Good morning,
Renters want solar panels but can't install them. Plumbers waste 10 hours per week on paperwork. Casual gamers want competitive play but esports is too hardcore.
Today: Three ideas targeting massive markets VCs ignore.
💡 IDEA #1: Solar Panel Financing for Renters
TLDR: Install solar on rental properties, landlords get free panels, renters pay you (less than current electric bill), everyone wins.
The Problem
44 million Americans rent their homes. Most want solar panels but face an impossible situation:
Renters can't install solar:
Don't own the property (can't make permanent modifications)
Landlords won't install (tenants pay electric bills, not landlords)
Moving soon (won't see long-term savings)
Landlords don't care:
Tenants pay electric bills (not landlord's problem)
Solar installation costs $15k-25k upfront
No immediate ROI for landlord
Result: 44 million people locked out of solar despite wanting it. Massive access gap.
The Numbers
44 million rental housing units in US
70% of renters interested in solar (30M households)
Average electric bill: $150/month
Solar savings: $50-100/month potential
Market size: $45B+ annually (30M × $1,500/year savings)
How It Works
The three-way value proposition:
For Landlords:
You install solar panels on their property at no cost
You own and maintain the panels (not landlord's responsibility)
Landlord gets increased property value (solar panels add $15k-25k to home value)
Can market property as "green" (attracts eco-conscious tenants)
No upfront cost, no ongoing maintenance
For Renters:
Electric bill drops from $150/month to $50/month (you charge them $100/month)
Still saving $50/month vs current bill
No contract lock-in (if they move, next tenant takes over)
Contributing to sustainability goals
For You:
You own the solar panels and power generation
Charge renters $100/month (they save $50 vs current bill)
Solar panels paid off in 5-7 years
Years 8-25: pure profit ($100/month per unit)
Sell excess power back to grid (additional revenue)
Example unit economics:
Solar installation cost: $20,000 per property
Monthly revenue from renter: $100
Payback period: 200 months (16.7 years)
System lifespan: 25-30 years
Net profit over life: $150k+ per installation
Better model - Scale with financing:
Raise $2M debt facility at 5% interest
Install solar on 100 properties
Monthly revenue: $100 × 100 = $10,000
Debt service: ~$3,000/month
Net cash flow: $7,000/month after debt service
Profit accelerates as debt is paid down
Business Model
Revenue streams:
Monthly payments from renters ($100/month avg)
Utility credits from excess power generation ($10-30/month per unit)
Government incentives and tax credits (30% federal tax credit)
At 100 installations:
Renter payments: $10,000/month
Utility credits: $2,000/month
Total: $12,000/month = $144k annual revenue
After debt service: $84k net annual profit
At 1,000 installations:
$1.2M annual revenue
$840k net profit after debt service
Why This Wins
Current alternatives all fail:
Community solar: Waitlists, limited availability, same cost
Green energy plans: Just marketing, marginal savings
Moving to own home: Not an option for most renters
You solve the coordination problem:
Landlords won't install (no benefit to them)
Renters can't install (don't own property)
You align incentives for both parties
Timing is perfect:
Solar panel costs down 80% since 2010
Installation easier and faster
Federal tax credits extended through 2035
Climate consciousness at all-time high
Go-to-Market
Phase 1: Prove It (Months 1-6)
Target: multi-family properties (apartments, duplexes) in sunny states
Start in one city (Phoenix, Austin, San Diego)
Sign 5-10 landlords manually
Install solar on 20-50 units
Prove economics work
Get tenant testimonials
Phase 2: Scale Locally (Months 7-18)
Raise debt facility ($1M-2M)
Target 100 installations in proven city
Hire installation partners (don't do it yourself)
Systemize: contracts, install process, tenant onboarding
Goal: $100k annual revenue, prove unit economics
Phase 3: Expand Geographically (Year 2+)
Replicate in 3-5 new cities (sunny states only)
Partner with property management companies
Franchise model possibility (local operators, you provide capital/contracts)
Goal: 1,000 installations across multiple markets
Competitive Landscape
Sunrun, Vivint Solar: Focus on homeowners, ignore renters
Community solar: Limited availability, complex enrollment
Utility companies: No incentive to reduce bills
You: Only solution specifically for renters
Risks & Mitigations
Risk: Tenant moves, next tenant won't pay
Mitigation: Contract with landlord includes clause that all tenants must use solar
Risk: Panels damaged, need replacement
Mitigation: Insurance coverage, maintenance reserve fund
Risk: Regulations change, tax credits disappear
Mitigation: Lock in tax credits at installation, model works even without them
Risk: Landlord sells property
Mitigation: Solar contract transfers to new owner (increases property value)
💡 IDEA #2: Zapier for Blue-Collar Workers
TLDR: Automate scheduling, invoicing, and payroll for plumbers, electricians, contractors using simple no-code templates. Charge $49-99/month.
