Suncast

Welcome to Episode 105 of SunCast! After powering his home with solar several years ago and becoming a renewables evangelist, Mike saw a big hole in local solar marketing and realized there was a huge opportunity for solar installers to become trusted, local experts so they could develop their own, exclusive leads - in all the right neighborhoods.  For resources from today's episode and more information on how you can support Suncast, head over to www.mysuncast.com/suncast-episodes to the blog. (the direct URL is ...episodes/105) Join the Tribe? Check out Episode 86, in which I explain how YOU can become an Energy Tribe member and support the growth and stability of SunCast moving forward! www.mysuncast.com/member to join today! If you like what you see and hear, please SHARE it with this pre-filled tweet! Thanks again for setting aside THIS time in your day. Enjoy this episode of SunCast.

Welcome to Episode 104 of SunCast! Today, my guest is marketing maven Glenna Wiseman of Identity3, where she delivers vibrant marketing and has fueled growth in start-ups to divisions of Fortune 500 organizations.  Glenna believes in the power of story and the rising tide of the long tail of local solar installers.   For resources from today's episode and more information on how you can support Suncast, head over to www.mysuncast.com/suncast-episodes to the blog. (the direct URL is ...episodes/104) Join the Tribe? Check out Episode 86, in which I explain how YOU can become an Energy Tribe member and support the growth and stability of SunCast moving forward! www.mysuncast.com/member to join today! If you like what you see and hear, please SHARE it with this pre-filled tweet! Thanks again for setting aside THIS time in your day. Enjoy this episode of SunCast.

Welcome to Episode 103 of SunCast! Today, we are hanging out with well-known and influential solar icon, Danny Kennedy, cofounder of Sungevity and now Managing Director of the California Clean Energy Fund where he is catalyzing cleantech investment and entrepreneurship globally.  Danny believes in building a new global economy where clean energy is affordable and accessible to everyone.  For resources from today's episode and more information on how you can support Suncast, head over to www.mysuncast.com/suncast-episodes to the blog. (the direct URL is ...episodes/103) Join the Tribe? Check out Episode 86, in which I explain how YOU can become an Energy Tribe member and support the growth and stability of SunCast moving forward! www.mysuncast.com/member to join today! If you like what you see and hear, please SHARE it with this pre-filled tweet! Thanks again for setting aside THIS time in your day. Enjoy this episode of SunCast.

Welcome to Episode 102 of SunCast! Today is 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.  If you're curious about how to scale up your solar project development activity without breaking the bank, today's episode is for you.  Mike Dellagala has invested over $200M in DG (Distributed Generation) solar projects and knows more than a few tips & tricks to getting projects across the finish line.   Today, he answers my questions about:  How he invests in a solar developer's project pipeline, specifically  What is required to get an investor interested in your early-stage project?  What to do when the checks get larger than you can afford?  How does it work when a developer sells their pipeline?  What are the mechanics of selling the deal to an investor?  What red flags might disqualify a project?  What are the 2 main things his team screens to ensure the project is on the right

Welcome to Episode 101 of SunCast! Today, it's all about Negotiation with Best selling author Chris Voss. Chris Voss is CEO of the Black Swan Group and author of the national best-seller "Never Split The Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It," which was named one of the seven best books on negotiation. And It's my TOP recommendation for any leader or organization.  Chris retired from the FBI after 24 years leading international kidnapping negotiations. He now leverages that experience in high-stakes situations by using hostage negotiation solutions to help companies secure and close better deals, save money, and solve internal communication problems. For resources from today's episode and more information on how you can support Suncast, head over to www.mysuncast.com/suncast-episodes to the blog. (the direct URL is ...episodes/101) Join the Tribe? Check out Episode 86, in which I explain how YOU can become an Energy Tribe member and support the growth and stability of SunCast moving forward! 

