SunCast

Many will instantly recognize the popular NPR Quiz show “Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me!”If you don’t, you really have missed one of the all-time-great NPR staples.Well, at Intersolar North America last month, Scott Nguyen, CEO of Bodhi Solar, and I hosted a very special version [Scott’s brainchild] of WWDTM - the Solar Edition!Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me is a very entertaining quiz show built off real life stories from current events; as you might suspect, the solar edition draws from real (and hard-to-believe) stories curated from the solar industry at-large. We had a special group of panelists help deliver the stories (and some levity): Mark Culpepper from Dronebase, Kathy Heilmann from Shoals Technology Group and Stan Pipkin from Lighthouse Solar. You are going to love the stories, and I hope it leaves you laughing, or at least wanting more! Join us for a fun and interesting time and play along to see how well you would have done on the show.Should we do more like this? Shoot me a LinkedIn Message and lmk! (you can find my profile link below)And, congrats to our 3 winners - one even got a DRONE plus Nico’s voice on his real-life voicemail system, just like Carl Castle on the real WWDTM! Will YOU be the next winner?Special thanks to DroneBase for sponsoring this Live recording. You can learn more about Drone Base’s thermographic imaging services and global Aerial Mapping technology at www.dronebase.com.You'll find more resources and learn about SunCast's guest(s), recommendations, book links, and more than 850 other founder stories and startup advice at www.mysuncast.com.You can learn more about partnering with SunCast here: https://mysuncast.com/sponsorsYou can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeoLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalusSubscribe to Valence, our weekly Linkedin Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

Alex Williams is a problem-solver. That, and he loves to recruit high-performing sales people. He loves watching people transform into what they think they can be. And through the pandemic he got his perfect chance. His company, Solar Energy Partners, hired and trained over 1000 sales people over the last 18 months, all focused on knocking residential homeowner’s doors and consulting them to “go solar”. And it appears they’re very good at it.Since Alex was a teen, he’s looked for disparities in markets and tried to come up with a way to insert himself into the cash cycle by solving this or that missing element. That’s how he found himself in the Shale Fields of North Dakota, and ultimately its his curiosity and keen sense of opportunity that got him out of Oil & Gas and into Solar. From building the fastest growth sales org at Vivint (we discuss how) to now building one of the largest independent solar sales rep organizations, Alex quickly discovered his unique gifting for recruiting and building systems to empower sales.In 2016, he began hearing about Vivint sales guys going independent & making $70k/mo with the so-called “dealer model” of independent solar sales. Alex realized that his brother’s understanding of the business and mind for training and teaching positioned them well to do something similar. He figured he could adapt a unique approach to recruiting, focus on systems & training, and build a Powerhouse solar sales company. He was right; and, today they’re selling an enviable amount of solar and having a lot of fun along the way.You’re going to love this episode, #SolarWarrior. It holds lots of promise if you listen closely. Despite Alex’s young age, I was blown away with his business acumen and insight. So I encourage you, regardless of whether or not you’re in Residential solar, to click play and learn from someone who truly has put in the reps. I think you’ll be as pleasantly surprised as I was.Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolarIf you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeoLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

Can Energy Storage unlock a “Solar-Plus-Storage-Powered Future” for the largely yet-to-be-disrupted Commercial and Industrial segment of solar? Today’s guest, Yotta Energy’s CEO, Omeed Badkoobeh, believes it can, and we get into the innovative storage technology they’ve created to address this behemoth and largely untapped market.Of the more than 22 GW of corporate renewable energy deals announced since 2008, more than 15 GW of these deals were announced since 2018, according to the Renewable Energy Buyers Alliance (REBA) Corporate Renewable Energy Deal Tracker. Further, projections show that just within the Fortune 1000, C&I customers will need up to 85 GW of renewable energy through 2030.  Many developers & Installers today agree with REBA that solar growth in the U.S. and globally will come not from huge Utility segment, but from expansion in this commercial and industrial segment. So, if this is the case, how do these developers add energy storage capacity in an environment  where real estate is priced (and valued) down to the square foot?Despite the current situation around the world, long-term demand for C&I solar should remain strong for the foreseeable future.Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolarIf you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeoLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

