It Should Work Is Not Good Enough: Julija Kaladžinskaitė on Building a Specialist BESS Team in the Baltics

Description:What does it take to build a specialist BESS team from scratch in a market where the margin for error is almost zero? Julija Kaladžinskaitė, CEO of Best Solutions, has done exactly that, assembling a seven-person expert team across commercial, industrial, and utility-scale BESS solutions in the Baltic States, one of Europe's fastest moving energy markets.In this conversation, we get into why she refuses to accept "it should work" as an answer, how she thinks about quality assurance in a way most companies in this space simply don't, and what transformative leadership actually looks like when you are running a startup in a complex technical market. We also cover when to walk away from a market niche, how Scandinavian business culture shaped the way she builds partnerships, and why she believes people, not technology, are the core asset of every energy company.In this episode we cover:Why "it should work" is never good enough and what she does insteadHow she brings all stakeholders, suppliers, aggregators, investors and policymakers into the same room and why it transforms client trustWhy she only hires experienced people and what she does to test BESS solutions before they ever reach a client siteThe cultural gap between European and Asian suppliers and how she bridges itWhat Solar Explain taught her about education, structured knowledge, and knowing when to walk away from a market nicheHow she balances giving people freedom to make mistakes with keeping projects on track and on deadlineWhy clarity of expectations before hiring makes every leadership decision easier afterwardsIf you work in BESS, lead a specialist team, or are building a business in a fast-moving technical market, this conversation is for you.Connect with Julija Kaladžinskaitė:linkedin.com/in/julija-kaladžinskaitėJulija Kaladžinskaitė is CEO of Best Solutions, where she built the company from the ground up in C&I and utility-scale energy storage, recruiting and shaping a top-performing team and leading the execution of its first key projects. Known for her ability to turn vision into reality, she has created new business lines in complex, fast-moving energy markets. With over a decade of experience in solar, BIPV, and renewable energy business development, Julija combines strategic thinking with hands-on execution to drive impact. She is also the founder of Solar Explain, a platform dedicated to simplifying renewable energy through education and consultancy, helping businesses and professionals confidently navigate the market.Connect with Michael Thornhill:I help renewable energy companies find exceptional talent and develop the leadership and culture that makes them stay.linkedin.com/in/michael-thornhill-b42603367