Celebrating Women of Color Business Owners: Quinn Parker’s Journey Toward Energy Equity

Intro: Broadcasting live from the Business RadioX Studios, it’s time for Women in Motion. Brought to you by WBEC-West. Join forces. Succeed together. Now, here’s your host.

Lee Kantor: Lee Kantor here. Another episode of Women in Motion and this is going to be a good one. But before we get started, it’s important to recognize our sponsor, WBEC-West. Without them, we couldn’t be sharing these important stories. Today on Women In Motion, we have Quinn Parker with Encolor. Welcome.

Quinn Parker: Hello. Thank you.

Lee Kantor: Well, I’m excited to learn what you’re up to. Tell us about Encolor. How are you serving folks?

Quinn Parker: Encolor is a strategic consulting firm. We work with utilities and consultancies around the country, trying to make sure that all folks have access to clean energy products and services.

Lee Kantor: So, what’s your backstory? How did you get involved in this line of work?

Quinn Parker: Well, unlike most folks that start businesses, it was kind of a zigzag story. I started my career in utility here where I live in Las Vegas. And working in the utility, I got a chance to see the real kind of need of some folks in our community to reduce their energy bills, that they can improve their quality of life, and went on to do several other consultancy types of projects over the last almost 20 years. And right around 2020, I saw that there really was a need for us to be really intentional about how we go about serving certain customers and starting Encolor. And one of Encolor’s first projects was to teach folks how to design programs to make sure that no one is left behind in our energy transition.

Lee Kantor: Now, what was it like going from working for a large entity to having your own firm? Was that a difficult transition?

Quinn Parker: Oh, my goodness. You know, I think I kind of primed myself a bit working in consultancy for a while. But nothing kind of prepares you for the idea that you’re responsible for making sure that you make good decisions, so the folks that work for you can stay employed, and continue to do the things that they enjoy and have a reliable paycheck. So, that transition from just being part of an organization to leading an organization has really been an interesting kind of journey for me. But I take a lot of pride in the work that we do, and I’m so thankful for the team that is part of Encolor.

Lee Kantor: Now, do you have any advice for other entrepreneurs that are thinking about making that transition when it comes to building a team? Like, how do you build a team that really is all on the same page, and kind of believes in the same things and are kind of dedicated to the mission?

Quinn Parker: So, from my kind of perspective is that the large search websites that can go out, and you can pull a ton of resumes are great, especially if you don’t know where to start. But the employees that have really been, especially… I don’t know, that have really stepped into their roles and really embody the culture and the vision of Encolor have come through my network. So, I really encourage entrepreneurs to get out, go to those networking meetings, go to WBENC conferences, talk to folks, ask people if they know folks that could fill roles for you, and start there because it’s nothing like hearing from other people the value that someone may bring to your organization versus just a piece of paper over the internet.

Lee Kantor: That’s a great point. I think a lot of people don’t lean into kind of that network where it’s people they know, people that their friends know, or people that they know-know, rather than just going out to the world where the world seems like, wow, there’s a lot more choices. But I think a lot of times, you’re going to get a better result when you’re starting with people who already know you a little bit.

Quinn Parker: I think so, especially as a very small business owner, it’s a huge decision to hire when you have less than ten employees. Not only is it the time investment of finding the individual, and coaching them, and bringing them up to speed, but if it’s not the right fit, it could be really detrimental to the success of your business. So, take your time, vet the person, don’t feel like you have to speed through it. And I guess the other thing I’m learning right now is start earlier than you need the person. We kind of wait. As small business owners, we absolutely have to hire for many reasons. But mainly, we want to make sure that we can support that person, but oftentimes that may be a bit too late. So, start early in looking for that next best person.

Lee Kantor: Right. You got to almost build like a wait list or a bench, so that when the time is right, you’re ready to pull the trigger.

Quinn Parker: Yeah. Yeah, that’s tough for people that want to work for you because people that are looking usually don’t want to pause for long, but it’s worth taking your time.

Lee Kantor: Now, what do you like most about working in the utility business?

Quinn Parker: There’s so many things. Energy is critical for us as a community. And especially as we get more and more dependent on internet, and we’re working from home, and children are going to school from home, having reliable energy is really important. I’m looking at a picture right now of one of my staff that their community is covered in snow, being able to heat and cool your home. And knowing that our work is making sure that people are healthy and safe in their homes is really rewarding.

Lee Kantor: Now, can you talk a little bit about a recent award you just received?

Quinn Parker: Yeah. The Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance awarded me with an Equity Champion Award this year. So, excited about that. We’ll be in Chicago next week to receive that award.

Lee Kantor: It should be nice and chilly to greet you and put that energy use in play.

Quinn Parker: Yeah, it’s definitely in Chicago.

Lee Kantor: Now, can you talk a little bit about what this award means and kind of a little bit more detail about why this is so important to your organization?

Quinn Parker: Oh, my goodness. Just you asking me that question brings up so much emotion. You know, I started Encolor in 2020, it was really… I thought I’d be kind of behind the scenes in helping my clients design better programs. And over the last five years, Encolor has really evolved to be an organization that is pushing the boundaries and asking questions that we haven’t asked ourselves before.

