BUSN415

1. M A T T H E W N E M E T H
B U S N 4 1 5
Business Model

2. Company Description
 Emerald Energy of North Carolina
 Headquarters in Wake Forest, NC
 2624 Leighton Ridge Drive, Suite 120, Wake Forest,
NC 27587
 Est. 2009
 Areas of Service: North Carolina

3. Company Description Cont.
 “Our goal is to work with
you on an individual
basis to reduce your
home and utility
expense. Our team
designs and installs solar
electric and solar water
heating systems that fit
your exact needs.”
(Emerald Energy, 2018).
Solar Panel Installation Wilmington, NC Solar Panel Installation Raleigh, NC, Solar Electric Raleigh, NC, Solar Electric Wilmington, NC, Solar
Water Heater Installation Raleigh, NC. (n.d.). Retrieved December 16, 2018, from http://www.emeraldenergync.com/

4. Products and Services
 Solar PV
installation
 Solar water
heating
 Solar education
 Energy audits
 Energy
improvement
services

5. Needs of the Consumer
 Alternative energy
solutions
 Saving money
 Energy efficiency
 Environmental
contribution
 Backup energy during
power outages

6. How We Fill the Customers Needs
 Reducing energy costs and high
energy bills
 Improving energy efficiency of
the home
 Alternative solutions for water
heating
 Energy storage
 Power backup
 Energy independence
 Protection from electric rate
inflation

7. Who Will Need Our Services?
 Homeowners interested in saving money
 Homeowners with high electric bills
 Environmentally conscious consumers
 People interested in the off grid experience and
energy independence
 People who experience consistent power outages

8. Who are the Customers?
Demographics
Social
Segments
Regions

9. Demographics
 Homeowners
 Lower to upper middle class
 Income 75k+
 Age 25-54
 Married with kids
 Full time employees

10. Geographic's
 Southeast region
 Suburban areas
 Community size
 High community
involvement

11. Social Segments
 Heavy internet/social media users
 “Order from Amazon, Ebay, Zappos.”
 Active lifestyles
 Environmentally conscious
 Shop at common retail chains (Best Buy, Target, Old
Navy)
Powers, J. T., & Cliburn, J. (2017). Community Solar Value Project. Market Research and Market Segmentation for Community Solar
Program Success. doi:10.2172/1423453

12. Channels
Sales Delivery
Services

13. Sales
 Event is triggered by customer inquiry
 Contact customer with information provided in
inquiry form. (Phone/Email)
 Education of product and appointment setting
 Quote
 Follow up
 Close
 Inside and outside sales reps

14. Delivery/Services
 Product and services
brought to the customer
 Home delivery of products
with company owned
trucks
 Install team comes to
customers home
 Same day product delivery
and service install

15. Customer Relations
Marketing
Customer
Service
Customer
Retention

16. Marketing
 Heavy online advertising
 Solar education
 “Today’s customers are actively looking for
information via digital platforms.”
 Focus on marketing “intended to inform and
educate” instead of “pushing a specific product.”
 Search engine ads
 Social media ads
 Inquiry forms for more information
 Community events
Hall, P. (2016, March). SolarPro Magazine. Retrieved December 16, 2018, from
https://solarprofessional.com/articles/business-finance/solar-marketing-in-the-digital-age/page/0/1#.XBaBby2ZPL8

17. Customer Service/Customer Retention
 Customer service is a priority
 Fully trained and educated customer service team
 Handle customer complaints
 Knowledge of the product
 Post install follow up
 24 hour response policy

18. Revenue Streams
 Sell, Sell, Sell
 Main source of revenue from PV installation
 Install and products included together in total cost
 Highest profit margin
 No cost breakdowns
 PV systems are the most expensive products we offer
 Focus on PV systems, push energy improvements for
add on costs

19. Key Resources
Facilities Employees
Start Up
Capital

20. Facilities
 Storage facilities/ Install facilities
 Combine install training facilities and inventory
facilities into one building
 Office headquarters
 Where operational and logistics are carried out
 Sales, marketing, customer service, upper management,
operational and logistical strategy
 Regional offices depending on region

21. Employees
 Fast learners
 Knowledgeable of the product
 Charismatic
 Versatile
 Patient
 Flexible
 Loyal

22. Start Up Capital
 Start up capital needed for
inventory, facilities,
licensing
 $750,000
 Friends and family
 Private lenders
 Credit cards
 Crowd funding

23. Key Partners
Business Partners Logistics
Suppliers/Manufactures

24. Business Partners
 Father
 25 years business
experience
 Brother in law
 Account manager

25. Logistics
 Transportation
 Warehousing
management
 Order fulfillment
 Inventory
management

26. Suppliers/Manufacturers
 Wholesale solar
 Solaredge
 Silfab
 Ironridge

27. Key Activities
 Emphasis on marketing
 Strong and in depth sales training
 Be an educator instead of a salesman
 Competent and efficient customer service team
 Experienced installer and electrician to manage high
quality install team
 Strong operational management
 Managing supply chains, inventory management, strong
organization skills

28. Cost Structure
Fixed
Cost
Activity
Costs
Product
Costs
Other
Costs

29. Fixed Costs
 Real estate
 Utilities
 Payroll
 Debt services
 Insurance
 Government fees

30. Activity Costs
 Labor costs
 Sales commissions
 Delivery and shipping
 Bonuses
 Variable costs are directly
related to volume of sales

31. Product Costs
 Panels
 Inverters
 Optimizers
 Batteries
 Mounting
 Installation
hardware

32. Other Costs
 Liability costs
 Licenses
 Electrical contracting
license
 NABCEP qualification
 Liability coverage
 Business license
 Retail license

33. References
Hall, P. (2016, March). SolarPro Magazine. Retrieved December 16,
2018, from https://solarprofessional.com/articles/business-
finance/solar-marketing-in-the-digital-
age/page/0/1#.XBaBby2ZPL8
Powers, J. T., & Cliburn, J. (2017). Community Solar Value Project.
Market Research and Market Segmentation for Community Solar
Program Success. doi:10.2172/1423453
Solar Panel Installation Wilmington, NC Solar Panel Installation Raleigh, NC,
Solar Electric Raleigh, NC, Solar Electric Wilmington, NC, Solar Water Heater
Installation Raleigh, NC. (n.d.). Retrieved December 16, 2018, from
http://www.emeraldenergync.com/