Installer into a Consultant… The Five People Who Turned Me!
By Justin Dring | Independent Solar Consultant & Coach
Published: September 2025
1 | The People Behind the Path to Independence
Whenever someone asks, “How did you go from wiring homes to consulting for solar companies across the UK and abroad?” I always mention the people first—not the panels. Before I ever coached, I was coached. Before I mentored, I was mentored. This blog is dedicated to the five individuals who shaped my journey—their lessons, their impact, and why the solar industry needs mentorship and coaching now more than ever.
2 | Dave – The Power of Detail
Early in my career, I worked alongside Dave—a council electrician who was slow, meticulous, and often overlooked. But he taught me something invaluable: “If you do the job, do it once—and do it right.” His insistence on filling out test sheets diligently, treating forms with respect, and valuing precision over speed instilled a rigour that became the backbone of my QA systems today. That early lesson in craftsmanship still echoes in every project I coach.
3 | Ben – The First Real Coach
I owe another big leap to Ben—someone who still installs solar today with passion. He was the first person to see me beyond a tradesman—to see myself as a leader in the making. He didn’t teach leadership abstractly; he gave me permission to step into it. That shift—from ‘doer’ to ‘leader’—is a transformation I now help installers experience every day. Because mastery in solar isn’t just about technical skills—it’s about shaping teams and visions.
4 | Simon – The Technical Mentor
If Dave laid the foundation for technical integrity, Simon built the infrastructure. He guided me through the tough stuff—G59 testing, G100 compliance, system performance tuning, software integration, and complex grid considerations. These aren’t the glamorous parts of solar you see on LinkedIn. They’re the critical, behind-the-scenes technical depths that built my confidence to support DNO applications, advanced design review, and grid integration on large-scale projects.
5 | Nicola – Selling the ‘Wow’
I used to be a commission-only salesman—good with numbers, weak on emotion—until Nicola changed that. She didn’t just teach me sales; she forced me to feel the impact of solar from the customer's perspective. She taught me how to articulate the intangible benefits—“You’re not selling solar panels. You’re selling pride. Independence.” That shift turned me from a trainer into a closer—and ever since, I’ve used her emotional frameworks to train countless sales reps.
6 | Tom – Selling at Scale
Nicola built emotion; Tom built structure. He showed me how to run regional operations—not just pitch wins. He taught me pipeline control, commercial proposal management, and how to tender big without losing your shirt. Today, Tom runs his own successful solar business, but I continue to apply his sales structure in every commercial training session I lead.
7 | Why These Stories Matter
These five individuals didn’t just teach me electrical wiring or design strategies—they helped shape the leader I became. Each one pulled a different strength from me—and showed me how to give it back to others. That’s why I coach and consult. Because in today’s solar landscape, technical skill won’t suffice. To grow, you need mentorship. You need systems. You need someone who’s already walked that path.
8 | Are You Ready to Grow?
If you’re:
- an installer stuck in a two- or three-person operation looking to scale,
- a salesperson who closes deals but struggles with consistency or upselling batteries,
- a business owner too busy to coach your own team—
this is your invitation to work with someone who’s lived both sides.
What we offer:
- 1:1 sales coaching (domestic & commercial)
- Installer-to-leader coaching
- Business development strategy
- Technical training and QA support
- Commission-based sales frameworks
9 | FAQs
What’s the difference between a solar consultant and a solar coach?
A consultant gives advice on specific issues. A coach actively walks you through growth—helping you lead, sell, and scale smarter week by week.
I’m great with tools but bad with business—can you help?
Absolutely. You’re not alone—this is where most coaching begins. We create the systems around your skills to help you run the business, not be buried by it.
Can you train my sales team on battery upsells?
Yes, we offer tailored domestic and commercial solar sales training—including objection handling, proposal writing, and customer journey planning.
What if I don’t have MCS yet?
No problem. We’ve supported clients through the entire MCS process—from application to audit—while also helping build their initial sales pipelines.
I’m already selling—can you help me scale?
Yes. We've helped individuals scale from £0 to quoting over £2M within six months. We help build structures that support sustainable growth.
10 | Final Thought
You don’t build a solar business alone. You build it with the people who believed in you, sharpened you, challenged you, and walked with you. If you're ready to evolve beyond installation or basic sales—and become a business leader—maybe it’s time we talked.
11 | The Ripple Effect: Paying It Forward
Mentorship isn't a one-time handoff—it's a ripple that never stops. Every lesson I received—from Dave’s precision to Tom’s pipeline control—became a tool I can pass on. When I coach installers or train sales teams, I’m not just delivering strategy. I’m delivering the emotional resonance of someone who once saw me grow—and dared me to become more than I thought I was.
