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I love asking my guests about family life, past and present. It gives me a picture of where they come from and also where their values lie today. So the opportunity to interview brother and sister Shaun Keegan and Kate Gold of Solar Landscape was particularly special to me!
Shaun Keegan co-founded Solar Landscape with a childhood friend in 2012, personally developing each side of the business from design and build to legal and policy. In 2020, his sister, Kate Gold joined the company to lead their community engagement & workforce development initiatives. Kate joins the interview today to provide some color into Shaun’s background and this truly family-run business. You can also check out her interview last year, episode 408, where we highlighted Kate as Solar Power World’s “Top Solar Changemaker” for 2021! We talk about the crucial role of family and community that has contributed to Solar Landscape’s success over the years, and I get a little insight about what it was like to grow up with Shaun, who, as Kate puts it, “has been a CEO since he was three.”
He has a remarkable track record when it comes to growth over the last ten years. How did he get his first solar job? How does he keep growing? What’s the secret to retaining good employees? Does every entrepreneur stress about payroll? You’ll love the life stories and business lessons shared in today’s episode #SolarWarriors. I sure did.
Family ties (4:54)
Shaun's first exposure to the solar industry (10:18)
Shaun's first solar job (11:58)
Actualizing an idea into a business (18:22)
Lessons learned from law school (24:29)
Selling Christmas trees (32:06)
Finding a niche (34:25)
Offering financing (40:13)
The tax equity market & growth (43:32)
Workforce development (47:22)
Community solar pilot program (49:18)
Lessons from mentors (54:51)
Connect with Shaun & Kate (56:12)
Bold prediction (56:36)
Wrap up (57:27)
Thanks again to this week's sponsors, helping keep the podcast FREE to you!
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ABOUT THE HOST OF SUNCAST:
Nico Johnson is the creator and host of SunCast, consistently rated a top solar podcast in the clean energy sector. The content of the show is geared towards listeners looking for insights on where the markets are headed, how to position themselves or their companies, and what today's market leaders do to stay ahead of the pack.
Nico is an Investor, Executive Coach, and 15-year veteran of the solar industry, having led development in the US and Latin America for global companies like Trina Solar and Conergy.
You can connect with Nico Johnson on Twitter, LinkedIn or email.
If you’ve been second-guessing your work decisions or maybe trying to reconsider how you "fit" in the renewable energy industry -> grab 20 minutes on Nico's calendar and discuss whether having him as Your personal coach might be the right next step.