Jesse Moe is a lifelong Alaskan with extensive knowledge of renewable energy and how to implement it in such a remote and far reaching state as Alaska. Chester Dyson saw the value in the renewable energy line and had the business experience to bring it to life. In 2011 Jesse and Chester decided to pool Jesse’s industry expertise and Chester’s business acumen to create Lime (Let’s Imagine More Energy) Solar and make their vision a reality. Their mission is to spread renewable energy to the homes and businesses across Alaska at a competitive price and to provide excellent
customer service while doing so. They saw that the market was looking for ways to use alternative energy and decided to fill those needs.
Jesse and Chester first came to the Anchorage AKSBDC in late 2011 as they were launching their LLC. They had a great product and a vision but were looking for help going over their business plan and reviewing the financial projections to make it all work. Business Adviser Grant Larsen worked with the owners to create realistic projections and go
over the areas that are often overlooked at the start of a business.
Upon Grant’s suggestion, Jesse and Chester also attended the Profit Mastery class. They agreed that the information presented in the sessions was extremely valuable and that it helped them tremendously in an area where they needed assistance. After attending the class they started looking at their inventory controls and at the possibility of hiring employees. Since their opening Lime Solar has worked to educate the public on renewable energy sources by speaking at events and holding their own workshops at their location in Mountain View. Senator Mark Begich and 60 other community members attended their opening day event where Jesse and Chester presented Grant with a plaque for his support during their launch phase. During his speech, Begich remarked “I’m so pleased to see this investment in Anchorage’s future, the commitment to renewable energy and helping Alaskans reduce their energy bills, and the growth of a local business that will bring jobs and economic support to this area.“
After their initial success Jesse and Chester were approached by many people who were interested in becoming part of their business through partnerships and investments. They met with Grant to discuss the pros and cons of growing too quickly and the merits of running a steady business for the first few years. They agreed that this would help them create a strong relationship with their bank, builders and electricians and prepare for the future when it was the right time to grow. Now that they are over a year into their endeavor Jesse explains that it’s still nice to have the SBDC available to answer their questions as they continue to grow Lime Solar. They have since added a third partner, Kyle Reading to assist with the marketing and sales. The partners work out of their location in Anchorage and are looking to expand into Fairbanks in the future.