Welcome to this milestone episode of SunCast, Episode 100!Wow, thank you! SunCast doesn't exist with amazing and dedicated listeners. You've helped make this all possible - thank you.THIS episode, Nico gets the microphoned turned on him by good friend and fellow podcaster, Scott Sullivan. Tune-in to learn more about the creator, host and voice of SunCast - Nico Johnson!Join the Tribe? Check out Episode 86, in which I explain how YOU can become an Energy Tribe member and support the growth and stability of SunCast moving forward! www.mysuncast.com/member to join today!If you like what you see and hear, please SHARE it with this pre-filled tweet!Thanks again for setting aside THIS time in your day. Enjoy this episode of SunCast.If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to his contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://mysuncast.com/suncast-episodes/.Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!SunCast is proudly supported

Welcome to Episode 99 of SunCast!Today I'm bringing back one of my favorite SunCast past guests, Mr. Paul Grana of Folsom Labs as we help you discover the value of using Webinars in your sales and marketing process.Stay tuned to learn The math behind Helioscope's no-salesperson organization The Myth of 1:1 sales effectiveness, and how a group setting works better The two types of webinars Paul uses and where they fit in the sales cycle The nuances of how Paul structures the webinar - from length and cadence to what days and times work best Join the Tribe? Check out Episode 86, in which I explain how YOU can become an Energy Tribe member and support the growth and stability of SunCast moving forward! www.mysuncast.com/member to join today!If you like what you see and hear, please SHARE it with this pre-filled tweet!Thanks again for setting aside THIS time in your day. Enjoy this episode of SunCast.If you want to connect with today's guest,

Welcome to Episode 98 of SunCast!Today on SunCast, we're going to dig into the topic of Branding, what it is, how to measure it, when and why it's important - and I've invited a guest who is an expert on the topic, Fridrik Larsen.Tune in to learn: What is Branding? Why Fridrik got a PhD in Branding a commodity The 2 key aspects to consider - differentiation and segmentation How you can incorporate and measure a brand strategy to increase your bottom line Join the Tribe? Check out Episode 86, in which I explain how YOU can become an Energy Tribe member and support the growth and stability of SunCast moving forward! www.mysuncast.com/member to join today!If you like what you see and hear, please SHARE it with this pre-filled tweet!Thanks again for setting aside THIS time in your day. Enjoy this episode of SunCastIf you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to his contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://mysuncast

Welcome to Episode 97 of SunCast!Today on SunCast, we get to dig into the topic of Blockchain and Energy with SolarCoin's Co-Founder, Nick Gogerty.Nick Gogerty is the founder of the first cryptocurrency specifically targeted for Solar Power asset owners.Tune in to learn:How valuing currency globally applies to cryptocurrency  The difference between a credit bubble and an asset bubble, and why that matters for Crypto Analysis  Macro applications of the blockchain, the underlying theory of currency and how Nick and his co-founder decided to focus on Solar  How SolarCoin is structured from staking claims to proof of stake, including who's buying and using SolarCoin and why it matters.Join the Tribe? Check out Episode 86, in which I explain how YOU can become an Energy Tribe member and support the growth and stability of SunCast moving forward! www.mysuncast.com/member to join today!If you like what you see and hear, please SHARE it with this pre-filled tweet!Tha

Welcome to Episode 96 of SunCast!Today we're rounding out our discussion with Mr. Kyle Cherrick, Head of Business Development for PickMySolar.  If you missed last week's episode, then you might consider going back to catch it, as it's actually Part 1 of this interview. We are going to continue to unpack Kyle's story, this time turning the focus more squarely on his current project, PickMySolar. Kyle managed to launch and fund his previous venture, Solar Merchant, while full-time employed AND getting his MBA.Stay tuned to hear: How PickMySolar earned its early strategic partnership with Google Details about Kyle's decision to merge Solar Merchant into PickMySolar's team Why their offering is unique among the solar sales platforms Kyle's superpower, along with much sound wisdom he received from both mentors and books Join the Tribe? Check out Episode 86, in which I explain how YOU can become an Energy Tribe member and support the growth and stability