How did Zvi Alon become Chairman and CEO of one of the early MLPE pioneers, Tigo Energy? By believing in the strategy he mapped out and invested in! When the original founders lost hope in the plan, Zvi stepped in, and the rest is history. Hear today how one of the iconic power electronics companies birthed here in Silicon Valley stayed alive amidst the Asian manufacturer influx to the solar power electronics sector. And Tigo didn’t just stay alive, but managed to thrive, driving innovation across the value stream, pioneering & championing change in the way rooftop solar was installed, at least in the USA that is.We get a rare glimpse of the inside story from the man who made it happen, Zvi Alon. Zvi recently hired past SunCast guest (and longtime friend) Jing Tian as their Chief Growth Officer. Jing joins Zvi in this interview to discuss what got her excited about sparking Tigo’s new chapter of growth. And, of course, we get into their big news, the launch of a residential storage product to compete head to head not just with Enphase and Solaredge but Tesla, Generac and the rest of the field!I’m grateful for the opportunity to have time with Zvi, which I have patiently waited for since I first met him in 2016! Now, you don’t have to wait. You’re welcome. Press Play.Link to Jing’s previous blog post: https://mysuncast.com/suncast-episodes/041Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolarIf you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeoLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

I’ve been getting a LOT of inbound over the last year since President Joe Biden took office as investors and renewable energy developers the world over increasingly see the United States as a “great place to invest”. Sergio Blanco was my direct boss at Conergy, the last real “job” I held, at a time when I was trying to learn what it takes to develop and acquire pipeline in the then-booming Latin America solar market. We went through a LOT of projects, market consideration and strategy meetings, and on-the-ground hunting. So, you could say we both understand what it looks like to develop new markets through trial-by-fire. Sergio is now the Director of Project Finance at Partner Engineering and Science (Partner) and is focused on helping Partner’s stakeholders evaluate and due-diligence the Renewables sector. He leads the Due Diligence process, financial modeling, project accounting, and feasibility reports for lenders of solar PV and Storage projects, amongst others. He has managed the acquisition and financing of more than 1GW on solar projects throughout the USA and Latin America, and has also managed organizations and M&A Transactions for S&P 500 Companies and relevant Renewable Energy Developers throughout Latin America and the US. In today’s discussion, we focus on the 3 key areas that international companies must focus on when investing in new markets:Knowledge gathering / best practices - How well do I understand the market?Foreign direct investment - What kind of investment will it take, and what are the expected returns?Operational Readiness - What must I understand about place, people, projects to stand up a functional business in the region?It’s a treasure trove of insight packed into a tiny package, so I hope you enjoy this Tactical Tuesday, Solar Warrior! Thanks for taking the time to stop by. I’d love to hear from you. How did this episode land? Good timing? Leave you with more questions than answers? I’m here for you…DM me or better yet leave your Questions as a comment on my LI Post for today’s episode (might have to scroll to find it)! And I get into a little more of the back-story on the blog post for the episode, so hope you’ll check that out as well!Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolarIf you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeoLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

I first met Cary Hayes back when I was working at Trina Solar circa 2012. He was still at REC Solar, and we had an unforgettable dinner (and too many laughs) in Phoenix. I’ve always wanted him on the show, and am so glad to finally have the chance. Cary and I have a lot of fun in this interview because that’s the kind of human and leader Cary is…he exudes both fun and confidence while remaining one of the most fiercely competitive people I’ve had the pleasure to know. You’re going to love every second of this interview - I sure did.Cary is now President of REC Americas, but his journey to that role is anything but ordinary or direct. Today you can learn the secret trick he used to land his first real job, at Smith-Barney no less, after being a professional ski-bum for 8 years. Then, hear why he quit his high-paying job to write articles and follow his passion. He moved to California, slept on a couch, and was actually doing hard labor making $20 an hour before he finally landed at REC Solar.  It was at REC Solar that he got to work with the pioneers in the solar industry and that is where his story really gets interesting.Cary’s 3 pillars for leadership and excellence should go on everybody’s office wall.And it makes sense, because he has worked with some of the most iconic and impressive leaders, many you maybe have never even heard of. He even tells how one mentor ripping him apart for 15 minutes was actually one of the best things to happen to him. Today we get to sit at the feet of one of my favorite solar leaders, and it’s well worth the investment of time.Listen to the full interview here at Suncast. Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolarIf you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeoLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

Andrew Birch, affectionately referred to by many as simply “Birchy”, joins Nico in this live interview [rebroadcast] from the Intersolar N. America expo hall floor from Thursday January 13, 2022. Birchy is the Godfather of online solar sales (you may remember him as the co-founder and CEO of Sungevity), and always has keen insight into what’s trending and what to consider within the fast-growing distributed solar arena.Birchy had just come from the CALSSA “Save our Solar Jobs Rally” in LA, and gives an update on the state of the industry in light of the recent negative press on CA’s NEM3.0 ruling. From the CALSSA website: “The CPUC’s proposed decision on NEM-3 would destroy net metering, ending our state’s clean energy leadership and decimating our industry, and our jobs, in the process. This is our SOS, our chance to make our voices heard and insist that the PUC change course. Now is the time to go big.Our industry is on the line. Our jobs and livelihood are at stake. This is it.”And thousands did - they shut down their offices all over the state, took the day off, and came down from the roof for one morning to be there! If you couldn’t make it, you’re in luck because Nico asks Birchy for an update from the front lines. He then goes into what he sees as trends for the coming year as well as what he’s changed his mind about (and it might surprise you, it did Nico!)Special thanks to Drone Base for supporting this live interview.Learn more about Drone Base and their worldclass aerial thermal imaging.Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolarIf you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeoLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

