Borrego Solar (3 market/ 15 overall)
What’s the thing you enjoy most about being in the solar industry?
I enjoy the people. The industry attracts passionate individuals who believe that they can make a difference and enjoy working in a dynamic environment. I find that people tend to be driven to get results and that the industry is too young to have developed an entrenched way of thinking.
What do you enjoy least about being in the solar industry?
It is really a roller coaster of an industry. By every metric, the industry changes massively every year. If you look at size of the market, number of companies, $/Watt, or even $/BTU for natural gas, they all have undergone massive changes in short time frames. This forces companies to re-evaluate their strategy and operations constantly. While exciting, it can also be exhausting.
What’s the most important business lesson you’ve learned since you’ve been in the industry?
I’ve learned how to say no to an opportunity. It’s easy to get sucked into chasing every market and every project. In the end, though, it’s hard to execute profitably on all types of projects. Another important lesson is that growth in and of itself can’t be a company’s No. 1 priority or objective. As business managers, we have a responsibility to our shareholders to increase shareholder value, and as an organization we are responsible to our customers and employees for upholding our core values. While growth can be part of these things, it alone cannot be the end game.
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