Welcome to Episode 95 of SunCast!Kyle Cherrick has had the good fortune of working for some of the Titans in the Solar Industry straight out of school. How many of you would like to have joined First Solar 6 months after IPO, or moved on to Axio Power as an early employee long before the SunEdison acquisition? Kyle got a front-seat view this and much more. Then he copy/pasted his learning into his own startup success.Stay tuned to learn: How a college job interview at General Mills turned Kyle towards the solar industry How Kyle's clear goals and intentions earned him a spot at the table of what would become not one but two of the largest solar companies in the US in the 2000's A behind-the-scenes look at the founding of First Solar from his first-hand encounter How Kyle pivoted from Corporate success story to Startup Investor and Founder while keeping his full-time job I'll be at Intersolar N.America next week in SF, and we're hosting a networking event on Monday night - l

Welcome to Episode 94 of SunCast!Today's episode is all about Intersolar N. America, but the lessons here can apply to virtually any tradeshow or major industry event. We kick this episode off with a conversation with the Managing Director of Solar Promotion, the company that puts on the Intersolar and EES conferences globally, Mr. Florian Wessendorf. Stay tuned after that as we have some cameo appearances from SunCast listeners, Twitter followers and more all geared to helping YOU better understand: What to Know Before You Go. Stay tuned to learn The key reasons you should attend Intersolar, from the guy responsible for making it happen.   Trends to look for in this year's show   Tips for maximizing your time and effort at this or any tradeshow   And some really fun clips and bits curated from our friends on Twitter and LinkedInJoin the Tribe? Check out Episode 86, in which I explain how YOU can become an Energy Tribe member and support the growth

Welcome to Episode 93 of SunCast!JW Postal has had by any measure a successful run as an entrepreneur, not just in the solar industry. As a co-founder of Main Street Power, he helped build the company to become one of the largest DG players in the US, eventually being absorbed into the global giant AES as their first foray into distributed generation.He has now turned his sights toward the impending boom of the storage business, and today we gain valuable insight into how this entrepreneur is setting himself apart from the pack. Tune in to learn:The connection between the Obama campaign, Wall Street and Main Street Power The fundamental first steps the Main Street team took to ensure they were launching with momentum The keystone decisions that have helped propel his new venture, Nikola Power to early wins (including fundraising details) Some amazing insights into JW's entrepreneurial journey, lessons learned and strategic thinkingJoin the Tribe? Check out Episode 86, in wh

Welcome to Episode 92 of Suncast!Stephen Smith is an entrepreneur and solar developer from the SF Bay Area who had the good fortune of being able to walk to work back in the early 2000's when he was hired on to a then-unknown Berkeley-based solar company - Powerlight. Stephen has since managed Gigawatts of solar installations, and provides his customers and the market generally a path to predictable & effective project execution.Listen in to hear:The 2 biggest hurdles developers encounter early in a project Risks inherent in solar development and how you can mitigate them Some strong opinions around project component selection, including what module application Stephen thinks is destined to rule the utility market Stephen's advice on how to become financially successful in solar Join the Tribe? Check out Episode 86, in which I explain how YOU can become an Energy Tribe member and support the growth and stability of SunCast moving forward! www.mysuncast.com/mem

Welcome to Episode 91 of Suncast!Today's episode is focused on a tool that you can use to help you in your solar PV module procurement process, a free report produced by Tristan Erion-Lorico and his team at DNV GL called the PV module reliability Scorecard. The 4th generation of the Scorecard was just released, and it's a fantastic benchmark to help you understand how to avoid some of the common pitfalls experienced by developers of all sizes when buying solar PV modules. Stay tuned to learn What core elements make up a bankable and reliable Bill of Materials (BOM).What the key contributors to solar module degradation are.The one ingredient in a solar module that made a 12% difference in production results for one of the manufacturers on the report.The one thing that is essential prior to your PV module purchase.Join the Tribe? Check out Episode 86, in which I explain how YOU can become an Energy Tribe member and support the growth and stability of SunCast moving forward! www.my

