Powering the Future: Stephanie Choi Brookes on Safe Energy Storage

About This Episode

What happens when a communications strategist with nearly two decades of experience decides the story worth telling is the future of energy itself? Stephanie Choi Brookes, Chief Marketing Officer and cofounder at Syntropic Power, joins Loudoun Forward to explain how she moved from running her own boutique communications firm and working in the GovCon space into building a company focused on energy storage — and why she's betting on Loudoun County to lead the way.

Stephanie describes the moment her path changed: while juggling multiple jobs, running her own business, and raising two young kids, she reconnected with a childhood family friend who introduced her to Philip Martin, now CEO of Syntropic Power. Their conversation about differentiated energy storage sparked something she couldn't shake. She talks candidly about what it really takes to compete against lithium — the industry's dominant, commodity storage solution — including the demands for validation, accuracy, and safety from a market that doesn't tolerate shortcuts. She also opens up about the emotional core of entrepreneurship: fully believing in a mission and being willing to fail repeatedly, including navigating a recent company rebrand that she frames not as a setback but as renewed vision.

For Loudoun County business owners, this conversation is a window into one of the region's defining challenges — the strain that the AI and data center boom is placing on local power infrastructure — and a reminder that meaningful business pivots often start with a simple question: where can I add the most value?

Key Topics Discussed

• Founding Syntropic Power — Stephanie explains that the company was built to close gaps in safety and performance left by current energy storage solutions, aiming to serve everyone from homeowners to data centers.
• Loudoun County's Power Problem — The AI age is accelerating demand faster than energy infrastructure can keep up, and Loudoun County, home to a major data center corridor, is feeling that strain directly.
• The Path Into Energy — Stephanie describes juggling multiple jobs, running her own business, and raising two kids while searching for how to use her skills to create a better world, ultimately leading her to cofound Syntropic Power.
• Competing with Lithium — Lithium is described as the ubiquitous, commodity standard for energy storage, and challenging it means engaging with major utilities and complex problems like PJM interconnection.
• The Entrepreneurial Mindset — Belief in the mission, willingness to fail repeatedly, and not being bothered by others' perception of failure are framed as essential to building something new.
• Rebranding as Renewal — The recent rebrand to Syntropic Power is described not as a pivot away from failure, but as a fresh perspective and renewed vision.

Notable Quotes

I just I had to be part of it. So it was that contagious, like, feeling of as you said, energy is at the center of everything.

Stephanie describes her reaction after first learning about the value proposition behind Syntropic Power's approach to energy storage.

In order to be an entrepreneur, in order to do something like this, regardless of the industry, you have to fully believe it. It has to come from deep within.

Stephanie reflects on what drives founder Philip Martin and what she believes is required to take on an industry as entrenched as energy storage.

I think to be an entrepreneur, you can't be bothered by what others perceive as failure.

Responding to a question about the company's recent rebrand and how outsiders might view it.

How can I use my skills to create a better world?

Stephanie recalls the question she was asking herself before she connected with Syntropic Power's CEO.

Local Business Takeaways

• Loudoun County's data center growth is outpacing power infrastructure, creating opportunities for businesses and entrepreneurs working on energy resilience and storage solutions.
• Founders should expect to face entrenched, dominant standards (like lithium in energy storage) and prepare to engage with major institutional players and complex regulatory challenges.
• A career or business pivot doesn't need a perfectly mapped-out plan — sometimes it starts with a personal connection and a willingness to explore an unfamiliar industry.
• Rebranding shouldn't be feared as a sign of failure; it can reflect growth, renewed vision, and a clearer sense of purpose.
• Entrepreneurs benefit from anchoring their work in a mission bigger than the product itself, especially in high-stakes industries like energy.