220: Fundraising Checklist for Solar Startups with Josh Beck [SPI 2019]

There's an ugly reality in this business that resonates with the following question, why startups fail to raise capital? Well, today we get a chance to spend more time on a topic that doesn't get nearly enoguh: Fundraising and startup investing.

We have Josh Beck from BCI technology investments. He's the Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer. Josh and the BCI Technologies team know a thing or three about raising money and about investing in companies. Josh has brought a checklist of tips and tricks you should definitely take a look at in order to facilitate the whole fundraising process of your solar company.

This conversation was recorded in the Podcast Lounge live at SPI 2019.

Resources:

Connect with Josh on LinkedIn

Thanks to our podcast sponsors for continuing to help make this content free to You!

IF you have stuck Commercial Solar projects, you really should consider how they can help:

CPS Americas and

Extensible Energy

Learn more by clicking on their respective company links.

About the Host of SunCast:

Nico Johnson is the creator and host of SunCast, a regular conversation with Solar Industry professionals who are leading in emerging solar markets. 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 a veteran of the solar industry, having led development in the US and Latin America for global companies like Trina Solar and Conergy. He served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala and is considered one of the market's leading experts on solar PV expansion in the region.

Nico can be reached on Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

219: An Inconvenient Truth: Installation Quality Roundtable Royale! [SPI 2019]

Welcome back, Solar Warrior. If you are unfamiliar, we call this Flashback Friday, and it’s my way of giving you a glimpse back at something we did recently that I think you should have a listen to. Whether it’s content from one of our many live events (Like the Podcast Lounge at SPI!), or perhaps a replay of older archived episodes that have gotten thousands of downloads, or just a glimpse at what was published on the podcast during the week.

This Flashback Friday is with an illustrious panel of professionals who unpack some of the underlying assumptions and assessments that need to be made around the installation quality part of the solar business. 

Resources:

Connect with Brandon on LinkedIn

Connect with Aaron on LinkedIn

Connect with Dean on LinkedIn

Connect with Ben on LinkedIn

Thanks to our podcast sponsors for continuing to help make this content free to You!

IF you have stuck Commercial Solar projects, you really should consider how they can help:

CPS Americas and

Extensible Energy

Learn more by clicking on their respective company links.

About the Host of SunCast:

Nico Johnson is the creator and host of SunCast, a regular conversation with Solar Industry professionals who are leading in emerging solar markets. 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 a veteran of the solar industry, having led development in the US and Latin America for global companies like Trina Solar and Conergy. He served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala and is considered one of the market's leading experts on solar PV expansion in the region.

Nico can be reached on Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

218: Powerley, the "Intel-Inside" of Home Automation

Today’s entrepreneur, Kevin Foreman, understands how to work with and through Utilities better than most. And his company, Powerley, seamlessly empowers Utilities to offer a customized service that improves the experience for millions of homeowners who want to understand and interact w/their energy data.

Kevin and I had a wide-ranging conversation about the birth and evolution of Powerley, and we get into the weeds busting myths about residential user data, IoT, and the future of software in energy. It’s a conversation you won’t want to miss so hang tight and enjoy the geek-fest.

Thanks to our podcast sponsors for continuing to help make this content free to You!

IF you have stuck Commercial Solar projects, you really should consider how they can help:

CPS Americas and

Extensible Energy

Learn more by clicking on their respective company links.

Resources:

Connect with Kevin on LinkedIn

Follow Powerley on Twitter

Check out the Powerley website

Read the Powerley Blog

The Japanese continuous improvement tip Kevin uses in his daily life to stay ahead: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genchi_Genbutsu

Learn how Toyota revitalized their minivan using this same process Kevin described: https://www.process.st/genchi-genbutsu/

Check out the Myth Buster Series here:

• Are Electric Vehicles Better for Our Environment than Gas Cars?

• Do Christmas Lights Use a lot of Electricity?

• Thermostat Setback Saves AC Costs

• Using a Thermostat Setback for Energy Savings

• Always on Devices and Your Dollars

About the Host of SunCast:

Nico Johnson is the creator and host of SunCast, a regular conversation with Solar Industry professionals who are leading in emerging solar markets. 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 a veteran of the solar industry, having led development in the US and Latin America for global companies like Trina Solar and Conergy. He served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala and is considered one of the market's leading experts on solar PV expansion in the region.