Jason MacDuff is President of greenpenny, a virtual carbon-neutral bank dedicated to financing a sustainable tomorrow.  Money deposited in greenpenny is secure, earns interest, and is only used to finance renewable energy systems and carbon reducing efficiency projects - no fossil fuels.  And greenpenny has been offering their residential and commercial solar loans in the midwest for longer than just about anyone. As Jason said, “It’s time for banks to offer green products and services  that empower customers to take their own climate actions.” But greenpenny is distinct in the market because unlike most solar financiers or banking fintech startups, it’s part of an actual century-old midwestern bank!After 24 years at Wells Fargo, Jason was ready for a change.  He took two years off to travel the world and came back with a new perspective & passion, determined to use his experience in banking to make serious progress on climate change.  It’s a big leap from major bank to banking entrepreneur.  We talk about the challenges, frustrations, inspirations and big ideas of his role leading greenpenny, including their unique approach to solar loans (and the long heritage doing so), hiring (they’re hiring!), pivoting and fine tuning the marketing message.  Hear all about where he came from and where he’s going, right here in our conversation on Suncast.Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolarIf you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeoLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

Some of you will recall, Nico was live-broadcasting from the CleanPower21 tradeshow in Salt Lake City back in December.  While he was there, Nico got the chance to sit down with Heather Zichal, the CEO of the organization that runs the CleanPower show and that has been shaking things up in Washington for you and me in a good way all last year.The three areas covered in today’s episode are:1. AWEA rebrand to ACP & 2022 Goals2. Messaging to the solar industry specifically, from Heather & ACP3. Acquisition of ESA Launched at the start of 2021, the American Clean Power Association is a new trade association unifying the wind, solar, storage and transmission companies that are driving jobs and investment in the U.S. economy and providing solutions to the climate crisis. Many of you will recognize is as “the AWEA rebrand” or something along those lines, but I believe it’s much more than a simple rebrand.From their website: The American Clean Power Association works to champion policies that will transform the U.S. power grid to a low-cost, reliable and renewable power system. By uniting the power of wind, solar, transmission and storage companies, along with manufacturers and construction companies, developers and owners/operators, utilities, financial firms and corporate purchasers, their goal is to make renewables the dominant energy source in the United States.And, as of July, American Clean Power Association (ACP) and the U.S. Energy Storage Association (ESA) agreed to merge their staff, programs, and members into ACP!Remember, you can always find the resources and learn more about today's guests and recommendations in the show notes at MySunCast.com. While you’re at it, be sure to subscribe to the show right there in your podcast player, pretty please! And, to hear more about Heather and ACPs thoughts on the ESA integration, specifically, we'd encourage you to read Julian Spector's insightful interview with Heather in December, which we link to it in the show notes on the blog (link above).Let’s get down to business, and to tune up your skills Solar Warrior with another practical tactical conversation here on SunCast.Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolarIf you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeoLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

You probably assume that the Utility-scale solar market, having deployed hundreds of GW globally, has surely by now figured out the necessary software suite to manage projects.  It’s hard to imagine how everybody would just keep building novel tools in silos like it’s still 1998 and Salesforce still doesn’t exist!Well today’s guest, Andrea Barber, founded RatedPower to solve the same challenges she noticed many of her colleagues were struggling with, including her former employer and their customers.In today’s episode, we get into the details of how and why this powerful female leader found herself answering the call to step out on her own and start a company focused on solar project design & management software. Fresh off a ~$6M Series A, Andrea and team are bringing their SaaS suite of utility-scale solar project development tools to the US market, and Nico gets down to the details with Andrea on the acute problems they aim to solve, along with the usual how, when, where & why of choosing her founder team, scaling an MVP and capitalizing a new venture. Impressively, RatedPower has been profitable since year one, so the fundraising was to fuel expansion. If you’ve been considering how to take your nascent idea and turn it into a viable venture, then you’re going to love this candid discussion with Andrea.Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolarIf you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeoLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus