

SunCast
Nico Johnson
Nico Johnson takes you into conversations with those at the forefront of Renewable Energy.
SunCast gives an inside look into what is happening in renewable energy. From conversations with the biggest Solar Panel manufacturers in the world to the small startups creating the future of renewable energy, such as carbon capture and battery technology breakthroughs.
SunCast is dedicated to providing the knowledge, research, tools and expert guidance you need to understand, grow and be ahead of the curve in the fastest-growing markets in the world.
Featuring over 800 conversations, Nico has interviewed people from Tesla, SolarCity, Trina Solar, Meyer Burger, Conergy, SunEdison, Energy Vault and even the US Government... to name a few. Covering topics such as Solar Power, Wind Energy, Batteries, Electric Vehicles, Carbon Capture, Finance, Hydrogen, and more.
You can watch SunCast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SunCastMedia
...or view the full archive of SunCast episodes here: https://www.suncast.media/media/podcast
SunCast gives an inside look into what is happening in renewable energy. From conversations with the biggest Solar Panel manufacturers in the world to the small startups creating the future of renewable energy, such as carbon capture and battery technology breakthroughs.
SunCast is dedicated to providing the knowledge, research, tools and expert guidance you need to understand, grow and be ahead of the curve in the fastest-growing markets in the world.
Featuring over 800 conversations, Nico has interviewed people from Tesla, SolarCity, Trina Solar, Meyer Burger, Conergy, SunEdison, Energy Vault and even the US Government... to name a few. Covering topics such as Solar Power, Wind Energy, Batteries, Electric Vehicles, Carbon Capture, Finance, Hydrogen, and more.
You can watch SunCast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SunCastMedia
...or view the full archive of SunCast episodes here: https://www.suncast.media/media/podcast
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 13, 2017 • 1h 26min
052 TJ Kanczuzewski on Building a Brilliant Tomorrow, CEO of Inovateus Solar
Welcome to Episode 52 of SunCast. I'm so gladI'm eager to hear your thoughts on the first Tactical Tuesday.It's 20 minutes of marketing morsels with our friend Solar Fred. What topics do you want more of there, or who should be featured? Today on SunCast is Mr. TJ Kanczuzewski, CEO and chief innovator at Inovateus Solar. TJ is one of the most high-energy executives I know, and he leads a team of winners, but don't take my word for it, tune in as we discuss:The time-honored tradition of taking over the family businessBest places to work and having a fun cultureGrowing a nationwide presence with staying power, in particular, the keys to their staying powerThe power of a pivotDetailedexamples of tactics he's infused into Inovateus to foster growth and productivityProbably one of the best reading lists yet and more...This episode is Long, but Worth it. This really was a blast to record and is jam-packed with good insight into how to build a thriving company straight from the man who's dedicated the last decade of his life to it. This episode is brought to you by Buyourfuture - You can go back and listen to Episode 25 or go to http://bit.ly/buyfuture to learn more,And by US - SunCast, SolarLeadFactory & SolarEdge - we had installment 1 of 3 TODAY on how to prepare for growth in your solar business. We broke records with nearly 800 registrations. Go to www.mysuncast.com/webinar to learn more, and join us for the next one on November 3rd.1 more thing, stick around ALL the way to the end, because everybody loves a good party!Enjoy this week’s episode of SunCast, with TJ Kan-chew-zeski, CEO of Inovateus Solar.Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast? Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.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

Oct 10, 2017 • 20min
051 Solar Fred's Content Marketing Strategy
Welcome to Tactical Tuesdays, a weekly short-form conversation with subject-matter experts to give you the edge in building your solar business and brand.And first up, my friend Tor Valenza, AKA Solar Fred, is back to discuss Content Marketing. What is it? How can you integrate it into your marketing strategy? Where does Social Media add value, and even who are some of the thought leaders Tor recommends we follow.Tune in, and Tune-up your skills.Thanks for checking out Tactical Tuesday and please share this episode with someone you think would benefit!Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast? Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.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

Oct 9, 2017 • 25min
050 Know Your Scene, 2 Yrs of SunCast, Exciting News
I can scarcely believe it's already been 2 yrs since the launch of SunCast! Today, October 6th, is in fact the exact anniversary. It also marks the beginning of my 39th trip around the Sun, woot! Launching on my birthday in 2015 was an easy way to never forget the anniversary of the show! There are 5 things I'll cover on today's episode:wow, 50 episodes, what does that mean? And an announcement regarding upcoming episodes & contentKnow your scene, the value of creating a tribeStaying connectedIf you're on my mailing list, or care about giving input, I'll be sending a survey next week, so make sure you're signed up to receive it.Next week's webinar is gonna rock your face off. Today, on SunCast episode #50, we are going to dive deep, not with a guest, but with you. I'd like to tell you some of the things I've been thinking about and how I hope to create more value for SunCast as it begins to expand beyond a weekly podcast into a broader platform. I began SunCast 2 yrs ago with the intention to create a place in the solar industry where you can come every week to get insights in to the Latin America solar market, hear from leaders in the space about how they built their business and careers, and create a community of solar warriors who are seeking to push the boundaries of what we're capable of doing.Enjoy!Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast? Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.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

Sep 30, 2017 • 1h 15min
049: Unlocking dramatic sales growth to drive your business
Episode 49 - the missing link(s) to solid growthThis week's episode is one I REALLY enjoyed recording for 2 reasons. #1, it's mostly unscripted because of #2, it's after dinner with one of my favorite humans, Scott Mueller, and we aptly dubbed it the first Winecast, over a great bottle of Vino - It's officially WineCast #2 (see Episode 46 for WineCast #1) but let's not get into semantics!Today I'll keep the intro short & focused on 2 important things you need to know, that tie back to today's chat w/Scott.Thing 1: Scott is one of my solar brothers, part of my Scene, my tribe.What does that mean, and why do you care? Well, that's the topic of next week's episode, which is #50, and which celebrates 2 awesome milestones in MY Life - my 38th birthday - AND the 2nd anniversary of the launch of SunCast!So, next week's episode will take a look at how we build community, what has SunCast become over the first 50 episodes, how you all have in fact become my tribe of sorts, and what you can expect from the next 100 episodes! Exciting stuff, so please don't miss out on next week's momentous episode.Thing 2: Scott has sold solar around the globe, including more than a year as a digital nomad while building his current company, Solar Lead Factory. We get into lots of stuff today that is interesting, but the most notable and what I want to focus on is that on the heels of this recording, we decided to do a Webinar, which we just announced yesterday. So let me tell you about the Webinar before we get into the show with Scott.It'll be a 3-part series on growing your solar business, hosted by SolarEdge, Solar Lead Factory, & SolarEdgeOctober 13th - 10AM PDTPart I - LEADS - Growth starts here In Part 1 we explore various types of leads, how to get them, and how to architect your approach for success with a special focus on how to leverage paid marketing as fuel to dramatically increase your sales.What are the differences in sales approach by lead type?How can leveraging strengths in certain approaches help or hurt success in other areas?Which marketing strategies are most effective?How does the ‘top of the funnel’ impact the rest of the funnel? This weeks episode is brought to you by Buyourfuture - go to http://bit.ly/buyfuture to learn more.And by SunCast, SolarLeadFactory & SolarEdge - bringing you this awesome webinar in 2 weeks on how to prepare for growth in your solar business - www.mysuncast.com/webinar to learn more.This weeks episode is brought to you by Buyourfuture - go to http://bit.ly/buyfuture to learn more.And definitely, Stay tuned next week for a solo episode with a bit of a look back at starting the podcast, and a riff from me on building your tribe.Alright! Thanks again for taking the time to be here. Enjoy this week’s episode of SunCast, with my man, Scott Mueller of Solar Lead FactoryAre there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast? Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.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

Sep 23, 2017 • 1h 7min
048: Solar Fred, the state of marketing in the solar industry with Tor Valenza
Welcome to SunCast, and Episode 48!Today we'll be spending time with a friend who's no stranger to the media and spotlight surrounding solar, and who has been a major voice advocating for the solar industry's maturity both as a resource and as a marketing community vying for people's attention in a crowded space. Tor Valenza, AKA, Solar Fred, is a strategy advisor and communications consultant for a number of well-known companies, and regularly shares his insights, thoughts and recommendations with us through social media and online publications. So I thought I'd have Tor come on SunCast to not only dig into his background, but to hear his take on how solar companies can learn from the best marketers in the world and what we should be doing to up our game. In today's episode, Tor and I discuss:The making of Solar FredWhat is branding, and how are solar companies getting it rightWhat's holding many solar companies backThe failures that have led to Tor's successesWhat you can learn from a giant solar panda in ChinaA ton of book recommendations and other goodies related to marketing best practices You can get the full show notes and links to books and other resources if you head over to the blog at mysuncast.com. If you like what you hear, please SHARE it!Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast? Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.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

Sep 16, 2017 • 1h 18min
047: Jeff Spies, Solar Pioneer Parties, and evolution of solar contracting
Welcome to Episode 46 of SunCast. I'm your host, Nico Johnson, and I'm so glad you're back with me again this week! My friend, and fellow podcaster, Jeff Spies, has been in the solar industry for nearly exactly the same amount of time I have (that's 11 yrs and counting!) and I don't think Anybody has spent as much time as he has thinking about how to tell the story of the dawn of the Solar PV Industry and the vanguards who ushered it out of obscurity and into mainstream. His Solar Pioneer parties are legendary, so stay tuned to hear how you can attend the 3rd and final one this November!In today's episode, we get into detail about:Jeff's journey into solar, from his early days at AEE to nowWhat exactly is this Solar Pioneers party he keeps talking about on LinkedIn and Facebook and why you should attend?Which contractor trade Jeff expects solar to most resemble as it continues to evolveHis take on Hot or Not, and of course, books, lessons learned and much more. If YOU have someone or something you think should be on Suncast, you can shoot me an email, a LinkedIn message, or even just pop over to the website and leave me a quick Voicemail, right from your smartphone! That website is www.mysuncast.com and email is nico@mysuncast.com.This episode is brought to you in partnership with Solrates.com, the fast and Free online platform for providing your commercial customers with a credible lease financing proposal. If you have projects over $100K value, and you'd like to see how Solrates can help You quickly and easily deliver a financing proposal to your customers, please reach out to me directly for an invitation code to join the platform.Enjoy this week’s episode of SunCast, with Jeff Spies of Quick Mount PV.Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast? Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.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

Sep 9, 2017 • 1h 29min
046: Pam Cargill, Chaos Analyst
Welcome to Episode 46 of SunCast.Today we will be spending time with my new friend, Pamela Cargill of Chaolysti Management Consulting. Stay tuned for:Insights into how small companies prepare for growth in solarSolid tools Pam uses to coach her clients along that pathWhat its like leaving corporate to run your own consulting business, from a woman's perspectiveAnd about a dozen other insights gleaned from this hour with PamPam cut her teeth more than a decade ago schlepping modules on a crew installing in the Northeast. She then moved up to the marketing and operations teams at Sungevity before stepping out on her own. So, she understands how to help companies get to scale, address common misconceptions, and how to frame the conversation.By the time you hear this, you may already be on a plane to Vegas, or perhaps you missed it but you're finally catching up on episodes, that's ok too!If you do hear it ahead of SPI, I still have some spots available for interviews, and there will be lots of opportunities for us to meet up.www.callnico.com One such opportunity is the annual Tweetup hosted by my friend Tor Valenza, aka Solar Fred, and his company, KiterocketDATE AND TIMETue, September 12, 20175:00 PM – 6:30 PM PDTLOCATIONFlex House (Booth 6340)Mandalay Bay Convention CenterREGISTER:http://bit.ly/spitweetupAre there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast? Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.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

Sep 1, 2017 • 54min
045: Unlocking Solar Capital in Latin America (LIVE)
Welcome to Episode 45 of SunCast.We're here to help you unlock your potential as a leader in the solar industry.The recent Solar Pioneers Series we have begun, and some upcoming series on Solar Storage, Understanding Solar Finance, and more are aimed at helping you unlock the potential stored in the wisdom of Other people's struggles, growth and success stories, so I hope you keep coming back for more! Today, we'll take another pause in the Solar Pioneers series, returning to Latin America and a discussion I recorded live at the SolarPlaza Unlocking Solar Capital event in Miami back in June.The first segment of this week's show (about 11 minutes) is from the "Keys to unlocking Capital for the Offgrid Market" panel moderated by Robert Constantino, with guests JUAN FERMÍN RODRIGUEZCEO & CO-FOUNDER // KINGO ENERGYJOSÉ ORDÓÑEZCO-FOUNDER // HYBRICO ENERGY TECHNOLOGIESANDY BINDEAFOUNDER & CEO // SIGORA INTERNATIONALANNE GERSETSENIOR IMPACT INVESTMENT MANAGER // ENGIEFERNANDO ALVARADOPRESIDENT & CEO - SUSTAINABLE ENERGY CENTRAL AMERICA They discussed: How to obtain financing for off-grid projectsKeys to making off-grid business models bankable and best practices in risk mitigationOpportunities for telecom integration in Latin America and possibilities for PAYG business modelOverview of business models with potential in mini-grid and off-grid segments I wish I had recorded the whole thing, but hopefully, the bits we got were insightful!And the second segment of the show (about 30 min) is from a session we called CEO Spotlight: Two Off-grid companies with vastly different approach to the marketAndy Bindea and Juan Fermin tell-all with Nico JohnsonIt's a candid live session with 2 previous guests of the show, Episodes 031 & 032 respectively. These are two of the smartest and hardest-working young entrepreneurs I've had the pleasure to interview, and they've both raised a lot of money! I hope you enjoy this unscripted free-form session where I get into the differences between their two approaches to building an off-grid solar company in Latam.I hope you enjoy both segments, and that you consider attending a future SolarPlaza conference. Thanks again to SolarPlaza for all the support and for letting me run around like a reporter at this event.Also mentioned in the show, SPI is in a couple of weeks!Let's meet up! I'll be attending the annual Tweetup put on by my friend Tor Valenza, aka Solar Fred, and KiterocketTue, September 12, 20175:00 PM – 6:30 PM PDTLOCATIONFlex House (Booth 6340)Mandalay Bay Convention Centerhttp://bit.ly/spitweetupHey I'd love to know, what are you struggling with? What one thing is in your way that you'd like help solving? Are there areas specific to your business, or the industry as a whole, that you wish you knew how to do better, or where you're getting stuck? Let me know; I love brainstorming ideas and helping people think through these types of problems. And if I don't know it, I just might know someone who does, and we'll get them on the show!If you'd like to schedule a 1:1 call w/me, you can now do that at www.callnico.comYou can also just shoot me an email, a LinkedIn message, or pop over to the website and leave me a quick Voicemail, right from your smartphone! That website is www.mysuncast.com and email is nico@mysuncast.com.Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast? Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.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

