Lynn Jurich on solar financing

In this episode of Breaking Precedent, the host Leah Solivan is joined by Lynn Jurich, co-founder and former CEO of Sunrun, to discuss her journey from growing up in Tacoma, Washington to leading one of the largest residential solar companies in the U.S. They explore the challenges and triumphs of scaling Sunrun, including innovative financing models and negotiating with utility companies. Jurich also shares personal insights on the impact of sports on resilience, the importance of strength training, and her foray into women's health through the establishment of the Female Longevity Institute. The conversation highlights Jurich's persistent optimism, innovative mindset, and commitment to transforming entrenched industries. Lynn Jurich is an entrepreneur, investor, and visionary leader who co-founded Sunrun, the nation’s leading residential solar and energy services company. Under her leadership, Sunrun grew from an idea pitched beside a county fair pumpkin stand to a publicly traded company with over a million customers, $2 billion in recurring revenue, and a $20 billion market cap. Named one of Fortune’s “Most Powerful Women,” Lynn has pioneered clean energy innovation by championing rooftop solar, distributed batteries, and consumer-driven energy independence. Listeners can learn more about Lynn Jurich at Sunrun.com and on LinkedIn : https:/linkedin.com/in/lynn-jurich/ Resources: Berkshire Hathaway Energy: https://brkenergy.com DOE – U.S. Department of Energy: https://energy.gov Lunar Energy: https://lunarenergy.com Show Notes: 00:00 Introduction to Breaking Precedent 00:30 Personal icebreakers and future investments 01:00 The power of strength training 03:00 Childhood and competitive spirit 04:00 Lessons from sports in leadership 06:30 Early burnout and stanford journey 12:30 The birth of sunrun 14:30 Challenges and innovations in solar energy 20:00 High stakes moments and financial crisis 22:00 Scrappy sales and early customer wins 25:30 Battling utilities and regulatory challenges 28:00 Executive chair and early involvement 28:30 Challenges with utility companies 30:30 Public offering and motherhood 33:00 Battles with utilities and regulatory challenges 35:30 Sunrun's growth and future vision 36:30 Founding lunar energy and new ventures 38:00 Women's health and the female longevity institute 45:00 Precision medicine and preventative care 51:00 Breaking precedents in healthcare and energy 56:50 “If it’s hard, make it easy. All people and circumstances are your allies.” --- Leah Solivan is the host of Breaking Precedent, a podcast that explores the stories of innovators who are pushing societal boundaries and setting new precedents in their fields. Leah is General Partner at Fuel Capital, where she invests in early-stage companies across consumer technology, hardware, education, marketplaces, and retail. Leah has 15 years of experience building and creating technology products that have reached millions of people around the globe. She started her career at IBM as an engineer in the software group, working on Lotus Notes and Domino. In 2008, Leah founded TaskRabbit, the leading on-demand service marketplace in the world. Connect with Leah: Website: breakingprecedent.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leah_solivan/ X: https://twitter.com/labunleashed?lang=en