Publish Date: March 2nd, 2026
In his 3.5 years here, Roger has grown so much professionally and personally. He could tell from his first sight of Namaste Solar at a job fair that it’s different and it was somewhere that he could fit in well. And our employee-ownership model was attractive from the start. Read more below.
How long have you been with Namaste Solar and what is your role?
I’ve been with Namaste Solar for 3.5 years now. Currently, I’m a residential electrician, residential crew lead, and a co-owner.
What has your professional journey looked like at Namaste Solar?
I started as an apprentice. I had previous electrical background when I came here, but I did start out as an apprentice. I worked in that role for about two years before becoming a crew lead. I got my license in that time, too. I think having an electrical background was definitely helpful in getting a jumpstart on understanding the projects and what needs to be done on the electrical side, even though typically when you start, you’re on the roof and not doing a lot of the electrical work.
Why were you first interested in working here?
I found Namaste Solar through a job fair at Independent Electrical Contractors (IEC) and they stood out there, like Namaste Solar had big bright colors and they stood out as a company relative to a lot of the other electrical companies that were there and hiring. They seemed like a really interesting place to work.
When I dove in a little deeper, seeing that Namaste Solar is an employee-owned cooperative was intriguing. I’ve wanted to work in renewable energy for a while, and this seemed like a good opportunity. They seemed like a place that I could really be myself at and a place that I would vibe well with. And that’s been true throughout my experience here. Also, the benefits packages were better than most other companies out there and they definitely stood above the rest in comparison to the other companies that were represented at that fair.
What motivates you to get up and go to work?
I like the process of installing systems and getting to see a project from beginning to end. From coming to a house and there’s nothing there and then working on it, doing what we do and finally, leaving with the system essentially functional is really satisfying. I take a lot of pride in the work that I do, and I find it very gratifying to have a customer happy with the product that I put on their house. I also love that I’m helping my community to be a little more energy independent.
What is something about your job that most people don’t know about?
I had not worked on roofs at all before coming to Namaste Solar. So, jumping into the roof work and working on a slope for hours, and standing on a slope for hours and hours every day was brutal for the feet. My feet hurt for months before they built up the calluses and got used to working at that angle. That was a hard kind of transition for me, and I think it’s a difficult transition for a lot of people, even if they have like a background in physical labor. Doing physical labor while standing on a sloped surface is a whole other beast.
What’s been one of your proudest moments working here?
I think one of my proudest moments is getting my license and becoming a crew lead. I feel like over the last year and a half I’ve been developing my leadership skills significantly. I feel myself becoming a better crew lead. And getting my getting my license was a really big milestone and opens up a lot of career opportunities for me. I think Namaste Solar helps me a lot in learning about residential electrical beyond just solar. Even though we work mostly solar, I do have to still understand what each AHJ (Authority Having Jurisdiction) requires, and I try to figure out why they require it so I can be more prepared for the next job.
How has Namaste Solar helped you develop your skills and career?
With the quantity of work we do and the fact that a lot of it is similar, I feel like I’ve gotten really good at doing the things we do, and I think that’s been beneficial because it helps me feel confident about my skills and talents. And then that gives me confidence in my ability to do new things. For example, when we started installing batteries, I took a little training but then started installing them. That was like a whole different type of project that I hadn’t really done before and since it’s not just one battery that I install, I get to improve my process and refine those skills by installing batteries over and over again.
What’s the most unique part about working at Namaste Solar?
I think the co-ownership aspect of this company is very unique. I think it attracts a lot of open-minded people and people that want to be involved in the company that they work for. And that’s a really cool thing when you get all these people who have great ideas, they’re given a platform to talk about those ideas, and they’re given the ability to try to make change in the company. Having the platform to have open communication with my CEO and the company circle, who are the people that actually make significant changes in the company, is a very unique and an amazing thing that Namaste Solar cultivates very well.
What advice would you give to recent new hires?
I would say, don’t be scared to ask questions – about your job role obviously but about co-ownership, too. Ask co-owners about their experience with it, about how it works, try to communicate with all the people that you work closely with about it and about candidacy. To me candidacy is a perfect trial run that takes a year to get through. And I think everyone that works at Namaste Solar should try it because it’s a wholly unique experience. It’s not something you’re going to get out in the real world. It’s something that we offer that other places don’t really offer. So, ask questions about it. See if it’s something you’re interested in at all, and if it is, just go for it. And just try candidacy. It’s risk-free.
One of our core values is “Come as you are,” and part of that is working to build a culture where people feel able to be their full selves at work. How have you experienced “Come as you are” at Namaste Solar?
From my experience in the field, I have noticed you get a lot of different personalities with the “Come as you are” culture, and I like that a lot. I like that people are comfortable enough being themselves and being able to talk about stuff that they’re going through, or that they’re dealing with, and don’t feel like they have to hide their personal life because they’re at work. I feel like Namaste Solar really embodies the “Come as you are” in the sense that people can be and are comfortable being themselves at work. It’s been really interesting seeing a lot of my co-workers go through major life changes and being open about that. It often feels like I’m a bigger part of their life than just someone that they work with.
What parts of our mission do you most connect with?
I think creating holistic wealth is probably the piece that I resonate the most with. Like I’ve said before, I find a lot of satisfaction in my job, and I get feedback from customers that they’re very happy about the systems we install. It is very satisfying knowing that I’m leaving a place, a house, or a customer happier and better than when we started.
What do you like to do when you’re not at work?
I’m into sports. I do softball in the spring and summer. And I bowl in a league over the fall and winter. I do the bowling league with my dad and brother, which has been a lot of fun. And it’s really nice having that time to be with them consistently and get to see them, hang out, and stay in touch always.
If you could pick one superpower, what would it be?
I mean, who wouldn’t want to fly? Flying would be amazing. That’s a pretty straightforward answer but I think it’s the best answer, so yeah.
Where would you go on your dream vacation?
I really want to go to Australia. But I’m a little nervous about the bugs and animals. They’re kind of scary there. I think New Zealand is a little more tropical, and I think they have less venomous snakes. So, I think I’m going to say New Zealand. I’ve been intrigued with snorkeling or scuba diving, and going there and being able to see all of the beautiful ocean reefs would be a dream.