Nico can be reached on Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

217: German Market Strategies for the US Solar Market w/Gordon Baier of GoSolar [SPI 2019]

Gordon Baier and Cindy Baier of GoSolar joined us for a conversation at the SunCast Podcast Lounge at SPI 2019.

He has experience in the rise of the solar market in Germany (his accent is as pronounced as the experience he brings to our market), and today you can find out how he first got into the solar journey, and how he has undergone a knowledge transition process from the German market to the US.

Resources:

Connect with Gordon on LinkedIn

Check out the GoSolar Website

About the Host of SunCast:

Nico Johnson is the creator and host of SunCast, a regular conversation with Solar Industry professionals who are leading in emerging solar markets. 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 a veteran of the solar industry, having led development in the US and Latin America for global companies like Trina Solar and Conergy. He served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala and is considered one of the market's leading experts on solar PV expansion in the region.

Nico can be reached on Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

216: Ann Gaglioti, CEO of Groundwork: The Pre-eminent Provider of Site-Specific Weather Data to Developers [SPI 2019]

Ann Gaglioti joined us at SPI 2019. Ann is the CEO of Groundwork. To date, GroundWork has directly contributed to the successful financing and installation of over 16GW of solar power in North America, and counting!

Ann’s career spans investment banking, interactive marketing and renewable energy. Ann is on the board of The Offset Project, a Monterey Bay non-profit that offsets local carbon emissions through local initiatives including solar projects and zero-waste programs.

Prior to GroundWork, Ann was an Executive Vice President with iCrossing, an interactive agency. In 2007, Ann was instrumental in the sale of Proxicom to iCrossing. She holds a BA in Economics and International Relations from the University of Pennsylvania.

Resources

Check out the Groundwork website

About the Host of SunCast:

Nico Johnson is the creator and host of SunCast, a regular conversation with Solar Industry professionals who are leading in emerging solar markets. 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 a veteran of the solar industry, having led development in the US and Latin America for global companies like Trina Solar and Conergy. He served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala and is considered one of the market's leading experts on solar PV expansion in the region.

Nico can be reached on Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

215: Customer Acquisition From Online Lead Generation [SPI2019]

How does online lead gen help installers grow their business? It’s been the topic of many webinars, but if you’re like me you still have so many questions! So, I invited some friends in the lead gen arena to share their insights with SunCast listeners, and I was blown away by the value of what they shared. This was one of the most talked about and attended sessions at the Podcast Lounge during SPI.  Residential solar sales and lead gen experts Ruben Ugarte (Active Prospect), Scott Mueller (Solar Lead Factory), and Kyle Cherrick (PickMySolar) joined me to dispel myths and argue methods. If you’ve been wondering about whether purchasing leads or participating in a lead gen program is right for your company, you owe it to yourself to tune in to this episode!

Resources

Connect with Ruben on LinkedIn

Connect with Scott on LinkedIn

Connect with Kyle on LinkedIn

About the Host of SunCast:

Nico Johnson is the creator and host of SunCast, a regular conversation with Solar Industry professionals who are leading in emerging solar markets. 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 a veteran of the solar industry, having led development in the US and Latin America for global companies like Trina Solar and Conergy. He served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala and is considered one of the market's leading experts on solar PV expansion in the region.

Nico can be reached on Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

214: Solar Optimization Methods with Michael Ginsberg of Mastering Green

Today’s entrepreneur is Doctor of Engineering Candidate, Solar Energy Specialist, and 2-time Author Michael Ginsberg. 

Michael has spent his career helping Embassies and government agencies implement solar and efficiency programs worldwide, and has recently distilled his learning, lessons and case studies into a pair of books on the topics of Solar Implementation, Operations and Maintenance. It’s a rare skill to be a practitioner with the ability to teach and train, and I thoroughly enjoyed an early look and discussion with Michael at the best practices he’s helping bring to market with these texts.

Stay tuned as Michael shares the key lessons takeaways from his world travels and training.