Aug 26, 2017 • 1h 23min
044: Tony Clifford, Creating Rapid Growth as the CEO of Standard Solar
Welcome to Episode 44 of SunCast, Solar Warrior!I'm so glad you are with me again this week! We're back with another edition of the Solar Pioneers Series, and today's guest hails from the East Coast of the US. I know what you are thinking - "Wait a minute, Nico, aren't all the solar pioneers from California?"Not all of them! Back in the 70s and 80s, there were a number of companies in and around the DC area that were quite innovative. Among them, Solarex. Today's guest was one of the early employees at Solerex.When I met Tony back in 2010, he was the CEO of Standard Solar, a company he continues to lead today. I have had the pleasure of watching Standard Solar become one of the fastest growing and important solar companies, not just in the North East region, but now with an established presence across the US.In today's episode, Tony and I discuss:What it was like to work for Solarex in the 70s.What Tony believes are the fundamentals or bellwether signs of a maturing industry (and where solar is along that curve).What key employee characteristics he looks for when hiring into such a fast-growing company.Tony's thoughts on the next 5 years ahead for the solar industry.A fun Hot or Not segment, including Tony's thoughts on topics from Distributed Storage to the Section 201 Trade Case with Suniva....and of course, some key lessons and advice gleaned from his 30+ years, not just in solar, but in scaling startups!You can read more on the blog and see the show notes for this episode.If you or someone you know is selling commercial solar, you should check out Solrates.com, the fast and Free online platform for providing your commercial customers with a credible lease financing proposal. If you have projects over $100K value, and you'd like to see how Solrates can help you quickly and easily deliver a financing proposal to your customers, please reach out to me directly for an invitation code to join the platform.Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast? Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.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

Aug 19, 2017 • 44min
043: Smart Home, Monitoring on steroids, Blockchain & startup fundamentals with Stefan Grosjean of Smappee
Welcome to Episode 43 of SunCast, Solar Warrior!While I was recently in SF for the Intersolar N.America show, I was on the lookout for products that I thought were innovative. Thanks to my friend Tor Valenza, aka Solar Fred, I was introduced to the guys from Smappee. Smappee is WAY more than just a monitoring device, and I had the privilege to sit down with the founder, Stefen Grosjean, himself a serial entrepreneur, to dig into exactly how he his positioning the US launch of this innovative product already available in 80+ countries! I'm happy to bring you that conversation, recorded live from Intersolar. In today's episode, we learn:How Stefen and the Smappee team have been disrupting the building automation and information business for yearsWhat exactly does Smappee do, and how could it revolutionize the smart home, not just connecting solar, but basically everything in the homeWhat Stefen means that every appliance in the home has a "fingerprint", and how smappee can "hear" it all with only ONE sensorHow the Blockchain can finally be realized for resi & commercial solar customers with Solarcoin - and of course how Smappee has been built to integrate it.And something I think is quite a unique approach or concept - Stefen envisions Smappee can be a gateway product, or door-opener for solar installers to get into offering smart home and automation services that lead to recurring revenue models! You can read more on the blog and see the show notes to this episode.Also, ACK (!) I gaffed in the intro and said Steffan hails from France - I beg his and your apology - Smappee and Stefan are from Belgium.I also get into Stefen's previous successful entrepreneurial ventures and what it takes to found and grow a company to exit (sold to Honeywell). He blew my mind on several topics we discussed, and I was supremely impressed with Stefen, his product, vision and startup chops. I expect Smappee to do great things in their entry into the US Market. And I expect enterprising solar installers to begin to realize the opportunity at their doorstep with integrating smart-home technologies into their sales process.And lastly, if you or someone you know is selling commercial solar, you should check out Solrates.com, the fast and Free online platform for providing your commercial customers with a credible lease financing proposal. If you have projects over $100K value, and you'd like to see how Solrates can help You quickly and easily deliver a financing proposal to your customers, please reach out to me directly for an invitation code to join the platform. Did I mention it's free?Please enjoy this week’s episode of SunCast, with the serial entrepreneur making his entry into the US market all the way from France - Stefen Grosjean of Smappee.Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast? Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.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


