Anthony J Conklin

Sales and Leadership Success Every Time:

• Show up early
• Prepare the night before
• Remember everyone’s name
• Follow up quickly
• Follow up multiple times
• Overdeliver in a personal way that blows customers away!

Forget the fancy stuff—master these fundamentals, and you’ll always win.

The biggest mistake you can make as a owner or CEO of a solar company is NOT paying attention to the data
Gut checks don’t tell the truth the data does !

As a sales leader, the number one thing you should care about is transparency. Transparency builds trust, which is the cornerstone of every relationship.

Transparency = Trust
Trust = Relationships
Relationships = Everything

If you’re afraid of failing, you won’t get very far.

This is how you'll build the most successful and profitable company ever.

As CEO Focus on three things

1. Craft a crystal clear vision of not only how you are going to change your industry but also the world.

2. Find the best people on the planet to execute that vision.

3. Provide them with the resources they need to do the best job in the world and get the hell out of their way.

Don’t eat with people you wouldn’t starve with.

Every morning when you get up, you have to treat every day as a game day because if you don’t, you’ll never be ready for game day 

Great sales leaders focus on coaching pipeline management and motivating their team and individuals to accomplish their goals year over year 

You’re anxious because you don’t take action. You procrastinate because you don’t have a plan. You lack clarity because you don’t journal. Simply put, all your problems have a solution. You just have to do it. 

Thrilled to be back at ! Can’t wait to reconnect with old friends and meet new ones in the solar industry. Let’s discuss solar and storage partnership. Reach out if you'll be there!

Everyone is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Everyone struggles.
Take solace in that.

Be the forever optimist and persist until you succeed

You can delay.
Time won’t.

Embracing discomfort leads to results.

Period end of story

If you don’t change you won’t grow. Always be in the process of change to achieve your next level of success.

“The reality is most people are making a living. They’re not designing their lives.” Tony Robbins

It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.
EE Cummings

I wrote a message to my team today and wanted to share it with all of you.

If you take a look at your performance over the past quarter, are you satisfied with it? If you are, that’s great. What can you do to achieve the same results next quarter? If you’re not satisfied with the results from last quarter, what are you going to do about it?

I pose this question to everyone in my network: stop, breathe, take a deep breath, and exhale. Now, ask yourself this very important question: “Am I playing like a champion every day?” Because if you’re not playing like a champion, you’re never going to win. Winning is not about accomplishing a single goal but about building a process that helps you accomplish many goals.

Think of yourself as a professional athlete. What did Kobe Bryant do every day? What did Muhammad Ali do every day? What does any professional athlete do every day? They practice, practice, practice. No more “I’m doing the best I can.” Tell me what your plan is and then execute it. Show me your path to success. If you don’t have that, then you don’t have the will or desire to win!

what are your thoughts?


If you can handle criticism, you’re not fit to be a leader.

Seek first to understand before being understood

If you can commit to being disciplined, then go all in. If you're truly struggling with it, use scheduling: put it in the calendar and hold yourself accountable.

As a 17 1/2-year veteran in the solar business, I want to share a perspective grounded in the real-world challenges we face together, not from the sidelines but as a peer in the trenches.

Your ability to create a world-class sales team hinges on more than just vision—it's about identifying WHO on your team can execute that vision. In the residential, many companies focus just on generating more sales, which is vital, but often overlooked a critical component: the team members who can execute successfully.

Who in your team has the internal fortitude, the discipline, the focus, and the network to sustain efforts over the long haul? This is not about quoting influencers or engaging in hyperbole. It's about practical, fundamental business tactics and strategies. As the CEO of a solar company, you need to assess this daily.

As we navigate issues like lenders delaying payments to EPCs and the blame game in sales organizations, start by asking yourself: who on my team has the ability, confidence, and staying power to execute the vision of becoming a world-class solar company?

Accepting geography as an excuse for inaction is unacceptable. Be decisive—don't wait to make decisions based on your feelings; make them based on the data.

These are my thoughts, distilled from practical experience and aimed at helping you build a resilient and effective team. Focus on your people, their capabilities, and their potential to drive your vision forward.

Life is a collection of experiences

Highlights of Sunnova's 8/1 earnings call:

Pausing new dealer additions to manage current dealer network effectively and support existing partners. (no surprise here)

Prioritize lease and PPA customers to capitalize on ITC adders. (they want the extra 10% ITC dollars)

Starting September 1, dealers will be required to originate only lease and PPA customers qualifying for domestic content adders​ This move aims to maximize the benefits of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) incentives and could influence the product offerings and procurement strategies of EPCs.

Sunnova faces increasing competition, particularly with new entrants in the lease and PPA space. This competitive pressure could impact pricing strategies and market share

12 harsh truths about sales:

1) Most Reps Will Fail to Hit Quota. The sad reality is quota attainment hovers around 50%. Most simply won't make the number.

2) You're Constantly Being Evaluated. From pipeline reviews to deal inspections, every move gets scrutinized. The pressure is relentless.

3) It's an Emotional Rollercoaster. The highs of big wins are followed by gut-wrenching losses. You'll ride the full emotional spectrum.

4) You're the First Blamed (and Fired). When revenue dips, sales takes the first hit. Job security can be fleeting.

5) Grinding Is the Norm. Top performers don't just work hard - they grind harder than most can fathom.

6) You'll Be Tempted to Cut Corners. Whether inflating forecasts or overselling, the pressure to make your number can lead some astray.

7) Relationships Will Be Tested. With the intense travel and time demands, personal relationships often suffer.

😎 The Game Is Constantly Evolving. Just when you master one technique, the landscape shifts. You must be a perpetual student.

9) Most Companies Still Don't Get It. Despite being the revenue engine, sales is an afterthought at many companies.

10) You Live and Die by Your Number. At the end of the day, all that matters is whether you hit your quota or not.

11) The Majority Will Wash Out. Sales has one of the highest turnover and failure rates of any profession.

12) You're Always One Quarter Away From Being on a Plan. No matter how successful you've been, one bad quarter can put your job at risk.

I wish I understood these sooner.

What else would you add?

Investing in yourself generates and insane ROI

Everything is figureoutable

Effort outweighs talent. If effort is worth twice as much as talent, then results are priceless, proving the true power of both combined.

Keep pushing forward. Results are the ultimate goal.