Rinaldo Brutoco of World Business Academy on Consumer Law, Merchant Banks, and the Impact of Pay TV

Nov 21, 2024

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How can business solve humanity’s most significant challenges? Why is business the best vehicle to solve them? For the last 35 years, Rinaldo Brutoco has devoted himself to asking – and answering – these crucial questions. The founding president of nonprofit think (and do!) tank the World Business Academy (WBA) and founder and CEO of green hydrogen transportation firm H2 Clipper (H2C), Rinaldo is a trailblazer in both the theory and practice of sustainable business solutions.

Rinaldo graduated from Santa Clara University with degrees in economics and philosophy and later received a J.D. from UCLA School of Law in 1971. His career has had many remarkable turns – pioneer in consumer law, Inc. 500 CEO, author, lecturer, and co-founder of the world’s first paid cable TV company. Behind all these turns was an unshakeable conviction that business could – must – be a force for good, driving Rinaldo to found the WBA in 1987 to explore the role of business in addressing serious moral, environmental, and social issues around the world. The think tank has since been responsible for initiatives like the Optimist Daily newsletter, Safe Energy Project, Global Citizen’s Club, and the New Business Paradigms podcast.

As of 2011, Rinaldo has been practicing what he has preached with the launch of H2C, a firm pioneering a low cost, effective, end-to-end transport and distribution system for green hydrogen. Its revolutionary approach tackles the biggest obstacle to the widespread adoption of hydrogen while also producing a scalable, carbon-free alternative to fossil fuels that’s powered by Rinaldo’s patented generative AI manufacturing technology.

Hear Rinaldo talk about his unique path to clean energy visionary, the importance of teaching entrepreneurship as a noble profession, and why paid cable was a source of good for the world.

Episode Highlights:

00:00 Rinaldo Brutoco on the rise of pay TV
00:49 Conor Gaughan introduces Rinaldo, WBA, and H2 Clipper
04:38 Entrepreneurial interests, UCLA law, Nader's Raiders
17:09 Businesses for good, meditation, third party perspectives
25:16 Launching paid cable, having a vision, pitching investors
34:55 Modern entertainment, generative A.I, merchant banking
46:53 Creating impact, shareholder motivation, finding inspiration
51:50 Where to learn more and end credits

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More on Rinaldo Brutoco, World Business Academy, and H2 Clipper:

Connect with Conor Gaughan on linkedin.com/in/ckgone and threads.net/@ckgone

Have questions, or a great idea for a potential guest? Email us at CiC@consensus-digital.com

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Consensus in Conversation is a podcast by Consensus Digital Media produced in association with Reasonable Volume.