We had the good fortune of connecting with Tim Grubbs and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tim, how do you think about risk?
I think all people everywhere tend to catastrophize and overestimate risks. This tendency has helped us survive physically and brought us to where we are, but it can also be very limiting. The better choice is to focus on opportunities and possibilities, while managing the risk in a concise way without ruminating on them. This keeps me in a space where my mind is free for new ideas to visit and open to creation. This isn’t always easy to do, there is a lot of momentum and energy, towards spending energy on every possible thing that could go wrong. I feel like most entrepreneurs would be better off assuming things will go well and spending less time worrying about all the things that could go wrong.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?

In October of 2021, I started building a business called “The Adjacent Possible”. The company is focused on making the business case for environmental sustainability and accelerating the adoption of climate friendly practices and policies in Arizona and nationwide. Recently, the business has been focused on helping clean energy and electric vehicle industry groups navigate the federal bipartisan infrastructure law. There are billions of dollars available for items like electric vehicle infrastructure, innovation in the development of battery technology and grid resilience. The company has also been involved in projects tangential to climate action, such as supporting Native American legislators in Arizona pushing for restoration and protection of tribal homelands.
The name of the company “The Adjacent Possible” refers to a concept described by Author Steven Johnson as “a kind of shadow future, hovering on the edges of the present state of things, a map of all the ways in which the present can reinvent itself”. The future envisioned by this project is one in which we are more conscious of our interdependence on each other and nature, we exercise care and responsibility for the local and global community, and we truly root for and invest in each other’s success. and our impact on the environment.
Prior to starting The Adjacent Possible, I spent most of my career working in finance in both the public and private sector. I’ve worked for three Arizona governors in budgeting functions within the administration as well as both chambers of the legislature. I also have experience working in world service finance for American Express, improving financial reporting around card issuance operations in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Argentina, and Caribbean regions.
I earned a Masters in Global Management from Thunderbird School of Global Management in 2011. I also hold an MBA from Texas Tech University and a bachelors degree from the University of Arizona.
In 2018 I made a short sabbatical to Mexico, fulfilling a longtime dream of living in a thatched-leaf hut on the sandy beaches of the small village of San Pancho, Mexico while surfing, writing, and drinking tequila.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I like low key places like Gracie’s Tax Bar, George and Dragon and Bikini Lounge. For coffee, it’s either Songbird Cafe or Tres Leches. I like the matcha green tea latte at Songbird and the sucia de la Rosa at Tres Leches. I recommend the Farish House for dinner. It’s not a downtown place, but the Musical Instrument Museum in Scottsdale is world class and I could spend a week there seeing and listening to everything.
The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My parents, Elmer & Laurel Grubbs, are the biggest factor in any successes I can claim. They sacrificed a lot to raise me and my 8 (yes 8!) siblings and help us grow into adults capable of making a positive contribution to others.

Website: www.theadjacent-possible.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timothy-grubbs-tap

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