Introduction to Solarpreneur Podcast
00:00:03
Speaker
Welcome to the Solarpreneur Podcast, where we teach you to take your solar business to the next level. My name is Taylor Armstrong.
Taylor's Journey to Solar Success
00:00:10
Speaker
I went from $50 in my bank account and struggling for groceries to closing 150 deals in the year and cracking the code on why sales reps fail.
Teaching and Industry Insights
00:00:19
Speaker
I teach you to avoid the mistakes I made and bring in the top solar dogs of the industry to let you in on the secrets of generating more leads, falling up like a pro, and closing more deals.
00:00:31
Speaker
What is a solopreneur you might ask? solopreneur is a new breed of solopro that is willing to do whatever it takes to achieve mastery and you are about to become one.
00:00:43
Speaker
Okay, what's up everybody?
Live at SolarCon with Mihir Pimpley
00:00:44
Speaker
We are here live at Solarcon and I've got someone that's, as far as I know, broke the record for most installs in a year. Just absolute freakish video game numbers.
00:00:55
Speaker
um So we're going to get into how he did so many deals, but we got the one, the only, Mihir Pimp Lee coming on the show. So thanks for coming on, brother. Thanks for having me, boss. Yeah. Sitting in the car here, so we got kind of a unique location, but you enjoying SolarCon so far?
00:01:11
Speaker
It's fire. love coming to SolarCon. You always learn something new, dude. like Specifically in the industry and you're not going out and learning. What are you doing? I think the best people in this industry are always improving, trying to make improvements one way another. So great to hear from, this you know, connecting people, connect with people here.
00:01:29
Speaker
But yeah bro, so do you want to give us just a little like intro how you got into solar, long you've been doing it, yeah kind of reader digest version of your story up to this point?
Mihir's Entry into Solar Industry
00:01:41
Speaker
Yeah, so came to the US in 2016 for engineering. name was Rebuta in Salt Lake City. Yeah, so if you guys know about Utah, it's a it's a mocking town. Yeah. Right, like all the door-to-door companies like Vivint and God knows, I can name a bunch of them. They come from Utah, right?
00:02:00
Speaker
That's how I got into Do2Do. And then the way I found out about solar was I went on a company trip in 2020 to CanQ. And there was a guy who was doing solar and I was saying, hey, yeah, I'm in some solar, I make 500k this year. And then a lot of other people were saying, there's no way, stick with security or stick with whatever industry I was in.
00:02:21
Speaker
And for me it's just like for years these outrageous numbers. I like going and doing those. I like trying the industry out before I have an opinion on it. So that's how i got into solar actually. i heard someone talk about solar back in 2020. He was in California.
00:02:38
Speaker
So I had a few friends who were already doing solar, so I hit up like a few of them and said, hey, let me try studying for you.
Initial Solar Success Stories
00:02:44
Speaker
I actually want to see how hard it is, right? So 2020 fall, October, I decided to go to the ranch in the Mongol, like an Indian empire, like San Diego and all this place. And I started setting that, I think it was Baker's Field when I first went to Knock. And I got three deals in like three days. All I'm doing is walking with my iPad knocking on the door and saying, you want to save money on your electricity bills?
00:03:10
Speaker
And that's how it was back in 2020. And then I started seeing my paychecks and i was like, what the heck is
Choosing Solar Over Engineering
00:03:17
Speaker
going on? It just seems too good to be true. yeah that's That's how i got into solar. I went to school for mechanical engineering, graduated, but then I was like, there's no way I'm going to go into engineering. and I know there's so much money to be made by just doing solar. Yeah, that's funny.
00:03:33
Speaker
yeah It's a weird story, but that's just truth. Well, it's funny. I literally just got done doing an interview this morning, and... I hope they introduced you to him, but Thierry, he came from Lebanon and he'd studied mechanical engineering. He has a solar dealer now, crushing some of the deals.
00:03:53
Speaker
Like, man, maybe I need to go study mechanical engineering. it's It's a mathematical game, right? You're an engineer, you're studying math and it just mathematically makes sense to save people money on their electricity bills and you get paid for doing it.
00:04:10
Speaker
well We'll talk about this more, but he was telling me he can connect with all the engineer types. I know you saw lot of Indian families and stuff. Everyone, right? Yeah, I understand that. Yeah, so I'm like, that seems like almost a cheat code right there to be able to connect with the in engineers. That's all the people that are really tough to get to the finish line.
00:04:31
Speaker
That's cool. So you started in an alarms or test control? Alarm, alarms. City Art Systems. Okay, how long you do that for? Since 2020... 2019 to 2021. Okay. twenty nineteen or twenty twenty you one okay So it's just like one... Two years. then someone. Okay.
00:04:47
Speaker
Cool. So ah how did it go in alarms? were you Did you have as much success in alarms by comparison? so and Not for two months. You compare it to VR think about it, I was like 19. Yeah.
00:04:58
Speaker
Right? Like I went and sold. first year I think under like forty eight thousand fifty grand I like it was like 25, 30 kids. over like two months, right? Think about like an 18 year old guy who has come abroad to study with like no money and you suddenly see 20k in your account within two months, you know? So I definitely liked it.
00:05:19
Speaker
Once, the second year I did like 80, 90k I think, in commissions. And then was at no point going into engineering where can work like three months and make like 80, 90 thousand dollars. like And then I switched into solar. Solving year. That was 2022. Gotcha.
00:05:37
Speaker
ah sir So did you end up graduating with get a degree have your
00:05:45
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, it was fun. mean, I liked it during engineering, nothing wrong with it. But in the end, the reason why we work is so that we can make money and use that money to help other people, right? So, and get things in life you don't have. So, in the end, it's all. Yeah, yeah. Love that.
00:06:01
Speaker
yeah So, cool. And so now you're in Texas, right? Slinging lots of deals out there, have a team.
Record-breaking Solar Installs
00:06:09
Speaker
So, yeah, I mean, let's just get straight to it, man. You did, what, what, 600? 647 installs. Wow.
00:06:18
Speaker
and calendar you a pretty great i Definitely a big year. Insane. We all thought ah Ricardo was like, you know, the best. But I mean thirtyier time heard and something like fifty eight or five nine and right s i like but and yeah i remember introduced me to you and he's like, this is the only guy that's beat me. sell I'm like, okay, what this guy is doing.
