Charles Meitus of LUCID SOLAR: Five Things You Need To Be A Highly Effective Leader During Turbulent Times
An Interview With Fotis Georgiadis
Keep your eyes on the end goal. This way, you won’t be able to get distracted by challenging times. You will adapt to the environment, pivot if necessary, shout out outside the environment, and create a safe environment at work. Just stay focused on the tasks.
As part of our series about the “Five Things You Need To Be A Highly Effective Leader During Turbulent Times”, we had the pleasure of interviewing Mr. Charles Meitus.
Mr. Charles Meitus is the CEO and Co-Founder at LUCID SOLAR, an innovative provider of renewable energy equipment and systems.
An entrepreneur dedicated to creating modern solar energy solutions in the USA, Mr. Meitus is a pioneer who combines his strong knowledge and background in the solar panel sector with finance and business development to create LUCID SOLAR, the next generation solar panel providing platform.
He has patented a system in LUCID SOLAR to build a global sales, technical and finance team with a platform committed to providing high quality products with superior service.
As the Founder, Mr. Meitus created the first and only full pledge global solar PV (Photovoltaics) distributor, as the one-stop source solar equipment supplier, offering high quality, high efficiency film modules, with the most competitive pricing and valuable solutions in the solar market.
Disrupting the solar panel sector with Mr. Meitus’ state of the art technologies, competitive price points and excellent customer service solutions, LUCID SOLAR is one of the leading renewable energy startups in the world.
He is an innovator, business leader, financier and a talented entrepreneur recognized for his product and technology innovations, leadership talents, business formulations skills and focus on solar energy investments. He combined synergies with the top Fortune 500 companies globally to offer the best product and service in the renewable energy sector.
Today, Mr. Meitus’ renewable energy solutions can be found in more than 10 states in the US, offering some of the world’s best known, full line high end solar products, from panels and inverters to mounting.
Website: https://lucidsolar.net/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlesmeitus/
Thank you so much for your time! I know that you are a very busy person. Our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your ‘backstory’ and how you got started?
I was born in Minnesota, Minneapolis and I grew up in San Francisco along with three brothers.The upbringing with brothers was fun but it had a mental toughening component to it. My father is a professional trader who instilled a strong work ethic in me. He is a very hardworking, structured, and disciplined person. He would leave for work at 4 am, every morning. This was my predisposition to hard work and strong work ethics.
Our mom is also an entrepreneur and a full-time mother, who taught us personal skills, life, and people skills to be great communicators. She took care of a small business while driving us to football practices and making sure there was family dinner every night. I feel lucky to have grown up in a family environment where both parents gave me different sets of successful business skills in life. I also learned how to multitask from my mother while my dad was the source and showcase of work discipline and ethics.
I can easily say that my entrepreneurship spirit was influenced by watching my parents and learning from my parents in terms of discipline, structure, and communication skills at best practice, but I also knew that I never wanted to work for anyone. Because I always have the need for freedom to succeed and grow, entrepreneurship is the only channel that would allow me such freedom and vision to grow. My entrepreneurial spirit has been within me since the age of seven or eight. I just needed an opportunity to catch and seize.
Everything started when I had an idea for my first company at the age of 17, in college. I wanted to help reduce the amount of trash built up in the elevators of college dorms and apartments. I created and patented a trash can that could be installed into the elevator without taking up excessive space. From this idea, I got in touch with one of the largest steel manufacturers in Chicago. We made this trash can from scratch ready to go to the elevators. This project brought out the passion I had for creating businesses. This is how my initial and amateur entrepreneurship started. I had to learn how to create and build a business from ground zero. This was my first real-life experience. I can easily say that nothing, not even years of school education, is a better learning experience than a hands-on real-life business experience. This business was very profitable, but I sold it to a big Company and went on with my purpose in life. I loved how my little project helped the environment, which led me into the renewable energy field.
