What do a struggling mom in Georgia and a solar installer named Jim have in common? Their stories can change elections and shape public perception of clean energy.

In this final episode of 2025, Aaron Nichols returns to SunCast with a mission: rescue storytelling from corporate cliché and remind us why one emotional story is worth a thousand graphs. His viral LinkedIn article Four Rules for Storytelling Corporate America Desperately Needs takes aim at how we confuse content creation with actual narrative power.

Aaron and Nico dissect why storytelling in our industry so often falls flat and how to fix it.

You’ll walk away with a practical, human-centered playbook for narrative that converts.

Expect to learn:

🔹 Why “make me care before you make your case” is rule #1 in marketing

🔹 Why facts follow emotion, not the other way around

🔹 How to build a story stack that scales with your business

🔹 Why AI-generated content will never replace a real narrative

🔹 The 4 essential story types every clean energy leader should master

This episode will change how you think about marketing, leadership, and your next LinkedIn post.

Happy New Year!

Let’s get it started right.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

🎄 Pull up a chair and pour some eggnog. It’s time for the first-ever SunCast Christmas episode.

This special holiday edition brings together the full SunCast leadership crew—Nico Johnson, Jeremy Pingul, and (drumroll, please) new team member Josh Beck—for a reflective and lively roundtable you won’t want to miss.

What made 2025 so memorable? From Alex Honnold’s surprising passion for solar, to technical deep-dives and industry revelations, this episode is packed with powerful moments and bold predictions. The crew also shares what inspired them most—from tribal nations to Texas renewables.

Catch the behind-the-scenes moments, including:

🔹 Which episode took 50+ hours to produce—and why it was worth every second

🔹 Why rooftop solar is finally getting its moment

🔹 How AI and batteries are reshaping base load conversations

🔹 The backstory of a single Zoom call that could shift the industry

This isn’t just a recap. It’s a celebration of how far we’ve come—and a toast to the future. Whether you’re a longtime listener or new to the show, this episode offers a heartfelt, hopeful, and honest look at what was a trying but ultimately tremendously fruitful year.

We wish you all a Very Merry Christmas, and thank you for tuning in!

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

Can the city known for oil & gas become the center of clean energy?

In this powerhouse episode, we meet Jane Stricker, SVP of Energy Transition at the Greater Houston Partnership and Executive Director of HETI (Houston Energy Transition Initiative). Jane shares a front-row view of Houston’s bold strategy to stay the energy capital of the world – not just in oil, but in all forms of energy.

Jane breaks down how Houston is scaling clean tech faster than ever before, attracting startups and corporate giants alike, and why over $95 billion has already been invested by local companies into low-carbon technologies.

You’ll hear how the city’s industrial infrastructure, diverse workforce, and “speed-to-market” culture are giving it an edge in a global race for clean energy dominance.

Expect to learn:

🔹 Why 9 new clean energy factories have launched in Greater Houston

🔹 How “molecules + electrons” define Houston’s unique approach

🔹 The talent pipeline fueling both fossil and renewable energy growth

🔹 The economic case for more energy + fewer emissions

If you think Houston’s stuck in the past, think again.

Do you believe Houston can keep it’s “Energy Capital of the World” moniker as Clean Energy takes the lead?

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus