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Transforming the Solar Energy Landscape
507 Plays1 year ago
In this podcast episode, we talk to Joe Chenoweth, the founder and CEO of Smart Roofs Energy. Joe explains how renewable energy and rooftop solar can combat climate change by reducing reliance on limited fossil fuels.
He shares his journey of starting Smart Roofs Energy and discusses the company's unique approach of doing all the work in-house, providing a streamlined service to customers. Joe also talks about key trends and challenges in the clean energy industry, emphasizing the importance of long-term programs and stable policies. He offers advice for growing a clean energy business and provides contact information for Smart Roofs Energy.
🕑 💡 KEY MOMENTS
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➜ 01:35 The Role of Renewable Energy in Mitigating Climate Change:
A discussion on how renewable energy, and particularly solar power, contributes to addressing climate change.
➜ 08:22 Challenges and Solutions in the Solar Energy Industry:
A deeper look into the challenges faced by companies in the solar energy industry, including competition, workforce expertise, and project duration. What strategies can help overcome these?
➜ 10:09 Role of ESG Factors in Clean Energy Industry:
An exploration on how Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) factors are impacting the clean energy industry.
➜ 13:39 Strategies for Business Growth in Clean Energy Industry:
Discussing the strategies needed for businesses to grow in the clean energy industry. This includes the importance of networking, continuous learning, and being adaptable.
➜ 15:20 Impact of Referral Marketing:
Understanding the role and success of referral marketing in the renewable energy sector.
🌍 SUSTAINABILITY PODCAST CREATED BY NEW PERSPECTIVE
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This podcast is proudly sponsored by New Perspective Marketing, a dynamic growth marketing agency in Boston, MA, celebrating 20 years in business. We help sustainably focused B2B organizations grow their brands and scale up revenue. If you or your organization is looking to grow, visit npws.com for more info.
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Transcript
Introduction to the Podcast
00:00:06
Speaker
Hello, hello, you're watching another episode of Green New Perspective, a podcast dedicated to sustainability. If you have seen one of our previous episodes, you know that throughout this podcast we aim to explore the inspiring stories of individuals who are leading the charge towards a sustainable future.
Meet Joe Chenoweth
00:00:23
Speaker
I'm your host Dunia, and joining us as a guest today is Joe Chenoweth, the founder and CEO of Smart Roofs Energy, a renowned full-service commercial solar energy company. But Joe's impact goes beyond commercial solar installation. He is also an innovator with a humanitarian focus.
00:00:41
Speaker
Joe holds the patent for a groundbreaking self-contained solar generator with an integrated distribution panel and modular battery system. So stay tuned for an enlightening conversation with Joe as we delve deeper into his journey exploring his passion for renewable energy, his commitment to humanitarian causes, and the innovative solution he continues to bring to the field. Enjoy!
The Role of Renewable Energy
00:01:12
Speaker
Hello, Joe. Welcome to the new Discovering Your Perspective podcast. Hello, Joe. Thank you for having me. Appreciate it. Yeah, we were looking forward to having this conversation with you. You're in solar energy space. So for our audience, can you explain how renewable energy and rooftop solar can help to address climate change?
00:01:35
Speaker
Sure. So it's obvious for some, but renewable energy is great because it doesn't use fossil fuels, which are not unlimited, although there is some interesting information. Some people think it's going to run out. Some people don't think it's going to run out. I think in general, powering anything with renewable energy through solar power versus burning coal or burning oil or gas is probably a better thing.
00:02:05
Speaker
And we actually provide about 90% of our customers, we actually help them, they're all commercial customers, by 90% of their energy needs through renewable energy, renewable
Founding Smart Roofs Energy
00:02:15
Speaker
power. Can you tell us a bit more about yourself, how you get involved in this business, and a bit about your company Smartroof's energy?
00:02:25
Speaker
Sure. Thank you. So we're based in Connecticut and we've been doing renewable energy solar power for a little bit more than 11 years. Actually started the company with two purposes. We developed and by we it was only me at that point. So I developed a solar power generator which was developed for really for developing people in developing nations to have clean water.
