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About the Episode:
Deciding where and which customers to focus on can make or break a business. How do you go about choosing one market over another? Furthermore, how do you build a business in an otherwise overlooked market that makes the nation’s largest solar company, Sunrun, take notice?
Hunter Trenary, co-owner of Sun Collectors, recently shared his journey of establishing a solar company in Peoria, Illinois. Starting from scratch in a market with untapped potential, Trenary and his partner navigated the complexities of local regulations, brand building, and sustainable growth while being self-funded. By doing things the “hard way”, Hunter and his team have managed to not only educate the community about the benefits of solar but also establish a reputation for delivering premium installations in house earning them rave reviews from their customers. No surprise, Peoria is now the home to Sunrun’s 2nd IL office (I wonder what took them so long!?)
In this episode, you’ll discover:
How Sun Collectors navigated the challenges of growing a solar business in a market with little existing demand
Sun Collectors community engagement initiatives that keep the flywheel turning
The strategies Hunter and his team employ to make solar accessible and affordable for its customers
By focusing on one market and investing heavily in the local community, Sun Collectors has built a thriving business that stands out from the competition.
NOTEWORTHY QUOTEs:
“If you just do good business and just treat people the way you want to be treated, they’re going to go tell a few friends and that’s ultimately why we get the amount of referrals that we do. It’s because we just stand behind our word and just take care of our people.”
“That’s why we like putting our sales reps in a position where they can create generational wealth and set themselves up and teach them how to ultimately make a big impact on the planet, and more so, how to leave the planet a better way than how we found it.”
Thanks again to this week's sponsor, helping keep the podcast FREE to you!
Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is Chint Power Systems America!
CPS America is the #1 supplier of 3-phase string inverters for Commercial & Industrial and Utility-Scale projects with more than 8 gigawatts of inverters installed on 20,000+ sites around the nation!
We are grateful for our GOLD sponsor:
Speed up PV installations for lower LCOE with TrinaTracker and improve overall system value with optimized compatibility using Trina Solar’s industry-leading modules and the TrinaPro utility-scale or C&I Solutions. Please visit https://www.mysuncast.com/trina
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 16-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 15 minutes on Nico's calendar and discuss whether having him as Your personal coach might be the right next step.