I got into the energy sector, through energy deregulation; I would partner with third- party suppliers that would deliver the same energy at a lower rate. I would offer a superior rate than the rate they got from their region’s utility. The utility still was the provider. We strictly handled the supply charges. That is how I got into the energy field as a broker for about half a year, and that’s when I started realizing that there’s more to this energy industry than what it is.
After selling energy as a deregulated energy broker, I transitioned into the solar panel sector. I got into the solar panel sector, mainly renewable energy, as a distributor, because I wanted to learn it and work at something that would make an impact in the world. I started making some very strong connections in the industry; learned bottom-up; loved what I was doing; and shortly thereafter, I opened my own company.
Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lessons or ‘take aways’ you learned from that?
The funniest mistake was with a client. A couple of months after I started my business, a client asked me very technical questions about how the panel and the inverter worked in regards to their house and storage. He was asking very technical questions about the engineering side of the solar products that we are offering. Being very young and passionate about my business,I was trying my hardest to answer him on something I did not know about. I just sort of stumbled my way through dancing around it because I didn’t have the answer. That was a learning lesson for me. The thing I learned was if you don’t know the answer, be honest and say that “you do not know” or find the answer for him or hire someone who knows the answer. That is the biggest takeaway from this for me. That if you think you’re the smartest person in the room, then most probably you are in the wrong room, and that’s what I learned that delegating is one of the most crucial functions that you need to have as a CEO.
I lost the client for that sale, but he is a recurrent client now. We laugh at it at times, but it was a fun learning lesson for me.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?
To pick one person would be very difficult to do as several people and mentors helped me get to where I am today. I will share one story that came from my father. He always set an example to me and my brothers of what hard work means. When I first started my journey in the business world, it was not easy. After going through a rough patch for about 5–6 months, I was on the verge of quitting, and it was at that moment I went to talk with my father. He said to me if you quit every time something gets difficult you will never get anywhere.
It is not just that you open a business and become a superstar CEO overnight. You have to do your part, the side hustle, the good and bad, everything that comes with it, and you have to have a strong work ethic and value.And you have to keep going. Not quitting. These are the things I learned from my father. And therefore, I am eternally grateful for his teachings and influence on me.
Extensive research suggests that “purpose driven businesses” are more successful in many areas. When your company started, what was its vision, what was its purpose?
Since day one, our vision has been to make solar equipment easy and accessible for clients to purchase without having to worry about shipment delays and access to top brands. Our purpose is to make the procurement process easy and affordable for every type of client, not just those with large purchasing power.
While I was in the other solar panel’s distributor program, through their portal, I realized pricing was not the best. Through the program we had some favorable pricing because we were distributors selling to them, but your everyday person, the blue-collar solar installer, can’t get access to premium brands without paying crazy prices. They are buying enough for a month’s worth of installs, maybe seven houses or ten houses so, that’s like a couple hundred pounds. They do not have the funds that the big solar energy players have. They are in more than 30 different states with Tier 1 products. Lots of competition, lack of funding. I struggled myself..I realized the big players’ business structure, and I also realized the business flaws in them, and I wanted to democratize the sector in a way by making it affordable for everyone, with the highest quality products.
Thank you for all that. Let’s now turn to the main focus of our discussion. Can you share with our readers a story from your own experience about how you lead your team during uncertain or difficult times?
During Covid, we had to completely migrate from in-person operation style to 100% virtual. We also had to deal with production being shut down from our factories in Vietnam/Cambodia/Turkey/Asia. During times where the world is going through a global pandemic it was very important to stay strong and positive as the head of my team. If people see their leader down, that can easily spread to a negative work environment. So, I knew I had to stay positive and adapt to the new world.
I knew I needed to lead by my own actions, reacting to uncertain times in a positive manner. Even the Zoom meetings had to have a positive energy , to execute successfully. Also, I had to take one day at a time..
The way to do it is through interactions. You can listen to many podcasts or listen to a YouTube video about motivational speakers. You can hear all the right things you want to do. But people react a lot stronger to watching you do what you do on a daily basis. And showing up to a meeting, even though it was a Zoom meeting by giving off this positive energy to the listeners, even if you are hurting and struggling on the inside, you have to just put on your poker face because the second the team sees you struggling that’s just how they are going to react.