The Problem
Blue-collar businesses (plumbers, electricians, HVAC, landscaping) run on spreadsheets and manual processes:
Their current workflow is broken:
Scheduling: Google Calendar or paper notebook
Invoicing: Word docs or handwritten
Payment tracking: Spreadsheet or memory
Payroll: Manual calculations, paper checks
Inventory: "I think we have enough PVC pipes"
Customer follow-ups: Forget to follow up, lose repeat business
Why they don't use Zapier:
Too technical (built for tech workers)
Don't understand "triggers and actions"
Takes hours to set up
No pre-built templates for their industry
Result: Waste 10+ hours per week on admin work instead of billable work. At $75-150/hour billing rate, that's $750-1,500 per week lost.
The Numbers
750,000 contractors/tradespeople in US
Average business: 1-10 employees
Time wasted on admin: 10-15 hours/week
Value of time: $750-1,500/week
Willingness to pay: $50-200/month to automate
How It Works
Pre-built workflow templates (zero coding required):
Template 1: Job Completion Workflow
Job marked complete in scheduling app → automatically send invoice → log payment when received → update customer database → schedule follow-up call in 6 months
Template 2: New Customer Workflow
Customer calls → add to CRM → send welcome email → schedule estimate → create calendar event → send reminder day before
Template 3: Payroll Workflow
Timeclock punch → calculate hours → generate paycheck → send to payroll service → email paystub to employee
Template 4: Inventory Workflow
Job uses materials → subtract from inventory → auto-order when below threshold → receive order → update inventory count
Simple setup:
Choose your trade (plumber, electrician, HVAC, etc.)
Connect your existing tools (Google Calendar, QuickBooks, etc.)
Pick templates that fit your workflow
Turn on automation
Workflows run automatically
Mobile-first design:
Contractors work from trucks, not desks
Quick toggle switches to turn workflows on/off
Notifications when something needs attention
Works offline (syncs when connection returns)
Business Model
Pricing:
Starter: $49/mo (5 active workflows, 1 user)
Pro: $99/mo (unlimited workflows, up to 5 users)
Business: $199/mo (unlimited workflows, unlimited users, priority support)
At 1,000 contractors averaging $90/mo: $90k MRR
Unit Economics:
CAC: $150 (targeted ads to contractors + free trial)
LTV: $2,160 (average 24-month retention)
Churn: ~4%/month
Gross margin: 92%
Why This Wins
Zapier is too technical:
Requires understanding APIs and integrations
No pre-built workflows for trades
Takes hours to configure
Breaks easily if you set it up wrong
You're purpose-built for trades:
Templates designed for their exact workflow
Industry-specific language ("job completion" not "webhook triggered")
Mobile-first (they work from trucks)
Setup takes 15 minutes, not hours
ROI is obvious:
Save 10 hours/week × $100/hour = $1,000/week saved
Cost: $99/month
Pays for itself in 2.4 days
Competitive Landscape
Zapier: Too technical, no industry templates
Jobber, Housecall Pro: Scheduling-first, light automation
ServiceTitan: Enterprise-focused, $10k+/year, overkill for small contractors
You: Automation-first, built for 1-10 person contractor businesses
Go-to-Market
Phase 1: Launch (Months 1-3)
Pick one trade to start (plumbers or electricians)
