1. Introduction and Team Overview
Speaker: All right, let’s rock and roll here. So, we call ourselves “The Solar Team.” Why? Because it’s easy to remember, quite frankly. We started working originally with Power as a company. Power is great, but they don’t service everywhere, so we decided to branch out and start working with multiple solar companies. We began working with Ascension, Infinity, May, Long Island G Commercial Solar, and we just added Palmetto to our list. We haven’t updated our map yet, but we just inked that contract. We work with a ton of solar companies as brokers. The idea is to run deals through anyone in nearly any state, and that’s the awesome part.
Speaker: Down here at the bottom, you’ll see some of our team logos. You can brand yourself anything, from very fancy with silver writing like Bonilla’s Home Improvement Consulting, to the more playful Godzilla Solar with Godzilla burning a power bill. We help people create their branding because that is one of the biggest things. If you want to run under the TST flag, that’s totally fine too. I think our branding is simple and classy, but I also created it, so maybe I’m a little biased.
2. Recruitment Focus
Speaker: What are we looking for? Number one, entrepreneurs. Has anyone here ever started a business before? Yes, {participant}, what kind of business did you start?
Participant: I own a trucking company.
Speaker: Trucking, like logistics, moving stuff?
Participant: Yes, it’s all logistics.
Speaker: Let me ask you, {name}, if I told you when you were first starting that company, “Hey {participant}, this piece of paper here is 90% of everything you need to do to start a trucking and logistics company. All you have to do is find some clients to use your trucking service.” Would that have made starting your business easier?
Participant: Yeah, 100%.
Speaker: That’s what we’ve done with solar. Ninety percent of everything you need is completely built out for you. Thanks for being my guinea pig, {name}. Now, if you’re not an entrepreneur, that’s totally fine. If you’re using #entrepreneur on Instagram, we’re already friends. We’re looking for people who are driven, consistent, have a positive mindset, and an adapt-and-overcome attitude. In the military, we say “embrace the suck,” because sometimes it’s not fun, but you have to get it done.
3. Vision and Market Opportunity
Speaker: Our vision is to build an army of renewable energy salespeople. We already have over 200 people on our team. Our team size dwarfs that of some small countries. This army’s job is to change lives. How many people here want to make $100,000 a year or more? Probably everyone’s hand would go up. We can do that, but our job is to change the lives of our clients and save them money. If we save our clients $100 a month and they invest that in a mutual fund for 30 years, it could be worth a couple of hundred thousand dollars. That’s cool, right?
Speaker: We need to promote renewable energy. No one can argue against the need for more renewable energy. One person tried a year ago, but one of our solar pros on the call argued them down.
Speaker: The opportunity is huge. Five million houses have gone solar in the US, leaving 85 million eligible. With the average commissions in solar, if you sell 1,000 solar deals, you’ve made enough to retire. There’s a ton of opportunity in solar. New technology will keep coming, and old systems will need replacing. It’s an exciting industry to be in.
4. Business Model and Training
Speaker: We have a platform-based business model. We don’t need a building; I can run this team from Starbucks. Other companies have led the way with platform-based businesses, like Amazon and Uber. If you own a car, you could start your own taxi service through Uber. Similarly, if you have a spare room, you can rent it out through Airbnb. This model offers autonomy and the chance for a side hustle or full-time income without being strapped to a desk.
Speaker: Training is crucial. We have morning momentum calls at 5:00 AM and 8:00 AM Pacific. Office hours are from 8:20 to 9:00 AM and 3:30 to 4:30 PM. Our boot camps are all about design and launching your business. We cover everything from basic business setup to advanced technical knowledge, like understanding bus bar ratings and battery differences. A highly trained team is a highly paid team.
5. Sales and Commission Structure
Speaker: There are four ways to make money: direct sales, partnered sales, revenue share, and stock options. Primarily, you get paid at Milestone 2 (M2), when glass hits the roof. There’s also an option for an advance at Milestone 1 (M1), which happens at the site survey. You can get 40% of the projected commission up to $2,000 with a 15% commission advance charge. This prevents bankrupting the company. Some team members have been paid an M1 commission within three days of joining.
6. Sales Tools and Platforms
Speaker: We use advanced tools and platforms. Our marketing center includes websites, signage, swags, and Facebook pixel integration. The knowledge base is like Google for solar. Proposal software like Ascension and Solo help generate proposals. The Power platform is a full sales fulfillment software. It’s like Microsoft Office Professional. It includes a marketing center, knowledge base, Power University for training, and project management tools. You can even work in your underwear at home if you want to.
7. Ambassador Program and Nonprofit Partnerships
Speaker: The Ambassador Program leverages referrals from community members and businesses. For example, a top rep made $114,000 in December from ambassador referrals. We also collaborate with nonprofits. We offer to donate $1,000 to a nonprofit if someone from their database goes solar with us. It’s a win-win-win situation: nonprofits get donations, clients save money, and we make money. The only loser is the utility company, but we don’t care about them.
8. Onboarding and Tier System
Speaker: New members start as Tier 1. They do three deals with a mentor before moving to Tier 2. Tier 3 Mentors help others close deals. Licensing requirements vary by state. In states like New Jersey, Illinois, California, Connecticut, and Maryland, you need a license to close solar deals in person. If you don’t want to close deals yourself, you can always have someone else do it and split the commission.
9. Company Growth and Stock Options
Speaker: Power offers stock options. The company plans to IPO in a few years, potentially with a high valuation. My real estate company, eXp, did something similar. After three years, I cashed out $120,000 worth of stock. I used $80,000 as a down payment on a cabin, which is now worth $600,000. Power is a certified B Corp, which is like a nonprofit and a for-profit had a baby. B Corps are held to high ethical and environmental standards. It’s like being with a company that does good in the world.
10. Q&A and Final Remarks
Speaker: Let’s open up for a Q&A session. Common questions include licensing and technology requirements. Only a few states require a license. You can run a solar business with basic tools like a cell phone and tablet. We emphasize simplicity and accessibility.
Speaker: To wrap up, we’re committed to supporting and training our team with ethical business practices. Joining our team is easy, and we provide extensive resources and a supportive environment. Take advantage of the training and support systems. If you recruit people to your team and go door-knocking together, you could make about $4,000 to $6,000 a month. You don’t have to recruit unless you want to. Remember, my gardener pays more money to run his gardening business than I pay to run my entire solar business.
Speaker: Thank you all for joining the call today. Let’s go out there and make a difference!