00:06:45
Speaker
So, yeah, and let's let's get the question everyone's wondering, like, what does it take to do over 600 installs, man?
Strategies for Success
00:06:54
Speaker
Honestly, it's not that hard, but it is. yeah if It takes everything, dude. Like, you need to be knocking, you need to have, like, obviously there'll be some solutions on there, right?
00:07:04
Speaker
A lot of them will be leads. Like, lot of them will be leads. It has to be, right? Yeah, has to be. So if you, i mean, just do the math. If you have five setters, you're getting five deals closed a week, that's 25 deals you get on week. Right? And this average, average setter underneath your team, like, should close, like, one every other day.
00:07:22
Speaker
Yeah. If they're not working, then that's a different story. But if they are working, they need to close one every other day. One every other day at least. There's online leads or a call center leads from installers as well. Because if you're producing, if you have a big team doing accounts, like obviously the installer you're working with would want you to close the deals because you're doing the volume for it. So there's all of that. A lot of my setters know how to close too.
00:07:47
Speaker
And the reason, the beauty about this is, so say, I could tell you that if you were one of my setters, for the sake example, yeah im say I'm closing a deal 40 minutes away from you. And you are, say, one of my setters, right? And you partially know how to close, but you're not that good at it, right?
00:08:02
Speaker
And I just go sign up one deal and say you are setting... The lead have to go to is in like 2 minutes, right? I can't drive within 40 minutes. I can't drive within 2 minutes. I'll make my setter go and sit with the customer. I tell him to open up his iPad and FaceTime me right there and then. And then I'll share my screen and do the presentation the setter is there. I'll make him move around and compliment the house. Oh dude, the lights in the house are fire. He's always like, dude, your lights are pretty fire. I look beautiful in there. I just say some stupid shit. My customer cracked it.
00:08:35
Speaker
And then I just pretty much just put the thing here, Mr. Johnson, your home is pretty fire. Like, I'll be honest with you, this is how your design looks like. I just have a screenshot of how the design looks like. Yeah, you're paying $300 a month, and it's sold until you're paying $240. That's it. There's no surprise charges, no monkey business. The reason why I didn't stop by a house today was because Mr. Taylor knows what he's doing. just wants a little bit help. And your designs are pretty good. It just makes sense why haven't you gone so late. That's how I transition instantaneously. wow And the beauty about this is like even though I'm closing that deal virtually, I'm not because you're right there to make sure the dogs get signed.
00:09:11
Speaker
So you're gonna be in the presentation, yeah? If I can't make it to the appointment. That's how I can close seven a day, six a day, five a day. this is no I mean, I don't have to be there physically, but I can have one of my setters be there and I can be virtually right there. So you just run into like, just do it in your car or something? there Yeah. wow If I can't make it, I'm going to show up every single time.
00:09:39
Speaker
But I've had a bunch of deals last year like that that closed because of this. It's a hybrid model, virtually plus in person. know how a lot of the time guys like, oh, I just want go to some home. Your customers won't sign documents because they're not able to talk to someone. If the customer is over, how the heck is he going to open it? Yeah, and don't even not open it.
00:09:57
Speaker
That's great, yeah, because that's my biggest question just from like a time standpoint, because like you said, in order to have that much volume, yeah I'm just thinking of my setters, like if I go to three appointments that no-showed or they rescheduled, then that's like potentially an hour, two hours of driving around for nothing.
00:10:14
Speaker
Exactly, that's what saves me time too, guys. I'll be honest, I have a bunch of setters, right? If I have five setters and they're setting appointments between five, six, seven, eight, nine, how am I supposed to go to three appointments at five? Yeah. You know, a lot of them are boobies. Some of them probably won't even be there. Right. Right? So if the setter is going and knocking and the customer is not home, say it's me time, so I can focus on the other two on my talent. Okay. I like triple book myself. I've always told my setters, like if have three setters and they have, say if I have like three setters and all the setters have like the appointment schedule open. Yeah.
00:10:48
Speaker
I just have a triple book. All of them at side of the line. All of them at side the line. And then do you have them try and confirm it or you just have them show up? I'll show up to one and if that one answers, I'll text in my group chat saying, hey, I just got into Derek's five o'clock appointment. The two guys automatically know what to They're going to go and knock on the door. And 95% of the time, like one of the guys says, hey man, the customer's not home. He said to come back in like 30 minutes. He said to come back in 40 minutes. Right in the...
00:11:16
Speaker
The person I'm with, if I'm going and talking to the customer, usually a close, how long does a close take? 40 minutes? Well, mine takes like an hour and a half. Maybe I need a close quicker. In California, you can explain any M3.0s and we are starting to find views and all that stuff, right? In Texas, it's pretty straightforward. Here's the design, this is your new bill, boom, here's the top. The thing is, you as a closer, you know what to give the customer.
00:11:46
Speaker
A lot of the guys I work with, like the customers I'm with, I'm just going to give them that one product that I know it works. Okay. You know, if it's working, I'm not going to give them something else. Unless they want like a tax standard. So unless the customer is educated enough, and if the customer is educated enough, they already know what they want.
00:12:03
Speaker
They've already had multiple conversations like, hey, give me a PPA. I legit had a customer in Florida, but give me a 13 cents, 2.9 minutes to get a PPA. If you can make it happen. I did 12.9 cents. Yeah. Yeah. There you go. Just like small, small things. Yeah. Wow.
00:12:21
Speaker
So, yeah. i mean, how many setters did you have last year, would you say? Did you have like... picking to the homeland side of still just interestinger I guess in person. I know had like about I know the closest mainly how much do the closest make? Yeah. But I had like 8 or 9 closest across I'll apply to you bro, I can't, I don't know. So say you get in a deal and you have the other two, do you just have other closers go to the ones? You triple book yourself? Exactly, I have other closers who can go to them too. But I'm just saying the situation is going to be all up. Because every team is safe, it's have like
00:13:05
Speaker
Let's say if I have like 100 guys, right? 80 will be setters, 20 will be closers. Yeah. You want to say? Yeah. So all my setters, like at least my experienced setters, they know how to close.
