725: Fewer holes, No Leaks. Solar Racking Reimagined, with Pegasus CEO Kai Stephan

SunCast

What is the unsung hero of solar installations?

Racking… It's a "set it and forget it" component for contractors, as its reliability is essential to avoid costly service calls, making that critical product choice a “near-religious experience” for most installers.

Kai Stephan, the founder and CEO of Pegasus Solar, has developed one of the fastest growing solar mounting software and hardware solution providers here in the United States on the vision of simplifying the product and giving homeowners and installers more peace of mind.

His entrepreneurial journey was not all smooth sailing. After leaving a kush Utility job at SoCal Edison to found Pegasus, Kai encountered more than a few challenges. What do you do when your launch-customer files for bankruptcy? Pivot. What do you do when regulations change the rules of engagement? Reinvent yourself. Pegasus is not exactly the business Kai thought he’d leave his corporate nest to create, but it’s proved a worthy competitor in a very competitive landscape for more than a decade, and seems to only be getting better.

Despite the hurdles, Kai has remained committed to his vision to make rooftop solar easy with a product that’s “better by design”. I’d encourage you to watch the video version of this one if you can, as I had an AHA Moment myself when Kai finally explained to me the genius of the product design. Here’s a significant stat for you - 5 Million units shipped over the past decade with ZERO product failures and…ZERO Roof Leaks!

There are numerous lessons to be learned along the way:

• The design features that make Pegasus solar installations fast, easy and more reliable
• Kai's approach to navigating financial setbacks
• A novel approach to water-intrusion testing that includes a kiteboard
• How software automation accelerates solar panel layouts
• Pegasus’ creative process behind new product development

Hit play to gain insights into Kai’s entrepreneurial journey and how Pegasus’ hardware and software solutions are improving residential solar installation.

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:

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

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

Mentioned in this episode:

CPS July 2024 V2