Episode Summary:
In this episode, Sharon Lee tells us about The Sunnyside Podcast, what it is going to be about and what to expect from it. Basically, the purpose of this podcast is making solar energy relatable, accessible and attainable through the stories of different women who are solar industry titans, which is a male-dominated space.
Insights from this Episode:
- What The Sunnyside Podcast is going to be about
- The principal purpose and message of The Sunnyside Podcast
- What to expect from the Podcast
Quotes from the Show:
- “Solar may be considered a male-dominated industry but that’s only numbers, women are moving mountains everyday from engineering, design, legislative policy making…they can do it all, we can do it all”– Sharon Lee in “The Sunnyside Podcast”
- “Guests on The Sunnyside will include folks from all across the industry and variety of markets”– Sharon Lee in “The Sunnyside Podcast”
- “I hope you’ll stick with us as we learn and grow together talking about what makes this industry [solar] thrive and expert women who are leading the pack in the thick of it all, balancing life and enjoying this crazy ride”– Sharon Lee in “The Sunnyside Podcast”
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Episode transcript:
Sharon Lee:
Welcome to The Sunnyside, the podcast that makes solar energy relatable, accessible, and attainable. Join us as we journey behind the scenes with women taking amazing strides in all parts of the solar industry. I’m your host, Sharon Lee. And thank you for joining us today. Hi, everyone, and welcome to The Sunnyside. This is our premier broadcast right here from Atlanta, Georgia. I’m your host, Sharon Lee. And on The Sunnyside, I plan to speak with women who are solar industry titans. I’ll have them share their solar experiences and find out more about what they do and how they’re making a difference every day. And we’ll get into a little bit about life along the way because that’s where the fun stuff is.
Sharon Lee:
I’ll share a bit about my experience in this crazy industry that I love and walk through the balancing act of my role as vice president of sales at Velo Solar with being a boy mom, which is like being a mom, but with a few extra bumps and bruises along the way, a wife, and a rabid college football fan. I live in Georgia, so you might not assume that I’m a Tennessee Vols fan. Yes, there’s a few of us left in the world, but don’t hold it against me, especially if I promise never to sing Rocky Top. We’ve been talking about the idea of creating a podcast for and about women in the industry for a good while now. And with March being Women’s History Month, I can’t imagine a better time to kick it off, focused on women in solar.
Sharon Lee:
We’ll lift up all the many things that they, or maybe I should say we do. There’s no doubt that solar is a very male dominated industry, and that’s okay. Great, in fact. There’s room for everyone. But The Sunnyside will give us an opportunity to find out more, more of what led these industry leaders to this industry, how they see it change, and things they’ve done to make a difference. We’ll even pave the way for other women to devote their careers through this industry, hopefully. We’ll also add interesting tidbits about their hobbies, kids, pets, sports loves, or things that they do to recharge. Solar may be considered a male dominated industry, but that’s only numbers.
Sharon Lee:
Women are moving mountains every day from engineering, design, legislative policymaking, lobbying, procuring equipment and contracting to even getting out there with boots on the ground. They can do it all. We can do it all. And we want to hear all about it. The show will be produced on a monthly basis, and we have a variety of guests coming up. In fact, another instigator for The Sunnyside had to do with our own office here at Velo. We have very dynamic leadership made up of some incredible women, if I can include myself in that group. I’m in the sales part of the organization and have been a part of the solar industry here in Atlanta almost since there’s been an industry here in Atlanta.
Sharon Lee:
I joined the Georgia Solar Energy Association and ended up serving on the Board of Directors in a variety of roles, including being the first female chair of the association. And here at Velo, I help clients repower their businesses with solar energy systems, storage, and state-of-the-art monitoring software every day. And our incredible team brings it to life. So while we were sitting on the back patio of our office on the Beltline with a few co-workers, we remarked on how unusual it is that our VP of sales, VP of operations, one of our main engineers and our controller are all women. And after a few beers, it seemed as though we had a story to tell. So here we are with The Sunnyside.
Sharon Lee:
Guests on The Sunnyside will include folks from all across the industry in a variety of markets. I’m very excited about connecting with Abigail Ross Hopper, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association, also known SEIA, as well as other strong and dynamic industry leaders very soon. I hope you’ll stick with us as we learn and grow together, talking about what makes this industry thrive and the expert women who are leading the pack in the thick of it all, balancing life and enjoying this crazy ride. Thanks for listening to The Sunnyside Podcast. If you like what you heard, please give us a five star review. You can also email questions, suggestions, and compliments to sharon@velosolar.com. The Sunnyside is produced by the Podcast Laundry Production Company and executive produced by Sharon Lee.
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Sharon Lee:
Sharon Lee taps over a decade of solar sales experience, having led the creation of a solar division for a leading manufacturing/construction firm, resulting in over 17 MW of solar in its portfolio as well as solar ultimately becoming its highest grossing revenue vertical. Lee has been involved in the GA Solar Energy Association, serving on the board of directors as the marketing chair, organizing the annual conference, as well as vice chair, and ultimately the first female chair of the organization in 2015. She is also a charter member of the Professional Women in Building chapter of the Greater Atlanta Homebuilders Association, a member of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), and Women in Solar Energy (WISE). Lee earned her B.S. degree in communications with double minors in marketing and psychology from Middle Tennessee State University, after spending three years at the University of Tennessee in the pre-health curriculum. Lee is the mom of two boys, ages 14 and 11 and a rabid college football fan. She and her husband, John, spend most of their free time at the baseball or football fields, unless they can steal away for a quick round of golf.
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