If you could create your own fantasy board of directors, who would be on it? CO— connects you with thought leaders from across the business spectrum and asks them to help solve your biggest business challenges. In this edition, we ask the founder of a solar company to share his secrets for growth.
In this edition of “Ask the Board,” we feature Brett Bouchy, CEO of Freedom Forever, a residential solar company. Brett shares how a mission-driven culture, combined with proprietary technology and smart AI integration, has fueled Freedom Forever’s rapid expansion and positioned the company for long-term leadership in the clean energy space.
Below, Brett explores how a clear internal code, rooted in values, efficiency, and innovation powers Freedom Forever’s growth and purpose.
Culture is your first operating system
At Freedom Forever, we believe that culture precedes scale. Our servant leadership model ensures that decisions are grounded in purpose, not just profit. I gave 14% of the company to key employees to ensure those shaping our future have ownership in it.
That shared commitment builds trust, fuels resilience, and aligns everyone around the same north star: accelerating residential solar adoption to fight climate change. I was considering leaving the business world to go to seminary because I hadn’t found fulfillment. Then I discovered solar and realized I could serve people through this mission.
Build tech that builds business
We didn’t wait for Silicon Valley to deliver solar software, we built our own. “Lightspeed,” our proprietary CRM, was developed in-house to streamline operations and eliminate bottlenecks in installation, permitting, customer communication, and compliance. It’s not just software—it’s a solar-specific operating system that evolves with our business. Off-the-shelf tech can’t adapt fast enough. Lightspeed lets us stay agile and scale at speed.
We don’t sell solar—we sell freedom: from fossil fuels, from rising utility costs, from outdated systems. That mission inspires every employee.Brett Bouchy, CEO of Freedom Forever
AI is an efficiency engine—if you design it right
Our AI assistant, Raya, handles everything from customer inquiries to internal status updates and change orders. It’s not a gimmick—it’s a workhorse that’s helped reduce soft costs by over 5% already. We’re on track to eliminate up to 20% of total cost using AI across operations, documentation, and support. AI isn’t replacing people—it’s helping them focus on the work that matters.
Tech talent must be embedded, not outsourced
With nearly 100 engineers and developers on staff, we’ve made serious investments in internal tech. Our Chief Technology Officer, Zachary Bloom, leads a 50-person tech team that prioritizes real-time solutions tailored to the field—not just theoretical innovation. This deep integration means our tools are aligned with daily operations and scale with precision. Tech shouldn’t be a silo—it should be in every room where decisions are made.
Drive growth with cost discipline, not just sales
In solar, growth isn’t just about signing new deals—it’s about installing profitably. We eliminated middlemen to save customers thousands per install. We standardized procurement, cut permitting delays, and used software to eliminate redundancy. That’s why we grew in 2024 while the industry shrank by 31%. We don’t just close deals—we close the gap between inefficiency and affordability.
Purpose is the best retention strategy
We don’t sell solar—we sell freedom: from fossil fuels, from rising utility costs, from outdated systems. That mission inspires every employee. We’re not a company people pass through—we’re a cause they stick with. Culture, technology, and mission reinforce each other, and that’s why we’ve grown from $1.7 million in revenue to over $1.6 billion in under a decade. Our people wake up at 5 a.m. to install systems that power lives. That is purpose in action.
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