#269 Lester Crafton & John Carey sold books.

Lester Crafton and John Carey back to Pony Tales for nearly three hours of straight-through conversation. They start with the job that first put them on doorsteps and finish in the middle of a national-grid debate, showing—step by step—how those early summers shaped everything that came after. Lester explains the moment he realised energy was the thread connecting almost every modern problem and why he left residential solar to focus on utility-scale projects. John walks through the hard lessons of appointment setting, the day a remote firmware update shut off power to his own house, and the reason rural co-ops care more about peak-demand penalties than slick marketing. Together they break down how portable “energy trailers” can back up disaster zones, soak up excess midday solar and even feed power back to transformers that would otherwise overload at five p.m. The conversation drifts—from the first time either of them heard the phrase “grid security,” to an early field test where three kinds of solar modules were bolted to the same roof just to see what would survive a Carolina summer. Along the way they trade stories: a cash quote so high a homeowner laughed out loud, a USDA grant that sat frozen for a year, and the drone-monitored micro-grid they built as a sandbox for every new inverter they could find. By the last hour the talk shifts to leadership and culture: why commissions alone never keep a team together, how emotional intelligence shows up in metrics-driven sales, and the simple coaching habits—borrowed straight from the book field—that still anchor their companies today. It is equal parts technical deep-dive and field-tested mindset, and it shows exactly how two former door-to-door reps ended up solving problems that touch the U.S. power grid. Stream the full episode to see how it all connects. Big thanks to our sponsors over at Cardinal Senior Insurance — and shoutout to everyone who's been supporting the show! Get a sit down with their leadership and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠schedule an Interview with Cardinal Senior Benefits⁠⁠ Get info about BIZZLER in Greece here: ⁠⁠⁠cassandra@travodyssey.com⁠ Welcome to The Pony Tales Podcast, where we dive into the inspiring stories and unique experiences of Southwestern Advantage alumni. Each episode features candid conversations with former book-sellers, exploring how their time selling books shaped their personal and professional lives. From incredible career journeys to valuable life lessons, our guests share the habits, mindset, and challenges that led them to success. Whether you’re a former book-seller or just looking for some motivation and wisdom, you’ll find something to relate to and learn from in every episode.