00:13:17
Speaker
but not at the level we close at. They'll know how to close like basic documentations and all that stuff, as long as it's experienced, experienced people who can like be on the phone and be on FaceTime with them, it should be fine. yeah you know If all the closes are booked, that's when I do this. And then you already know how some setters only want you closed. I'll reschedule that. That's the problem too. Incredible. So yeah, and you mentioned you had, you got in-person centers, you had a call center, right? Call center. Then you did also get online leads, right? And then also leads from installers that they would give you. i mean It's the same thing as online leads, right? Because they probably get leads from sideback. Or like a refills, right? Like what if the customers will text the install, like, hey, my friend is looking for solar, right? And they'll send that to my way. Yeah.
00:14:10
Speaker
Okay. So you basically have three kind of lead sources that you're getting the appointments from. Yeah. like guess so not Yeah. Online leads. And then install leads. If you just make it like simple, simple stuff. Yeah. Yeah.
00:14:24
Speaker
Yeah. So. And that's, this I mean, no money no wonder doing some of so much volume. Most companies that I talk to, it's like they're only getting one lead source a lot of times. in Or sometimes they're trying to like put all their eggs in different baskets, but they're not like... Systematic about it. Yeah, they're not like really mastering any of them. They're just getting like...
00:14:43
Speaker
a few leads from one a few leads from the other. how did you manage all this? Did you set up the systems? Are you big systems guy or who manages all these leads? Yeah, I was at home with systems and all that stuff. And installers have a CRM too. So I like using this app called Scope Enix. I don't know you've heard about it. Top for now, okay. On Monday, right? I would just say which was the lead was dispatched to and all that stuff.
00:15:07
Speaker
And the sources have to. They have to go on Monday and say it's in progress or like closed or not, you know, against, it wasn't a problem. If they don't, they just don't need leads. Like why would we want to send leads to guys who are not on top of their shit? If you have been given a lead, make sure you, like, you know, notate. Yeah, exactly, notate on that stuff. Yeah. One thing I liked too was like all my clothes, all my setters, like door knocking setters, they'll call the neighborhood there and be knocking like you before they're actually going on. like Let's be honest, all solar setters and clothes, when do we start knocking? If it's not the summer, we start at like 2 or 3. Then we go I I'll make them call like an hour or two before they go into the neighborhood. Nice. So easy having small mental wills and the rusty pitch is already out. Wow. It's like warm up. Warm up area. Yeah. Maldedric energy drinks and all that stuff. Yeah. And then they're usually getting, where there's a pretty common that they're getting like a deal set up or an appointment set up. Not every, but there are certain setters who will. Yeah.
00:16:17
Speaker
What gave you that idea to have them call? You just... I mean, you don't have this virtual guy who were calling anyway, so why not make in-person guys call before we go to the radiohead?
00:16:29
Speaker
And use that as ammunition. Oh yeah, we talked to Ms. Johnson, she lives here, you know? And then we were going to stop by our house, but while we are in the radio, just ask you to make sure your energy already has been done. Wow, yeah, that's a crazy idea, I like it. It's hard to implement, but once you implement it,
00:16:46
Speaker
So you saw your numbers go up Yeah. yes Doing better because of that. Okay. And the guys who were scared of knocking, they were just like you know what, I'm just going to dial the whole day. And if they were setting solid leads, if you're setting two or three days, dude, I don't blame you. Do it. Yeah.
00:17:00
Speaker
And I don't want twist your arm if you don't want to go out and knock. But hey, like he's knocking and he got five on the wheel and you're dialing and you have one on the wheel.
Mindset and Fitness Parallels
00:17:10
Speaker
But now some guys are doing 8-9 on the week just dialing. 8-9 is a setter. Dude, that's pretty good. Solid. If you guys know the industry, 8-9 is a setter a week is pretty solid. Super solid. And just from dialing nonstop.
00:17:25
Speaker
you know So did the dialing guys get as many deals as the knocking guys there Some of them, yeah. Really? There were some guys who just like sucked on like pretty solid. They just fired on those phones. And that's actually day your dad. Your dad is pretty solid too. yeah So when was sitting out there, your dad is not listening. Okay, what about to do? Follow up. Podcast.
00:17:50
Speaker
No, that's crazy, bro. um Well, yeah. And so another thing I want to ask you about, I know you, you know, before we hit record, said you get a lot of like some cells, which people would consider tougher, like the Indian families, people like me, you got the, I'm jealous, you got the Indian accent everything. Like, I wish I had that access and people would like, I'll call the Indians a bifurcally.
00:18:11
Speaker
But what's the secret to like, you think it's more of a mindset thing selling to Indians or like what's what's your secret? I honestly think it's all about the mindset. I'll tell you guys why too, right? Like I was not the first year when I did a smart home or security system or whatever. I was walking in Alabama.
00:18:30
Speaker
okay And then, dude, like, trust me, i was the only brown guy there I feel like. and like texas the say it one I know where it was. like I don't even know where it was. I don't know where it was. Near the border of Pensacola. Mobile. Mobile and Pensacola. The border areas. I was walking in Pensacola and Mobile. yeah And every single... guy In my head, I was just like, hey, my accent's sick. These white guys don't understand what they're like. It's my year market, right? In my head, I was telling myself, hey, my accent's sick. These white guys don't know what the heck I'm saying. They just don't like me. They don't shoot me. I heard a gun pulled on me.
00:19:05
Speaker
I think it's just the market. But then like one of our managers told me like, hey, this is not the case. We have a bunch of Indians who work with us and like some basic stuff you need, like a 19 year old guy needs to just push, you know. And i was like yeah, maybe it's the mindset. And I started reading books and all that stuff. Started listening to like podcasts and YouTube motivational videos and trainings.
00:19:25
Speaker
And then obviously as I was doing that, I got my first deal within 40 hours of me doing that. right And then once I got that deal, it's the rush you get. So I got the rush. You get up and dude, I just went with my iPad, closed someone and made H&Bs. And it's just like, whoa, what just happened? you know yes And then that's when i that's when something clicked.
00:19:45
Speaker
And then I was just like, this is the easiest job out there. It's like metamorphism, right? like You just don't know when it happens. yeah It's like a caterpillar turning into butterfly, you know? It just happens.
00:19:55
Speaker
The butterfly never knew was a caterpillar. It just happens. Something just slicked and then I was like, this is easy. It's too easy. And then I just kept going home.
00:20:07
Speaker
Well seems like most small top producers I talk to, it's almost like, yeah you can figure out the system, the leads, but also the huge thing is mindset. a lot lot of guys say that's like, that's almost like a bigger factor than getting the leads. And then what would you say? You think it's more like having like a mindset shift?
