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Speaker 1 (00:03):

Welcome to the Solarpreneur podcast, where we teach you to take your solar business to the next level. My name is Taylor Armstrong and went from $50 in my bank account and struggling for groceries to closing 150 deals in a year and cracking the code on why sales reps fail. online teach you to avoid the mistakes I made and bringing the top solar dogs, the industry to let you in on the secrets of generating more leads, falling up like a pro and closing more deals. What is a Solarpreneur you might ask a Solarpreneur is a new breed of solar pro that is willing to do whatever it takes to achieve mastery and you are about to become one.

Speaker 2 (00:42):

Yo, what's going on. Solarpreneurs. We are back with an amazing episode here and someone that I have been trying to get on the podcast for a little while here. We've got a Jory Sullivan in the house. Jory, Thanks for joining us today.

Speaker 3 (00:57):

Hey man. I appreciate it. Thanks Taylor, for having me on.

Speaker 2 (01:00):

Yeah, it's my pleasure. And we're excited to have Jory on, he is the VP of sales for at legacy. One of the VP of sales for legacy he's growing his teams like crazy. They're pushing tons of accounts and just doing some incredible things. Uh, met Jory actually at, uh, the last Knockstar events were hanging out there. Did you come to that? Uh, that, that sauna place, Jory? I can't remember.

Speaker 3 (01:25):

Yeah, we did. We connected in the sauna,

Speaker 2 (01:29):

So we were probably sitting naked together in a sauna, maybe. So God, I don't know if I talked to you in there, but got to know some guys on a personal level at that event at the end. Yeah,

Speaker 3 (01:39):

That was wild. Shout out to Danny Pessy for calling that one out. Yeah. Korean

Speaker 2 (01:43):

Bath house. You guys haven't been there. It's a good place to get to know people

Speaker 3 (01:48):

If you're ever in Dallas, Texas go to a King Spa. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:54):

Yeah. You will not be disappointed. It was amazing experience. So yeah, it was fun hanging out with the jury there. And then also we realized after the fact that we're actually in North Carolina at the same, same place, same time, but unfortunately we couldn't connect there, but I made the realization later. Um, but yeah, so Jory, I'm excited to have you on here, your story. I know you're growing your teams at time. So first you want to kind of get into how you got into soar and just your background and all that stuff.

Speaker 3 (02:23):

Yeah. Yeah. Um, I mean, it probably goes even deeper than that. Um, and to, and the door to door sales, right. Uh, um, cause it all led to this like the, where we're at now and it's like, it's like the story, I don't believe in like omens, but like it all just happened, um, for a reason. So basically, um, I, I remember like I was washing dishes the summer before I'd ride my bike at 5:00 AM, three miles to go wash dishes to be treated like crap. And I was the worst employee ever. And so they told me I couldn't, I wasn't good enough to busboy. That's how bad I was. And I remember I worked my guts out some summer for, um, on my, um, in my 16th, uh, summer birthday. And I made like $2,000 and um, I got a small scholarship to go run track, um, many pounds ago and, uh, it's to Iowa.

Speaker 3 (03:18):

Right. And, uh, I couldn't afford a, a bus or plane tickets couldn't afford a bus ticket, but I could afford an Amtrak ticket. And I was 20 minutes late to the Amtrak. And then, gosh, track. Apple's about 30 minutes late because throughout the three days it took me to get to, um, I'll maybe four days. Um, I stopped in the city from Oregon born and raised in Oregon. Um, it stopped in the city called salt lake city. Utah didn't know much about it, heard about it in my history books. And some guy sat down next to me and he's like, Hey, in the middle of the night I was sleeping like 1:00 AM. And he's like, Hey, yeah, I sat down next to you. Cause you look inviting. And I'm like, okay. And he's like, Hey, I don't, I just got done knocking and Salt Lake, um, for a company called APX for all the old dogs out there that was 2007.

Speaker 3 (04:12):

So this next year, 2008. So our town seven is when I met him and I went out in 2008, but he's like, you know, I made $10,000. So in alarm systems you can probably make 12 to 13. And we could, I, I like, I was next to him for like a whole day, just like in and out trying to like figure out like, what is he talking about? I worked like crazy to make $2,000 the summer for that treated like crap. And, uh, and so we literally connected and, and when he gave me the number, I think it was the Facebook at that time Facebook or the guy that the manager, I literally just like begged him and pleaded with them and tried to blitz trips. And I was, I was barely, I was 17 years old. I was still, I was almost 18 at the time.

Speaker 3 (04:58):

And uh, and that's kind of how I got into the industry. I say, as long as I don't have to kill anybody like I'm in. Right. Because I mean, some of you guys know some of you guys don't know, you know, I, I kind of grew up a little bit differently. Um, so I wanted like preference the story because people always ask my story. Right. And so I want to preference a story. Do not take pity on me. This is, uh, this is something that has made me who I am and it's not actually a setback. It's, it's, uh, I call it living in comeback like mode and I think it's a step up in society. Uh, um, so I guess it all comes like, we're gonna talk about, we're gonna go deep. I don't really stress too much. A lot of people will go deep. So, um, yeah. So I guess we're going to look at it though. We're going to do it. You guys are going to know me a lot better.

Speaker 2 (05:51):

So take us back.

