In each episode, The Lookback team asks a solar contractor to “look back” at how they used to face certain challenges and what they do now. Features stories, tips, and lessons, from contractors across the solar industry. Hosted by Solar r.e.view editor Tom Miller and industry consultant Pam Cargill.

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Episode description: August Goers is the COO of Luminalt, San Francisco’s leading solar installer. August looks back to Luminalt’s launch in 2004 and shares 11-years of lessons learned: team collaboration, trust and delegation, maintaining a 75% referral rate, and more.

Quotes from the Pod

August Goers on…

Success

“80% of it is about picking up the phone and listening.”

Early lessons

“We realized we need to keep our geography pretty close to home.”

Marketing in the early days

“We started a lot of grassroots stuff. We had booths at [GoSolarSF] events.”

“We would stop in when we saw a home being remodeled and give them our card.”

CRM

“We record every time we have a conversation [in Salesforce].”

“If it’s not a really clear closeout process—once you have two, three, or five people involved—someone will drop the ball.”

Marketing (for a company that has no marketing department)

“We did some Luminalt branded rain gear. Rain gear that’s bright and reflective and everyone’s proud to wear.”

What he would tell his 2005 self

“It’s not going to be easy, but it’s going to be rewarding. And stick with it.”