Untangling Climate Finance

Tuesday, April 14, 2026Sliced 63: IFNF Insights Brief No. 2 of 5: The TRARO Framework – Seven Elements That Predict Capital MobilizationIn this edition of SLICED, we continue our five-part IFNF Insights Brief Series. Brief No. 2 introduces the TRARO Framework — seven elements that predict whether a conservation finance project will actually mobilize capital — and what separates high scorers from those that stall. A new IFNF brief drops every month so keep an eye out next month for No. 3. --Sliced is a weekly short-form dispatch released every Tuesday that features original thought pieces from our team members with the goal of slicing apart the various complex aspects of climate finance. If you want to check out the written version of Sliced, click here: https://gordianknotstrategies.com/weekly-newsletter/Sliced is produced by ⁠Gordian Knot Strategies⁠. It is written, narrated, and edited by ⁠Jay Tipton⁠. Visit us at www.gordianknotstrategies.com. Music is by ⁠Coma-Media.

Tuesday, March 24, 2026Sliced 62: IFNF Insights Brief No. 1 of 5: From Concept to Capital – Bridging the Readiness GapIn this edition of SLICED, we launch a five-part IFNF Insights Brief Series produced by Gordian Knot Strategies, with support from the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities. Brief No. 1 explores the gap between projects that are investment worthy and those that are truly investment ready, and what it takes to cross it. A new IFNF brief drops every month so keep an eye out next month for No. 2. --Sliced is a weekly short-form dispatch released every Tuesday that features original thought pieces from our team members with the goal of slicing apart the various complex aspects of climate finance. If you want to check out the written version of Sliced, click here: https://gordianknotstrategies.com/weekly-newsletter/Sliced is produced by ⁠Gordian Knot Strategies⁠. It is written, narrated, and edited by ⁠Jay Tipton⁠. Visit us at www.gordianknotstrategies.com. Music is by ⁠Coma-Media.

Season 4, Episode 3: Building a Culture of Doing Good with Ignacio Barriendos HoppichlerIn this episode, Jay connects with Ignacio Barriendos Hoppichler, CEO and Founder of DoGood People, to explore why employee engagement is one of the most underleveraged tools in the climate transition, and how activating people inside companies can turn sustainability strategies into real, daily action.Ignacio shares how DoGood works with enterprises like Amazon Web Services, Mastercard, Victoria’s Secret and more to translate complex ESG commitments into simple, trackable habits for employees, why disengaged workforces are a bigger threat than a bad sustainability report, and what it takes to build a genuine culture of doing good from the inside out.He also shares his vision for taking DoGood global, including a newly launched program with KPMG Canada.Give it a listen to learn why people are a key piece in climate finance.Resources:DoGood People: https://www.dogoodpeople.com/Ignacio Barriendos Hoppichler: i.barriendos@dogoodpeople.com --About:Untangling Climate Finance⁠ explores the dynamic field of climate change finance through conversations with industry experts about topics including climate solutions, global carbon markets, carbon projects, novel technologies, and much more.If you have any questions, comments, a future guest recommendation, or are interested in joining Jay for an episode, please shoot him a message at: ⁠jtipton@gordianknotstrategies.com⁠Credits:The podcast is produced by ⁠⁠Gordian Knot Strategies⁠⁠.It is written, narrated, and edited by ⁠⁠Jay Tipton⁠⁠.Music is by ⁠⁠Diamond_Tunes⁠. 

Tuesday, March 10, 2026Sliced 61: Turning Urban Forests Into Climate Assets: City Forest Carbon+ Credits For SaleIn this edition of SLICED, we announce Gordian Knot Strategies' partnership with City Forest Credits and their Project Operators to officially launch the commercialization of City Forest Carbon+ Credits - a premium class of urban forest carbon assets backed by ICROA endorsement, top-tier independent ratings, and a compelling human impact story. Our joint work aims to connect corporate buyers with high-integrity, community-based credits from 65+ projects across 20+ American cities, as CFC advances its mission to turn urban forests into lasting climate assets.If you're interested in buying City Forest Carbon+ Credits, please email Jay Tipton at jtipton@gordianknotstrategies.com --Sliced is a weekly short-form dispatch released every Tuesday that features original thought pieces from our team members with the goal of slicing apart the various complex aspects of climate finance. If you want to check out the written version of Sliced, click here: https://gordianknotstrategies.com/weekly-newsletter/Sliced is produced by ⁠Gordian Knot Strategies⁠. It is written, narrated, and edited by ⁠Jay Tipton⁠. Visit us at www.gordianknotstrategies.com. Music is by ⁠Coma-Media.

