Getting to Know You: Neville Voss, Technical Director

Neville Voss is a renewable energy executive, having spent his adult life working in that industry.

Currently, Neville holds the position of Technical Director at Infinity, a leading renewable energy firm headquartered in the United Kingdom.

Even as a young man, Neville knew he wanted a career that challenged him. As he grew older, he became interested in ecology, eventually deciding that the renewable energy sector held a good deal of promise and was a good fit for his professional pursuits. He traveled to Australia, a country that openly embraces green energy, and took a job in the marketing department of a solar power company.

Neville Voss’s innate talent and work ethic was noticed by the company’s management, and he was soon promoted to National Sales Manager, which inspired him to obtain further technical education relevant to his chosen field. He underwent training as an installer while simultaneously earning certification as a qualified electrician. This technical training, coupled with his previous experience, provided him with the knowledge to effectively lead a team, the wisdom to improve upon several logistical aspects of the emergent industry, and the insight to develop new and more efficient operational practices.

After repatriating to the United Kingdom, Neville Voss co-founded Infinity Renewables, where he is now a corporate official overseeing the installation of solar power equipment on commercial and domestic properties. In his position as Technical Director, he has helped to develop the company into a leading force for renewable energy in his home country.

What do you currently do at your company?

As the Technical Director, I am the head of all technical development. This means I manage innovation in terms of the products we supply, and install the services that we provide. I’m also the person managing system design, as well as the person who takes care of escalation regarding technical concerns.

What was the inspiration behind your business?

After spending decades in the renewable energy industry, my partners and I knew we could deliver products more efficiently than the companies that preceded us—and at a price more people could afford. We  merged our talents, bringing together a combination of diverse experience from different facets of the renewable energy industry to create Infinity. From the very beginning, we dedicated ourselves to outperforming our competition. The renewable sector is a new industry, and a new industry needs a new, efficient, and hungry company to set the standard. That’s what we strive to do in our customer service, delivery of products, and industry practices. Infinity is filing a gap in the market, operating as no other company is. We are setting the industry standard by installing hundreds of solar panels each week all the while providing elite customer service.

What defines your way of doing business?

I would say our way of doing business is defined by offering premium products and premium service efficiently, but also at the right price. Now, we are at a point where we can provide the products at a mass scale and the installations at an equal level. The industry is growing exponentially, partially due to our own efforts, because people can now access the right products at the right price. Infinity is definitely having a positive impact on the industry writ large.

What keys to being productive can you share?

I would say the most important key to being productive happens in the initial planning of the day. My view is if you do the ordinary, then you will always only achieve ordinary results. I believe that we can all achieve something extraordinary. This takes time and dedication and it will never be a nine-to-five proposition. You need to put in the time to be an expert in your chosen field. At the same time, don’t pretend that you can do it all yourself, because that’s never going to be achievable. In my experience, properly planning the day allows me to understand what I can and can’t do, as well as what tasks can be delegated to my great team.

How do you measure success?

For me, it’s looking back at what we’ve achieved. One major thing we’ve achieved is business success, which is to say we’ve conducted a fantastic number of installations and run a great profit at the same time. Another measure of success for Infinity is customer satisfaction. In that respect, it’s really important that we get feedback so we can tweak what we need to in order to give our customer the best experience possible. Speaking personally, I joined this industry with an eye to the future. It’s so important that our children grow up to inherit a decent world, which means reducing our dependence on fossil fuels through renewable energy. So, for my part, success isn’t really measured in money, but it’s more to do with scale, achievement, and contributing to the happiness of future generations.

What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned through the course of your career?

I would say the most valuable lesson I’ve learned in my career is to invest in good people. You can’t do everything yourself, so it’s crucial to find people who know how to do what your team needs. In summary, invest, train, and recruit dependable people who are experts in their field.

What advice would you give to others aspiring to succeed in your field?

Don’t give up. Also, know your industry inside and out. Do more, learn more, and always work hard to genuinely understand and continue to develop knowledge of your industry. If you do all that, and you listen to what the customer wants, you’ll be successful.

What are some of your favorite things to do outside of work?

In order to balance my work life with my family life, my wife and I enjoy going to the gym together. We’ll often relax by doing yoga together, as well. Aside from that, we always have activities over the weekend. We’ll do rock climbing or mountain climbing or anything physical. I also make sure to spend quality time with my children by taking them to experience different activities, such as the local theme parks.

What is one piece of technology that helps you the most in your daily routine?

It would most certainly be my mobile phone. It’s my connection to the entire workforce through the numerous chat groups and telecommunication platforms that we use.

Who has been a role model to you and why?

I guess in our industry, a good role model would be Elon Musk. He’s someone who has achieved greatness in his life. He’s also someone that has challenged the ordinary. He’s done things other people said could not be done, and he’s proved the naysayers wrong time and time again. In our industry, as well as for me personally, Elon Musk is a great example of what can be achieved when people who have good ideas simply won’t give up until they’re executed.

What is one piece of advice that you have never forgotten?

You must focus on taking your time. Don’t take shortcuts. First you have to walk, then you can run. Trying to rush into things before you’re ready leads to problems and often mistakes.