Episode 101: Building Beyond the Solar Coaster

On this episode of Marketing Moves, we sat down with Anthony Manna Jr., President of Hello Sunray, and Vice President of M7 Holdings, to explore disciplined entrepreneurship, diversification strategy, and the rise of Hello Sunray. Anthony shares why market feedback matters more than assumptions, how M7 Holdings stabilizes growth through diversified investments, and why rising power costs are driving opportunity in commercial solar. We also discuss referral-based growth, long-term thinking, and how battery storage and microgrids will shape the future of energy.

On this episode of Marketing Moves, we sat down with Anthony Manna Jr., President of Hello Sunray and Vice President of M7 Holdings, to explore what building in a high-volatility industry can teach us about strategy, growth, and long-term thinking.

At first glance, solar energy may not seem like a marketing conversation. But when you dig deeper, the parallels are clear. Solar operates in a landscape shaped by shifting policy, rising demand, infrastructure strain, and evolving buyer expectations. Sound familiar?

This episode is less about panels and more about positioning. Less about tax credits and more about resilience. And ultimately, it’s a masterclass in building a business that can withstand forces outside your control.

Anthony’s entrepreneurial journey started early. Inspired by his father’s career as an entrepreneur, he jumped into startup life while still in college. Over the next decade, he built, consulted, earned his MBA, worked in management consulting, and eventually joined his family’s investment office.

One of the most important lessons he learned along the way is deceptively simple: you are not smarter than the market.

Early founders often believe that if they build something innovative enough, customers will immediately understand its value. But markets don’t reward ego. They reward alignment. Anthony shares that one of his early mistakes was building before validating. Over time, he realized that successful operators start by asking the market what it wants and adjusting accordingly.

For marketers and business leaders, this is foundational. Messaging that isn’t rooted in real demand rarely converts. Strategy that ignores market signals eventually collapses. Listening is not a soft skill in business; it’s a competitive advantage.

Anthony describes the solar industry as a “solar coaster,” a term that captures the constant ups and downs driven by federal policy, tax incentives, and regulatory shifts. Tax credits expand, then contract. Legislation changes timelines unexpectedly. Economic conditions fluctuate. Each adjustment creates ripple effects across the industry.

When recent federal legislation accelerated the expiration of certain tax credits, many residential solar companies felt immediate pressure. Some shut down. Others pivoted. Hello Sunray responded by modeling scenarios and leaning further into commercial projects, where long-term economics remained strong.

The key difference wasn’t luck. It was preparation.

Anthony and his team stress-tested their assumptions. They evaluated what solar economics would look like with and without incentives. That forward planning created confidence, even in uncertainty.

The broader lesson applies to any industry. If your revenue depends on a single external lever, whether that’s ad costs, algorithm updates, or government subsidies, you’re exposed. Strategic leaders plan for volatility before it arrives.

While incentives dominate headlines, Anthony makes it clear that the steady rise in electricity costs is the true engine behind long-term solar adoption. Power prices have climbed consistently over decades. The increases may feel incremental month to month, but over a five- or ten-year horizon, the impact is substantial.

For commercial operators, particularly manufacturers, energy is one of the largest cost inputs. Materials fluctuate. Labor markets tighten. But power is something businesses can partially control by investing in solar.

That predictability is what drives adoption. Manufacturers in the Midwest are not installing solar for trend value or public relations optics. They are doing it because locking in long-term energy costs improves margins and increases competitiveness.

For marketers, this reinforces an important principle: buyers act when economics make sense. Emotional storytelling may spark interest, but financial clarity closes deals.

The conversation around solar is evolving. What once centered primarily on cost savings is now expanding into resiliency.

As grid instability increases due to aging infrastructure and surging demand from data centers and AI, businesses are thinking more critically about energy security. Solar paired with battery storage allows companies to maintain operations during outages and reduce dependence on external infrastructure.

For manufacturers, hospitals, and high-output facilities, downtime can mean significant financial loss. The ability to generate and store power on-site shifts the conversation from optional investment to operational safeguard.

When buyer motivation shifts from savings to protection, positioning must evolve with it. Marketing that focuses solely on ROI may miss the larger story of risk mitigation and continuity.

Anthony also emphasizes transparency in the sales process. If a roof has too much shade, they explain it. If the projected ROI isn’t strong, they share the data. If solar isn’t the right fit, they say so.

That approach may reduce short-term conversions, but it builds long-term trust.

In industries where skepticism exists, integrity becomes differentiation. Trust compounds. And over time, reputation reduces acquisition friction.

For service-based businesses especially, credibility is not just a brand asset. It is revenue protection.

Anthony anticipates continued growth in solar adoption over the next five to ten years, driven primarily by rising electricity costs and increasing awareness in markets like Ohio. As more businesses see successful installations from peers, comfort levels rise and demand follows.

At the same time, battery storage and microgrid solutions are likely to gain traction as resilience becomes a higher priority. The industry will continue evolving, but the underlying fundamentals remain strong.

For leaders in any space, the takeaway is clear: industries change, policies shift, and demand patterns evolve. Businesses that endure are those that model risk, diversify intelligently, align with real economic drivers, and execute consistently.

Solar may operate on a coaster, but strategy doesn’t have to.