Episode 40
040: Cory Vaughan, From Solar Cowboyz to SunEdison
Wow, Episode 40 of SunCast! And you're gonna love it.
This is a long-ish intro, for a longer episode, so settle in for what I hope you'll agree is a fun and fact-filled episode.
Today we're continuing what I have dubbed the Solar Pioneers series.
I have chosen to use the term Pioneers primarily because the folks in this SunCast interview series have indeed been pioneers of business models and companies contributing to what might be called the modern Solar PV Growth era, beginning around the mid 1990's and into the 2000's growing some of today's iconic businesses. Though as we discovered last week (and this one as well), many of my guests have been in the solar biz since the 80's, and have been instrumental in helping our industry scale to become one of global importance and dominance.
I first met Cory Vaughan in 2009, and have been dying to get him on SunCast. Cory has had the good fortune of being an early team member with a front row seat to several startups that have become industry-leading bohemoths, and in today's episode, we get into detail about:
- His early days in retail and his pivot to working at British Petroleum
- A group of fellow pioneers who call themselves the Solar Cowboyz
- Cory's thoughts on selling in the pre and post china era of low-cost solar panels
- Being one of the first in and last out at SunEdison
- How Cory thinks about growing his sales teams, and bringing in strategies from other industries
- A revised version of Hot or Not
- And really so much more.
So much more, in fact, that this will be part 1 of 2. So, hope you enjoy Part 1 today, and get ready for an audio-history journey with a true storyteller.
If YOU have someone or something you think should be on Suncast, you can shoot me an email, a LinkedIn message, or even just pop over to the website and leave me a quick Voicemail, right from your smartphone! That website is www.mysuncast.com and email is nico@mysuncast.com.
If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to his contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://mysuncast.com/suncast-episodes/.
Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!
SunCast is proudly supported by Trina Solar.
You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.mysuncast.com/sponsors.
Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 730 other founder stories and startup advice at www.mysuncast.com.
Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/
You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:
