The $100M Solar Exit Playbook (What Most Companies Get Wrong)

The Solar Ad Strategy Getting 150x ROAS

Most solar ads look the same... cheap panels, big discounts, and “free solar” hooks that make serious homeowners roll their eyes. In this episode, Joe sits down with Jude Cornish from Solar on Steroids to talk about a better way to market solar: show the actual work, explain the install, and let quality be the offer. Jude breaks down how his team used iPhone-shot site videos, honest education, and bold messaging like “looking for cheap solar, go find someone else” to help local installers stand out, lower CAC, and compete against the big sales orgs without pretending to be one.

The AI Tool That Could Cut Solar CAC by 25%

Customer acquisition in solar is still way too expensive and Scott Rosenberg thinks data can fix a big chunk of it. In this episode, Joe sits down with the co-founder and CEO of 257 to talk about Pink, their AI-powered platform that helps installers find the homes most likely to go solar, add batteries, join VPPs, or need energy upgrades. They get into lookalike modeling, direct mail, Meta ads, soft costs, post-IRA survival, and why the next era of solar marketing will not be “spray and pray.” If you’re trying to lower CAC and stop wasting money on bad leads, this one is worth a listen.

What It Takes to Run 700 Solar Installs Without Breaking the Business

Shift Energy Group is trying to do something hard: grow across Canada without losing the local trust that makes solar work. In this episode, Hervé talks with Rich Lindquist and Chris Palliser about how Shift scaled from a small team to one of British Columbia’s largest solar installers, doing hundreds of installs a year across multiple provinces. They get into operations, local market challenges, community marketing, customer feedback, batteries, brand trust, and Shift’s bet on building-integrated solar through Adra. It’s a great look at what it takes to scale a solar company without becoming just another faceless national installer.

Why Fast-Growing Solar Companies Still Go Broke

John Sheldon has seen solar from just about every angle (from selling $8-per-watt systems in the early days to helping scale some of the industry's biggest customer acquisition engines). In this episode, he shares lessons from Akeena Solar, Red Ventures, and Renu Energy, breaking down why so many installers struggle to turn sales into profitable installs. They dive into customer acquisition costs, operational bottlenecks, referrals, software workflows, and the partnerships that separate thriving solar companies from those constantly fighting fires. If you're trying to grow without sacrificing margins, this conversation is packed with hard-earned wisdom.

Most Solar CEOs Underestimate This Risk Until It’s Too Late

Interconnection is one of those things most solar companies don’t think about...until it becomes the thing slowing down the entire business. In this episode, Hervé sits down with Vaughan Woodruff to unpack the messy reality behind utility approvals, permitting bottlenecks, and why “people and process” issues are often bigger than the technical ones. They get into utility relationships, workforce development, community solar growing pains, and how outdated interconnection rules are colliding with modern tech like batteries, VPPs, and smart inverters. If you’ve ever had a project stuck in limbo because of utility red tape, this conversation will feel very familiar.