Thanks to our podcast sponsors for continuing to help make this content free to You!

IF you have stuck Commercial Solar projects, you really should consider how they can help:

Extensible Energy and

Chint Power Systems

Learn more by clicking on their respective company links.

Resources

Check out Michael’s books:

Harness It: Renewable Energy Technologies and Project Development Models Transforming the Grid

Solar Photovoltaic Power Optimization: Enhancing System Performance through Operations, Measurement, and Verification

Connect with Michael on LinkedIn

Check out the Mastering Green website

About the Host of SunCast:

Nico Johnson is the creator and host of SunCast, a regular conversation with Solar Industry professionals who are leading in emerging solar markets. 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 a veteran of the solar industry, having led development in the US and Latin America for global companies like Trina Solar and Conergy. He served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala and is considered one of the market's leading experts on solar PV expansion in the region.

Nico can be reached on Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

213 - Barry Cinnamon, CEO of Cinnamon Energy Systems: 20 Years of Riding the Solar Coaster [SPI 2019]

Hey! Welcome to a new week, Solar Warrior. This is Two For Tuesday, whether that's a Tactical Tuesday or just content from our many live events like SPI Podcast Lounge, this is going to be a short form conversation typically with subject matter experts designed to give you the practical tools tips and advice for building your solar business or career, and grow with us here on SunCast as I know you will.

Today’s interview happened between two greats in our industry: Tor “Solar Fred” Valenza, Founder & CMO of UnThink Solar., and Barry Cinnamons, CEO of Cinnamon Energy Systems. This conversation was a dive into the life and times as it were for Mr. Barry Cinnamon, one of the folks that we consider an icon and pillar in the industry, having pioneered many ways in which the industry moves forward.

As some of you may know, Barry has his own radio show and he has interviewed Tor before. Now is the time where Tor turns the mic in his direction, and he's now in the hot seat to answer questions about his life and times on the solar coaster.

Thanks to our podcast sponsors for continuing to help make this content free to You!

IF you have stuck Commercial Solar projects, you really should consider how they can help:

Extensible Energy and

Chint Power Systems

Learn more by clicking on their respective company links.

Resources

Connect with Barry on LinkedIn

Connect with Tor on LinkedIn

Connect with Tor on Twitter

Check out the UnThink Solar and Cinnamon Energy Systems websites

About the Host of SunCast:

Nico Johnson is the creator and host of SunCast, a regular conversation with Solar Industry professionals who are leading in emerging solar markets. 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 a veteran of the solar industry, having led development in the US and Latin America for global companies like Trina Solar and Conergy. He served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala and is considered one of the market's leading experts on solar PV expansion in the region.

Nico can be reached on Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

212 - Eliminating Capital Constraints for C&I Development with Jim Spano, RadiantREIT [SPI 2019]

Hey! Welcome to a new week, Solar Warrior. This is Two For Tuesday, whether that's a Tactical Tuesday or just content from our many live events like SPI Podcast Lounge, this is going to be a short form conversation typically with subject matter experts designed to give you the practical tools tips and advice for building your solar business or career, and grow with us here on SunCast as I know you will.

Today we are interviewing Jim Spano, Co-Founder of RadiantREIT. We discuss their new program that offers liquidity effectively to developers that would otherwise be cash strapped to be able to expand their portfolio, hence eliminating capital constraints for C&I developers as the episode title suggests.

Thanks to our podcast sponsors for continuing to help make this content free to You!

IF you have stuck Commercial Solar projects, you really should consider how they can help:

Extensible Energy and

Chint Power Systems

Learn more by clicking on their respective company links.

Resources

Connect with Jim on LinkedIn

Check out the RadiantREIT website

About the Host of SunCast:

Nico Johnson is the creator and host of SunCast, a regular conversation with Solar Industry professionals who are leading in emerging solar markets. 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 a veteran of the solar industry, having led development in the US and Latin America for global companies like Trina Solar and Conergy. He served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala and is considered one of the market's leading experts on solar PV expansion in the region.

