Today we’d like to introduce you to Casey Baker.
Hi Casey, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Sungenia is truly a family company. My dad started it with the vision of building something local, trustworthy, and rooted in affordability. I officially stepped into the business around the same time I was starting my own family, so in many ways, Sungenia and motherhood have grown side by side in my life. Balancing both roles hasn’t always been easy, but it has shaped how I lead, how I connect with people, and how I see the future we’re helping build for families like mine.
In the beginning, we were just focused on providing a service that helped people make smart investments for their homes and futures. Over time, that vision grew into something much bigger: building a solar company that’s not only about panels and savings, but about sustainability, trust, and relationships. We’ve worked hard to stay deeply local, making sure our clients never feel like just another number, and I’ve leaned into creating genuine connections with our community, homeowners, and contractors.
Alongside running Sungenia, I’ve also built a strong network of working moms and entrepreneurs, which has only reinforced how much I value community, collaboration, and supporting others at every stage of business and life. Today, Being a female in a male-dominated industry has had its challenges, but it has also been a source of strength. It’s pushed me to find my own leadership style, to focus on collaboration and clarity, and to show up authentically in every space.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road, I like to call it the “solar-coaster.” The solar industry is constantly changing, both at the state and national levels, and that means we’re always adapting to new policies, incentives, and challenges. For example, when California moved into NEM 3, it completely shifted how homeowners could benefit from solar, and we had to prepare our clients and our business model for that transition.
We recognized early on the opportunity in California’s solar requirement for new homes and leaned into it, developing strong relationships with builders and contractors. That network has been a huge part of why we’ve been able to weather so many of the storms this industry brings. Those partnerships, along with our deep ties to the local community, have allowed us to stay steady and trusted even while so many larger companies have struggled.
The ups and downs haven’t always been easy, but they’ve pushed us to innovate, to educate, and to double down on our commitment to our community. Despite being a small, family-run business, we’ve built a reputation for being ahead of the curve and a reliable guide through an industry that can otherwise feel overwhelming.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Sungenia Solar Solutions?
Sungenia is a local, family-run, and veteran-owned solar company, and everything we do is rooted in trust, relationships, and helping families make smart investments. We specialize in residential solar and battery installations for homeowners across San Diego, and we’ve built a reputation for being a reliable, knowledgeable partner in a space that can often feel confusing and overwhelming.
What sets us apart is a combination of experience, community focus, and staying ahead of the curve. Because we’re family-run, our clients get a personal touch, they’re not just a number to us. We’re deeply supportive of the military and have been honored to install solar on homes through partnerships like the Gary Sinise Foundation. We’ve also built strong relationships with builders, contractors, and other partners, which allows us to navigate industry changes and policy shifts like NEM 3 and solar requirements for new homes with confidence. Even as a small company, we’ve earned a reputation for being trustworthy, responsive, and proactive, especially when it comes to customer service after installation – qualities that larger companies often struggle to maintain.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
For mentorship, I’ve learned that it’s rarely about finding one perfect person but about taking pieces of several different people who shine in different areas and applying those lessons to your own life. For example, I draw on my dad’s genius and forethought, my mom’s patience and professionalism, a friend’s ability to scale a business, and another friend’s leadership qualities. And one of the most important things I’ve learned is to always be willing to ask for help. Most people are genuinely thrilled to be admired and to share their expertise.
When it comes to networking, I focus on finding your niche community of shared values and really diving in. For me, the working mom community has been huge. As a mom with two little ones, connecting with other moms has not only been personally supportive but professionally valuable. I walk away with a network that’s both lead generators and friends – people I can collaborate with, learn from, and lean on, all at the same time. It also doesn’t hurt that there is very little competition in our mom community for a business like mine that is largely male-dominated.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.sungenia.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sungeniasolar/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sungeniasolar
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/casey-jo-baker/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/sungenia-solar-solutions-san-diego-2
- Other: https://www.wmnssd.com/
