Here is a little Q & A with the team so you can get to know the lovely local owners and staff you are supporting while also saving $$$ installing Solar and Hot Water Heat pumps to your Hawke’s Bay homes
Laura Kerr
Managing Director
Tell me a little bit about yourself and your background
Born and bred in Blenheim, I met my now fiancé and co-business partner Shaun Andrews. We are getting married in late March and along with a busy work schedule, we are in the middle of finalising every detail and looking forward to celebrating what will be a special day for us with family and friends
For 5 years I studied at Christchurch University and in 2016, graduated with a Masters in Psychology. I loved my degree, I specialised in child & family and it taught me so much about families and children. I really don’t regret spending all those years at university.
Before moving to Hawkes Bay, I also worked as a student support/advisor at Lincoln University, which I thoroughly enjoyed.
How was it starting Ecoefficient from scratch? Did you have much experience/knowledge in starting a business?
Starting a business is definitely not an easy job. A lot of sacrifices were made and we worked lots of late nights, there were moments where it was incredibly stressful but it has been absolutely worth all the “blood, sweat and tears” (minus the blood obviously!!!)
I worked for another Solar company when residing in the South Island so I did have industry knowledge prior to starting up Ecoefficient here in the Hawkes Bay.
Growing up, my parents owned a furniture shop, so I learnt the ropes about business from a very young age. I have always had a passion for sales and selling as long as I can remember so owning a business was something I believed I was always destined to do.
What got you into starting a solar business? And what makes you so passionate about this business?
After moving up to Hawkes Bay – I saw a gap in the market that offered honest information about Solar without all the technical information, to make it more accessible and not to overwhelm our customers. We do provide that information to our customers who require it. Solar can offer great savings to households up here; it would be a shame not to take full advantage of Hawkes Bay’s Sunny weather.
I love connecting with people and am extremely passionate about living sustainably where possible. These two things are what I love about our business most- I get to connect with people on a daily basis as well as selling an ecofriendly and sustainable product.
What does your role entail and what are your biggest challenges running the business?
I oversee everything from a residential client to a commercial client, the accounts, the installation process, everything from A – Z. My biggest challenge is keeping up with our growth and demand but
it is awesome that more and more people are wanting to live more sustainably. I am also very excited for Shaun to come on board at Ecoefficient full time.
What does a typical day look like for you?
Currently my work-life balance is non-existent but with our team growing I hope I can work towards a bit more of a work-life balance soon. I usually start my day with a coffee and a quick walk with my puppy Sage, I then head into our office to attack the emails, head out for on-site appointments, pop to the gym for a quick lunchtime workout and jump on the phone in the afternoons to our clients and suppliers.
How big is your team?
Currently we have three full-time staff (myself included), Shaun will bring us to four, once he is on board. We will also have two new staff starting in March, Nathan (our new sales manager) and April and I can’t forget our office dog Sage!! Occasionally we hire friends who are in-between jobs to help us out with some admin.
What do you think is your point of difference to other solar companies?
We really want the customer to get something they love and receive a service that they rave about. It is very important to us that there is a lot of care put into both our customers and staff – it is also a core belief here at Eco. We think our point of difference is making Solar accessible and easy to understand and this is something we really pride ourselves on.
What are Ecoefficient’s values and what makes you stand out and why people should pick you?
At Eco our values are to look after our planet and our customers. We aren’t here for a short time; we are here for the long haul. We know that we are only as good as our last job so that is why we aim to do a great job every time. We have a very good reputation around town and that is something we are very proud of.
Shaun Andrews
Management
What does your role entail at Ecoefficient and what would a typical day/week look like for you?
Essentially my role is overseeing the high-level contractor management.
I work with our contractors to ensure we are achieving the highest health and safety standards, efficiency and overall performance. Removing ‘road blocks’ that may be a hindrance to the contractor installing our solar systems. Outside of this role generally filling in where I might be needed by the rest of the team.
I work with our contractors to ensure we are achieving the highest health and safety standards, efficiency and overall performance. Removing ‘road blocks’ that may be a hindrance to the contractor installing our solar systems. Outside of this role generally filling in where I might be needed by the rest of the team.
As Laura’s soon-to-be husband – how is the work life balance? Does work come home with you often? And if so – do you guys still find time to switch off and enjoy yourselves?
Some of our biggest decisions have been made over our dining table in the late hours of the night. Work definitely follows you home when running a business but it’s an enjoyable challenge. I think Laura and I would find ourselves a little bored if the plate was not as full, all day every day. We definitely still find time to get away and do things outside of work, so I think our work life balance is pretty good.
Were you just as passionate as Laura about Solar?
Coming from a forest management role where the environmental standards and expectations are held in very high regard, it translates well to solar. I enjoy protecting the environment within the areas I am working and solar is no different. Admittedly NZ is 80% renewable power generation but the other 20% is not. I take a lot of pride in the fact that every time a system is installed, we are reducing the need for that 20% of non-renewable energy demand and improving NZ’s environmental footprint overall which benefits our future generations.
You are currently working your forestry role and the management role of Ecoefficient – how do you find juggling the two jobs/roles?
Currently it’s pretty busy but it’s working well. So far so good
What is your favourite part about your role at Ecoefficient?
It would have to be the fact that we can significantly help a family reduce their monthly power bills, freeing up money which can be spent on necessities which they might have otherwise missed out on. That would have to be the number one thing for me.
Claire
Team Leader
How long have you been at Ecoefficient?
About 4.5 years
What is your main role at Ecoefficient and what does it entail?
I am the team leader and project manager of Eco. Essentially my role encompasses a variety of different things. I manage the day-to-day running of installations, which involves making sure all the gear is ready and the installers have everything they need as well as dealing with any technical issues that may arise for our installers or customers. In the office I also assist with any problem solving that may arise within the team.
What do you love most about your job?
I love what the company stands for and does- helping the environment and helping our customers live more sustainably while also saving money, particularly our low decile community. It is fantastic to see all the benefits and joy it brings to our customers.
I also love working for Laura. I never feel like I am micro-managed and I enjoy the office team environment.
What/ if any have you found challenging about your role?
There are a lot of technical aspects when it comes to solar. Various issues can arise and not one problem is the same, it certainly keeps me on my toes. There are also constant new developments in technology for solar and therefore it is important for us to keep on top of and ahead of all these moving parts. Over the past two years, this industry has seen a big boom and the demand has increased significantly so my workload is consistently busy, which is fantastic for business. It will certainly be great getting some new blood in the office to help keep up with demand.
How do you find working for Laura and Shaun (relatively young business owners)?
I really love working for them, not only are they my bosses but they are some of my closest friends. They have full trust in my capabilities and I feel appreciated, it’s nice, it feels like there is a mutual respect for one another.
Anna
Admin
How long have you been at Ecoefficient?
I’ve been at Eco for 1.5 years.
What is your main role at Ecoefficient?
Hot water heat pump (HWHP) sales and project manager. As well as managing all of the administration for both solar and hot water heat pumps oh and I almost forgot customer service!! My role is quite diverse.
What are your day-to-day challenges?
Dealing with the increasing volume of customers. It’s an exciting time for the business and a good challenge for me. For every single customer I am the very first point of contact in both Solar and HWHP so I am busy with all of the new queries while also managing all of the HWHP quotes, site visits and installations.
What do you love most about working for Laura and Shaun?
They’re very supportive, reassuring and really care about their staff. They push us to be the best version of ourselves inside and out of the office.
