431: Legacy, Equity, & Solar for All, w/Geoff Greenfield of Third Sun Solar

Merry Christmas!As a special bonus for these longer days, I decided to NOT break out this 100 minute episode into 2x50min episodes bc I believe you don’t need to be tricked into listening when the content is good enough - just know that it’s long and you might need to pause and come back - or like listener Alex recently did you can just binge for 10 hours while you paint the house! (thanks for telling me your story, Alex! Stoked you’re loving SunCast.)I believe today’s guest’s journey is my journey, and maybe it’s yours. I identified so much with him and had so much curiosity about how he built his company, that I ended up interviewing him for 2 solid hours! In short, Geoff Greenfield uses the power of business as a force for good.  If you think this is white-guy speak for “i really want to feel good about what I do” well then you’re in for a treat bc you and I both want to hear how Geoff rationalizes his privilege (hint: he’s very aware of and in touch w/it) and contextualizes the equity & diversity he says his company, Third Sun Solar, stands for. Geoff founded (B-Corp) Third Sun Solar, now a woman-owned and led company, as well as solar financing software company New Resource Solutions from his attic more than 20 yrs ago in rural Ohio, and has served the Appalachian (mainly coal-miner) communities surrounding him for 2 decades helping wean them off fossil fuels. Geoff’s an ADD kid, and a visionary - likes to start stuff and can barely finish it. Sound familiar?He hitchhiked across the SaharaHe is no stranger to the DE&I discussion; in fact, he’s on a mission to get more white straight males to recognize their privilege!Speaking of which, He also hosts the podcast Solar For All (all about Equity & Diversity in Solar), is an owner and former board member of the Amicus Solar Cooperative and has been on the Board of NABCEP since 2012.  He also served in the Peace Corps in Africa and is yet one more reason that I have an affinity for this Solar Warriors story. So I hope you’ll click “Play” or “queue” or whatever your app does to make this the next thing in your earballs. You won’t regret this investment of the next 100 minutes of your life. I promise.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: