC, and its affiliated company, Dunamis Charge. Under her leadership, Dunamis has grown into a multi-million-dollar corporation with more than 150 workers throughout Southeastern Michigan. Natalie's innovative vision for Dunamis has resulted in creating a diversified portfolio of products and services, including LED lighting and electric vehicle charger manufacturing, as well as energy efficiency and environmental service solutions. King was selected as a Notable Leader in Energy in 2023 by Crain's, awarded the Most Valuable Entrepreneur for 2023 by Corp! Magazine as well as the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2021 Michigan and Northwest Ohio. Dunamis was selected to join the 2021 inaugural cohorts of the Stellantis National Black Supplier Development Program and Apple Impact Accelerator Program. The Electric Vehicle charger manufacturer is part of the Cummins CARE BOA (Black Owned Enterprise) and is a Tier One Vendor to DTE Energy.
As a lauded clean energy and electrification thought leader and trailblazer, King was selected to deliver inspiring remarks and introduce President Joe Biden at the 2023 Small Business Administration's Women's Business Summit at the White House, her company was also mentioned in two White House Fact Sheets.
Before entering the clean energy space, Natalie operated The Law Offices of Natalie M. King, PLC, where she managed a successful corporate, real estate, and entertainment law practice for 18 years. She also served as an adjunct professor of Contract and Business Law at Thomas M. Cooley Law School and Liberty University.
A native Detroiter, King earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and her Juris Doctorate from Wayne State University Law School. She is also a graduate of the Tuck Executive Education at Dartmouth “Building the Minority Business to Scale'' MBE program. She serves as a board member of the National Business League (formerly the Michigan Black Chamber of Commerce) as well as the Michigan Chamber of Commerce Energy & Environment Committee. She is the Chairwoman and a founding member of Blacks in Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (BEVI).
King has been passionately committed to charitable initiatives and community advocacy for over 25 years. She is the founder of Doing the Work Foundation is a nonprofit organization focused on serving poor and disenfranchised communities around the world in the areas of homelessness, hunger, poverty eradication, entrepreneurial education, clean energy resources, and spiritual empowerment. She served as the event organizer for the Annual Detroit Red Carpet Backyard BBQ for the Homeless & Hungry which fed over 5,000 Detroit citizens in need annually. She also serves as Board Chairperson for Abayomi Community Development Corporation, a nonprofit youth servicing organization, and as a board member of The Yunion, a nonprofit youth mentoring organization.
King is a published author of the book “Let There Be Light”, available on Amazon Kindle, a proud mother, and a licensed and ordained minister. The EV infrastructure trailblazer is a 2022 TEDx alumnus. She presented at the United Nations in 2022 and has been featured on Good Morning America, in Forbes, Bloomberg, People of Color in Tech, Black Enterprise, CBS, Michigan Chronicle, Detroit News, Detroit Free Press, and more!
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