When nature sets the stage, everything else follows.
Growing up in Moran, Wyoming—just outside Yellowstone—you learn to expect the unexpected. Heading down to the bus stop on an early morning, you might find a moose running up the road or a grizzly bear casually strolling through your driveway. Living there, you’re forced to confront nature daily, to respect it, and ultimately, to find your place within it rather than trying to control it.
That early relationship with the natural world shaped something fundamental in me: the understanding that the best solutions don’t fight against nature—they work with it. It’s a lesson that’s guided my career from indoor agriculture to sustainable housing, and now to my role as Chief Revenue Officer at issho.
The Thread That Connects
Before joining issho at the end of September, I spent 10+ years in indoor agriculture at Bright Agrotech and Plenty—companies focused on growing food more sustainably and efficiently. We were scaling rapidly, growing 2-3x year over year at Bright Agrotech before being acquired by Plenty, where I focused on revenue operations and cross-functional execution. Different industry, same core mission: proving that better for the planet can also mean better for people.
Both indoor agriculture and generative housing share a powerful truth: you don’t have to sacrifice quality or experience to make a positive impact on the future. In fact, the opposite is often true. Controlled environment agriculture can produce better food while using fewer resources. Generative homes provide superior living experiences while giving back to the environment.The best sustainable solutions don’t ask you to give something up—they give you something better.
Finding the Right Team
When the opportunity at issho came up, I already had a connection to Eric through my work at Bright Agrotech, where he had been a customer and sublicensor of our technology. But what really drew me in were the conversations with the leadership team—the transparency, the trust they placed in what I could bring to the table, and most importantly, the way everyone just jumps in to do what needs to get done.
During my onboarding, I’ve watched team members quickly update documents, provide access, and offer help without being asked. It’s the kind of collaborative environment where the mission comes first, and everyone understands that we’re building something bigger than any individual role.
After meeting with the team and thinking about the opportunity within the market, it was hard for me to look away.
The Learning Curve
Jumping into a completely new industry has been both challenging and fascinating. There’s a steep learning curve when you’re dealing with cutting-edge technology like smart panels, heat pumps, and integrated home systems. But the more I learn about the design of our Habitat units, the more impressed I become.
Our founder and architect have considered every detail—from the materials and how they interact, to the seamless integration of every system. There’s been a ton of intentional work that has gone into the product, and discovering those layers of innovation has been one of the most exciting parts of this journey.
I’m also becoming more aware of all the possibilities that exist in materials and technology. I’m already seeing opportunities to use some of these technologies in my own home—smart panels I want to install, a heat pump system we’re considering. My husband and I have a property outside of town that we’d love to build on eventually, and it would have to be off-grid. The idea of having a unit like Namu, where we wouldn’t need to bring utilities out or install a septic system, without feeling like we’re sacrificing design—that’s incredibly appealing.
Building Something Beautiful
What excites me most about my role as CRO is building issho across Habitat, Revive, and Store — and shaping how these pillars work together as one ecosystem. Someone might have an older home in the city but want a more sustainable, generative home on a piece of land. They can use Revive to upgrade their current home while planning their Habitat for the future and outfit both spaces through our Store. Even though it will be challenging to build all these different business lines, there are so many interesting connections and possibilities.
The Upgrade, Not the Sacrifice
Where I see the biggest opportunity to make an impact—both for the business and for the broader mission of sustainable living—is in demonstrating that generative homes are simply beautiful, desirable places that people want to experience. If you just saw images of our Habitat units, you’d assume they’re just another high-end design. The sustainability and regenerative technology are seamlessly integrated into something that feels like an upgrade in every way.
By creating homes that are beautiful and offer unique experiences, we can educate people about sustainable living in ways they can apply whether they’re in a Namu or their main home. When sustainability doesn’t feel like a sacrifice—when it actually enhances your life—that’s when real change happens.
Coming Full Circle
From those early mornings in Wyoming, watching wildlife navigate their world with purpose and grace, to now helping build revenue strategies for homes that work in harmony with their environment, there’s a thread that connects it all. It’s about finding ways to live that don’t fight against nature but work with it, creating something better for everyone involved.
At issho, we’re not just building homes—we’re building a future where sustainable living feels like the obvious choice because it simply is better. And just like those grizzly bears in Moran knew exactly where they belonged in their ecosystem, we’re helping people find their place in a more regenerative world.
—Elesif McDonald
CRO
