Crafting a Career of Impact with P3 Consulting’s Ozzie Gonzalez

In this episode, I spoke with Ozzie Gonzalez, Principal and Owner of P3 Consulting, (people, planet, profit) about his fascinating journey from architecture into environmental consulting. Ozzie has applied his architecture skills to help companies develop sustainability policies and embed social responsibility into their work.

We discuss how Ozzie got started in green building, and expanded into broader corporate strategy during the recession. He shared great insights on working with clients ready for bold change and bringing more creativity into consulting.

I appreciated Ozzie’s perspective on creating rich human experiences through his work. It was wonderful to hear how he lives out his values while guiding organizations to address problems in new ways.

Highlights:

• Ozzie was drawn to architecture as a way to create better human habitats after studying environmental science. He was especially interested in sustainability from the start of his career.
• He started by doing green building consulting for architecture firms before transitioning into teaching sustainability courses during the 2008 recession.
• Ozzie helped develop sustainability policies and standards for global manufacturing companies, allowing him to have impact beyond individual buildings.
• He looks for companies talking boldly about sustainability goals but struggling to meet them as potential clients.
• Ozzie aims to bring creativity into his consulting process through music, art, and playful activities to spark innovation.
• His goal now is helping people have the fullest human experience possible through his work.

Guest Bio:
Ozzie is an artist, a problem solver, and a change agent. Trained as an Environmental Scientist and as an Architect, Ozzie has spent his 25-year career journey dedicated to advancing the practice of sustainable and equitable development in communities throughout the US and Latin America. Using his background in the performing arts, Ozzie utilizes story, music, and narrative style to humanize even the most technical subject matter and capture the imaginations of clients and audiences alike.Ozzie has worked in the construction and design industry throughout his career. He has been involved in sustainable design projects, equitable contracting, and now owns his own consulting practice dedicated to helping clients implement strategies to confront the challenges posed by changes in technology, policy, and culture. In addition to running his own consulting practice—P3 Consulting—Ozzie serves as the Board President for Trimet, Portland’s regional transportation authority.

And if you're in Portland, Oregon, you can find Ozzie at the Trio Club on Tuesdays leading open mics and playing music!