00:02:53
Speaker
to add a reliable power source without having to worry about diesel fuel, gas generators, or unreliable grids. At the same time, we also did rooftop solar. And the rooftop solar took off very, very quickly, so our attention went toward there. We actually tried to move the generator along the lines, but ultimately found out after a few years of really working very hard on it, diligently on it,
00:03:21
Speaker
that unless we have a very large organization, maybe like World Vision or Web Cross that says, hey, I'd love to buy 10,000 of these, it's a little tough to be a smaller business.
Strategic Shift in Business Focus
00:03:33
Speaker
So we've really focused on the commercial rooftop, ground mount, and carport solar. Again, we've been doing this now by 11 years, and just very proud of my company, what we've been doing so far. I have a great team.
00:03:48
Speaker
And what would you say that sets you apart from your competitors or colleagues, however you want to call them? Yeah, well, yeah, no, there's always competitors. It's good to have competition and it helps us to sharpen our range and basically provide a better service to customers. So one of the things that does set us apart, we do all of our work here in-house. We don't use third parties. Very often solar companies will use
00:04:14
Speaker
one company for installation, one for project management, one for engineering, one for sales, and what happens is in about 50 different people that are focused on your customer's product, it can be very messy. What we do is by doing it all in-house, we have an engineering team, project managers, and support staff for them right here in-house. It allows us to get things done without delays and really get done correctly. The other thing, we are able to provide services nationwide,
00:04:44
Speaker
We do work with installation partners, so larger firms throughout the country that have generally done at least 30 to 50 commercial solar commercial projects. We like to work with them on any projects for customers that might have a portfolio that's nationwide or even a regional type of thing. Another factor I would say that sets us apart is we're a small enough company
00:05:11
Speaker
where we can be agile still, very agile. But we're also, for me, as running the company with all my team too, we really have a relentless pursuit of really making our processes more efficient. And we just wanna focus on getting better at what we do. At this point, there's not big changes we're making. They're very small tweaks. And a lot of times customers never see that. In fact, a lot of people here,
00:05:40
Speaker
in the office don't even see it, but they're all important to help us become a better company and really provide better services for our customers. So I think that's just, that's a big factor. And you know, effectively delivering on what we promise for customers. If we can't do that, we're not gonna remain in business. We're not gonna be a good resource for others. So that's just, that's key. I think how we work is that continually looking at improving our business.
Brand Identity and Philosophy
00:06:08
Speaker
Well, as you know, we are a marketing agency, so I'm interested to see when you were starting out, what was your vision for the brand's identity and how did it change over time? Sure. So initially, I didn't even think of Brand Identity. That was a very, very small company. It was me, a friend of mine who was an electrician, and a friend of his who was the guy that didn't mind climbing on roofs. So we started out very humble beginnings. Brand Identity, SEO, marketing was not even a thought.
00:06:38
Speaker
As we started to grow though, what we found was that, you know, we really wanted to become a kind of a people first organization. And I mean that by both people that work here, right? Our team, as well as our customers. And I'm a believer in, even if we make a mistake and we have to pay for it, if we're focused on the people, it's going to become a, we're going to be a lasting, lasting organization.
00:07:06
Speaker
and the people are going to appreciate working with us and it will end up effectively, you know, get referral business, which to us has always been a bulk of our business has been from referrals. So even today, while we have a marketing director, we're working on our brand identity. We're learning more about it. So I think we're still in the, in the infant stages of kind of understanding, but I mean, ultimately, if we serve a customer well,
00:07:33
Speaker
there's a pretty good chance they'll be happy to refer us to somebody else. So that's been our kind of a little bit of our go-to strategy. And obviously we have, we look at a little bit of SEO, we look at, you know, the different marketing platforms that are out there and we want to remain relevant. But again, it's really, I think, still based on that referral. Once people go through the process with us, they're really happy and, you know,
00:07:58
Speaker
Basically, effectively, they are willing to say, yes, this is a great contractor to work with, whether it be on the solar or the financing side. And what do you feel are the biggest challenges facing in building your brand, basically, and positioning yourself in the market because the market is not that small anymore? No, not anymore.