00:20:25
Speaker
Dude, as dumb as it sounds guys, like I don't even know what the heck it is. It's definitely mindset. It's like the gym, right? It's like 95% in diet. Yeah. If you're not eating healthy, you're not gonna know.
00:20:37
Speaker
We go to the gym all the time. Yeah, you can work. A bad diet can definitely fuck up a body workout. It's very similar to that, a bad mindset can fuck up the best pitch you have. Yeah. If you're not in the right mindset, the customer is not going to find it. Yeah. And then obviously having the systems and the right mindset. Yeah. You can be the luckiest guy out there, if you don't buy a lottery ticket, you're never going to win. You can have the best mindset, but if you don't have the right systems to back it up and go forward with it, you're never going to succeed in closing. You can have the best mindset if you don't go and knock on the door, you never win.
00:21:11
Speaker
Yeah, it's like people that just are learning all the time. They come to San Diego's conferences, go read the books, but then they're working like a couple hours a day. It's like, hey, you got to put
Continuous Learning and Industry Events
00:21:21
Speaker
in the inputs. I've heard so many guys who tell me, hey, why do you go to Doerr Dewey Con? Why you go to Doerr Dewey Con? There are a lot of these guys who are like, oh I did like 70 last year, I did like 120 last year. That's good, but you can always get better. The way you get better is by going to conferences like Solarcon, DDCon, and Moxstar University stuff. I just like going and doing all that stuff. Yeah, for sure.
00:21:45
Speaker
And so, walk me through your schedule if someone wants to do this many deals. I mean, yeah. I schedule during the summer? Yeah, during the summer. Like how much are you working at Disney? Mine is 9am to like probably like 3am, like legit. But I'm not even kidding. It's bad. Holy crap. These come all across the board. And then if it's online lead vendor, some of them are overseas. They are asking text I'm just sitting at like super late at nine. So no, it's bad. Like, yeah, I know, the schedule is pretty bad. So you're not like closing deals that late though, right? You're just, okay? No, no, no, my last door might be. like 11, 12, max.
00:22:24
Speaker
If I'm in the house at like 9.30, 10 o'clock, and if it's taking longer because the customer wants to eat, you know, whatever, you know. You know how those late night deals are. But usually I'm out by like 10, 11, max. Max.
00:22:35
Speaker
So at 3 a.m., that's just kind of like managing accounts? That's like managing accounts, talking to... have a good management team now, where I have like assistant who handles all that stuff, but realistically, when you start doing it first, even if you guys talk to guys who are selling 100 to 200 accounts a year, you will see that until like 2-3 am like either dealing with reps if you have bunch of reps you're dealing with the customers or you're dealing with account management stuff or installers like hey like what's going on with this one the roof is leaking small small things like that right so it's a pretty tight schedule during the summer it's i know it sounds weird but dude i just don't think of this as well yeah that's just like i don't complain when i wake up and eat food i'm like brush my teeth or go to the chair i'm not drinking
00:23:20
Speaker
in the in-mind technology things and all that stuff. That's just life. That's just life. You're signed up for it. If it just doesn't excite you, just don't do it. Yeah, well, it's funny. Some people say, I want to be like, I'm here. I want to close this many deals. But then you ask them their schedule. And, you know, they're going out there like three o'clock, working till like eight. It's like, bro, if you want the success he's having, then you might need to do a change of new things.
00:23:44
Speaker
so Yeah. It's just a stack of time there, too. And like trainings in the morning, know, that stuff. It just takes up. ah The reason why I do stay up till 3am too is because of the fact that it's the alone time I have too. From 2 to 3am, like I have like some peace of my myself where like no one's blowing up my phone. No one's like calling me know and all that stuff, you know. But just being honest, that's my schedule during summer. Over the winter and like Jan, 7th, March, it's on and off
00:24:17
Speaker
I do like 3 weeks, 1, 2 weeks off like the whole deal. And then of the time. And then your whole team, there are they working at, well you probably don't even really have time to knock with your guys or anything right? I actually have time to knock. Usually I don't take, I don't hoard all the things. I just wanted to make a statement last year the year before so I just went cram. I mean if I close two to four hundred accounts a year, I'm fine with that.
00:24:48
Speaker
If I can have like 10, 15, 20 who can close like 200 accounts, that's exactly the You can make a lot of money alone, but it has a small shelf life. ah yeah you can make a lot of money alone iburn is this it has a small shelf light Right, that's one of the reasons that people work at bigger companies is where they can have the vision of growing and recruiting more reps and all that stuff. Because once you're like 70, 80, what are you going to do, keep on doing? Yeah, know. You know, you need a team to, you know, help them grow, get some overhead. It's like a business, right? You can't be the only producer in your business.
00:25:21
Speaker
You want like 20 people like you, so you can plug yourself out and help them out, you know? yeah I can't help out closing deals When should I talk to them? Exactly.
00:25:33
Speaker
So have a few people this year that you think? Yeah. One of them was sitting right there. The other one was standing next to him and talking. There was one guy right there. All my guys are here right now.
00:25:45
Speaker
Wow. Every single one. It doesn't matter if you're doing one deal a year, one deal a month. You get the point. I have everyone here. That's right now. Just because I want them to learn and grow. Yeah.
00:25:57
Speaker
Talk to other companies out there, talk to whoever you want to talk to. Learn whatever you can. I love the abundance mentality too. tell people all the time, this solar wasn't like that when I first started back in 2016. We didn't have solar gone, people were very secretive. If someone was closing a big volume of deals, they weren't talk about it. Nothing like this.
00:26:20
Speaker
so yeah, it's cool that we got so much abundance now that guys can come and collaborate, share what they're doing. I mean, I like such things. I don't like guys gatekeeping all these. You know, lot of people don't tell other people about...
00:26:34
Speaker
DDCon, I didn't know about DDCon in the last year, or two years ago. I was working a lot. Gate kept by a few other companies with, they just didn't want us to expand or go out. Do one thing and one thing only. Yeah,
High Installation Rate Techniques
00:26:49
Speaker
That's good. So, and I want to ask you about, because what's even more impressive than the deal is is you actually have the installs, right? So you had over 600 installs. How many closes do you think you had to hit that?