Nico can be reached on Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

211 - History of Shoals w/ Dean Solon & Ben Macias [SPI 2019]

Heeeeey welcome back #SolarWarrior, it’s a new year and a new decade. Are you ready for it? I am, and I'm thrilled that you've chosen to start your new year tuning in to SunCast for this 211th episode. Time is our most valuable and non-renewable resource so thank you again for lending us your ears today. 

We are kicking off the new year with an interview that has taken me the entire 4 years of SunCast to finally nail down but it has been so worth it. Dean Solon founded Shoals Technologies more than two decades ago, and it is one of the most well-known fast-growing and highly profitable businesses that I know of in our industry. But do you know the inception story?

Well, wait no longer my friend, today you will get the full details, not only the how and why Dean started shoals, but we are also joined in the first half by his prodigy and VP of Sales, Ben Macias. The relationship has been one full of struggles but also full of wild success, incredible growth, and love. Indeed, Ben and Dean appear more like father and son than mentor and mentee, or founder and prodigy. They have both discussed the perspective of our solar industry and today we will dive into what, from their point of view, makes shoals tick and keeps them at the bleeding and leading edge of the solar revolution.

This discussion was recorded live at SPI Podcast Lounge, and Dean gave us great insights into the mind and process he's undergirded the staggering success and stain power of Shoals.

Thanks to our podcast sponsors for continuing to help make this content free to You!

IF you have stuck Commercial Solar projects, you really should consider how they can help:

Extensible Energy and

Chint Power Systems

Learn more by clicking on their respective company links.

Resources

Connect with Ben on LinkedIn

Connect with Dean on LinkedIn

Check out the Shoals website

About the Host of SunCast:

Nico Johnson is the creator and host of SunCast, a regular conversation with Solar Industry professionals who are leading in emerging solar markets. 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 a veteran of the solar industry, having led development in the US and Latin America for global companies like Trina Solar and Conergy. He served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala and is considered one of the market's leading experts on solar PV expansion in the region.

Nico can be reached on Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

210 - Is California still a role model for other State's renewable policy? Lloyd Levine of Filament Strategies

Today's episode is about California, the policies therein, and whether or not California is still serving as a bellwether for things to come for other states and the different ways they can apply policy.

Joining us in this conversation is Mr. Lloyd Levine, president of Filament Strategies. He is a former member of the California State Legislature, recently appointed as Senior Policy Fellow in UC Riverside School of Public Policy. He was notably involved in the early legislation that led to California’s market dominance - namely, SB1 otherwise known as the Million Solar Roofs initiative. CA recently completed the Millionth solar roof. Will other states follow the same trajectory or have we evolved beyond the market mechanisms that the California Solar Initiative (CSI) introduced?

Thanks to our podcast sponsors for continuing to help make this content free to You!

IF you have stuck Commercial Solar projects, you really should consider how they can help:

Energetic Insurance and

Extensible Energy

Learn more by clicking on their respective company links.

Resources

Connect with Lloyd on LinkedIn

Connect with Lloyd on Twitter

Check out the Filament Strategies website

About the Host of SunCast:

Nico Johnson is the creator and host of SunCast, a regular conversation with Solar Industry professionals who are leading in emerging solar markets. 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 a veteran of the solar industry, having led development in the US and Latin America for global companies like Trina Solar and Conergy. He served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala and is considered one of the market's leading experts on solar PV expansion in the region.

Nico can be reached on Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

209 - Podcaster Roundtable: Jon Powers, Barry Cinnamon and Nico discuss using Podcasts as a marketing channel [SPI 2019]

I'd love to hear your thoughts on SunCast! Take our survey here: www.mysuncast.com/survey

Welcome back, Solar Warrior. If you are unfamiliar, we call this Flashback Friday, and it’s my way of giving you a glimpse back at something we did recently that I think you should have a listen to. Whether it’s content from one of our many live events (Like the Podcast Lounge at SPI!), or perhaps a replay of older archived episodes that have gotten thousands of downloads, or just a glimpse at what was published on the podcast during the week.

This Flashback Friday is with my good friend Jon Powers, whose podcast, Experts Only, is also required listening If you are into the solar and finance of our business, as well as the respectable Mr. Barry Cinnamon, one of the entrepreneurs I admire most in our business. He's got a long track record not just as a solar entrepreneur, but also as a broadcaster with his show the Energy Show that has been syndicated in California for quite some time.