00:08:23
Speaker
Yeah, I think we probably see competition doubling every year, most. Now, they don't tend to not last very long because they find this is a very exciting industry to be in. They don't understand necessarily all the hardware behind it. But I would say the biggest challenges that we're facing would be finding enough people that are
00:08:50
Speaker
that don't just want to do this, but they also have the ability to do this business and work through it. You know, our business, commercial and industrial projects, like projects take, you know, over a year just to finish when we started. So how do people that understand that are able to, you know, continue to support a project even through the tough times or the quiet times tends to be difficult. And, you know,
00:09:18
Speaker
Ultimately, I want everybody here in our organization to want to have an impact. That's part of the reason why I have my business. It is a for-profit business, but it's really, it's for a good cause. And to me, I want everybody to be proud of what they're doing. And how would you? I'm finding great.
00:09:39
Speaker
It's always, you know, because we're growing. We're growing up. We have an awesome team right now. We'd love to, you know, expand it, you know, probably by 20 or 30 percent. If I can flick a switch or snap my fingers, we do say. OK, but can you tell me what are some of the trends you see emerging in the clean energy marketing space?
Trends in Clean Energy
00:10:01
Speaker
And did you feel that some marketing initiatives helped you overcome the challenges that you mentioned?
00:10:08
Speaker
Yeah, so I would say the trends right now, the focus is on batteries in the market and the solar industry and really owning that power and not just the solar portion of it. And that's effectively for us almost a second phase of our business. When a customer only decides or only wants to do just the solar energy portion,
00:10:34
Speaker
The battery is something that has a much, much bigger impact, but the cost is also greater. So, you know, working with customers to develop, you know, to basically make that, make that pencil for them has some difficulties. But I believe, you know, more and more customers will be looking at doing that. And they'll actually be required through the local, local and state,
00:11:00
Speaker
policies that are kind of requiring it now. We're seeing a little bit more of that throughout the seats. The other thing that we're seeing is EV chargers, of course, as more EVs get out there, it's great. Powering those uses more energy. If nothing else changes at your organization and you all second have 50 or 100 EVs out there and people want to plug in, you can draw better customers by having EV chargers offering to your employees.
00:11:28
Speaker
And the final trend that we've seen is ESG, which is environmental, social, and governance. That is becoming a bigger factor and really more widespread, which is great to see as companies really put a focus on people over profitability. While it's difficult to have a business without profitability, considering that ESG is a big, big factor. So being the E of that is a great factor and we just enjoy
00:11:58
Speaker
providing information for customers that aren't ready to make those decisions yet, but obviously we prefer that they say yes. Your second part of your question was on the challenges that I see in the years to come. I think the challenges that are continuous, and I've seen it over the years,
00:12:17
Speaker
is just the local and state legislators and governor and governments.
Challenges in the Energy Sector
00:12:25
Speaker
Some understand it, some don't. A lot of the programs that are in place here in the US are temporary. So we see everything from six month programs that literally expire. And if you don't get into that, you're on hold for a couple of years with no projects that can happen. Some other states, we're lucky to be in Connecticut where they just
00:12:46
Speaker
they just started a, or initiated a 10 year program. So we know for the next 10 years, at least locally here, we have a program that's available for customers, that's very lucrative to them financially, and it can really make that, make it a lot easier for customers to move forward. Other areas in New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and some other states we're working in have programs, but none of them are running anywhere near that long that we've seen so far. So I think that's just going to be an ongoing issue.
00:13:14
Speaker
Especially if I can, you know, the, I think with the political environment, right, we have the left and we have the right and whether you think they're correct or wrong or right or whatever it is, there's always a little bit of political, you know, politicizing, I should say, of renewable energy, which is unfortunate because it should be, you know, open arms by everyone. It's a good thing.