Speaker 3 (05:53):

So, um, man, it's both circles. We talk about this, but, um, I, I never met my dad. And, uh, I remember when I was six years old, the first day of first grade, I went to first grade all excited and I came back and, and uh, and my mom never came back. She never came back. And, uh, Joe, my brother and my sisters, we all had to go live with my grandma and golf, my grandma. And, um, and we moved from, uh, Springfield, Oregon down to COOs bay, north bend, Oregon. And, uh, that's where I was. I was at six years old and then, um, a lot of verbal, um, physical abuse. Um, and then I said, I saved that money. I was long washing dishes. Uh, this is like two summers before I was 15 years old and I saved up $800 to go to Nike running camp.

Speaker 3 (06:49):

Um, and, uh, when I was 15 going on 16 and my grandma was like, Hey, I need that money for rent. And I'm like, you know, I'm from 16 years old, like I want to go play sports. And she's like, that's fine. You can go. But if you come back, like you don't have a place here anymore. We can't afford you. And it, it was, it was rough. Like I remember I got caught stealing one time. Um, and I got caught. I was at like a at-risk teens thing and they asked me why I was stealing and I was broke. I don't cry very often, but I broke down and cried and said, uh, all we have is a block of cheese in the frigerator and I got into money, you know? And so, uh, it's crazy. So, yeah, so it, so like she kept her wording and, uh, and when I was 16 years old, I had to go file to be what the state.

Speaker 3 (07:44):

So I was an adult at 16 years old and I was going to my junior year, but I met somebody at Ryan camp and we got together, we rallied, we had culture and our culture has always been so deep in my mind. We had all these strangers from different parts of the world. We're really probably the United States come in and we weren't a team or anything. We're just a bunch of runners. And we got a massive culture. I mean, it waned the whole entire competition for champions. And he said, Hey, if you ever need anything, give me a call. Well, I did, I needed a place to live so I can finish, uh, I can finish high school. And, uh, just so happened that his family was not taken in a foreign exchange student that year. And so I was able to move over with him and, uh, and, and finish, um, finished high school.

Speaker 2 (08:40):

Yeah. So what happened to your, I guess, as you're telling this to your mom, what did she just like, never shut up

Speaker 3 (08:51):

Drugs, drugs are powerful. And, uh, and I was actually born addicted to drugs and I had to like re like they had to wean me off and she lost custody. She finally got us back and when she got us back, you know, I took her life again. Yeah. And so, um, but she did reach out when I was nine, uh, 19 years old. Um, but, um, but yeah, it, uh, it let's say this man, like six to 19 is a big gap. Um, thank you for birthing me, but you're not my mom or my mother at that point. Yeah. It's wild. What about your dad? Is he never met him? Never met him. I never met him. So there was, I think there was a defining moment. I don't love to talk about money. I love talking about impact and the more people you act you're going to, uh, acquire the capital from that human capital is what we call it.

Speaker 3 (09:51):

But I remember it was a funny moment when I was 16 years old sitting on a Nelson's Lyrics, Ruth Nelson. If you're listening to this, thank you. You literally saved my life. Um, but I remember saying, I remember thinking two thoughts. Why didn't my mom want me and too, I'm going to do whatever it takes to be a millionaire because I hated the way this felt. This moment felt I hated the pain, not having enough and asking people for help. And I absolutely hated it. Um, and so, and so I remember that moment. I think there's, there's two, there's two moments when a person realizes who they are, like their why, and when they're born, then that was my defining moment as I looked back, um, on, on my journey. And, uh, and so I, there were big sports family and they, um, they, you know, all their kids got Dijuan scholarships. I wasn't very good. I got an NAI scholarship. And, uh, and that's what I, I got on that train to Iowa. And, and that's how this, all this whole massive, like, from all the pain, the verbal abuse told you're not good enough. You'll never amount to anything. Um, it all comes down to like, it happened for a reason. It made me who I am. And so I've already been at the bottom, so I'm not afraid to go there again.

Speaker 2 (11:16):

Hmm. That's incredible. Yeah. That's pretty powerful stuff. And I love hearing guys that came from the bottom like that. Um, I mean, obviously super powerful being able to share your stories, especially in the position you're in now. But yeah, my question is like, how do you, in my case, I never grew up like that. Um, I mean, my parents were pretty well off. I grew up in a small town, so they're like one of the richer people in the town, um, 3000 people. Um, but even me growing up that way, that had money, um, not like super rich, but in my town where most were kind of poor, definitely better off. Um, but even I struggle with like quite a bit of self doubt, um, was told, I was like too shy was twice too Chevy stuff like that always growing up. So how does it feel for you coming from a situation like that? Was it super tough to like overcome kind of all these like self doubts and this heavy stuff, do you have to do therapy or like, what did that look like?

Speaker 3 (12:17):

So door knocking was my actual therapy, right? And I don't care if you came from the wealthiest family or the poorest family, you have a story of overcoming and you just have to learn how to tell that story. And what happens is you, uh, anybody that follows David Goggins, he calls it a cookie jar. And that's exactly what it is. And so whether it doesn't matter what kind of past you've had, we've all done something that we're, we have some that we're good at. It doesn't need to be a state championship chip. Doesn't need to go sell 500 solar accounts in a year, but we all have stuff that we're proud of. And when you get seeds of doubt, we have to be able to pull from that cookie jar to be able to move forward, but take like this with all due respect, you have a story and you need to remember the story of victory in order to be able to go to the next level, because I still have massive doubt. Um, and, and I have to pull from my cookie jar on a regular basis to be able to operate at a high frequency throughout the day and year.

