Along with camping, football and baseball, Rick Hsu says he’s always been passionate about the environment. After 14 years in real estate and construction, he brought that passion to the solar industry when he founded SunGreen Systems (one of Solar Power World’s Top Solar Contractors).
He started the Irwindale, Calif., solar installation company with a handful of people with backgrounds in architecture, construction and real estate development. The company now has 15 employees, adding two or three each year. Nearly 65% of its business is commercial and 35% residential. The company has clearly grown, but Hsu says it’s grown cautiously. “In the solar industry, it takes time to find the right fit, whether it’s engineers or salespeople,” he says.
Hsu says his company’s mission is promoting the advantages of renewable energy and delivering the best service and solar solutions to customers.
“We think our success is because of our attention to detail, quality and service,” Hsu says. “We always put customers first, and everything we do is tailored to meet their needs.”
These days, it takes more than just a ladder and truck to run a solar business. Hsu prides his team on their mastery of finance, business strategy, public policy and governmental solar-rebate programs, which can be confusing for many businesses and homeowners to navigate.
From the technical side, Hsu emphasizes paying attention to the design layout, equipment quality and that important but tricky waterproofing part of installation. From the business side, Hsu says his most important lesson has been patience.
“Sometimes a sales cycle can last a long time,” Hsu says. “You really have to hang in there and be patient with your potential customers.”
The most frustrating part of being in the solar industry for Hsu is presenting a customer proposal.
“It may make great sense economically, but customers often still have doubts about it,” Hsu says. “We think it comes down to the lack of education about solar.”
Still, Hsu says the solar industry is rewarding.
“The best part is hearing the satisfaction from our customers,” Hsu says. “Their feedback empowers us to keep doing what we’re doing.” SPW
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