00:13:39
Speaker
Yeah, yeah, thank you for that. I think that our audience is going to appreciate this answer. As a thought leader in the clean energy industry, what advice would you give to other marketeers and CEOs and people who are looking to grow their business?
Advice for Entrepreneurs
00:13:52
Speaker
So if I was starting a new business, I was talking to somebody today about doing an environmental business. I would highly recommend that they really look at multiple channels of having business of ways to reach out to people.
00:14:09
Speaker
which is Eric Marketing, which I'm sure you appreciate. But connect with people that are in the industry. Even if you're not ready, it's okay. Have lots of conversations. Absorb information like a sponge. I am always listening to podcasts and reading and just understanding what's happening, even if it has no
00:14:30
Speaker
no benefit for me right now or maybe ever, I just enjoy it. And when things, items do come up for me, it's a lot easier to make decisions. On top of that, test out what you're doing with your new business, test it again, and then keep testing again. You gotta make sure you're doing what's right and respond very quickly. We found that a lot of companies that were doing well but are no longer around,
00:14:59
Speaker
They tend it to have to be slow to respond or incorrectly respond, right? So basically, tap your eyes, cross your T's, know what you're doing, but continue just to absorb information. I think that's a huge factor for any business, whether it's environmental or anything out there.
00:15:20
Speaker
And what would you say to the founders who are already, let's say, in the early stages of solar startups and working hard to get their clean energy company growing and may face similar growth challenges that you experienced? So what advice would you give to them based on your own experiences? I mentioned it just previously, find people that are much smarter than you and hang out with them.
00:15:45
Speaker
That's very, very important. Never consider yourself to be the least smart person in the room, if you will, if that's a word. Also, really inspect what you expect from your team. If you want to grow as a company, you can't be in charge or in front of every interaction between you, your employees, and your customers. So make sure that you're really on top of what's happening.
00:16:15
Speaker
You want to determine smart KPIs for everybody in your organization so that you see that everything is working in the right direction. You don't want to wait a year and say, oh, what happened? Our sales are down. For us as a company, we look at it on a weekly basis. We have KPIs for everybody in our organization. Everything kind of feeds up to the end of the day. How well is our business doing? How well are we growing? Are we not growing? Are we shrinking?
00:16:42
Speaker
and really just never stop improving those processes as you fine tune them. Never think you have it right. I tell customers all the time, we are far from perfect. We're pretty good though, but we're far from perfect and we're never going to get there, unfortunately, but we're going to get better each day that we work. Well, Joe, thank you for your time. I think this was super informative and I wanted to ask you for the end, how can people learn more about your company's much worse energy and get in touch with you?
Connect with Smart Roofs Energy
00:17:12
Speaker
Sure. Well, thank you. And I appreciate it very much. So best way to get a hold of us, you can go to our website. It's smartroopsct.com. We're going to link it. We're going to link it in the description. You're going to link it? All right, awesome. Links are easy. And you can also link up with me on LinkedIn. Just search for Joe Channelling. We'll actually have a link on there. I'm happy to reach out to you.
00:17:37
Speaker
If you're a new company, if you're new into marketing and you have some questions, I'm happy to help as much as I can. Thank you once again, Joe.
00:17:52
Speaker
This brings us to the end of this episode of Green New Perspective podcast. We hope you found our guest story and his remarkable contributions to the field of solar energy inspiring. So if you enjoyed this episode be sure to subscribe to our podcast and stay tuned for future episodes where we will continue to explore the journeys of individuals who are driving innovation and sustainability
00:18:17
Speaker
in the ClinTech, Agrotech, Biotech, NagerTech spaces. We would love to hear your thoughts and feedback, so feel free to leave a review or reach out to us on our website, on our social media. Your support helps us bring more remarkable stories like Joe's to a wider audience. So thank you once again for joining us on this journey to a greener future. Until next time, bye.