By Isabella Zarate
Mahomet has recently become home to a new business, but the owners may already be recognized around town.
John Trefzger and his wife moved to Mahomet in 2016 when they decided to start a family.
According to Trefzger “starting a business here seemed natural since the people in this community love to support local.”
And thus Radiant Solar LLC was created. “Radiant Solar is a veteran owner and family-run solar installation business,” says Trefzger.
The new company provides solar panel installation for residential, commercial, and agricultural buildings all over central Illinois.
“We are certified and insured to install panels on shingles, TPO, vinyl, EPDM, and metal roofs, as well as setting up small-scale and large-scale ground-mounted solar arrays,” Trefzger adds.
Though Trefzger is diving all into this new business, solar panels were not always the end goal for the new business owner.
“I was interested in getting solar for my own home and had gotten three quotes. None of them really saved me any money or made financial sense,” Trefzger shared.
He went on to explain how more research only left him with more questions. Ultimately Trefzger came to discover that the companies he received quotes from didn’t actually install solar. Instead, they were simply sales companies that contracted the job out to third-party installers.
“I thought there had to be a better way, so last August I cashed out some of my 401(k) from a previous employer to purchase the equipment, then started working on learning the ins and outs of installation.”
From there Trefzger started working. “I brought on a trustworthy licensed electrician to handle the finishing touches and the permits, and I began installing panels on homes for people via word of mouth.”
Trefzger describes how he has found immense success in less than six short months.
“I have gone from starting a business on my dining room table and then hiring a friend and my neighbor to help with the installs, to 6 employees with current plans to bring on another 15 in the next 2-3 months.”
Aside from finding some new employees, Trefzger and Radiant Solar have plans to help the community that made it all possible.
“My goal for Radiant Solar is to bring affordable and reliable energy solutions to our community and all of central Illinois by offering safe, renewable energy options at a much lower cost than what is offered in the area, while still giving excellent service.”
While solar is a popular alternative, Trefzger believes in order for it to really work “it needs to easily make sense financially and be something you know will add value to your home or business, and that’s what I bring.”
When it comes to the Trefzger’s business runs in the family. John’s wife, Jessica owns and operates the Maple Street Garden as well as The Hive by Maple Street Garden in Sangamon on Main.
Trefzger claims the family’s success comes at the hands of the people.“Without the community coming together to build something like that, we wouldn’t be where we are, and I probably wouldn’t have ended up starting this business.”
Radiant Solar will soon be located on Tin Cup Road next to Filippos.