Speaker 2 (13:23):

Hmm. That's awesome. Yeah. I think that's super powerful and that's the next size I've actually done is just kind of write down the things, you know, you are good at that kombucha moments you have achieved because I forget all the time. I mean, I've almost quit doing this podcast probably like 50 times now, just because I feel like, oh, there's people way burner and solar. Um, I'm not qualified, like shared by smell solar. I mean, I know I'm not the greatest, but got my golden door award closed, lots of deals. And so a lot of times it's just for me right now, the things I have accomplished, the things I have done well, and that's yeah, that is something super powerful than do sound like it's been a big thing for you. So how do you coach, um, like reps that are struggling, do you have, like, I mean, I know your story is super powerful, but the reps that have struggled on teams feeling like maybe they're not good enough needing confidence. Is there things you guys have done, uh, helping, you know, your reps at legacy, they're helping them to kind of overcome these feelings of self doubt, stuff like that.

Speaker 3 (14:22):

Yeah. Yeah. That's a good, like, that's a phenomenal question. And so, um, whether it's legacy or solar or pest control or that you're listening to this right now, uh, make sure that you, you listen, you truly listen to, um, reps, um, or your friends or your battle buddies is what I call them. Like their battle buddies. You'll listen to them when they have the concern, get off your phone, look them in the eyes have human and let them know you care because you know, one of the laws of leadership by John Maxwell is when you touch their heart, you can touch their hand. And so, um, just knowing that you care and you're going to do everything you can to kind of hold them accountable in a way that's not offensive. Um, it's felt with love. They're going to be able to go that next level.

Speaker 3 (15:14):

And sometimes you have to, like, you have to like physically in-plant motivation inside them and, and like, awesome. This is, they've done. Like a lot of times when people have like, like bad months or weeks and they say, oh, this and that. I go, I go to our database and like, Hey, remember that week you sold four. How did that feel? Did it, does it feel like you feel right now if the answer is no, then we've got a lot of work to do, but the good news is you can acknowledge it. And so now we're going to actually move forward.

Speaker 2 (15:45):

That's awesome. Yeah, it reminds me of a, I don't know if you're a basketball fan, but, um, are you a basketball fan? Much? Yeah. Doc rivers. Yeah, the coach. Um, he's, uh, I know that's one of the big things he does with his players. In fact, this season, I was listening to like an interview and Joel and bead, he had one of his best seasons, you know, and VP caliber. And everyone's like, how does doc rivers get like these players to perform so much better? And it's because he like talks them up so much. He'll tell the media, like he has the best players. They're the best at doing this. It's like, you can get them down this deep belief in themselves. So that's like so similar in any industry, anything, I think that's what powerful coaches do, powerful leaders. So I love hearing that. Um, so for you, George, do you have, like, I know we kind of cut your story a little bit short, but when you first got into door to door, was there sort of like a defining moment for you? Was it like all sunshine and rainbows? Did you feel we'll start now

Speaker 3 (16:46):

Terrible. Terrible. So listen, if you're listening to this, you're not very good. There's still hope I was terrible. Um, I remember, I remember knocking on that first store and almost throwing up and I remember the Pomona correcting my sales pitch. Wow. Yeah, it doesn't get much worse than that, but the good news is I, I literally storm was coming. I didn't care. I was out out there till nine o'clock at night and I got my first sale and as I retired cop and he canceled, but yeah, but like, and then I had, I was just, I didn't, I didn't know how to control my emotions. Right. I don't know how, I didn't know how to think at a high level. I didn't know that really books were needed. Right. I didn't know that, um, you know, there's all the knowledge out there in the world.

Speaker 3 (17:38):

And just because your sales manager is not giving it to you, that you can't go out and get yourself. I didn't know. The undying confidence, this person that you see in front of, or you're listening to was I was terrible. I, I think I funded like 35 alarm deals my first summer and the next summer I funded like 45. I was absolutely terrible, but my third summer you get them over. This is like, I didn't know. I wasn't going back. I wasn't going back to washing dishes. There was nothing left for me in that town. Right. And so the third year when I got really serious, I started to, I decided to get serious about the opportunity. I started investing in myself, my thoughts, my beliefs, um, and I started to be able to be the best and win as much as I possibly can. Um, and then it just kept going from there.

Speaker 2 (18:31):

That's awesome. What, what, what type of things did you invest in? What was it that made the difference in your third year? Would you say?

Speaker 3 (18:37):

Yeah, so first of all, it was my belief system. So I was going to think it's really stupid, but, um, everyone's heard of the secret. I get it. Thoughts become things, but there needs to be action behind it. I understood that as I read this book called the secret, and I remember like, you guys are gonna laugh, like, but I remember putting a hundred thousand dollars, like on my wall when I woke up. Um, and I remember writing a hundred thousand dollars on my mirror while I was brushing my teeth. And I remember like two day, two a day, two a day, um, in alarms. And that was my, that was my belief system. And that at the end of that year, um, I had to make my 99,000 like 400 and some odd dollars. Um, and so I'm not saying that it didn't work or there's no validation behind the secret. Uh, but that was, that was the biggest thing. It's believing that I was capable of doing, and it's going to come to me before. So it's the same thing that you're talking about with the coach. Like I was believing it before it actually came true.