Build 10-15 workflow templates for that trade
Cold call 100 contractors: "Save 10 hours/week on paperwork"
Offer 60-day free trial
Goal: 50 paying customers
Phase 2: Expand Trades (Months 4-9)
Add HVAC, landscaping, general contractors
Build templates specific to each trade
Case studies from successful customers
Trade publication ads
Goal: 300 paying customers
Phase 3: Scale (Months 10-18)
Partner with trade associations
Integrate with industry-specific software
Referral program (contractors tell other contractors)
Goal: 1,000+ paying customers
Risks & Mitigations
Risk: Contractors resistant to technology
Mitigation: Target younger contractors (30-45 years old) who grew up with smartphones
Risk: Integrations break when other tools update
Mitigation: Build robust error handling, notify user immediately if workflow breaks
Risk: Low willingness to pay
Mitigation: Show ROI calculator: "You're losing $1,000/week on admin, we cost $99/month"
💡 IDEA #3: Gaming Tournament Platform for Casual Players
TLDR: Esports is for pros. Build tournament platform for casual gamers with small buy-ins ($5-20), small prizes, rec league vibe.
The Problem
3 billion people play video games globally. 90% are casual players who just want to compete for fun.
Esports problems for casual gamers:
Too serious (professional players dominate)
Too skilled (average player gets destroyed)
No prizes for regular people (all money goes to top 0.1%)
Too time-intensive (practice 8 hours/day to compete)
Current options:
Play alone (boring after a while)
Play with randoms (toxic, inconsistent)
Join Discord leagues (disorganized, no stakes)
The gap: Competitive gaming with stakes (small money prizes) for average players. Think rec league basketball, not NBA.
The Numbers
3 billion gamers globally
90% are casual players (2.7 billion)
Average gamer plays 8-10 hours per week
Willingness to pay: $5-20 for weekend tournament
Tournament gaming market: $1.5B (currently focused on pros)
How It Works
Weekly tournament format:
Example: Fortnite Friday Frenzy
$10 entry fee
100 players per bracket
Skill-based matchmaking (bronze, silver, gold, platinum tiers)
2-hour tournament window (Friday 7-9pm)
Top 10 players win prizes
Prize structure:
100 players × $10 = $1,000 prize pool
1st place: $300
2nd place: $150
3rd place: $100
4th-10th place: $50 each
Platform keeps 15% ($150)
Multiple games supported:
Fortnite (battle royale)
Valorant (tactical shooter)
Rocket League (sports)
League of Legends (MOBA)
Chess, Poker (non-video games)
Skill-based matchmaking:
Track player stats and performance
Place in appropriate tier (bronze, silver, gold, etc.)
Can't smurf (new accounts verified, climb tiers slowly)
Fair competition: play against people at your level
Social features:
Team tournaments (3v3, 5v5)
League seasons (12-week seasons with playoffs)
Friends leaderboard
Replay highlights
Discord/voice chat integration
Business Model
Revenue: 15% platform fee on entry fees
At scale:
10,000 tournament entries per week
$10 average entry fee
$100,000 weekly volume
Platform keeps 15% = $15,000/week = $780k annual revenue
Additional revenue streams:
Premium membership: $9.99/mo (enter unlimited tournaments, free entry = $50/month value)
Sponsorships: brands sponsor tournaments
Merchandise: branded jerseys, mouse pads, etc.
