20a

Domain Expert:

1)   Who they are and what their background is.

Cori, Customer Relations Specialist at All American Solar LLC.

2)   Which 'slot' you are filling with each person (i.e., domain expert, market expert, supplier), and how the person fills the spot.

She manages all the customer relationships/problems and is knowledgeable about the business activity that goes on inside the company.

3)   A description of how you found the person and contacted the person.

I researched Solar Companies that were close by and called until I was able to research someone who could give me helpful information.

4)   The nature of the exchange you have with the person -- what favor did they do for you? What is the return expectation? 

I described my business idea to her and then she gave me a brief breakdown of the business activity at the company and the different processes that make it happen. She explained that the business buys their leads online, then the sales department calls them and gathers information, then the GM answers any questions they have and finalizes the paperwork, then the company buys the product and goes to the customer’s house and installs it. She was very helpful and informative during the phone call.

5)   How will including this person in your network enhance your ability to exploit an opportunity?

I have a better idea of the type of information and connections I would need to create a solar energy program. Having a professional talk to me about this business definitely increased my knowledge about how a solar business is supposed to be run. Before this phone call, I just had a business idea and wasn’t quite sure how to make it happen. Now I understand the steps I need to take in order to put my idea into action and make it successful.

Market Expert:

1)   Who they are and what their background is.

Donny, Owner and Salesman at All Solar Energy Inc.

2)   Which 'slot' you are filling with each person (i.e., domain expert, market expert, supplier), and how the person fills the spot.

He is in charge of the day-to-day operations at the company and is the main salesman.

3)   A description of how you found the person and contacted the person.

I researched solar companies in the area and called All Solar Energy Inc. and left a message with my information and to call me back. Donny called me back the next day and gave me valuable information about his business.

4)   The nature of the exchange you have with the person -- what favor did they do for you? What is the return expectation? 

I explained to him my interest in the company and the breakdown of my business idea. He explained to me the basic process of how his business works and how he has been successful. It is a family-run company, so he markets mostly through referrals from friends/family, radio stations, Facebook, and Instagram. He is able to gain new customers by going to the Property Appraisers Office and getting a list of every homeowner in the area and then going to their house and pitching his business to them. Donny stresses the importance of relationships with customers and says it is the main reason why his business has been successful. He was very informative and detailed on the phone, which proved to be beneficial to me.

5)   How will including this person in your network enhance your ability to exploit an opportunity?

He is someone who has the blueprint for how a solar business is able to function efficiently and what it takes to keep it growing. He has been in this business a long time and is aware of all the trends that could potentially impact the solar business. Donny is a great connection to have and will be someone I will contact again if my business idea becomes a reality.

Industry Supplier:

1)   Who they are and what their background is.

Joanna, Operations Manager at The LeverEdge.

2)   Which 'slot' you are filling with each person (i.e., domain expert, market expert, supplier), and how the person fills the spot.

She is knowledgeable about the supplier process within her company which distributes products to solar companies including All American Solar LLC.

3)   A description of how you found the person and contacted the person.

I contacted All American Solar LLC and at the end of my phone call with Cori, I asked her if there were any suppliers for your company that I could contact and she referred me to The LeverEdge.

4)   The nature of the exchange you have with the person -- what favor did they do for you? What is the return expectation? 

I explained why I was calling them and Joanna gave me helpful information on the distribution process for her company. She couldn’t give me too much information because of corporate policy, but she gave me a basic idea of the process of distributing different products and services to her own company and others. She was kind and as helpful as she could be during the entire phone call.

5)   How will including this person in your network enhance your ability to exploit an opportunity?

After talking to the Domain and Market Expert it was beneficial to hear the perspective from the supplier point of view instead. It gave me a better idea of the entire process of how the products are distributed and then used in order for the companies to provide their business to customers.

Finally: Reflect. This experience requires you to do a little 'targeted networking.' How will this experience shape how you participate in any future networking events? Did this experience differ from your networking experiences in the past? How?

This experience of targeted networking was definitely a challenge. It wasn’t easy finding experts in my market and it took a lot of time and phone calls. By doing this, it allowed me to make connections with qualified people in my potential field of business. In future networking events, I will definitely feel more comfortable after having to complete this assignment. This experience differed from my past networking experiences because I had to get out of my comfort zone and call companies that probably were busy and didn’t want to take my phone call. I experienced rejection a few times, but ultimately got the information I needed and will use it to continue growing my business idea.