Tuesday, February 24, 2026Sliced 60: TransEnergy Global Partners with Gordian Knot Strategies for Energy Transition Credit Price DiscoveryIn this edition of SLICED, we announce TransEnergy Global’s collaboration with Gordian Knot Strategies to launch a market price discovery effort for Energy Transition Credits - an emerging and underdeveloped class of avoided-emissions assets. Their joint work aims to bring clarity to pricing, credibility, and market pathways as TransEnergy Global advances its energy transition projects.Media Contact: TransEnergy GlobalDuncan WardExecutive Directorduncan@transenergy-global.comGordian Knot StrategiesJay TiptonSenior Directorjtipton@gordianknotstrategies.com --Sliced is a weekly short-form dispatch released every Tuesday that features original thought pieces from our team members with the goal of slicing apart the various complex aspects of climate finance. If you want to check out the written version of Sliced, click here: https://gordianknotstrategies.com/weekly-newsletter/Sliced is produced by ⁠Gordian Knot Strategies⁠. It is written, narrated, and edited by ⁠Jay Tipton⁠. Visit us at www.gordianknotstrategies.com. Music is by ⁠Coma-Media.

Season 4, Episode 2: Mark McPherson on City Forest Credits and Human ImpactIn this episode, Jay connects with Mark McPherson, Founder and Executive Director of City Forest Credits, to explore why urban forests are one of the most undervalued forms of climate infrastructure, and how carbon finance can help protect them before they’re lost.Mark explains how urban forests deliver climate, health, and equity benefits directly where people live and how City Forest Credits developed human-centered “Carbon+” protocols to address that gap. They also discuss why preserving existing urban forests - and avoiding emissions today - is just as critical as long-term carbon removals.They touch on who is buying urban forest carbon credits - including companies like REI and Airbnb, as well as professional sports teams such as the Minnesota Wild and Pittsburgh Penguins - what makes these credits premium despite their smaller volumes, and why demand certainty remains one of the biggest barriers to scaling impact. Mark also shares real-world examples of projects where carbon finance helped preserve threatened forests near cities - projects that may not have survived otherwise.Give it a listen to learn how urban forests connect climate action to human well-being, and what it will take to mobilize capital at the scale cities need.Resources:City Forest Credits: https://www.cityforestcredits.org/Preservation Protocol: https://www.cityforestcredits.org/carbon-credits/carbon-protocols/Project Portfolio: https://www.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/6404da1948fc4b43b7dc463f961b0005If you are interested in purchasing Carbon+ Credits, please message Jay at: jtipton@gordianknotstrategies.com--About:Untangling Climate Finance⁠ explores the dynamic field of climate change finance through conversations with industry experts about topics including climate solutions, global carbon markets, carbon projects, novel technologies such as AI and distributed ledger, and much more.If you have any questions, comments, a future guest recommendation, or are interested in joining Jay for an episode, please shoot him a message at: ⁠jtipton@gordianknotstrategies.com⁠Credits:The podcast is produced by ⁠⁠Gordian Knot Strategies⁠⁠.It is written, narrated, and edited by ⁠⁠Jay Tipton⁠⁠.Music is by ⁠⁠Diamond_Tunes⁠. 

Tuesday, February 10, 2026Sliced 59: Europe is Defining Carbon Removals and International CreditsIn this edition of SLICED, we look at two EU announcements that could reshape carbon markets - new standards for permanent carbon removals and a consultation on post-2030 Article 6 credit use, and how these are clarifying supply while leaving demand and market integration still to be decided. --Sliced is a weekly short-form dispatch released every Tuesday that features original thought pieces from our team members with the goal of slicing apart the various complex aspects of climate finance. If you want to check out the written version of Sliced, click here: https://gordianknotstrategies.com/weekly-newsletter/Sliced is produced by ⁠Gordian Knot Strategies⁠. It is written, narrated, and edited by ⁠Jay Tipton⁠. Visit us at www.gordianknotstrategies.com. Music is by ⁠Coma-Media.