00:27:02
Speaker
I got me like seven something. Seven or eight hundred. You can see on the five-hour code, but I'm like seven hundred or something. Okay. So that's an insane folder because usually guys that are doing volume, it's like... That's right. 80% installation rate. I'll send customers like a gift card. I remember like one of the customers wasn't answering phone or the installer's phone, text message, nothing like that.
00:27:27
Speaker
I legit had to DoorDash him pizza and I paid the DoorDash guy extra, like paid him 30% extra so he could call me and talk to the customer. And the customer i was like, oh dude, sorry, you got new phone.
00:27:40
Speaker
know why I was wondering about some things in the solar system. But having those systems lined up, like all my guys have access to something called as a concierge. But if the keys weren't, it's dumb. If they wanted Airbnb's book, instead of texting me now, they text the concierge line. And we have got I have a budget for every single rep, and that gets taken out. Like 200kW on the Blitz, like your Airbnb is paid for. Okay. do Right? So that's my override. And then anything extra try I make, it's too late I'm transferring with all my guys how much I'm making individually and what I use that money for.
00:28:17
Speaker
It's like, hey, if Taylor, if you're on my rep and I'm making say hypothetically, 100 bucks a kilo word on it. I used to say you do 100 kilo words. But hey, spent that's $10,000 on over it. I spent on your Airbnb because you did that number. And I spent the remaining $3,000 for leads for you. So you could close those leads, deals, and make X amount of dollars on them which you wouldn't have had if I didn't spend. And you know what? $2,000 is no profit because of all the account management I have to do for you.
00:28:45
Speaker
that's That's the fight with that because if you go from closing five deals a month to ten deals a month, what would you do? Super worth That's cool. I've never heard that much transparency. Usually got so guys are pretty. And if guys want to leave, they aren't sure. Leave, I guess. It's the ego and the pride that's make you away then you're going to come back again because something happened while you were trying to do some stuff that didn't work. Obviously, some guys don't like this. I just i just like being transparent. you know That's fire. So it's just like, whatever. Yeah, so what are the things you guys do to get these accounts to installed? Do you have, like, I don't know, what's your process? What do your account manager managers do?
00:29:19
Speaker
Any, like, secrets you have to share with that? I'm honest with y'all, like, Texas, like, all the installers I work with, it's, like, such a huge install. Okay. So a team is going to cancel, going cancel within didn't like like good three days, two days, you know? I mean, we small small things like Nordass stuff I told you about. I do that. I mean ice send crumble cookie art.
00:29:37
Speaker
So it's like whatever the customer likes. One of my customers liked Texas Roadhouse. So I sent him a Texas Roadhouse gift card. Okay. So just you're kind of paying attention to stuff they like and then after signing you just text your project manager to send them this or whatever. rebates, right? Like installing, installing open data like cashback rebates and help with the utility bills and all that stuff. So it's just the way you start it again. A lot of our customers have like random rebates, you know? Okay.
00:30:03
Speaker
And because, I mean, you said you're selling these things in 40 minutes, which yeah that's pretty quick compared to a lot of people that I hear. I'm closing deals, so like, can you walk us through what's your like closing structure? Because don't know if you're like going through the documents in depth. And I imagine you have some people like EDS engineers and all that that maybe have more technical questions and everything.
00:30:26
Speaker
So how are you handling that? Are you changing your presentation quite a bit depending on who is? Yeah, I'm going to say that's about 40-50 minutes average clothing is pretty straightforward. I spoke mainly on PPAs right now because the loans had weird dealers and all that stuff. So PPAs are pretty straightforward. Like it was a customer, he was using 30,000 kilograms, you're paying 17 cents.
00:30:46
Speaker
Based on how much sunlight falls on your roof, I'm locking in at 13 cents. And I'm locking in at 14 cents, I'm locking in at 16 cents. I don't think the ideas are hard. They keep it pretty simple. but The reason why refs are complicated is because they think it's hard. and Like the set on the escalators and on that step right and from they get who hundred an escalator they tele the cainos they all you power and the rates and you have already seen how much they go up.
00:31:09
Speaker
This doesn't go up by more than 2.9% length person, let's go! And I'll give them a high fashion hat, you know? Yeah, you owe me. Yeah, small small things like that. you know It's like, and the second thing is like, it's hard because you have to save it with the customer. You might not care about the savings. You might want your roof to be fixed.
00:31:27
Speaker
yeah So I'll just stack it in the roof with the solar project and so on, it's 50 bucks much more expensive. Right, you're getting the whole thing done. You know, it's small, small thing. We create a financing side of it, right? If a customer has like, I don't know, like $5,000 that he needs, I'll give it out of my coverage. You get the point, by moving the PPW and all that stuff. It's tall, it's a little loose. Financing is allowing it, but there was the issue with that.
00:31:57
Speaker
and out smart um Yeah, it's just funny how people pay more at Ablai. You know, get a $5,000 rebate. Yeah. Let me give you example, right?
00:32:11
Speaker
so you have a Say you have a car that's worth $10,000 and you're paying $400 bucks a month or $300 bucks a month on a car. Right? If I can increase your electricity bill, like the solar bill, that's $50 bucks a month and take care of a $300 a month payment, now you are saving Overall. I think I must like, I call myself, I'm an engineer and obviously, but I'm like a home energy expert. My goal is to save you money. And if it's going to be with the HVAC or paying off your car and all that stuff with solar, I do that.
00:32:42
Speaker
Because indeed I'm showing you, so if it's saving you money overall, It's almost like a Levi for a different thing. yeah That's smart. right it's just I just like having fun with the customers. If they want your spare savings, boom.
00:32:55
Speaker
That's 13 cents. If the customer asks me, can you go lower? I was like, good. It just depends on how much sunlight falls in your roof. You know, your roof allows me to go to 13 cents. That's it. I lowest I can do. Yeah.
00:33:06
Speaker
It's true, though.
Creative Problem Solving in Sales
00:33:07
Speaker
I think the more creative we made them solving problems, because like that's what makes people valuable, solving problems. so yeah And I've actually noticed that. I've seen a lot of top guys there, you know including other services. They're like, yeah, they're lumping in other...
00:33:22
Speaker
um page And then yeah, I yeah okay well and then yeah do you have any other things that you take like separate your presentation like i don't how you' like framing the deal on sort way or what What's like some secrets in your presentation?
00:33:51
Speaker
I'll be honest with y'all, like I don't even talk about solo when I'm inside the house. I'm just contemplating them on their lights. I'm a basic conversation. I don't like having pinch.