Speaker 2 (19:34):

Yeah. That's awesome. And I mean, I love hearing that you struggled at times because you get guys, other people we've had on like Sam tagger, you know, other guys in the industry, that's like they get on and just click they're instantly like instantly start slinging deals. But like, for me, it was super rough. I started off in pest control and same thing I did like, um, I did like 1 0 5, my first summer pest control. And then I had like 10 cancels. So I lost like my rent and bonus loss. Basically my whole back ends I'm like freak, should I even keep doing this? Um, so I mean, I think that's super powerful hearing guys that did struggling pushed through. So for you, what was it that like kept you going those first two summers, you said you struggled at ton. Was it just kind of a, not wanting to go back to that situation you were in or what kept you just like pushing, even though you're struggling so much.

Speaker 3 (20:25):

Yeah. You don't. I said, I said, um, I said, when I was 16 years old, I wanted to be a millionaire. And I believe that door to door was the fastest way to get there. Um, and, and I was going to do whatever it took to get there because all my friends were working dead-end jobs in that town. Um, and I assume I as was starting to be around people that were making a hundred to $300,000 back in 2008, nine and 10 back back in the golden years of alarms, um, I did not, I stopped thinking like they thought, and we didn't really get along. We didn't understand each other. Um, and so I decided to be around people that wanted the same things as me, the culture aspect of it. Um, and I was just committed to winning no matter what I wanted to win my race.

Speaker 2 (21:19):

Yeah. I love that. And that's another powerful point. I think you make is getting around the right people. I've struggled with that too. Having friends that are just, you know, working the nine to five, just doing their thing. And that was, I think was one of the big breakthroughs I had in solar is I had to, um, just pretty drastically changed the people that I was hanging out with, which sounds like you did do. Cause I mean, I think a lot of people for a year, the average of the five people you hang out with, and for me that even I thought I was safe. Once I got into door to door, I thought I was going to be okay, I'm hanging out with good people now, even starting out in door to door solar, I was still hanging out with people that guys drive out to an area. And then it's like, oh, let's sit in our car for three hours, watch game of Thrones and hang out. So that helped me back to that's. Um, yeah, I think a good point to make. So where does it go from there? Jory how did you transition from alarms to solar? And I guess,

Speaker 3 (22:22):

Yeah, I was my own, uh, dealer. It didn't, it didn't work out. Well, it always seems like I realized that I'm not a number one. I, don't not a CEO of a door to door company and I'm okay with that. And so my thought process is if I'm not number one, why can be a number of three and developed to a number two and still have an outstanding life? I remember, you know, like, oh, you make more money, right? It's similar to, you got the lowest red line, but there's no support and nothing, you do everything. And you're trying to, you're a swamp and next thing you know, your debts or eyeballs. And I was so sick of it. I was sick of the alarm industry. I remember sitting on a door on a curb, um, in Georgia and I was like sick to my stomach to knock another door for alarms.

Speaker 3 (23:11):

And I got a call on blaze, like, Hey, solar's happening? And I'm like, listen, I'll fly out and listen. Um, and one of the biggest one way to get me going is tell me I'm not wanted or good enough, because I've been told that my whole life, like, like I've been told that I've lived in that, in that, that freight like phase my whole life. And so one thing that tells me, like, I'm not good enough or like, Hey, listen, we're gonna do it without you. Um, Doug Robinson, the seal of legacy was like, Hey, Jory like, dude, I love you. Um, we're gonna, we're gonna grow this thing with, or without you, but we'd rather be with you. And I was like, oh man. Oh man. And so, um, yeah, so he's, so I sold my home in Kansas city. Um, I moved to South Carolina before the lease was there and I was one of the actual original people in South Carolina.

Speaker 3 (24:06):

I sold my first lease deal on South Carolina timber, first of 2015. Wow. So one of the original people and actually the person who just had on the podcast, Tim McCarthy, um, I reached out to him. I know he switched to solar before I did. And he gave me some crucial bias. He probably doesn't remember it, but he said, Jory, if you work this like summertime alarms, you around deal, destroy it. And that's the only advice. I didn't know what a kilowatt was. I didn't know how solar really works. All I knew is I can sell alarms. I can knock and I can train people. And I worked like summer alarm grind and I put it towards solar.

Speaker 2 (24:53):

That's awesome. Yeah. It's funny. Every, almost every alarm guy, I think that's the biggest reason they're successful. Um, I'm out here working with Jason newbie he's which you probably know him. He's top rabbit divot and everything. He's already grown his solar team in like less than six months. Um, he had a guy do 19 deals last week. They're consistently getting like nine to 10 deals a day and that's literally all he's doing. He's just having his solar team work alarm hours and just drive out like their alarms and then close them, like their alarms, like none of this next day stuff. It's just all same day. So that's awesome. Yeah. So that's pretty, pretty interesting, um, that all the alarm guys think that way and they think it's a huge reason for success. And so when, when was that? Was that 2017? You started in solar now

Speaker 3 (25:44):

2015, September 1st. 2015. Okay.

