Like many business owners in our solar partner network, we were once new solar installers, and I had to think about those early solar start-up years when I gave the keynote address to the new recipients of the “40 under 40” award in northern Indiana and southern Michigan a few weeks ago. I was honored to be awarded the “40 under 40” in 2013 and was chosen to deliver this year’s keynote after receiving the Outstanding Young Business Leader Award by Indiana’s St. Joseph County Chamber of Commerce in March.
During my speech at the chamber’s Salute to Business award ceremony, I talked about my “Top Five Tips for Continued Success.” I’ve adapted the list of tips and present them below to those who have solar companies or are involved in the solar industry.
First, let me share my simple definition of success: the accomplishment of an aim or purpose. For Inovateus, that purpose is “building a brilliant tomorrow,” so everything we do to help put more solar into the world through our installer partners or as a commercial and utility developer and EPC is working toward accomplishing that mission.
As a solar company founder, or even as an employee, think about your own aim or purpose as you read through these five tips. I hope they’re helpful to you.
TJ’s Solar Success Tip #1: Be Unconditional
What was the best day of your life? On a scale of 1 to 10, rate that day a 10. Now, how do you think you’ll rate today on that scale? How about tomorrow? My guess is that there are lots of 6’s, 7’s and 8’s out there, but why is that? Why can’t today be a 10, and why can’t tomorrow be a 10? My tip: Be Unconditional.
This tip is inspired from another local Indiana business leader, Tim Leman, president of Gibson Insurance, who was the keynote speaker from a past St Joseph’s “40 under 40” ceremony, and his message left a lasting impact on me. Tim’s point is that if you set limits and are not unconditional, you will only get to that limit. To be unconditional, there’s no scale of 1 to 10, so there are really no limits.
For example, when my dad and I started Inovateus Solar, we never thought Inovateus would have more than 250 megawatts of solar installed and under development by 2016, and perhaps that’s because we were being unconditional. We never set a megawatt goal, but just focused on building a brilliant tomorrow. Without any hard megawatt limit, we’ve just kept growing and focusing on our purpose.
Without limits or conditions, your solar business can surprise the world with what your team is capable of achieving and attain continued success.
TJ’s Solar Success Tip #2: Be You
Not only does Inovateus have a mission statement, but I have my own personal mission statement as well: to leave the world a better place than when I arrived. As a solar CEO, I think about that personal mission when making decisions, and it drives me forward. So my second tip is: Be You.
If you’re great at installing on a roof but hate closing solar sales, be you and find a great solar sales person. Likewise, If you’re amazing as a closer and would rather not get on a roof five days a week, find an installer partner who can help. Together, you can help each other to focus on what you each love to do and have continued career enjoyment and success.
TJ’s Solar Success Tip #3: Be Bold
Think about the toughest situation you’ve ever faced in your life. For me, it was when my father suddenly passed away. I had to deal with the many challenges that it presented for Inovateus and my family. To meet these challenges, I learned that I had to Be Bold. That is, I had to be brave and continue what we’d started at Inovateus without him. The good news is that by being me and being unconditional, I learned that I could be bold, and my family and Inovateus made it through those difficult times.
I’m certain that as a solar business owner, you too will have many unexpected challenges, but if you can be unconditional, be yourself, and be bold, that will lead to continued success.
TJ’s Solar Success Tip #4: Be Supported
In the solar business and in life, I believe we should have a diverse personal board of directors that not only includes family and friends, but also people that we admire but may not know. For example, my board not only includes my wife and brothers and sisters, but also the Grateful Dead’s Jerry Garcia and Abraham Lincoln. When certain business situations arise, I may not only consult with my living board members, but may also think of what advice Jerry or Abe would have given me. Consequently, whether real or virtually, we all need to Be Supported.
Do you surround yourself with people and personal heroes or examples that support you? If you do, you will have continued success.
TJ’s Solar Success Tip #5: Be Giving
I’ll bet that many of us will find that the greatest gift we’ve been given has something to do with family and friends. These are the most giving folks that any of us know. They help us to recharge and give us the fuel we need to focus on our purpose and passion. That’s why you have to Be Giving.
There are many ways to be giving to people in your personal life and in your solar business. At Inovateus, we give free technical advice to both new and old installers, and we also help to design systems and help our customers deal with permitting. We also support many charities and solar advocacy organizations.
In return for giving to our customers and community, we receive the gift of brand loyalty and referrals. For your solar business, you can be giving to your employees by offering them extra days off or providing better training and tools, as well as paying them competitive wages. You can also be giving to your community, helping nonprofits to install solar at a discount, or to just show up at your school’s parent-career day and inspire future generations of solar installers.
So it’s not surprising that if you continue to be giving, you will be supported, you can be bold, you can be you, and be unconditional. Working on these five tips every day, I’m sure you’ll achieve continued solar success in 2016 and many years to come.
By TJ Kanczuzewski, President of Inovateus Solar