Welcome to Episode 90 of Suncast!Well, today on SunCast, Tristan Erion-Lorico gives us a glimpse inside the rigorous evaluations you should be considering when procuring your PV Modules.  He also gets personal about building an unconventional career in solar. Tristan, like many of you, is an infinite learner, and he attributes that as one of his keys to growth and career success.  Along the way we discuss how having a family early in his life pushed this hustling kid-entrepreneur into the corporate world, and how his curious spirit and eagerness to grow has propelled him to be Head of the Solar Module Business Unit for one of the most recognized engineering firms in the solar industry, and arguably in the world - DNV GL. Stay tuned as we discuss:Keys to evaluating your module suppliersTop contributors to solar module degradationThe missing link to BNEF's Tier 1 Module ratingsAnd Lessons from an overly ambitious corporate exit Join the Tribe? Check out Episode 86, in which I expl

Welcome to Episode 89 of Suncast!Today's episode is Part 2 of an interview with Josh Weiner of SepiSolar, so if you didn't listen yet to Episode 88, I would recommend you start there.We continue to dive deep with Josh Weiner the CEO/Founder of SepiSolar, a SF Bay Area engineering services company that specializes in the integration of energy storage with solar.  Tune in to Learn:How a 7/11 in New York became the pivot point for the storage industry  How a downed Boeing Dreamliner changed Josh's career trajectory A clear case for including energy storage in the Investment Tax Credit  One of the best answers to the Crystal Ball question in the history of SunCast, so be sure to stay to the very end! Join the Tribe? Check out Episode 86, in which I explain how YOU can become an Energy Tribe member and support the growth and stability of SunCast moving forward! www.mysuncast.com/member to join today!Thanks again for setting aside THIS time in your day. E

Welcome to Episode 88 of Suncast!Did you check out last weeks episode with Rob Andrews? If not, Listen to it here!Josh is the CEO/Founder of SepiSolar, a Bay Area engineering services company that has taken a long view on the integration of storage with solar. Stay tuned to learn: SepiSolar’s foundation story and what separates them from others Lessons learned from Akeena Solar's IPO and dramatic growth The not-so-strange connection between Music & the Solar Industry? The incredible impact a neighbor can have on a young mind Join the Tribe? Check out Episode 86, in which I explain how YOU can become an Energy Tribe member and support the growth and stability of SunCast moving forward! www.mysuncast.com/member to join today!Thanks again for setting aside THIS time in your day. Enjoy this episode of SunCastIf you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to his contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://mysuncast.com/suncast

Welcome to Episode 86 of Suncast!Since I started SunCast, I've received hundreds of thank-you's, dozens of positive ratings/reviews, and more high fives and pats on the back from industry friends than I can remember. Today, I'm giving you the chance to join me in helping build Suncast even more.To find out more about becoming a member of the Suncast Tribe, visit mysuncast.com/memberAs always, thanks again for setting aside THIS time in your day.If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to his contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://mysuncast.com/suncast-episodes/.Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!SunCast is proudly supported by Trina Solar.You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.mysuncast.com/sponsors.Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 730 other founder stories and startup advice a

Welcome to Episode 87 of Suncast!Did you check out last weeks episode with Mike Silvestrini? If not, Listen to it here!Today on SunCast, we're going to discuss with Rob Andrews how his Canadian startup, Heliolytics, is improving the way operating assets are managed and optimized for long-term yield.  Hang tight as we explore: Why solar plant inspection matters and how it's been done historically How different aerial inspection methods compare Real data on solar site failure rates What Rob sees as the next frontier for solar assetsRob is the CEO and co-founder of Heliolytics, a technology company developing advanced inspection tools for renewable energy facilities. If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to his contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://mysuncast.com/suncast-episodes/.Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!SunCast is proudly supported by Trina Solar.You can learn more about all the spons