Jing Tian, Chief Growth Officer at Tigo Energy, joined the Snoball Effect podcast to share her journey from scientist to leader in the solar industry. With a Ph.D. in chemistry and a background in polymer science, Jing's career path took unexpected turns. "I envisioned myself as a scientist, donning the crisp white lab coat," she explained, but her drive for growth and innovation led her into entrepreneurship and, eventually, into solar energy. Now, with over a decade in the solar industry, Jing applies her analytical mind to solving some of the industry's most pressing challenges. Her blend of fun personal stories — like climbing Mount Shasta — and deep professional insights made this podcast episode a must-listen.
Key Takeaways
- Success Culture: Jing talked about the importance of fostering a workplace where employees feel empowered to contribute and grow both personally and professionally.
- Decision-Making: Jing outlined her decision-making framework, which ensures that leaders make thoughtful, data-driven decisions while remaining flexible and open to adjustments as needed.
- Solar Energy: With over a decade of experience in the solar industry, Jing identified the potential growth in virtual power plants—a shift from centralized power generation to distributed, solar-powered communities.
Creating a Culture of Success
It is important to create a workplace culture where employees feel empowered to succeed. "Foster an environment where employees not only contribute to the success of the company, but they also feel empowered," she said. Jing stressed that a successful culture doesn't just happen — leaders must be intentional in creating spaces where team members feel supported, heard, and able to grow personally and professionally.
She illustrated these principles with a personal story about climbing Mount Shasta with her colleagues. “There were 12 of us, 10 had no prior experience,” she recounted. Despite the challenges, her team made it to the summit. This experience shaped her view on leadership and teamwork. Jing identified four key elements that helped her team succeed: open communication, a growth mindset, coaching, and the ability to embrace the changes. These are the same elements she believes are essential in cultivating a culture of success in any organization.
Open communication, in particular, was something Jing returned to often. "It's critical to build a trusting and engaging workplace," she advised. Employees need to feel safe to share their ideas and know their input matters. By creating a collaborative environment, businesses can foster innovation and long-term loyalty, leading to sustainable growth.
Making Complex Decisions
Jing also delved into the topic of decision-making, particularly the difference between simple and complex decisions. She explained, "Complex decisions oftentimes carry significant impact in our life... there’s no single right answer." Unlike simple decisions — like deciding where to eat lunch — complex decisions involve ambiguity and multiple factors. In these cases, leaders must follow a structured decision-making process to ensure they are making well-considered choices that align with long-term goals.
Jing’s approach to making complex decisions involves several steps. First, she recommended identifying key criteria: "What's important to you, such as career advancement, family considerations, or lifestyle." After that, it's important to gather relevant information, consult trusted colleagues or family members, and weigh the pros and cons. She noted that in both personal and business contexts, this process helps eliminate impulsive decisions and reduces the likelihood of costly mistakes.
Jing Tian
Chief Growth Officer @ Tigo Energy
“A robust decision-making process allows you to correct, reflect, and make adjustments as needed.”
Perhaps most importantly, Jing emphasized the need for reflection and flexibility. "A robust decision-making process allows you to correct, reflect, and make adjustments as needed," she said, highlighting that decisions, especially in business, should be revisited and adjusted when necessary. This approach ensures that leaders are not only making the best choices for their organizations but are also continuously learning and improving as they move forward.
Solar Industry Opportunities and Innovation
With her extensive background in solar energy, Jing also shared her vision for the future of the industry. While solar adoption continues to grow, she believes the next big leap lies in the development of virtual power plants (VPPs): “That’s what’s really going to propel the growth.” VPPs rely on solar energy combined with storage solutions to decentralize power generation. Instead of relying on a traditional, centralized grid, solar-powered communities will be able to generate and share energy among themselves.
Jing noted that software will play a pivotal role in making these VPPs a reality. "The reality of virtual power plants relies heavily on software," she pointed out, because there will be a need for technological innovations that can manage these distributed systems. As more homeowners and businesses adopt solar panels paired with battery storage, the potential for creating these interconnected power systems grows.
For those in the solar industry looking to prepare for this shift, Jing’s advice is clear: “Continue to install solar and battery storage solutions.” But she also emphasized the importance of staying on top of emerging software technologies, as these innovations will ultimately determine the success of VPPs and the decentralization of energy grids. It’s an exciting future, and one that offers significant opportunities for growth.
Celebrating Success and Personal Lessons
As the conversation came to a close, Jing reflected on the personal lessons she’s learned throughout her career. One of the key takeaways for her is the importance of finding joy in your work. “Cherish those moments,” she recommended, referring to the times when you’re so excited about a project that you can’t wait to dive back in. These moments are not just fleeting — they should be a guidepost for finding environments where you can thrive.
Pro Tip:
Step back and take the time to savor the moment and celebrate your successes!
Jing left listeners with a simple but powerful piece of advice: celebrate your achievements. "Celebrate yourself, celebrate your achievements," she encouraged. For Jing, these celebrations serve as a reminder of how far you’ve come and a motivation to keep pushing forward. Whether it’s a small personal victory or a major team accomplishment, taking time to reflect on your success is a key part of sustaining long-term growth and happiness in both business and life.