00:34:02
Speaker
of see maybe an hinu podcast i like having a conversation on a pitch. So talk about random stuff ah okay and then I just show them the proposal, I show them the numbers, dude. Like you tell me if it's gonna work hard.
00:34:15
Speaker
Say that if it's not gonna work hard, I just not do it. It's not a big deal. But it looks like with my eyes you're paying 20 cents, I'm locking it at 14 cents. It's saving you 30, 40% of your power bills because you have a beautiful roof, which you told me you did that two years ago, right?
00:34:28
Speaker
Yeah. What questions can you ask? It's pretty straightforward. You've already looked into so the solution. The savings is already $140 a month. Let's get the ball rolling. So I need to think about it, maybe I need to think about it. Yeah, that's fine. Take your time to think about it. Let's just see if Onsen approves application. I'll do the engineering designs and all that stuff for you.
00:34:47
Speaker
So I can leave you with the information you're looking for. And then we can see if it gets a flu runner. Okay. boomo And it's this see a pizz of if they tell me they want think about and saying no, no, no out here,
00:34:59
Speaker
I'll move them from the location. if they're saying If you're telling me no, I have to think hard to think about it because it's in the in the zone you are in. So larry let me do this really quick. Let me just make sure that this is still a good fit for you. Here, come out with me for a sec.
00:35:13
Speaker
So if you were supposed to place the panels, would you place them on this side of the roof or this side of the roof? Oh, on the design I had on this side of the roof. So I'll move the designs over. Okay, let me take at the breaker really quick. Now I'll take them to the breaker.
00:35:25
Speaker
Then I'll frame the question again. Okay, so you want panels on this side, the breaker's already upgraded and all that stuff and you think if you can save 40-50 bucks a month, it's pretty awesome. right If you save 40-50 bucks a month, would make sense, correct?
00:35:39
Speaker
Oh, okay. Let me see what I can do. Okay, so you only do that if they're giving me some resistance or it seems like they're not that sold. Yeah. Okay. we said They're giving me resistance to something wrong. Whenever they're giving me resistance, I didn't do my job right now.
00:35:53
Speaker
So I'm doing something wrong. So that's why I moved them around to get to the main point. Because logically speaking, that's logical, right? I'm an engineer, so it's mathematical. Logically, why won't you do something that's going to save you money?
00:36:08
Speaker
What about like, because yeah I mean with the Indian, typically with Indian families like they want to shop, they want the best deal. Indian is a different way of selling it though. Indian is a different way of selling it.
00:36:19
Speaker
Because when you're selling Indians, you're selling them on the cheapest price possible. They think that you can go cheaper and cheaper and cheaper and cheap exact best of the cheese your is cheaper You This is where you said, you're a leader. One thing I've realized is that a lot of people sell solar only and only on savings.
00:36:39
Speaker
If you try to sell someone savings and savings only, they were want they're going to be wanting to save more. You know what I'm gonna say? yeah And that's not how you're doing. Okay.
00:36:51
Speaker
So with the Indians, with both type of people, you you just approach it differently, you're not talking about savings. So what are you, what are sellingling and i live indian lain won that time In the end, still dude, like it still comes huddling, it's all numbers game for them, right?
00:37:07
Speaker
But the way you do it is that you anchor it super high. Yeah. And then you show you're defeated. Then you show you're defeated again. Okay. So you should deficies just started a lot higher than you. You go defeated again. And then you pull out, let me call the manager. Let me call the owner.
00:37:20
Speaker
And then, dude, this is the best try. Yeah. Dude, it's not, I can't even do anything. and i just get up. I'm like, just let me know. You know? And then, no, no, no, this is good. Okay, cool. then I'll be like, dude, if I can do all this stuff for you, can you refer me to this, this, this, this? Okay. You know? Okay.
00:37:38
Speaker
Okay, and then before we started recording, you mentioned you get a lot of like newer homes and stuff like that. Yeah, I mean yeah like targeting more of us. But like guys who complain about newer neighborhoods, I'll go and knock with them into newer neighborhoods and I'll show them what I do differently. The first thing I do in a new development, I'll go walk into like an open house.
00:37:58
Speaker
I'll get information on the building, I'll get information on the guys who sell the homes, like the HOA stuff and all that, right? And I'll use that as ammunition. Okay. Just get some intel about the neighborhood and yeah back to it. Yeah, and do those ammunition on the legal incidents. Okay. That's awesome.
00:38:14
Speaker
Well, dude, you make it sound so simple and I think that's the thing. So many people overcomplicate this and think there's something like secret word track, secret thing, but I mean 600 installs and it sounds like you're keeping pretty simple to me. Yeah, it's just, it's pretty simple. And it's just accurate like, dude, like the more doors you knock, the more deals you'll get. yeah anyone Yeah. The more deals you get, the say the more leads you get, the more closes you'll have. Yeah. Solid numbers do. And the better you are, at the less...
00:38:43
Speaker
Leads you need to go to, close. yeah rights like i mean I love threading myself with leads. And I use that money, my sole commission, I see a lot of guys blowing out stupid things. I use that to generate more volume for my business. you yeah Like I'll give leads to my apps, whatever it takes, you' like knocking apps, flying them out to your van, covering small small things.
00:39:05
Speaker
You need to move as a unit, you know? Yeah. So good. And then, so you have a call center too, you said? Okay. Did you start the call center? I started somewhere. Okay. what's like What was your main lead source? Was it door knocking still? Initially was door knocking.
00:39:20
Speaker
It's mixed, actually. Okay.
00:39:24
Speaker
it's it's mix actually So pretty even. For me it is mixed because what I do is any new setters I get, I assign them to like different teams now. Because I'm going to do closers to one closer needs to have at least five to six solid setters.
00:39:43
Speaker
For closer. You don't understand? So that's usually what I do. i mean so That's why I've been going to online leads and all that stuff. Some of the leads are little bit far away. And I don't want the core closer group and the setters to lose that closer. So I'll have these setters set for him, this setter set for him, and the leads I'll just take here and there.
00:40:02
Speaker
But then have my core group of setters as well. So I don't want to close, but they just want me to go and close their deals. If I'm not good, they're just going to try subject.