If you are the strongest and you’re the front runner of the tug-of-war, and then they see you tired, well, they’re all just gonna start falling. Therefore, you have to just stay strong.
I wanna give you an example from my role model Tom Brady. Tom Brady, the greatest quarterback of all time who led the greatest Super Bowl comeback. They were down 28 to 3 with the Atlanta Falcons. If you go on YouTube and search that game and you listen to the mike, all the mikes of the players in the game, you will hear that not once did he ever look discouraged or down. Every time he was on the sideline, it was just play by play which is the same sort of attitude I like to take.
Take it day-by-day. Take one day at a time in a positive manner and have the positive energy to lead successfully!!
Did you ever consider giving up? Where did you get the motivation to continue through your challenges? What sustains your drive?
I got my motivation from my inner strength and my inner voice, which kept telling me that I had to just continue and not give up. I knew that every pass, like in the famous saying ”this too shall pass” So, I showed up every day, woke up, and kept going. I listened to my inner voice, that “giving up was not an option” like my father had taught me. My inner voice… It told me everything.
I knew I needed to lead by action otherwise, the whole thing would fail and default. That is why
What would you say is the most critical role of a leader during challenging times?
Keeping the team morale up. Having constant reminders of our end goal. You have to just keep going. Quitting is just an option. You need to keep going. When life hits you, you just hit back..
In general, you have to come back to the same conclusion, which is like yeah, I just keep going you know, it’s not like it’s not an option to stop. You just keep going because you stop then, everything stops but then what? Are you just gonna quit? No, you cannot. When things get harder, you get up on your feet and keep going to create a positive work environment. This will definitely translate to your team, workers, and clients.
When the future seems so uncertain, what is the best way to boost morale? What can a leader do to inspire, motivate and engage their team?
You must keep your focus on the goal. People will easily let the darkness of the world and external issues eat them alive, so it is important to keep the workspace a place where people can look forward to coming to. Also, it is important to have a physical component, in addition to keeping the morale high. You need to create a fun, comfortable work environment.
So, when you are a kid at school, all you wanna do is to get recess. We CEOs need to create a work environment that will feel like a recess. Make the work environment a “recess”. How do you do that? The news is very negative with inflation, economy, pandemics, and all the other challenges everyone is facing. Let’s stay positive inside, inside the office, inside the work environment. You have to find a way to shut out what’s going on outside so when they come into work, it’s a safe environment, and all you do is just focus on the task; stay focused on the task at hand. As the leader, how do you get through those times, you just keep finding a way to keep the tasks in hand. Draw the focus to a task, even if it’s a one-day goal. Make sure you create short-term goals so when people accomplish them, they get a sense of success in life. Also, the feeling of reassurance will be created this way. People need reassurance when things go dark. As leaders, we need to provide it.
What is the best way to communicate difficult news to one’s team and customers?
The only way I know how to communicate is with brutal honesty. Nothing good comes from sugar-coating something. You need to deliver the news, and then either find ways to problem solve or take extreme ownership.
Whatever it is, YOU need to deliver the news and tell how it is, and if it’s your fault, you deal with the consequences. Nothing good comes from dancing around the problem. If it’s a problem, it was either someone on your team’s fault or yours. But please don’t throw the sales rep under the bus as the leader. You have to just take ownership, express your apologies but don’t try to act like it didn’t happen, and don’t point the finger at someone on your team. They don’t need that. Just take it, wear it on your chest, take it, deliver it, go and move forward.
How can a leader make plans when the future is so unpredictable?
You need to continuously adapt to the environment you’re in, Then you need to create a plan A, B, C, and contingencies.
Because of the industry I am in, I learned to adapt to everything. It is such a long-term industry that there’s gonna be setbacks for sure. There’s gonna be different presidents, either Republicans or Democrats, throughout my years, with different climate change politics, changing the solar energy, renewable world constantly.