I admire both this gentlemen for their ability to navigate the conversations so their deep and rich, and I invited them to join me at the Podcast Lounge Live at SPI 2019 specifically to talk about what is going on today within the podcasting activity, and how folks in business are leveraging the power of podcasting to broadcast their message, and not just to start their own podcast as the 3 of us have done it. We give some tips on how you as well can leverage the power of this fast-growing medium for your own business.

Resources

Connect with Barry on LinkedIn.

Connect with Jon on LinkedIn.

You can visit the websites of Cinnamon Energy Systems and Clean Capital here.

You can connect w/host, Nico Johnson, on Twitter, LinkedIn or email

I hope you’ll take advantage of my current Coaching and SunCast Guild offers - have you checked them out?

Thanks to our podcast sponsors for continuing to help make this content free to You!

IF you have stuck Commercial Solar projects, you really should consider how they can help:

Energetic Insurance and

Extensible Energy

Learn more by clicking on their respective company links.

About the Host of SunCast:

Nico Johnson is the creator and host of SunCast, a regular conversation with Solar Industry professionals who are leading in emerging solar markets. 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 a 10-year veteran of the solar industry, having led development in the US and Latin America for global companies like Trina Solar and Conergy. He served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala and is considered one of the market's leading experts on solar PV expansion in the region.

Nico can be reached on Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

208 - Community Solar Roundtable w/ Jake Rozmaryn, David Amster-Olszewski & MJ Shiao [SPI 2019]

I'd love to hear your thoughts on SunCast! Take our survey here: www.mysuncast.com/survey

Today's episode is a longer segment from our recording for live at the SPI Podcast Lounge earlier this fall. We had so many great conversations there that I'm doing my darndest to get them out to you every opportunity I get.

This is one of the few Community Solar sessions that we've hosted here on SunCast. In fact, one of today's guests is a returning guest: Mr. David Amster-Olszewski of SunShare, and he graced the SunCast pages as it were back in January of 2019. He's joined by another alumnus, Mr. Jake Rozmaryn of Antenna Group, and a longtime friend and someone I've wanted to get onto the show Mr. MJ Shiao of Arcadia power. I've wanted to interview MJ since his Green Tech Media days so I’m thrilled he was able to participate in this Community Solar Roundtable.

We dig into the hot markets, the how and why of Community Solar, where are the stumbling blocks, but also how do we really see this as a model that can/would expand? Tomorrow we're going to be featuring another Podcast Lounge episode in our Flashback Friday series with fellow podcasters Barry Cinnamon and Jon Powers, so make sure you are subscribed to SunCast so that you won't miss that one.

Resources

Connect with Jake on LinkedIn.

Connect with Dave on LinkedIn.

Connect with MJ on LinkedIn.

You can visit the websites of Antenna Group, SunShare and Arcadia Power.

You can connect w/host, Nico Johnson, on Twitter, LinkedIn or email

I hope you’ll take advantage of my current Coaching and SunCast Guild offers - have you checked them out?

Thanks to our podcast sponsors for continuing to help make this content free to You!

IF you have stuck Commercial Solar projects, you really should consider how they can help:

Energetic Insurance and

Extensible Energy

Learn more by clicking on their respective company links.

About the Host of SunCast:

Nico Johnson is the creator and host of SunCast, a regular conversation with Solar Industry professionals who are leading in emerging solar markets. 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 a 10-year veteran of the solar industry, having led development in the US and Latin America for global companies like Trina Solar and Conergy. He served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala and is considered one of the market's leading experts on solar PV expansion in the region.

Nico can be reached on Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

207 - Black & Veatch 2020 Megatrends [report] w/Brian Sifton, Sustainability Manager

Welcome to Tactical Tuesday, a short-form conversation with subject-matter experts designed to give you practical tools, tips and advice for building your solar business or career. 

