Renewable Power Perspectives Q&A with Ally Mendoza, CEO of SUNTEX

By Constance ThompsonSeptember 16, 2021

The American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) is pleased to share the fourth installment in our “Accelerating Renewables” blog series.
Each installation includes industry leaders and topics associated with accelerating a fair and just transition to a renewable resource economy. In acknowledgment of National Hispanic Heritage Month, our September functions highlight how 3 Hispanic-owned Accelerate member business are prospering in the renewable resource sector.
What inspired you to start SUNTEX?
As a natural-born leader, I constantly set high expectations for myself and always try to find opportunities to serve others– be it by providing remarkable client service, language translations, or simply sharing knowledge with others. My individual goals and desire to assist others led me to work in the eco-friendly energy sector, where I can pursue this dream on a larger scale.
Inform us about SUNTEX?
Our businesss objective is basic: we wish to make solar easy and budget-friendly every action of the way. We mostly serve the Hispanic community in Texas. That is what we do best– assist Spanish speakers understand and adopt eco-friendly energy as a way of life, assisting generations to come.
Please share with us more about your journey toward developing SUNTEX. Existed an “aha minute” when you decided to focus on solar?
Back in August of 2018, my organization partner and I had the chance to join a really appealing small solar installation company in Houston. Through this work we saw the opportunity readily available to bring solar into our (the Hispanic) neighborhood. As a result, my partner and I combined his experience in selling to the Hispanic market with my customer support knowledge to develop SUNTEX where “the customer is the reason we exist as a company”. Our focus is connecting the Hispanic neighborhood and our consumers with outstanding client service.
Why is concentrating on the Hispanic community a concern for SUNTEX?
Primary: it is in our blood. My service partner and I are native Spanish speakers, and we can determine well with our individuals and their worldview. Second: in the past, we have actually personally experienced a lack of care and communication from those that can not relate to our culture. We understood that solar benefits everybody, despite race or background, which our people would require a lot of support to understand how to acquire this benefit for their homes.
What obstacles do you face? Why?
Being a small company with a high level of service expectations for our consumers features its own set of difficulties. The biggest difficulty we face is shared by a number of little services: turnover. Furthermore, despite the fact that solar power has actually been around for a while, the essentials of these tasks are not widely taught in school. So, we need to spend a lot quantity of time training sales personnel to make sure they are able to supply a high level of consumer service.
How are you making an impact through SUNTEX?
By merely living up to our truthful values. I have actually found out throughout my life that in business, there is no other way to do it ideal but to be honest. While others may take faster ways, the reality constantly prevails.
Please share with us a recent business success story.
Just recently, after assisting a client “go solar” in two of her houses, she referred a new customer named Angela to us. During our initial appointment, I noted that they could only achieve about 56% of solar power balanced out due to their homes intake rates and shading from trees on the property. We discussed a few extra energy performance upgrades to your house to decrease energy consumption, which could provide a greater energy offset. Angela initially winced at the thought of investing more cash into the home, however ultimately she called me back and said she desired to move forward with the solar and energy effectiveness upgrades. We completed a Home Energy Audit to see why her use was so high and found that her house needed a bigger air conditioning system, plus additional ducts to disperse the air conditioner equally throughout the home. We also told her that the finance partner could add the cost of that upgrade to the solar loan– which in doing so, she might get approved for a lower rates of interest than any other house improvement loan for that air conditioning upgrade. She took my advice and decided to move forward and was, in truth, able to decrease her loan rates of interest.
During the installation, we ended up paying for Angela and her senior mother to stay in a hotel up until their upgrades and assessments were total to guarantee they were comfortable throughout the procedure.
Now, Angelas solar system covers 100% of the electrical power used in her house. Thanks to the AC upgrade, they have minimized their energy usage significantly, and she has a flat, foreseeable solar payment monthly that is less than she was paying prior to setting up solar. This is what we indicate by “consumer service.”
From a nationwide point of view, how can we improve access to sustainable enery?
From my experience, there is a large space in access. Many of the homeowners that we go to are fortunate to own a home, yet much of them have not gotten approved for solar due to several combined or separated elements such as subprime credit score, lower yearly household income, self-employment, or an absence of understanding of available loan programs. These neighborhoods need more support and education on the value of installing a planetary system that can conserve them cash. We require to provide more people with opportunities to adopt renewable resource with less inconveniences.
How has your Accelerate membership assisted your organization?
By empowering us to believe that there is someone there to support our development in this market, and giving us the chance to satisfy others in the exact same boat. Now I know that there is expect minority small companies in the renewable resource industry.
How can prospective partners do organization with you?
It is essential that we share the exact same values and objective to assist others, even if it implies getting out of our comfort zones. It may cost a little more for us to do organization, but its worth it in the end for our customers. We d love to meet to discuss possible partnership chances if youre ready to begin there.
Exists anything else you want to show ACORE members and partners?
We are really grateful for the Accelerate membership program and for all of the opportunities you have actually offered. I know this is only the beginning, and we have a long roadway ahead of us; however, I anticipate ending up being a sponsor to assist lead the way for other Accelerate members in the future– with a special thanks to all of my clients and collaborators at SUNTEX, because they are the fuel that drives the objective!
To find out more about SUNTEX, go to https://suntexllc.com/.
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Furthermore, even though solar energy has been around for a while, the essentials of these jobs are not commonly taught in school. During our initial visit, I kept in mind that they could only achieve about 56% of solar energy balanced out due to their houses intake rates and shading from trees on the residential or commercial property. We went over a few additional energy efficiency upgrades to the home to minimize energy usage, which might offer a greater energy balanced out. Angela initially flinched at the thought of investing more money into the house, however ultimately she called me back and said she wanted to move forward with the solar and energy effectiveness upgrades. Thanks to the AC upgrade, they have minimized their energy consumption considerably, and she has a flat, predictable solar payment each month that is less than she was paying before setting up solar.