Speaker 2 (25:49):

So yeah, you're an old dog. I was thinking I was one of the older ones I started in 2016. So got me. Yeah.

Speaker 3 (25:55):

Yeah. I'm old, man. I'm the oldest 31 year old you're ever going to know.

Speaker 2 (25:59):

That's crazy. It's been in this forever. Um, and so 2015. And then did you start it just like a regular rep or what, how did your progression go?

Speaker 3 (26:12):

So basically I, I, I went to this place called Greenville, South Carolina, and I was the only rep there and they're like, Hey, if you grow it, you can have it. And we ended up growing that thing, um, in, in two years to two and a half years to installing, you know, 150 to 200 deals a month. So yeah, we're, we're pumping out about 1500 kilowatts a month and installs, um, in this little town and unfortunately utilities, we met the net metering cap and they had some discussions. Um, so that's when, um, legacy wasn't doing really well in Florida. And so, um, they basically asked where I wanted to go next while they figured out utilities. And the good part is there was a regional Ari, a place in South Carolina that, that came from, um, from one of my teams. And so, um, you know, we next up, right? This is you, you finish out South Carolina and I'll go to Florida. Um, and I'll go, I'll go help rebuild legacy in Florida. There was a time like I see what it was not very good in Florida, but now it's, I, you know, I'm biased, but I'd say we're pretty good now.

Speaker 2 (27:21):

Yeah. That's amazing. You said you guys are on track to do what 500. This yeah,

Speaker 3 (27:27):

Yeah. Between, uh, Florida and, uh, and, and, uh, North Carolina, 500 sales this month, obviously there's going to be a lag. Right. Uh, but it, it takes a village, you know, you know, and I, I came down here to Florida. It was a, you know, it wasn't pretty, um, Sunrun. We were certified part at that time. So we only sell Sunrun, you know, they, weren't amazing, they're getting operations. And I met this guy named Peter Winston, um, and, and P literally helped it was a ying and yang mentality. And he helped row like this, this Florida to the absolute monster, um, where we're at today. So big shout out to Pete because I was struggling and I'll be okay with saying that. And I think one of the biggest things about me is that I'm okay with my faults and getting better. Um, the I'm also what I think I'm really good at is working with people. I believe that are better than me. Um, or, or we elevate each other to get to that next level to be able to grow together.

Speaker 2 (28:29):

Yeah. I love hearing, um, just to focus on the strengths, cause like you were saying before, so many people are just focused on a what's my best red line. What's like the most I can get paid what's this, this, this, and even just recently in my office, we've had reps just like quick go chase, better red lines and everything. And it's like, dude, you can get that. But, um, you've found like three installs don't even know what you're doing yet. So don't you think it'd better be better to have the support and like grow with the team, especially in solar. So many people make that mistake. Could you agree

Speaker 3 (29:02):

If we, if we race to the bottom, it's not the, do any, is that going to do anything for the rep, their family, their family's family, everything that's gotta be, um, depend on them because at that level services, not there, um, it doesn't matter how many cells you can't get it to install. If you don't have the back office, if you don't have the culture, if you don't have, um, the systems in place, if you don't have videos, if you don't have a way to onboard people, it's not gonna work. And I've seen, I've probably seen about 30 to 40 solar companies come and go almost last year and half that's COVID. Um, and so it just, it just, it's in Florida alone through that. I of, and so it's not, it's not, uh, we can't raise the bottom. You have to raise the quality

Speaker 2 (29:46):

Yeah. A hundred percent. And so for all those listening, consider that if you guys are considered switching your whatever situation you're in, just look at the value, how much value are you getting from it, your company, are you getting back end support? Are you getting training in? Those are things that should be heavily considered, um, along with how much you're getting paid and red lines, things like that. So

Speaker 3 (30:09):

I learned my lesson in alarms trying to chase those multiples. So I won't do it again. I, I, I enjoy being able to make time for my family. And I don't want to say there's a work-life balance. A lot of us don't believe in that. Um, I believe you have to make time for work-life balance. Um, but I'm able to do that now more because of the systems that I'm in now, don't get me wrong just because I have a nice title next to my name doesn't mean I don't get out and get after it like anyone else. I think that's one thing that will separate legacy from a lot of different companies is our VPs. Um, still go out and create, you know, I've never hit golden door. I've never hit it. There was a time our, our backlog, the one I had 96 1 year and I've almost hit it, but we're average like three and a half to four month installs in South Carolina just did not fly. They're not lining up in December, but the good news is I was able to install megawatts and megawatts and megawatts. And I think now we're closer to 60, 65 plus megawatts between, um, you know, me and everyone that I brought into the legacy family or it's part of it that, um, I get to me to work with.

Speaker 2 (31:22):

Yeah, that's incredible. And so you had just kind of transitioned into something that I respect a ton about legacy. It just like the culture you guys have. Um, it seems like everyone's bought in really well there. And I know that's one of your big strengths Jory. So how, how do you get people to like buy in so much on this culture and like vision that, that legacy is trying to chase after, on your teams?