Today I’m joined by Brian Sifton. Brian is the Sustainability Program Manager for Black & Veatch, one of the most respected engineering consulting firms in the power & infrastructure sector. And he’s also one of the authors of the new Megatrends report that B&V is releasing today Dec 17th. B&V surveyed hundreds of customers from Water, Infrastructure, Power and other industries and the report triangulates convergence in these Megatrends.  Today we highlight for you some of the opportunities to think about how these trends might correlate to your own business. 

Thanks to our podcast sponsors for continuing to help make this content free to You!

IF you have stuck Commercial Solar projects, you really should consider how they can help:

Energetic Insurance and

Extensible Energy

Learn more by clicking on their respective company links.

Resources

Connect with Brian on LinkedIn

Check out the Black & Veatch website

Download the Megatrends Report

About the Host of SunCast:

Nico Johnson is the creator and host of SunCast, a regular conversation with Solar Industry professionals who are leading in emerging solar markets. 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 a 10-year veteran of the solar industry, having led development in the US and Latin America for global companies like Trina Solar and Conergy. He served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala and is considered one of the market's leading experts on solar PV expansion in the region.

Nico can be reached on Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

206 - Unlocking Financing for Unrated Organizations [SPI 2019]

I'd love to hear your thoughts on SunCast! Take our survey here: www.mysuncast.com/survey

Welcome back, Solar Warrior. If you are unfamiliar, we call this Flashback Friday, and it’s my way of giving you a glimpse back at something we did recently that I think you should have a listen to. Whether it’s content from one of our many live events (Like the Podcast Lounge at SPI!), or perhaps a replay of older archived episodes that have gotten thousands of downloads, or just a glimpse at what was published on the podcast during the week.

I had the honor of sitting down with the Chief Operating Officer of Energetic Insurance, Jeff McAulay, and the Executive Vice President of Energy and Infrastructure Group of Live Oak Bank, Jordan Blanchard, to discuss a recurrent barrier in the Commercial & Industrial solar industry: unrated small organizations.

They highlighted their collaborative business model, some background on why is it that they joined forces to address this problem, and things to consider from the perspective of a solar C&I developer who wants to kick off their project, but lacks a secure funding source to make it happen. This interview, rather than being sales-driven, underlined the educational importance of these companies to express that the capital is there for C&I developers to make those unrated deals happen.

If you are struggling with your marketing strategy, you are in luck! Today's episode is from our SPI Podcast Lounge where we had a Marketing Agency Roundtable with the best and the brightest in the solar marketing industry: Deborah Knuckey from Kiterocket, Mike Casey from Tigercomm, Keith Zakheim from Antenna Group, and Lauren Glickman from RenewComm. We talked about the tips, tactics, strategies, and ways that you can (and should) take your marketing to the next level as we look into the 2020.

Resources

Connect with Jeff and Jordan on LinkedIn.

You can connect w/host, Nico Johnson, on Twitter, LinkedIn or email

I hope you’ll take advantage of my current Coaching and SunCast Guild offers - have you checked them out?

Thanks to our podcast sponsors for continuing to help make this content free to You!

IF you have stuck Commercial Solar projects, you really should consider how they can help:

Energetic Insurance and

Extensible Energy

Learn more by clicking on their respective company links.

About the Host of SunCast:

Nico Johnson is the creator and host of SunCast, a regular conversation with Solar Industry professionals who are leading in emerging solar markets. 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 a 10-year veteran of the solar industry, having led development in the US and Latin America for global companies like Trina Solar and Conergy. He served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala and is considered one of the market's leading experts on solar PV expansion in the region.

Nico can be reached on Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

205: Vote Solar, Adam Browning [SPI 2019]

Today’s Entrepreneur knows all about the power of voting with your feet!

Since 2002, Vote Solar has been working to make solar affordable and accessible to more Americans, supporting the policies and programs needed to repower our grid with clean energy.

Adam Browning and Vote Solar have served a critical role in the rollout of successful state solar policies nationwide. When Adam sat down with me at the Podcast Lounge in Salt Lake City this past September, I wanted to dig into the origin story, and Adam gave me much more. Today you’ll learn the 4 pillars of policy success Vote Solar stands on, the 5 focus areas they’re leaning into, hardest won battles (and States), Adam’s Theory of Change model and his 2050 prediction.

