FTG 0056 – Electric Vehicles and Entrepreneurship with Revel Co-Founder Paul Suhey '14

Following the Gong, a Podcast of the Schreyer Honors College at Penn State

11/14/23 • 55 min

Overview:

Paul Suhey ’14 Eng is the Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder of Revel a firm with the mission to enable EV adoption in US cities. Specifically, the company is focused on building fast charging infrastructure and operating an all-electric, all-employee rideshare service. Before starting Revel in 2018, Paul worked for ExxonMobil and Gerson Lehrman Group. He earned a BS in Chemical Engineering with Honors from Penn State’s College of Engineering in 2014. Paul joins FTG to discuss his time at Penn State as a “townie,” founding Apollo benefitting THON, and conducting undergraduate research. He shares insights on his early career as a Chem E grad and ultimately how he decided to co-found Revel, a firm at the intersection of EV adoption and a new experience for ride-hailing services. This episode is great for any Scholar, and especially those in STEM, who have an interest in EVs, or are interested in transforming an idea into a business. Paul’s bio and a complete breakdown of topics discussed are available below.

Guest Bio:

Episode Topics:

Re-applying to the College as a current Penn State student after an initial rejection and as a “townie”
Choosing Chemical Engineering for its versatility and academic challenge
Founding and leading Apollo benefitting THON
Using those organizational leadership lessons post-Penn State and the importance of organizational culture
Finding undergraduate research opportunities on campus
Serving as an Engineering Ambassador
Strategies for time management and balancing work, school, and other commitments
Prioritizing a thesis advisor over a thesis topic
Using your thesis as a startup founder
Suggestions for success in internships and early career discovery
Shifting industries from pharmaceuticals to oil & gas to investments to EVs
Taking the plunge from corporate life to going all-in on your start-up
Navigating and maintaining relationships with your co-founder(s)
Perspectives on the first year of a start-up
Setting your company and product apart from competitors and solving unanticipated problems
Promoting EV adoption through designing a new model for ride-hail services
Approaching private and public investors
Successes and mistakes that founders can learn from
The differences between fast growth start-ups and slow growth family/side businesses
Making the most of your time as a student and the unique opportunities that time presents