Episode 744

744: Direct-to-Consumer Solar? Project Solar Founders Matthew Smith & Trevor Hiltbrand Explain

Published on: 26th September, 2024

What if you could go online, get a solar quote in under a minute, and bypass door knocking sales reps? That's the promise of Project Solar, a Utah-based startup with over $23 M in Series A funding, that's changing the way residential solar is sold. 

Founders Matthew Smith and Trevor Hiltbrand are disrupting the solar market with a direct-to-consumer model that eliminates the middleman, offering transparency and simplicity. Leveraging their deep e-commerce expertise and entrepreneurial backgrounds, they created a platform that empowers homeowners with clear, low pricing and a streamlined process. Their journey has been defined by significant early success, even acquisition offers, and almost immediately finding the coveted “product-market fit”, all while maintaining a rabid focus on customer experience. 

It’s rare that I think someone is truly, actually, changing the way we do things - Project Solar is one of those rare finds.

Expect to learn:

  • How Project Solar’s quoting tool delivers accurate solar quotes in under a minute.
  • Why Project Solar’s focus on simplicity and transparency is reducing the inflated costs commonly found in traditional solar sales.
  • What regulatory efforts are needed in addressing the “bad actors” in the current market
  • Where hiring the right team fits into Project Solar's long-term success in saving customers $42M and counting.
  • When the founders realized the need to refine their business model to meet the changing financing needs of their customers.

Want to know how Project Solar is bringing transparency and simplicity to the solar buying process? Listen in to learn how their direct-to-consumer online platform is transforming the way solar is sold!

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.

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Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

Mentioned in this episode:

CPS July 2024 V2

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About the Podcast

SunCast
Your resource for developing a clean energy or climate tech career
Nico Johnson takes you into conversations with those at the forefront of Renewable Energy.

SunCast gives an inside look into what is happening in renewable energy. From conversations with the biggest Solar Panel manufacturers in the world to the small startups creating the future of renewable energy, such as carbon capture and battery technology breakthroughs.

SunCast is dedicated to providing the knowledge, research, tools and expert guidance you need to understand, grow and be ahead of the curve in the fastest-growing markets in the world.

Featuring over 600 conversations, Nico has interviewed people from Tesla, SolarCity, Trina Solar, Meyer Burger, Conergy, SunEdison, Energy Vault and even the US Government... to name a few. Covering topics such as Solar Power, Wind Energy, Batteries, Electric Vehicles, Carbon Capture, Finance, Hydrogen, and more.

You can watch SunCast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SunCastMedia

...or view the full archive of SunCast episodes here: https://mysuncast.com/suncast-episodes