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Suncast is a decidedly better show because of today’s guest. I mean that in all sincerity. In 2018, sitting with Tara Doyle over a beer at SF’s Thirsty Bear brewery, I was challenged to diversify the then very-white-very-male interview guest roster of the fledgling show (still under 100 episodes!!). That day I pledged to get SunCast to at least a 30% representation of female guests (the % of female to male team members in the industry at the time). And, to kick off Women’s History Month in 2019, we did a 2-part interview with Tara (which I highly encourage you to listen to in its entirety) which has begun a tradition on SunCast of dedicating the podcast roster to an all-female lineup every March these last 4 yrs.
In honor of that initial kick in the pants by Tara (and bc her episode was, in fact, amazing), I’m delighted to bring you this abridged version of that episode. For those unfamiliar, Tara Doyle is the Chief Commercial Officer at PV Evolution Labs (now officially “PVEL”) and has worked nearly every support role on her way to the C-suite during her more than 15 years of experience in the solar industry. Tara is a veteran in the biz and offers considerable and nuanced insight from someone who’s been on the inside of two notable solar startup exits in her career.
For instance, Executives often tout the need to develop a culture of success within their organizations. However, Tara notes that all-too-often this “culture” is devoid of an appreciation for the dedication of support staff and field teams in the realization of that success. The devotion, resourcefulness, and overall value they add to organizations cannot be understated. Tara should know, she started as an office manager and speaks to the under-appreciated yet essential work of executing every task with excellence, from mission-critical duties like assisting with the integration of systems to the sometimes overlooked minor tasks like the timely filing of invoices. The monumental efforts of support staff are what helps in keeping the train on track. As Tara aptly summed it, “support staff are #SolarWarriors, too!”
She also highlighted the importance of strong interpersonal and communication skills as a critical piece to finding success with customers. By admission, she “doesn’t have a Ph.D. in Applied Science, but she has a Ph.D. in knowing people and talking to people.” That people-centered focus is what has driven excellence in all the organizations Tara has contributed to, and it is now a pervasive part of the culture of PVEL. When the rubber meets the road, in order to get an org to grow 10X and more, as PVEL has done, it takes real people skilLs. It makes sense that Tara is now the Chief Commercial Officer; those team and relationship building habits, it turns out, translate to happy customers for the company as well.
She then touched on her present work at PVEL and the critical role of generating compelling data for predicting lifetime performance of power electronics, or at minimum, attempting to quantify it (which is a vital piece of any IE opinion.) Throughout, Tara gives us a look into their origins as a small start-up, their acquisition by DNV GL (and the massive impact in terms of scale and global reach), and some of the considerations that brought them back to being a fully independent entity all while maintaining synergy and a working relationship with DNV GL.
Finally, Tara brings the message full-circle as we round out the conversation with a discussion on the challenges and rewards inherent in being an ambitious woman in the workplace while juggling motherhood’s responsibilities and raising the next generation of solar enthusiasts!
The original conversation was a genuinely outstanding episode and I’m certain that you will undoubtedly gain from listening to this abridged version! Tune in now.
(4:00) The importance of the support staff
(7:17) A PhD in knowing people
(14:27) The value proposition to DMV GL
(15:14) The importance of data & testing
(20:53) The customer base
(22:36) Why split PVEL & DMV GL?
(25:28) What was most surprising about the split?
(26:38) The importance of family
(28:01) Wrap up
NOTEWORTHY QUOTES:
“I do not have a PhD in physics or applied science, definitely not, but I have a PhD in knowing people, understanding people and talking to people. In solar, you’ve got to have a mix.”
“Not only am I raising the next generation of solar enthusiasts, but I’m also getting them involved in my life and the things that are important to me.”
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Intersect Power is at the intersection of transformative energy technology and the changing needs of our society. Intersect is a clean infrastructure company bringing efficient, innovative, and scalable low-carbon solutions to its customers in energy and commodity markets.
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.