Hacks & Hobbies

He survived hurricanes, built a system in his backyard — and then built a company that took on the solar incumbents.  In this raw, curiosity-driven conversation James Showalter explains how necessity, grit and obsessive customer focus turned a DIY garage project into a hardware and battery empire that scaled to tens of millions without VC. Expect candid stories about broken batteries, brutal permitting, value-driven pricing, and the moment he decided to build a “Solar Home Depot.” James unpacks practical technical lessons, the human side of selling resilience, and the strategic playbook he used to scale with tight cash, multiple “exit doors,” and a relentless obsession with transparency. If you want to understand how everyday homeowners can actually win against the power company — and why batteries matter more than you think — this episode is a field guide. Key takeaways: How blackout-driven curiosity evolved into a repeatable business model for resilient home energy. Why upgradeability, batteries a