If you love this episode, let me know on Twitter, LinkedIn or email!

And Let Adam know too! Twitter

I hope you’ll take advantage of my current Coaching and SunCast Guild offers - have you checked them out?

Remember you can always find the resources and learn more about today’s guest & recommendations on the SunCast Blog.

Thanks to our podcast sponsors for continuing to help make this content free to You!

IF you have stuck Commercial Solar projects, you really should consider how they can help:

Energetic Insurance and

Extensible Energy

Learn more by clicking on their respective company links.

Resources:

Connect with Adam on LinkedIn

Connect with Adam on Twitter

Read Adam’s annual year-end predictions letter

Vote Solar’s website

About the Host of SunCast:

Nico Johnson is the creator and host of SunCast, a regular conversation with Solar Industry professionals who are leading in emerging solar markets. 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 a 10-year veteran of the solar industry, having led development in the US and Latin America for global companies like Trina Solar and Conergy. He served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala and is considered one of the market's leading experts on solar PV expansion in the region.

Nico can be reached on Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

204: Tim Effio of Fluence on How Storage is Disrupting Caribbean Thermal Generation Models

Welcome to Tactical Tuesday, a short-form conversation with subject-matter experts designed to give you practical tools, tips and advice for building your solar business or career. 

That almost always translates to a shorter conversation, and that was the intention today, but frankly we just kept peeling back the onion and before we knew it, we had recorded an hour of great conversation!

Tim Effio is responsible for Latam & Caribbean markets for the global energy storage market leader, Fluence. This conversation is a veritable treasure trove for anyone considering the macro and micro implications of Solar + Storage and how it can integrate into the Caribbean and other emerging or developing markets. Even if You’re NOT specifically looking at these markets, there are a LOT of first principles of storage discussed by one of the market leaders on the topic. 

We discuss the role of storage in the evolution of the Caribbean energy markets, and we go down the rabbit hole of Utility grid services, solar plus storage and even business development concepts that just might help your company grow!

I'd love to hear your thoughts on SunCast! Take our survey here: https://www.mysuncast.com/survey

Thanks to our podcast sponsors for continuing to help make this content free to You!

IF you have stuck Commercial Solar projects, you really should consider how they can help:

Energetic Insurance and

Extensible Energy

Learn more by clicking on their respective company links.

Resources

Connect with Tim on LinkedIn

Check out the Fluence website

Read Tim’s recent LinkedIn Article on Storage in the Carribean

About the Host of SunCast:

Nico Johnson is the creator and host of SunCast, a regular conversation with Solar Industry professionals who are leading in emerging solar markets. 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 a 10-year veteran of the solar industry, having led development in the US and Latin America for global companies like Trina Solar and Conergy.  He served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala and is considered one of the market's leading experts on solar PV expansion in the region.

Nico can be reached on Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

203: Marketing Trends 2020 - Marketing Agency Roundtable [SPI 2019]

I'd love to hear your thoughts on SunCast! Take our survey here: https://www.mysuncast.com/survey

Welcome back, Solar Warrior. If you are unfamiliar, we call this Flashback Friday, and it’s my way of giving you a glimpse back at something we did recently that I think you should have a listen to. Whether it’s content from one of our many live events (Like the Podcast Lounge at SPI!), or perhaps a replay of older archived episodes that have gotten thousands of downloads, or just a glimpse at what was published on the podcast during the week.

If you are struggling with your marketing strategy, you are in luck! Today's episode is from our SPI Podcast Lounge where we had a Marketing Agency Roundtable with the best and the brightest in the solar marketing industry: Deborah Knuckey from Kiterocket, Mike Casey from Tigercomm, Keith Zakheim from Antenna Group, and Lauren Glickman from RenewComm. We talked about the tips, tactics, strategies, and ways that you can (and should) take your marketing to the next level as we look into the 2020.

Resources

Connect with Deborah, Mike, Keith, and Lauren on LinkedIn.

You can connect w/host, Nico Johnson, on Twitter, LinkedIn or email 

I hope you’ll take advantage of my current Coaching and SunCast Guild offers - have you checked them out?

Thanks to our podcast sponsors for continuing to help make this content free to You!

