E4: New EcoOnline CEO Tom Goodmanson on Building an ESG and EHS Software Platform

How are EHS (Environmental, Health and Safety ) and ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) software platforms further converging? We spoke with new EcoOnline CEO Tom Goodmanson to gain some perspectives.

The podcast was recorded a few days after Goodmanson joined EcoOnline in August 2023. Two quick notes:

1. Special thanks to Sara Freiman, executive assistant to the CEO, for lending us her Zoom account for the interview.
2. I pronounced the company name with a short first E; the proper pronunciation is a long first E for EcoOnline.

Among the anecdotes you won't hear or see in the video: Goodmanson previously lived in Minneapolis -- which led to some great small-talk about the late, great Prince and Paisley Park.

During the recorded conversation, Goodmanson described what attracted him to the EcoOnline, going into "listen mode" at the company, and charting a course through 2024 and beyond.

The conversation focuses on such areas as:

• 0:00 - Intros and how Goodmanson heard about the EcoOnline.
• 0:55 - What attracted Goodmanson to the opportunity: B2B SaaS software and the opportunity to make lives better.
• 2:42 - Goodmanson's track record building B2B software companies.
• 4:35 - EcoOnline's focus on sustainability, ESG and employee safety: Beyond point solutions.
• 6:15 - Goodmanson's people-first philosophy.
• 8:03 - Goodmanson's first few days on the job - what was involved.
• 9:42 - Looking ahead to 2024: What's next for EcoOnline -- and the EHS and ESG category of software?
• 11:28 - Will the EHS and ESG markets evolve similarly to the CRM and ERP markets?
• 12:02 - SaaS is more than a delivery model. Here's why.
• 13:10 - Goodmanson's decision to join EcoOnline: A family decision.
• 13:32 - You can reach Goodmanson through EcoOnline.com and via his LinkedIn handle.
• 13:52 - Conclusion

Related: See all Sustainable Tech Partner podcasts here.

Interview Requests: Do you want to potentially share your views on the Sustainable Tech Partner podcast? Email your request to Joe Panettieri, founder of Mentore Ventures and Sustainable Tech Partner (Joe@MentoreVentures.com).