Tuesday, January 27, 2026Sliced 58: GKS Supports Capital Mobilization & Market Readiness for Liberia’s Carbon Markets AuthorityIn this edition of SLICED, Gordian Knot Strategies announces its partnership with the Carbon Markets Authority (CMA) of the Government of Liberia, focusing on raising funds and providing technical support for the CMA, to help stand up Liberia's carbon market infrastructure. --Sliced is a weekly short-form dispatch released every Tuesday that features original thought pieces from our team members with the goal of slicing apart the various complex aspects of climate finance. If you want to check out the written version of Sliced, click here: https://gordianknotstrategies.com/weekly-newsletter/Sliced is produced by ⁠Gordian Knot Strategies⁠. It is written, narrated, and edited by ⁠Jay Tipton⁠. Visit us at www.gordianknotstrategies.com. Music is by ⁠Coma-Media.

In this episode, Jay speaks with Maggie Monast, Senior Director, Climate-Smart Agriculture, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), about how agriculture finance is moving from awareness to action on climate risk, and what it will take to scale climate-smart practices. Maggie explains why climate risk is now a material business risk for agriculture lenders and how better tools can translate climate scenarios into practical credit decisions.They also discuss what farmers need from climate finance, how lenders and value-chain incentives can help drive adoption, and why blended finance can be a high-leverage way to unlock commercial capital - especially for proven dairy methane solutions.Give it a listen to learn how ag finance can support farmers through climate volatility and mobilize capital at the scale the transition demands.Resources:Climate & Sustainability in Ag Lending: A Survey of Global Agricultural Finance Institutions: https://business.edf.org/insights/agricultural-finance-institutions-are-building-resilience-through-climate-and-sustainability-action/Financing Dairy Climate Solutions: https://www.edf.org/financing-dairy-climate-solutionsClimate and Credit Risk Web tool: https://business.edf.org/insights/managing-climate-risks-to-support-on-farm-resilience/Overall EDF ag finance resources hub: https://business.edf.org/farm-finance/LinkedIn - Maggie Monast: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maggie-monast-372a2218/Email: mmonast@edf.org--About:Untangling Climate Finance⁠ explores the dynamic field of climate change finance through conversations with industry experts about topics including climate solutions, global carbon markets, carbon projects, novel technologies, and much more.If you have any questions, comments, a future guest recommendation, or are interested in joining Jay for an episode, please shoot him a message at: ⁠jtipton@gordianknotstrategies.com⁠Credits:The podcast is produced by ⁠⁠Gordian Knot Strategies⁠⁠.It is written, narrated, and edited by ⁠⁠Jay Tipton⁠⁠.Music is by ⁠⁠Diamond_Tunes⁠. 

How To Scale A BusinessSean Penrith, CEO of Gordian Knot Strategies, shares his journey from running a lucrative but unfulfilling business in South America to becoming a leader in climate finance. After sailing across the Atlantic and around Cape Horn, Sean returned home to pursue his MBA and started a glass recycling business that set him on a path toward purposeful work. Through founding nine different businesses, including a functional beverage company and a climate finance consultancy, Sean developed a powerful seven-element framework for predicting business success. This framework, born from research funded by the Walton Family Foundation, has proven remarkably accurate at identifying which projects and businesses will succeed or fail—regardless of industry or geography. Sean reveals why 70% of passionate entrepreneurs fail to identify willing and able payers for their solutions, how he maintains an 80% repeat client rate through trust in an AI-saturated world, and why he believes mindset and transforming limiting beliefs is the true secret to scaling a business. He also shares how he ran his businesses for three years from a sailboat during COVID and the counterintuitive career advice he gives his children about designing work around lifestyle rather than the other way around.Chapters:(00:00:00) - Sean explains the seven-element framework for predicting business success(00:01:31) - From South America hustler to purpose-driven entrepreneur(00:03:36) - How Sean started nine businesses by solving problems he actually had(00:06:00) - The research project that cracked the code on why startups fail(00:09:00) - Why 70% of entrepreneurs can't identify willing and able payers(00:14:00) - How AI is changing client relationships and the importance of trust(00:19:00) - Navigating polarized climate politics across different markets(00:21:00) - Why Sean reduced from nine service offerings to three core ones(00:22:00) - Career advice: Design your lifestyle first, then find work to support it(00:24:15) - The secret to scaling: Mindset over grindingLinks And Resources:Website: https://gordianknotstrategies.com/team/Sean Penrith on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/spenrith/Amplafy Media: https://www.amplafymedia.com/Hector Santiesteban on LinkedIn:   / hector-santiesteban-64326340  Hector Santiesteban on Twitter: https://twitter.com/hector_podcast?la...Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to How to Scale a Business? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with in the comment section!