IF you have stuck Commercial Solar projects, you really should consider how they can help:

Energetic Insurance and

Extensible Energy

Learn more by clicking on their respective company links.

About the Host of SunCast:

Nico Johnson is the creator and host of SunCast, a regular conversation with Solar Industry professionals who are leading in emerging solar markets. 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 a 10-year veteran of the solar industry, having led development in the US and Latin America for global companies like Trina Solar and Conergy.  He served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala and is considered one of the market's leading experts on solar PV expansion in the region.

Nico can be reached on Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

202: Engineering a Startup While in Grad School, Mikhail Gofman of Green Think Energy

I'd love to hear your thoughts on SunCast! Take our survey here: https://www.mysuncast.com/survey

Today’s Entrepreneur is a young gun but is no stranger to hustle and has proven his grit and worth in the startup world. Mikhail Gofman started Green Think Energy, a solar design firm, from his graduate school dorm room while pursuing a Masters in Mechanical Engineering. Today his company is doing thousands of designs per month and these savvy Millenials are here to teach us about the value of hard work, starting early and taking risks to get ahead!

Mikhail and I get into the company’s humble beginnings, how they’ve 100% bootstrapped the venture to date and the future of engineering automation. This is one up-and-comer’s story you won’t want to miss!

I hope you’ll take advantage of my current Coaching and SunCast Guild offers - have you checked them out? (I discuss more in the episode)

Looking for today’s guest on Social Media?
Remember you can always find the resources and learn more about today’s guest & recommendations on the SunCast Blog.

And you can connect w/host, Nico Johnson, on Twitter, LinkedIn or email 

Thanks to our podcast sponsors for continuing to help make this content free to You!

IF you have stuck Commercial Solar projects, you really should consider how they can help:

Energetic Insurance and

Extensible Energy

Learn more by clicking on their respective company links.

Resources

Check out the Green Think Energy website

Connect with Mikhail on LinkedIn

About the Host of SunCast:

Nico Johnson is the creator and host of SunCast, a regular conversation with Solar Industry professionals who are leading in emerging solar markets. 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 a 10-year veteran of the solar industry, having led development in the US and Latin America for global companies like Trina Solar and Conergy.  He served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala and is considered one of the market's leading experts on solar PV expansion in the region.

Nico can be reached on Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

201: Giving Tuesday: Energy Access for All with Kristina Skierka, founder of Power for All

Today I’m doing my first ever episode dedicated to Giving Tuesday, a fitting way to kick off Season 5 of SunCast!

Today’s Entrepreneur, Kristina Skierka has been a catalyst since early childhood, and today is dedicated to inspiring and empowering entrepreneurs, governments and nonprofits globally to lift others out of energy poverty. She started Power For All in 2015 with a bold mission: delivering access to energy for the 85 percent of the 1.1 billion people without reliable power that live in rural areas by the year 2025. And we’re closer than you might think! I hope you’ll also be inspired to give back, and we provide some thoughtful ways to do that near the end of today’s episode.

Remember you can always find me on Twitter, LinkedIn or email and you can get the resources and learn more about today’s guest & recommendations on the SunCast Blog.

Thanks to our podcast sponsors for continuing to help make this content free to You!

IF you have stuck Commercial Solar projects, you really should consider how they can help:

Energetic Insurance and

Extensible Energy

Learn more by clicking on their respective company links.

Resources

Find Kristina on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristinaskierka/

Giving Tuesday, it’s a thing: https://www.givingtuesday.org/

Learn how you can support Power For All:
https://www.powerforall.org/news-media/campaign-updates/campaign-update-november-2019

More on PowerForAll’s mission
https://www.powerforall.org/about

Check out PowerForAll’s own Podcast:
https://www.powerforall.org/resources/audios

About the Host of SunCast:

Nico Johnson is the creator and host of SunCast, a regular conversation with Solar Industry professionals who are leading in emerging solar markets. 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 a 10-year veteran of the solar industry, having led development in the US and Latin America for global companies like Trina Solar and Conergy.  He served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala and is considered one of the market's leading experts on solar PV expansion in the region.

Nico can be reached on Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus