Shattering the Grid: Lynn Jurich on Electrifying Homes and Extending Women’s Lives
In this episode of Breaking Precedent, the host Leah Solivan is joined by Lynn Jurich, co-founder and former CEO of Sunrun, to discuss her journey from growing up in Tacoma, Washington to leading one of the largest residential solar companies in the U.S. They explore the challenges and triumphs of scaling Sunrun, including innovative financing models and negotiating with utility companies. Jurich also shares personal insights on the impact of sports on resilience, the importance of strength training, and her foray into women's health through the establishment of the Female Longevity Institute. The conversation highlights Jurich's persistent optimism, innovative mindset, and commitment to transforming entrenched industries.
Lynn Jurich is an entrepreneur, investor, and visionary leader who co-founded Sunrun, the nation’s leading residential solar and energy services company. Under her leadership, Sunrun grew from an idea pitched beside a county fair pumpkin stand to a publicly traded company with over a million customers, $2 billion in recurring revenue, and a $20 billion market cap. Named one of Fortune’s “Most Powerful Women,” Lynn has pioneered clean energy innovation by championing rooftop solar, distributed batteries, and consumer-driven energy independence.
Listeners can learn more about Lynn Jurich at Sunrun.com and on LinkedIn .
Resources:
Show Notes:
00:00 Introduction to Breaking Precedent
00:21 Meet Lynn Jurich: Solar Pioneer
01:30 Personal Reflections and Icebreakers
03:40 Lynn's Early Life and Competitive Spirit
04:29 Lessons from Sports and Leadership
07:59 The Journey to Stanford and Beyond
10:41 The Birth of Sunrun and Solar as a Service
13:02 Challenges and Triumphs in Solar Energy
17:28 Navigating Financial Crises and Growth
21:12 Breaking Energy Precedents and Future Vision
25:25 Consumer Demand for Solar and Batteries
25:56 Taking Sunrun Public with a Newborn
28:07 Battling Utilities in Nevada
29:43 Sunrun's Growth and Future Innovations
31:54 Founding the Female Longevity Institute
33:54 Challenges in Women's Health Research
37:26 Precision Medicine for Women
42:35 Breaking Precedents in Energy and Healthcare
47:57 Advice for Breaking Through Entrenched Systems
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Leah Solivan is the host of Breaking Precedent, a podcast that explores the stories of innovators who are pushing societal boundaries and setting new precedents in their fields. Leah is General Partner at Fuel Capital, where she invests in early-stage companies across consumer technology, hardware, education, marketplaces, and retail. Leah has 15 years of experience building and creating technology products that have reached millions of people around the globe. She started her career at IBM as an engineer in the software group, working on Lotus Notes and Domino. In 2008, Leah founded TaskRabbit, the leading on-demand service marketplace in the world.
Connect with Leah:
Website: breakingprecedent.com/
Instagram: @labunleashed