Speaker 3 (31:43):

Are you going to laugh? But, um, Tony Robbins. So, um, so I, I, I was pretty much, I think I was more of a military leader in the start. I was like, Hey, why aren't we doing this? Why are we doing this? And it wasn't effective. Like, why are we not selling? Cause I, I had a shift that everyone did not think like me, right? We just go out and get it done. And so I went to a Tony Robbins event and then I came back from the van. I felt like a big weight slips off my shoulders. And I'm like, no, I, my shoulders I'm like no more. Am I going to be a military leader? There'll be times where I can be militant with other leaders, but can't be militant with the normal rep. Cause it just, sometimes it does not flow. And so what I decided to do was create culture through fun, excitement, motivation, like getting people to bump their chest, stick, chest out, make their move.

Speaker 3 (32:40):

Right. Tell him, I say, I'm the best. I'm the greatest and sounds so cheesy, but they're smiling ear to ear. And through that, it is, I, what I noticed is it was allowed allowing me to get instant motivation, get instant results, but then I can work on it to be able to create, um, go for motivation to discipline if it's fun and exciting. There's nothing that gets me more when I go travel around the country or I see other people's meetings, if you're not pumped up and excited and I'm not saying don't Chubb, like Ben's right. What I'm saying is we're not pumped up excited if you don't have a little five foot girl that's really never done before, like pumping their chest and saying, oh look greatest. Like that's what these moments are for, because what it's doing is getting people to see the end result, right. The confidence before it actually happens. And I love it. There's nothing more that love is somebody making a mental shift to be like, you know what? That crazy dude that keeps telling me that I'm the greatest. And it keeps making me say it out loud. Maybe I am, maybe there's something more I can dig a little deeper.

Speaker 2 (33:46):

I love that. And yeah, I mean, speaking to Tony Robbins, that's basically his entire event is like jumping up and down screaming and you know, every couple minutes you got to do some second chance type thing.

Speaker 3 (33:57):

Well, I mean, especially in solar, there's so much moving parts and there's so much like, uh, uh, not in this like, like things you have to do, it's not always pretty or sexy and solar, um, like pushing through accounts and things like that. So if we can switch it up and we can operate from a peak state, like, man, you're going to win.

Speaker 2 (34:17):

Yeah. Love that. So do you have any like specific things you guys do in your meetings to get people in that peak state is like, you know, screaming as you're shouting your goals or anything specific you guys do?

Speaker 3 (34:31):

Um, so I would probably say the number one thing that we do is we do, uh, that we actually make our move. Right. And, and, uh, and I don't know if anybody knows what that is, but I'll kind of explain it. So basically we stand up and we operate from a position of power. I mean, just feed her about, uh, just shoulders with the part your chest is sticking out and you're, you're standing direct. And then what, I don't want to sound, let's say, let's go, let's go. Where to clap. We're to clap, good, play some music. Right. And then we'll say, make your move. And everyone's got to do some kind of power move. Like they're powerful Batman, Superman move. And they're black right at the right word at that clever SIM right. Two doors. I want them heading toward to the area, pumped up, listen to the music, ready that opened that first car door and then start moving from there. Nice. That's awesome. It's not for everybody. Right. But I find that those that don't like, it we'll eventually like, like, okay, fine. And then, then like, all right. And everyone's smiling and having a good time. I need them to leave the meetings on a high and smiling.

Speaker 2 (35:39):

Yeah. That's awesome. Get me pumped right now. I want to do one right now, but it's super powerful and some guys bashed on it, but I mean, it changes the states like Tony Robbins says you got to change your state. Um, and I think that's huge for developing competence, things like that too, for the ones

Speaker 3 (35:58):

That bash on it. Listen, I get it. Um, you'll offer it like that, but it's not for you. It's if you're a top producer or trying to be top producer, it's for the people that, that, that you lead it's for the people that trust you.

Speaker 2 (36:14):

Yeah, for sure. And what about like reps that are struggling? I mean, something that you've seen it in solar, they're always the upstate just, you know, want to go work like two, three hours, get a deal here and there. And they're fine with that. How do you get people to like, just want more and set higher goals from themselves? And I don't know, push themselves more. What have you seen that works?

Speaker 3 (36:39):

So I, you know, I was actually on a recruiting call today and, and the guy was like, Hey, there's 20 people in my company. I'm number one. And, and, and I'm like, dude, that's phenomenal. So you're a big fish in a small pond. So why don't we utilize that same mentality, that same confidence and have you be a big fish in a bigger pond. And what's going to happen is you will see yourself, rise to the level that you need to go to when you have other people doing outstanding numbers around you, you're gonna look at the, the, the, um, CRM and be like, I can do more. I can do more. And, um, and at the end of the conversation, he's like, whoa, I never really thought about if I like some people don't think about it. If I, if I'm not the best, I strive to be the best that's going to push me to do more.

Speaker 3 (37:34):

Because that mentality that you just talked about. So if you're working two hours a day and everyone's praising you for that, you to leave your company, because they're not, they're not doing the best service for you or your family. Yeah. You have to stay relevant. And it's, it's been hard for me to stay relevant over the last six years and solar. And I still question my relevancy a lot of times, but then I remember these moments, these cookie jar moments, and then I'm like more, I can do more. I can impact more people. I can sell more. I can recruit more. I can give more. I can give more love more.