There is going to be another pandemic and other setbacks, so you have to just prepare; have plan A, B, C,; adapt to a different political environment. The future is so unpredictable, to begin with. Having multiple plans to adapt is essential.
You do not go on an airplane and plan there will be a landing on the Hudson. You do not plan to hit a flock of birds, but because you have placed all these plans As and Bs all the way to Z, you will save 300 plus lives so you have to be prepared for the worst-case scenario you might walk into.
Is there a “number one principle” that can help guide a company through the ups and downs of turbulent times?
Keep your eyes on the end goal. This way, you won’t be able to get distracted by challenging times. You will adapt to the environment, pivot if necessary, shout out outside the environment, and create a safe environment at work. Just stay focused on the tasks.
Can you share 3 or 4 of the most common mistakes you have seen other businesses make during difficult times? What should one keep in mind to avoid that?
Yes, I can. 1. They prioritize their high-end clients which is a great short term solution. But that leads to a lot of clients leading you. And that is not good.
They don’t understand the needs of the non-executive employees. They tend to forget about the small fish internally, which leads to bad team morale. Everyone matters on your team. Our coach used to say you are only as strong as your weakest link. That’s true because you can’t just forget about people that have been there for you, just because they’re not the CFO or high-level executives. People matter and if you start forgetting about them, watch that loyalty switch and watch them go to your competition so I would say the first answer I gave is: do not prioritize only high-end clients. All your clients matter. And all of your employees matter all the way down to the entry-level.
Generating new business, increasing your profits, or at least maintaining your financial stability can be challenging during good times, even more so during turbulent times. Can you share some of the strategies you use to keep forging ahead and not lose growth traction during a difficult economy?
Taking a pay cut to pay the employees. I had to take a pay cut to pay my employees at whatever cost.
I literally have not taken a single paycheck in the past 16 months
Here is the primary question of our discussion. Based on your experience and success, what are the five most important things a business leader should do to lead effectively during uncertain and turbulent times? Please share a story or an example for each.
5 most important things during uncertain times for me:
- Keep your eyes on the task
- Focus on your goal
- Take one day at a time
- Do not ever give up, just keep going
- Adapt and pivot. Have multiple plans handy
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
“Stay hard” from David Goggins. JUST KEEP GOING.
During these times, there are plenty of motivational speakers everywhere, in this world of social media Instagram and Facebook. There’re so many “gurus” that tell you that you can get rich overnight, look at all my money, in the background here’s my mansion with my 20 lamborghinis. Then people just jump to it, and that’s when they fall down the rabbit hole. They end up entering these billionaires learning school programs that they think it’s free because it’s free to start, but if you want to access more content, you’re gonna pay a little bit and then more.
David Goggins is not selling you anything. He is just there, sharing his own life story. He doesn’t ask you to watch him or pay him anything. He just innocently tells his story, and his story is so compelling because it’s a roller coaster of what he went through, but he never gives up. He just keeps going! Whatever life throws at you, you have to just push through!
Regardless of your upbringing, whatever life throws at you, regardless of the specific challenge that you get hit with it. By the way, it’s different for every single person. Everyone has a different human experience but sharpening your mental capacity,
He calls it “callus your mind” If you callus your mind and become unbreakable, you become mentally sharp, and as long as you’re mentally sharp and you’re mentally strong, you get through anything. This is the biggest life lesson.
That is why you just need to keep going because there’s gonna be another pandemic; you’re gonna get hit with another stuff that you didn’t think of. There is no guarantee for tomorrow. No one knows what will happen tomorrow as you’re not promised a tomorrow, so just do what you do, and keep going.
It might sound like a cliche but live every day like it’s your last. But Goggins takes it to the next level, which goes like this: “Everyday just go, get up How can our readers further follow your work?
Website: https://lucidsolar.net/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlesmeitus/
Thank you so much for sharing these important insights. We wish you continued success and good health!
Charles Meitus of LUCID SOLAR: Five Things You Need To Be A Highly Effective Leader During… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