00:40:13
Speaker
And so the call center leads, you're running the whole in-person too? Yeah. So you guys don't really do virtual except for the hybrid stuff you're talking about? Yeah, hybrid stuff. We do virtual too, but the closing at virtual has changed.
00:40:27
Speaker
I've talked to a bunch of high-level virtual closers. It's all bogus. Back in 2020, 2021, 2022, it was good because it was COVID. So people doing Zoom and all that stuff, right? One of the other is starting 2023, 2024.
00:40:43
Speaker
Those numbers just dimmed down. I have a bunch of them. I actually hired a bunch of online closers that want to in person talking now, but in person closing because they're not seeing success with closing.
00:40:55
Speaker
I may be completely wrong, right? But I'm just telling you what I've seen in the industry. Right now, it's like all the virtual closers are wanting to go in person. person And in person guys are thinking virtual is the way to go. That's just have what more Instagram short step yeah you from home where maybe contact signing is not and vastly snow and blue like i didn't have lincoln ten thousand contracts sign i needed to you i I just like look at those guys I'm like how it like how can it be that easy? getting like I feel like have to
00:41:27
Speaker
be in person and get people a sign yeah and push it and do the same slowly exactly yeah and the same clothess who were friendss and I thought you were making why do you need an upfront and a sign on board? I like it for such a thousand. Virtual is good too, for certain clients. But in a commercial, I do some commercial online. Super wealthy homes in Southlake and like 5-10 million dollars in those. They want to initially do it virtually, but then they still call someone to come to their house. Like even my virtual closers, I usually go tell them, hey, like, this looks good. You know, all these numbers make sense. What I need to see is what sort of breaker do you have? And just see if I can save you more money when I come to your house. Because I can only save you so much money virtually because I don't know how's your attic and all that stuff. So when is a good time someone can stop by before we can get the ball rolling. Okay. And then I go in first. Give yourself a reason to come back to the house.
00:42:28
Speaker
Yeah, I got you. Yeah. And if it's nowhere, I'll always have some closer. You know, like, it's something that's that hard to find a game. Yeah, okay. Then you guys blitz a lot, you blitz a lot outside of the city. Yeah, it's a small town. That's what I'm doing right now, yeah. Yeah.
00:42:46
Speaker
Wow. Good. Well, bro. I work hard on the workplace. I don't even consider this as well. I'm just having fun. Yeah. It's just like... Gotta enjoy the journey.
00:42:56
Speaker
Yeah, and um you know, it's like people become obsessed, the best people, they become obsessed with this. It's like, it's funny because I've worked with some people where they're like, oh, don't talk. We'll go to like team dinners and they'll be like, Yeah, was talking about?
00:43:20
Speaker
I know. I was ah, you know, NFTs crypto? I can talk about that. Go on, but you know. I don't know. Don't take away. small things stick that yeah That's cool, man. Well, so ah before we wrap up here here, people want to connect more with you. Maybe, I don't pick your brain a lot more. So what's the best way to get in touch with you? My Instagram, a my phone number, you know.
00:43:43
Speaker
Okay. Cool. You can always hit a playlist there and you can just link us up, you know. Okay. Yeah. I can see that. just tell you what I you think If it's not, like this it's working me.
Finding Personal Motivation
00:44:01
Speaker
yeah yeah the and You need to find why. are you doing this and for what yeah And get us on your end. Okay, love that.
00:44:12
Speaker
So last couple questions, Mir. I know you're building a pretty big team, and I'll let what have been some keys to, because like you talked about earlier, it's one thing if you can have success, but it's getting other people to have success too. Okay. So what are some things that have helped you, like, also get your guys cranking and producing, replicating yourself to get them to but also have that level of success? Yeah, so the reason why why I did what I'm doing right now is because I noticed like when I was selling a lot, my managers started slowing down because they were getting over it.
00:44:45
Speaker
Yeah. You know, the way I keep my guys motivated is they know I don't need to be working so much and they know I don't need to be selling that much. Right. But here I am still working and selling, you know, and making way more than and they all know how much I make in turn because I'm transparent with it. Right.
00:45:01
Speaker
um Keeping them motivated is by me producing and doing all that stuff, right? yeah Second way I keep them motivated is because I just plug them with setters and leads and they are accountable for that setter. They are not working for themselves, they are working for four guys that I gave them. And they need to make sure this guy, this guy, this guy, this guy is making money.
00:45:22
Speaker
you know How do you find them? Setters. Recruiting. Instagram online recruiting. People are hitting me up. i'm like Going to schools, going to barbs, clubs, just talking about what I do for work. It's fun to do.
00:45:35
Speaker
And people are always complaining about their job, no matter what they do. I've had my solar folks complain about solar and I've had other company guys complain about other stuff. Right, so I mean if everyone is just gonna complain, might as well complain with me and do the same shit you're doing. That'll make it fun like And You Yeah,
00:45:57
Speaker
yeah' now guys go That's why I keep on motivated. I get always the laziest clothes and I'll be like, hey, do you want to drive and i the least solid du I'll always take that. And they'll take them. excuse That's what me keeps them moving. What I is people get lethargic once they make a certain amount of money and they just sit. And why once you're sitting, it's hard to put you back in motion. right That's why you just keep on um blitzing your rounds and you never slow down.
00:46:25
Speaker
yeah you know Yeah, and if they always have leads, they can't really stop working. can't not show up for appointments. It's also like the 18 year olds and 19 year olds I have, I try to increase their expenses.
00:46:37
Speaker
They're going to keep them moving. Make them buy electronics. Not keep them, so but like improve their lifestyles. i think I mean, a lot of 18 year olds live with their parents, right? They don't even have a house. and Making them get their own apartment, that's a $1,500 monthly payment that they have to somehow make.
00:46:52
Speaker
And i don't know what it is, like that's what makes them sell more. yeah That's what made me sell more. I just kept on increasing my expenses. Yeah, that's good. So how much, you don't mind, is asking how much you make off your 600 installs here? commission? Yeah, how much do you that? you have total overrides and everything, have like 4.7 million something thousand dollars. Wow. That's a total.
00:47:15
Speaker
it a floor point set so four million seven and something doesn't know about exactly all there's a total with everything. Because if you do the math, right, like it was, some of it was getting split between, it's not that much, and obviously it wasn't a subject, I'm not making like 10, 15 years, but it was getting split, but I mean, dude, like,
00:47:36
Speaker
I still think I could have done more That's the freaking annoying part. period incredible we still hungry so five Yeah, on. solo You bro. five bro. I'm looking into certain like commercial stuff right now too. See, had a buddy actually close on like a 10 million commercial deal. Oh my gosh. One commercial deal.