Quinn Parker: And I’m really proud of the team that works for me that they’re being very brave. They’re standing up in front of rooms and audiences and making people question if we’re doing all we can to serve communities. And this award is really, I think, a reflection of not just me but the team that works for me, and us kind of putting ourselves out there and being a bit vulnerable in the community.

Lee Kantor: Now, can you talk about the importance of the work that you’re doing, and what is kind of the situation that the utilities that haven’t hired you yet, like what are they missing out on that maybe they should consider having a conversation with you or somebody on the team?

Quinn Parker: Yeah, great question. I think, everybody has to think through what their goals, objectives, and what success means to them. And for the people in the utilities and the organizations that bring us to do trainings or workshops or consultant work for them, they oftentimes have already come to the conclusion that we can do better. That we know there’s an opportunity for us to do better, both in the way we design and implement our programs but also in the way we contract with vendors, the way we engage with different community stakeholders. And I think for the organizations that haven’t called us, I ask them this question, I challenge folks all the time to think, is there some place that you know that you can do better? Is there some opportunity, some community, some part of your region that could use a little bit more support from you? And our organization helps them do that.

Lee Kantor: Now, when you’re, kind of, giving your pitch and you’re explaining the value, is this something that they’re doing because, hey, this feels like the right thing, this is a moral thing, or is this something that there’s data that says, look, if you do more of this, this is going to be better for your business, we have data that supports that?

Quinn Parker: Yeah. Equity is both a moral and a business decision. We know that when you design products and services that make communities happier. And when communities are happier, they buy more of your product, your customer service satisfaction goes up. You overall are viewed as a better partner in the community. And then, there’s the moral side of this that across our country, we see climate disasters happening all over our country. I live in Nevada, in close proximity to California and the recent fires there. Like, we know that things are changing. And in ways, how can we be proactive in making sure that people are safe and healthy in their homes?

Lee Kantor: Now, what does it look like when one of your clients begins an engagement with you? Can you walk us through kind of the initial kind of onboarding looks like or the initial discovery?

Quinn Parker: Yeah. So, we get into rooms with utilities and consultants in a couple of different ways. Sometimes, we go out for RFPs. But oftentimes, people engage us through word of mouth. And the first conversation I have with people that are interested in working with us is, do you know what success means to you? And you’d be surprised, sometimes they do, sometimes they don’t. And if you’re in a room with a bunch of leaders, I’ll bet you a dollar that many of them don’t define success the same.

Quinn Parker: So, the first thing we do is get consensus on what good looks like. And then, we start working with them to really understand, is what you’re doing now going to get you to this goal? And we are very methodical. We do a lot of research to make sure that we’re supporting our clients in a way that not only can they replicate the work that we’re doing, but they can defend it later on because people ask questions, “Why are you doing this? Why is this important?” And having that data is really critical for them to be able to sometimes fund the projects that we work with them on.

Lee Kantor: Now, why was it important for you to become part of the WBEC-West community? What were you hoping to get out of it and what have you gotten out of it?

Quinn Parker: So, when I first went through the certification process through WBEC-West, it was really kind of a compliance item. I had a client that wanted to make sure that I was third-party certified in working with them. And a lot of that stems from some of the goals that organizations have to work with diverse organizations. So, it was really compliance. But once I started engaging with the organization, I started going to webinars, I’ve gone to a couple of conferences, I’ve also sent staff, and then I was selected to be part of the Energy Executive Program, I think that really kind of, for me, crystallized the value that WBENC could bring to me personally and also to my organization.

Lee Kantor: Now, is there a story you can share about – you don’t have to name the organization – but one of the clients you worked with or one of the firms you worked with in terms of impact? Is there something that’s memorable or rewarding that has occurred that you helped them get to a new level?

Quinn Parker: So, I have a client, and we are active with them now. It was one of my very first large utility clients. And one of the executives there reached out to me, we had a conversation, and she asked me if I thought I was able to do a project. It was a project related to procurement. And I sat across the room from her, and I had never done exactly this before, but I had confidence in my company and my team, and I told her yes.

Quinn Parker: And that work has gone on to be a catalyst moment for my organization. We have since… probably our revenue with that utility has quadrupled. And the qualifications that we earn working on this project with her resulted in work with other utilities within and outside the state is now a major vertical for us. And that work is doing diverse procurement practices. We write RFPs. We review RFPs. We help organizations administer RFPs. We review RFP processes to make sure that they’re fair. And that’s become a major part of our company’s products and services. So, sometimes, I think you’ll be offered opportunities that you know you can be successful at, but you haven’t done before, and you just have to say yes.

Lee Kantor: That’s great advice. And if somebody wants to learn more about Encolor and connect with you or somebody on the team, what’s the website? What’s the best way to engage with you?

Quinn Parker: Yes. Please go to our website. It’s encolorconsulting.com. On the website is a form where you can reach out to us. Those forms come to me directly, and we answer all of them. It’s really important for us to be responsive to our community. So, check out our website and we’d love to hear from you.

Lee Kantor: And that’s E-N-C-O-L-O-R-consulting.com.

Quinn Parker: Correct.

Lee Kantor: Well, Quinn, thank you so much for sharing your story today. You’re doing such important work and we appreciate you.

Quinn Parker: Thank you so much for having me.

Lee Kantor: All right. This is Lee Kantor, we’ll see you all next time on Women In Motion.