Unit Economics:
CAC: $20 (targeted ads to gamers)
LTV: $150 (average player enters 15 tournaments over 12 months)
Churn: high for one-time players, low for engaged players
Why This Wins
Esports focuses on top 1%:
$1M prize pools for professionals
$0 for everyone else
Casual players feel excluded
You focus on the 99%:
Small prizes for everyone
Skill-based tiers (fair competition)
Rec league vibe (competitive but fun)
Accessible to working people (2-hour tournaments, not 8-hour grinds)
Similar to:
Draft Kings/FanDuel for fantasy sports (small stakes, mass participation)
Rec league basketball (pay to play, small prizes for winners)
Local poker tournaments (not World Series of Poker)
Competitive Landscape
Twitch, YouTube Gaming: Watching, not playing
Esports platforms: Only for pros/semi-pros
Discord leagues: Disorganized, no prizes
You: Organized, skill-matched, prize pool for casuals
Go-to-Market
Phase 1: Launch (Months 1-3)
Start with one game (Fortnite - biggest casual base)
Host free beta tournaments (build player base)
Partner with gaming influencers (1,000-10,000 follower range)
Run 2 tournaments per week
Goal: 500 active players
Phase 2: Monetize (Months 4-6)
Introduce paid tournaments ($5-20 entry)
Add second game (Valorant or Rocket League)
Daily tournaments (not just weekends)
Premium membership option
Goal: 5,000 active players, $50k monthly volume
Phase 3: Scale (Months 7-12)
Add 3-4 more games
International expansion (start with English-speaking countries)
Mobile game tournaments (PUBG Mobile, Clash Royale)
Sponsorship deals
Goal: 50,000 active players, $500k monthly volume
Risks & Mitigations
Risk: Cheating/smurfing (skilled players in low tiers)
Mitigation: Account verification, stats tracking, manual review of suspicious winners
Risk: Legal issues with prize money (gambling laws)
Mitigation: Skill-based competitions are legal (not gambling), proper state licensing
Risk: Low prize pools make it not worth it
Mitigation: Small prizes are fine for casuals ($50 for 2 hours of gaming = $25/hour, good for fun activity)
Risk: Hard to build initial player base
Mitigation: Free tournaments first, partner with influencers, grow organically
Five more from the quieter side of the internet.
Bootstrapped SaaS metrics benchmarks (real numbers, not hype)
https://openviewpartners.com/saas-benchmarks/
(OpenView)How one tiny WordPress plugin became a sustainable business
https://wptavern.com
(WP Tavern)The psychology behind why customers don’t buy (even when they should)
https://conversion-rate-experts.com
(Conversion Rate Experts)What indie hackers learned after 1,000 product launches
https://www.producthunt.com/stories
(Product Hunt)Why “boring” B2B startups quietly outperform flashy consumer apps
https://www.stratechery.com
(Stratechery)
📈 Quick Trend: Climate Tech for Consumers > Climate Tech for Corporations
VCs love funding climate tech for enterprises (carbon capture, industrial processes, B2B emissions tracking).
But the biggest opportunities are consumer-facing:
Examples:
Solar for renters: 44M people locked out
EV charging for apartments: infrastructure gap
Home weatherization financing: upfront cost barrier
Sustainable product marketplaces: convenience gap
Why consumer > enterprise:
Larger TAM (millions of consumers vs thousands of companies)
Faster adoption (don't need boardroom approval)
Viral potential (people share consumer products)
Less competition (VCs focus on B2B)
The pattern: Find climate solutions corporations have but consumers don't. Close the access gap.
💭 Final Thought
The biggest markets are the ones VCs won't touch.
Renters (44M people who can't get solar).
Blue-collar workers (750k contractors who hate Zapier).
Casual gamers (3B people too "small" for esports).
VCs want billion-dollar TAMs that fit their thesis.
You want desperate customers nobody else is serving.
Different game. Better odds.
That's it for today.
Building for underserved markets? Reply and tell me about it.
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Tomorrow: Backend Services, Creator Tools, and Real Estate Tech.
Connor
P.S. Missed Saturday's deep dive? "Audience Is Not Demand" - the truth about why followers ≠ revenue. Read it here.