February 20, 2025

Why Fortune 500 Companies Invest in This Technology

In this episode of The Gross Profit Podcast, James speaks with Frederik Hendriksen, who shares his journey from a finance and VC background, to co-founding his HVAC business, Rensair. Frederik discusses the pros and cons of bootstrapping, his early career across diverse geographies, and the initial challenges and strategic pivots in growing Rensair. He also delves into the importance of indoor air quality, the impact on health and productivity, and Rensair’s unique approach to market with energy optimization solutions. Tune in for a detailed discussion on entrepreneurship, market testing, and scaling a business with innovative technology.
The Gross Profit Podcast
The Gross Profit Podcast
Why Fortune 500 Companies Invest in This Technology
Loading
/

Show Notes

In this episode, James Kennedy sits down with Frederik Hendriksen, co-founder of Rensair, to discuss his journey from finance and venture capital to building a high-growth HVAC technology company.

Frederik shares the pros and cons of bootstrapping, the challenges of scaling a tech startup, and the strategic pivots that helped Rensair grow. He also dives deep into why indoor air quality (IAQ) is a game-changer for both health and productivity, and how Rensair’s energy optimization solutions are helping businesses reduce costs while improving air quality.

What You’ll Learn:

🔹 Bootstrapping vs. Raising Capital – The trade-offs between self-funding and seeking investment.
🔹 Scaling a Tech Business – How Rensair overcame early market challenges and strategically pivoted.
🔹 The Future of Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) – Why Fortune 500 companies are prioritizing cleaner air for healthier workplaces.
🔹 Energy Efficiency in HVAC – How Rensair’s Smart Demand Controlled Ventilation (SDCV) technology is helping businesses cut energy costs by 40%+ and reduce carbon emissions by 50%.
🔹 Market Testing and Customer Adoption – Lessons from launching an industry-first HVAC technology.

Episode Highlights:

💬 “Bootstrapping forces you to be disciplined—but it also means you have to be really smart about where you invest.” – Frederik Hendriksen

💬 “Indoor air quality isn’t just about comfort—it’s about productivity, health, and long-term cost savings.”

💬 “We’re seeing a major shift: smart ventilation technology is becoming essential for sustainability and energy optimization.”

At Rensair, Frederik and his team are revolutionizing indoor air quality with patented air purification and smart HVAC solutions. Their IoT-connected systems help businesses optimize ventilation, improve air quality, and significantly lower energy costs.

The Gross Profit Podcast

More Episodes

Merushka Chetty

Ryan Chenier – The MBA Secret Most Business Owners Miss 

In this episode of The Gross Profit Podcast, James Kennedy sits down with Winnipeg-based Fractional CFO Ryan Chenier to explore how strategic financial leadership can transform a business. Ryan shares his journey from an MBA graduate to building his own dream CFO practice, and why podcasting has become an unexpected yet powerful business development tool. He explains how a process-driven approach and a focus on ROI – both in time and money – can help owners make smarter, faster decisions.

Ryan also walks through two compelling client case studies: guiding an electrical services company from startup to a lucrative sale, and helping a high-growth business overcome cash flow challenges with three-way budgeting and bank financing. From aligning teams around enterprise value to knowing when to pivot a strategy, Ryan’s insights offer practical lessons for any entrepreneur aiming to grow, scale, or exit with confidence.

Listen Now »
Merushka Chetty

Aldo Aprile -Why Restaurants REALLY Fail

In this episode, James Kennedy sits down with Aldo Aprile, CPA and founder of Aprile CPA, to explore why every fractional CFO needs a close partnership with a tax expert – and why savvy business owners should plan taxes year-round, not just at filing time. Drawing on Aldo’s upbringing in a Peruvian family restaurant, his stints at GE, AmEx, PF Chang’s and more, they dig into restaurant prime-cost math, setting performance incentives, and the critical tax-planning moves that can save entrepreneurs tens of thousands each year.

Listen Now »
Merushka Chetty

Christophe Gantzer – Swiss Expert: Your Supply Chain Will Fail

In this episode, James Kennedy sits down with Christophe Gantzer, fractional CFO and co-founder of Clear Edge, to unpack the seismic shift in ESG and sustainability reporting across Europe – and what it means for Swiss and EU businesses alike. Drawing on his 20+ years in finance and his unique perspective as a French expat in Switzerland, Christophe explains the new CSRD/ESRS framework, how non-financial KPIs are now a finance function imperative, and why risk management must expand to cover environmental and social “debts.” Along the way, he shares real-world examples – from chocolate price shocks to cyber-risk parallels – that illustrate why CFOs can no longer sit on the sidelines of sustainability.

Listen Now »