Speaker 2 (38:14):

Yeah. I love that. And I would say for guys that are maybe at smaller companies, or if you're the top guy go get in like some type of mastermind group, get around people that are doing more. That's what I think is so cool about what knocks these knock star guys are doing. And what we're trying to do here with the podcast is just connect with people that are at a much higher level, because the second you feel like you're at, you're the best in the room. Like you're just saying a minute ago. Um, I think you stopped growing sapping to me. Yeah. If you're

Speaker 3 (38:44):

The best in your room and if you're a 2020 man company, I'm not saying there's anything against it, but go give your nuggets and show somebody how to go compete and go recruit higher level people to bring that company up.

Speaker 2 (38:56):

Yeah, for sure. So yeah, for our Solarpreneur, make sure you take a good look at that. Don't be the best one in the room. Go join some mastermind groups, get around people that are achieving at a high level. And I'm so Jory, I love hearing what you guys are doing to build culture. Um, and yeah, for guys that, like, I dunno if you have someone on the team that just isn't producing week after week, do you guys just let them go? Or what, what does it look like?

Speaker 3 (39:24):

Wait, we never want to let anybody go. Right. Um, we believe our culture is all inclusive. Um, but what we would do is we would, we would have a conversation like let's and maybe there's wrong with your closing. So let's go back to setting and help you close in order to be able to kind of re energize and get that confidence back. Gotcha. Okay.

Speaker 2 (39:49):

So you guys start, uh, all new reps off just sending the deals. And then is there a point of transition to closing?

Speaker 3 (39:56):

Yeah. Unless they have experience from other companies. Um, but there's a lot in solar, right? There's a lot of moving parts and you start dealing with loans and, and, uh, ID approvals and everything else. And so I've seen so many reps come in, not have that, that, that setting. So it's not just setting here's, I here's the difference. I love about what we do here. At least in the Southeast for legacy, we bring on setters, but they're really mentees. We, our job is to pair them with somebody that's going to mentor them, coach them along the ways. And so, and they're going to be part of every single close. And I hope everyone's doing this in the industry. They're a part of every single close and we want to train them.

Speaker 3 (40:40):

I want to coach them to go to closing their own deals. I think I'm probably gonna be like ostracized for this. But I think one of the black balls in the industry, um, is our black eyes and history is people just having setters and never given them an opportunity to be more right. And so unless, unless they want to do that then great. But we should never ever keep someone as a setter and never give them the value. And the love that I think every person coming in the space deserves initially. And then you can make that adjustment from there.

Speaker 2 (41:12):

Yeah. No, that's a huge wall. I see for companies, matter of fact, one of the first companies I was with that was the whole plan. It was just like bringing people on as setters and try to keep them there permanently have no leg vision for him. It's, I mean, we recruit a lot of setters, but then once they saw that they couldn't grow past a certain point going to start closing, go somewhere else I'm of here. It's actually a ton of them went to legacy. So with

Speaker 3 (41:38):

No vision people perish.

Speaker 2 (41:41):

Yeah. Yeah. And I think that's a huge key to recruiting is you're not just saying, Hey, come join our company. I'm sure you guys are doing it too. It's more like, Hey, we weren't, we're looking for people that can lead teams. We want to open up this office. We want people, they can do this, this and transitioned into, you know, growing this area, managing this team. And yeah, I found that that worked way more effective than just saying, Hey, we're high in for solar, but it's like, no, we want leaders that can help open up, you know, our north office, ourselves office grow into this role and then people get way better vision. So, um, yes. Super powerful stuff. Jory. Um, I know we gotta wrap up kind of quick here, but any, any, uh, I guess final words of wisdom, final things you would say that's helped with your culture recruiting or anything else that you guys

Speaker 3 (42:30):

Yeah. So, um, I'd probably say this. You don't have to have like a story like mine. Like my story is not, I won't say definitely not normal. Um, but my story is different, right? It's, it's a very raw and real hard story. Um, but your story, you have a story and you have to be good at telling your story. Cause I did not want to tell I, I was embarrassed that I was homeless and I had 20 bucks in two trash bags. I was embarrassed. I had literally no food in the frigerator. And, and I had, I only had like a couple of pairs of jeans. I was embarrassed. Um, and, but eventually people like, and you start sharing that story. It's very motivational. I read it in a book. And so here's my advice to go create award-winning culture. You need to go create a story and build a, tell your story to inspire others.

Speaker 3 (43:25):

Matter of fact, if you were to create a autobiography right now and you were to give it to a random stranger on the train and they didn't read that again, inspired, then you got work to do right. You got a lot of work to do. And I don't care where you come from. Everybody has a story. Everybody adds value and you have to go find your story, your value, and have to go share a vision with people around you and more important. If you want to create a massive winning culture, if you feel somebody that that has, we've talked about it, a leader, a lot of people want leaders. Um, but they don't want them to be like at the same level, the same title they be, you know, beneath them. If you find somebody of that caliber never, never be scared to share. Right. Never be scared to share because once you go through that wall and you're like, we're here, we're sharing. That's when it starts getting really, really good. And that's when limits start being broken and lids start being removed and everybody starts winning.