00:47:56
Speaker
yes Yeah, talk to him i like yeah mean you get the point. like It's not about the money, where it's also about the high ticket sales. The reason why i do this is because I want to sell something that's worth like a hundred billion dollars, I'll try to sell it. That's the goal, right? Just keep and selling your businesses. like yeah you know like when people laugh I don't know who I was talking to, but he sold his business for like 40, 50 million.
00:48:18
Speaker
That's fire. I love seeing those things. now yes There's levels to it. but yeah that's exactly That's impressive brother. This is always a bigger that chase. Never be satisfied. It's true, so many reps, they'll make half a mil in a year and they're satisfied. on yeah that like Or they'll have a big month and they'll be like, sweet, I'm taking next couple weeks off. There might be other closes out there that we don't even know.
00:48:47
Speaker
It could be. It probably must have done thousand years. 800. I'm legit though, right? That's true, yeah. There has to be someone out maybe in like India, I don't know. Or maybe in like Dubai or somewhere where we just don't know. Do you care? Yeah. And we're just slinging so that left and right. lot of those guys, they're kind of under the radar too. Yeah, they are. You don't need to know about them. They won't stop, bro. Yeah. There's no time. There's literally time. Yeah. I have guys right now knocking in Ohio and Washington. They're doing seven a day.
00:49:14
Speaker
Six a day. Oh, jeez. I invited them to come out he said, dude, I have more time. I'm like, stacks up. Stacks appointments? Yeah, it's just more time. i so sense like I mean, that's what motivates me. Like, dude, these 20, 21, 22 year olds are like going ham. And I'm always around them. say I can't stop. It's just like, dude, I don't want this guy beating me. I don't want fricking Taylor starting to walk around. What the fuck?
00:49:34
Speaker
I know, it keeps you on edge, that's how you know you're growing. it If the guy is under you you're like, oh, I gotta stay on my game. It's a cut short industry. no yeah and like You see Instagram, all these guys, like 80, 90, 20, 25 year olds making like millions and millions of dollars a year. like That motivates me. I love seeing younger guys making like a lot of money because that's the whole point. yeah So good. Well, brother, we appreciate you coming on the show and congrats on your success.
00:50:05
Speaker
Just to wrap up, any like final words you give maybe that rep that's struggling or if you have a rep that's maybe not hitting their potential, anything you'd share to like some rep like that?
Persistence and Seeking Help
00:50:16
Speaker
um yeah I mean, if a rep is struggling, you're the sort if it's money, you don't get paid. This job is like pretty like robotic and monotonous. Like just have to keep on knocking and having and keep on trying and you'll get better. You don't need any thinking before. Go to these conferences, talk to like me, talk to Taylor, talk to like Danny, talk to whoever you can. yes And if you don't voice out your concerns, you never want to improve.
00:50:38
Speaker
Voice them out, like speak things into existence. And that's what I do. just keep on saying these outrageous numbers. Like if you saw me four years ago, was saying all these numbers and no one was believing me. You have to be delusional, you have to be obsessive. As long as you believe it, it's gonna happen. It's not going to nice. Like don't give a fun of what else is. Right? And if a guy who is not hitting your goal, bro, like there's something wrong. Don't lie to yourself. If you're commit yourself to your goal, do it or else don't do it.
00:51:06
Speaker
There's only two things. Don't tell others you're going to do this and you don't do it, that's worse. yeah You know, so like we aren't people who are continuously pushing you because that's what energy drives me. Right? Energy drives everyone. you're around positive people, if you're around people who gone stop selling, you're to do well. Yeah.
00:51:21
Speaker
Love that. That's what it is. No secret sauce. You got to show up for yourself. You got to keep the commitments to yourselves. Otherwise, how are you going to show up for your team? You can't even show up for yourself. Exactly. One life, bro, make the most of it. Can you imagine when you die and you're like, this is just called or whatever comes up and he's like, this wasn't what I planned for you. How dumb would that be? You have to live with the pain of working hard now so you don't have to live with the pain of regret later. Exactly.
00:51:51
Speaker
Well, thanks again, Meher. So guys, go hit up Meher. Let him know you appreciated him sharing his secrets today. And if you want to go close 600 deals and still implement the stuff we talked about today.
00:52:02
Speaker
But I appreciate you coming on and a follow-up in the future, brother. so let me know. Appreciate it. Thank you. Thanks, man. So some of you already know that I run my own door-to-door sales team here in San Diego.
00:52:14
Speaker
And as we are gearing up for the summer, I realized if we do the same thing we always did, we're going to get the same results. But if I want to increase my deal flow, I need to do something different to get an advantage.
00:52:25
Speaker
Then we discovered an app called Solar Scout. But it's not a door knocking app. It's a data platform that shows us who is likely to go solar in our market. It shows us who has previously applied for solar but later canceled the deal, who has moved in recently, and even how much electricity the homes are using in a given neighborhood.
00:52:44
Speaker
It's been working for a lot of teams across the country and now I'm on board too. I'm going to be one of the first to use SolarScout in San Diego so I decided to partner up. But I told them, hey, I'm going to talk about SolarScout on my show, you need to give my listeners a great deal. And they did.
00:52:59
Speaker
So go to solarscout.app forward slash Taylor and book a demo with them and you'll get 10% off your first month when you sign up. That's solarscout.app forward slash Taylor.
00:53:11
Speaker
Okay, back to the show.
00:53:15
Speaker
What's up, solopreneurs? Hope you enjoyed the episode. Before you run out and start selling more solar yourself, wanted to let you know about an exciting new cheat sheet we created specifically for you in mind.
00:53:28
Speaker
One of the top questions I get asked on Instagram, on Facebook, by our listeners is, Taylor, where should I start? What episodes should I listen to in the podcast? You got too many podcasts, man, because now we have over 200 episodes.
00:53:43
Speaker
So what we've done, we created the top 10 most downloaded, most listened to, and i would say widely accepted, most useful podcasts that we've done here on Solarpreneur.
00:53:56
Speaker
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00:54:21
Speaker
And especially if you have not listened to them, go listen to them and you can re-listen to them. That's going to show you how. So go download it and we'll see you on the other side.