That’s why I often say: coaching isn’t about the tools—it’s about the human journey that wields them. And it’s that mindset that builds legacy, not just installations.
12 | Why Mentorship Matters in Solar Today
The solar sector isn’t just technical—it’s deeply personal. From community ownership to tech innovation, every project needs not just skill but heart. Formal mentoring, whether in energy, consultancy, or business, consistently shows these benefits: improved retention, leadership development, and stronger teams[1].
Project-focused mentorship delivers results. UK mentoring programs are bridging growth gaps, empowering leaders—and improving productivity and wellbeing, too[2]. It isn't just feel-good; it’s business-critical, and it’s exactly what solar needs now.
13 | Solar’s Skills Gap—How Mentors Help Bridge It
Rapid expansion has spotlighted a clear challenge: a severe shortage of workers trained to install and maintain solar systems. No matter how many panels we sell, we can’t build projects without skilled boots on the ground[3].
That's where mentorship steps in—as an accelerator. Networks like the UK’s Sustainable Solar Energy Systems (SES) bring academia, industry, and government together to build practical skills and training programs[4].
14 | Mentored Growth: From Entry to Expertise
It’s not enough to train installers. Solar Careers UK is actively addressing green workforce shortages by promoting solar career paths, offering training, and connecting people from all backgrounds to real job opportunities[5]. These programs rely heavily on mentors, coaches, and peer networks to create lasting, resilient workforce pipelines.
15 | Solar Leadership Programs in Action
Some programs formalize what I do informally. Moulton College’s Solar Industry Leaders Programme pairs participants with coaches, teaches operational leadership, financial planning, supply chain optimization—and offers a Level 7 qualification with Chartered Manager status[6]. This kind of high-impact mentorship is rare but powerful.
16 | Peer Support in Community Energy
Mentoring isn't limited to businesses—it’s spreading across solar communities, too. The Energy Learning Network brings together community energy groups to share knowledge, mentor new projects, and build local resilience[7].
In this sector, the best mentors don’t just teach—they help communities build solar systems that are both technically sound and emotionally rooted. That’s why peer learning matters as much as design standards.
17 | When Leaders Get Mentored, Entire Businesses Benefit
Data shows that leaders who receive mentoring don’t just grow—they boost revenue, profits, hiring, and even mental health across their organizations[8]. That means mentorship doesn’t just elevate an individual—it amplifies entire businesses and sectors.
18 | The Path Forward: Mentorship as Infrastructure
If innovation is a solar panel, mentorship is the wiring. Without it, potential remains idle. As solar scales across UK rooftops, grid clusters, and mini-grids, we need systems and leaders that sustain—not just structures that function.
This isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s infrastructure. Industry leaders, regulators, and policymakers must expect mentorship to be part of every solar business’s design. That’s how we solve for skills shortages, scale with integrity, and build more than energy systems—we build legacies.
19 | Final Thought: Who Will Turn You?
From Dave to Ben to Simon, Nicola to Tom—every coach, every mentor, helped me become who I am today. Now I walk in the footsteps they laid.
Are you ready to step forward? If you're ready to be turned—into a leader, not just an installer—let's start that journey together.
References
- Luisa Zhou. (2025). Understanding the Difference between Coaching and Consulting. Link
- Forbes. (2024). The Importance of Mentorship in Career Growth. Link
- Solar Energy International. (2025). NABCEP Training & Certification Overview. Link
- Moulton College. (2025). Solar Industry Leaders Programme with 1:1 Mentor Support. Link
- Reuters. (2025). UK Government Invests £200m in Solar for Public Buildings. Link
- Mentorink. (2025). Mentoring in Sectors Fosters Growth. Link
- Business Wire. (2024). Professional Business Mentoring Directly Driving Revenue. Link
- Hunter Phillips. (2023). Solar’s biggest risk? Too few workers. Link
- UKRI. (2025). Network Plus for Sustainable Solar Energy Systems. Link
- Solar Energy UK. (2025). Build your future in solar energy with Solar Careers UK. Link
- Moulton College. (2024). Solar Industry Leaders Programme. Link
- Ashden. (2024). The Energy Learning Network. Link
- National Mentoring Evidence (2019). Mentoring impacts on entrepreneurial career choice. Link
- Financial Times. (2025). Businesses offering mentorship will support a new wave of leaders. Link