Solartime USA: A family-owned business providing a personal touch

Solartime USA’s CEO, Martyna Kowalczyk, has been passionate about renewable energy since she was 14. Growing up in Europe, she was surrounded by an eco-conscious community—especially her father, who founded Solartime USA in Poland in 2008.

In 2015, Martyna took the reins, moving the company to Texas, where Solartime USA continues to focus on residential and small commercial solar and battery installations.

“Helping families save money has always been our number one goal, and now we do that every day in both the United States and Europe,” Martyna says.

In 2018, Martyna first heard about EnergySage from a customer. She was immediately drawn to the platform’s approach, which opposed pushy sales tactics like door-to-door sales.

“As a family-owned business, we’re committed to providing exceptional customer service. We liked EnergySage because it connects us with customers who are actively looking for solar,” she explains. “It’s the aspect of not getting in someone else’s business. It’s on the customer’s terms.”

To be part of the EnergySage network, installers must meet rigorous vetting requirements and maintain high-quality standards over time. For Martyna, this focus on trust and transparency aligned perfectly with Solartime USA’s values.

Martyna was also drawn to EnergySage’s mission to empower homeowners with trusted resources, unbiased advice, and a simple, transparent shopping experience. By providing educational articles, product reviews, and equipment ratings, EnergySage helps create more informed solar shoppers—something Martyna strongly believes benefits both customers and installers.

When the solar industry accelerated in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, Martyna saw firsthand how many homeowners were misled by aggressive salespeople and false promises. 

“It’s very easy to trust a professional, assuming they’ll tell you the truth,” Martyna says. “And the solar industry is unfortunately known for a lot of lies.”

To combat this, Martyna launched her own YouTube channel, Solartime with Martyna, dedicated to educating homeowners about solar energy. “The YouTube channel is my way of helping those searching for knowledge,” she adds.

Martyna feels that the more educated the shopper, the smoother their solar journey will be: “Shoppers who are active on the EnergySage platform are educated consumers—and those are the ones that installers can win with.”

Since joining EnergySage’s installer network, SolarTime USA has earned the 2024 Local Installer of the Year award and achieved Elite status. Martyna credits these accomplishments with helping her company stand out from the competition in Texas.

“EnergySage saves me time on customer acquisition—especially for returning customers,” she explains. “For example, in Texas, systems are big and expensive, so sometimes customers will shop for a year. But then they return to the platform and see we’re still there and they see our consistency and that really helps.”

For Martyna, success isn’t just about sales—it’s about offering the same level of service she would want to receive herself.

“When I can provide a personalized experience, I feel like that’s when the customer and I can win,” she says. “I don’t want the shopper on the other side to feel like they’re another number and just getting a copy-and-paste message.”  

Photos courtesy of Solartime USA.