Speaker 2 (44:31):

Yeah. So powerful. And yeah, it just goes to anyone that shares a story like this. Like just for an example, I've had people on the show or, you know, seeing people, social media and all that, where it's all about posting the next picture with the Lamborghini, next cars are driving just all the money they're making, showing the big checks, but they never shared any like story or anything. People that are sharing, like the raw truth stories like this. I mean, they're the ones getting the intention to, so people that do have those shares, it gets the attention. And that's what people are going to be attracted to is when you're raw, when you're real. And when you can get vulnerable with people, um, I can test that cause I've seen it over and over just in the podcasts, all our episodes that always get the most lessons are where people are like raw and real like this. So, well,

Speaker 3 (45:18):

I don't want to take you over, but I want to say that there was a moment where I was like doing my fridge is full. I have no struggles. Right? Like what am I struggled? Somebody cancels. Right. So what happened was this guy named David Goggins first came to the scene. He's on Tim Ballou or whoever's is his YouTube. And I'm like, this guy ran a hundred miles in 24 hours. I'm like, I didn't train for them. Let me see what I can do. And I went to a 24 hour event and I literally ran a one mile, um, four, I ran a one mile lap and I ended up getting 52 miles in that lap. I didn't train. I was dead. I was hurt. My knee was broken. I was actually at the whitewater center that I was running over and over and over and over.

Speaker 3 (46:02):

And I felt I had to redefine who I was like the rawness, the realness. Somebody came from the comeback kid. Right. I lived in that mode. And so I, I remember laying down at 42 miles and then getting back up hobbling 10 more miles before the end of it. I didn't run as much as I want. I didn't know what Intel, but I needed to find my pain, my tolerance level. And there was something beautiful in the struggle. And so now I have that, that cookie jar moment. Now I can, I can overcome and do anything.

Speaker 2 (46:32):

Wow. That's incredible. I didn't know that. How, when did you do that? Is that reasonable?

Speaker 3 (46:37):

No. 2017. It's 2017. It was, it was terrible. It was not great because everyone was there doing it, but they're running the teams of six and there's a few of us just running. I got second place that, not that, but we're just running like just over and over and over and over again. And it was brutal, but I need to figure out who I was. I need to step out of my shell, go to my new shop.

Speaker 2 (47:02):

Yeah. Wow. That's crazy. No, that's awesome. Yeah. I think we all need to do stuff like that.

Speaker 3 (47:08):

So go run 50 miles in 24 hours or two marathons a day that will help create culture.

Speaker 2 (47:18):

I know, dang. I need to do something like that and felt like a whistle here, but that's awesome. Um, my cold showers are feeling like nothing compared to that. Like, I'm just going to do a cold shower. That's pushing it for me.

Speaker 3 (47:30):

This, this life is too short. Not to go do something crazy. Right. And people around you respect it. Whether you hit your goal or not, they attempt

Speaker 2 (47:39):

Yeah. A hundred percent. Well Jory, we appreciate you sharing the story. Um, I definitely resonate. It resonated with that. I know our listeners are going to love it too. So where can people reach out to you on social media and all that, um, connect with you want to share your social media contacts? Yeah.

Speaker 3 (47:56):

So if you want, yeah. If you wanna like see my culture and who I am live, um, check out my Instagram handle. It's at jewelry, won't lose and actually trying to gain more followers. I feel like I don't have enough compared to what everyone's doing now. Um, or a Facebook, majority Solomon, and I don't hide the culture. I don't hide what we're doing. So if you want sneak, peeks into legacy and what we're creating, so you can either recreate retrade that in your own companies or reach out to me, um, go to Jory Sullivan. It's a lot easier to send me a DM that I'll be more happy to respond to you.

Speaker 2 (48:32):

Awesome. Well, Jory, thanks again for coming on the show for a member for Solarpreneurs, just be real on everything. You do get vulnerable with people, and then that's going to help you in your recruiting. That's going to help you in your culture and get people fired up to go out and work and help your teams out. So thanks again. Jory I'm sure we'll get you hopefully a few new followers on Instagram there, and we'll look forward to connecting with you more and more. Appreciate you coming on the show. Let's grow, baby. Let's grow. Let's grow. Let's do it.

Speaker 1 (49:00):

Hey Solarpreneurs. Quick question. What if you could surround yourself with the industry's top performing sales pros, marketers, and CEOs, and learn from their experience and wisdom in less than 20 minutes a day. For the last three years, I've been placed in the fortunate position to interview dozens of elite solar professionals and learn exactly what they do behind closed doors to build their solar careers to an all-star level. That's why I want to make a truly special announcement about the new solar learning community, exclusively for solar professionals to learn, compete, and win with the top performers in the industry. And it's called Solciety. This learning community was designed from the ground up to level the playing field and give solar pros access to proven mentors who want to give back to this community and to help you or your team to be held accountable by the industry's brightest minds. For, are you ready for it? Less than $3 and 45 cents a day currently society's closed the public and membership is by invitation only, but Solarpreneurs can go to society.co to learn more and have the option to join a wait list. When a membership becomes available in your area. Again, this is exclusively for Solarpreneur listeners. So be sure to go to www.solciety.co to join the waitlist and learn more now. Thanks again for listening. We'll catch you again in the next episode.

The SOLARPRENEUR podcast is here to help you close more deals in the solar industry, generate more leads and referrals, and hopefully, have a much better time and situation.