My name is Kwan Johnson, and I would love to share my Kwan Johnson Step by Step Solar Story. I grew up in New Jersey, USA. Sports were my ticket out of the environment. I have been blessed to have played basketball professionally around the world. Out of all the countries that I have played in, one place, in particular, has a special bond with me. That is the Philippines. I have always been interested in becoming an electrician, but basketball was a calling. However, while in the Philippines playing professionally in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Jimmy, my driver, mentioned to me that he rarely gets to see his family. He lived too far, so he slept in the van. WHAT!? I did not know until that moment that he was sleeping in his van.
So I said let’s go spend the day with your family.
He was married with two daughters. We drove for about 2 hours, but by public transit, it would have been almost 4 hours to get to his home and 4 hours back for him. After the 2 hours drive, we finally arrived at our destination. I and around 50 other people including Jimmy’ wife and kids all gather around and had lunch together. It cost about USD $200 to feed over 50 people.
Then I got a challenge to play billiards, then I was a challenge to play 1 on 1, and then it was me and Jimmy vs 20 people. Oh my God! we were having a great time. Then a light drizzle started, and people began to run from the courts to there apartments. Ignorant me, I’m thinking, it’s just a little rain. However, I didn’t realize that they had to disconnect the plugs from the pole in front of their building. Their energy source was an electrical pole in front of their building with no cover nor protection from the rain. Everyone is yanking their cords out and wrapping them up, some pulling through their windows after some unplugs it for them. They didn’t want any electrical short circuit to occur during the rain, this could damage their appliances, hurt someone or even worse spark, and start a fire in their home. It was mind-blowing. I sat in Jimmy’s home with him and his amazing family, and I mentioned to him that the community is in need of some solar energy and this was the true beginning of the Kwan Johnson Step by Step Solar Story.
I did not know much about solar, but I have seen it before. This was in 2005. So we hit the road and headed back to Manila where I was staying. On the way, we just discussed some ‘game plans’. Jimmy took me to some places that sold solar panels, a junkyard actually that had panels actually. The people there were glad to help, they even pulled some car batteries out for us. We had panels. which were actually connected together for us. We took them back to his home, we created plenty of sparks. However, there was a neighbor of Jimmy’s that ran wires from the pole to this box, which I now know was an inverter (thanks to Trott Bailey University), at the time I had no clue.
The Kwan Johnson Step by Step Solar Story: first project in the Philippines.
We placed the panels on the roof, connected the panel to the batteries, which we stored in Jimmy’s place. His crazy neighbor (I do not remember his name) climb down from the roof into Jimmy’s home through the window to run the wires. Then we connected a multi-socket cord to the box connected to the battery, and Jimmy’s lights worked. So we ran multiple people’s sockets to it. It was one of the coolest feelings.
Kwan Johnson Solar Story: A Solar Innovator is Unleashed!
A few years later in 2008. I began to work on something different. I had an idea. I wanted to create an umbrella solar panel. I lived in Pharr, TX at the time. I spent a lot of time on the beach, my phone would die, as well as my Bluetooth speaker. So, I drew a design that I imagined would work. But I couldn’t get anyone in the US to create the prototype for me. A friend told me to reach out to China, and I did. I partnered with a company to complete the prototype. I loved it. I took it to the beach, and it kept my phone and speaker charged. Then I wanted to discuss manufacturing it. But I never heard back from that company, so I moved on to the next, and they made exactly what I wanted, with bags.
The solar panel was cut into triangles to be able to fold up. I get a call from a potential investor asking me to take a look at a catalog out of Australia, and the Chinese company was selling my design everywhere they could. I just dropped it and kicked everything to the curb. I started my own athletic training company, which ended taking me all over America, and other countries as well.
It was not until I saw Kimroy Bailey on YouTube (they have now moved all their videos to Oasis Videos by the Trott Bailey Family). He and his wife blew me away. I did not hesitate in telling my wife that I am going to complete his school.
You may also be interested in the What Separates the Trott Bailey University Article
I bookmarked Step by Step Solar until I could sit still and focus. From 2013 to 2018, I worked at one of the top 100 private schools in the US. I was the assistant director of Diversity, I also coached football, basketball, and lacrosse. We won state championships in all those sports. I then went back into my own training business again. The pandemic that has forced all of us indoors, allowed me the opportunity that I needed. I enrolled in the Step by Step Solar, and I did not want to sleep until I had finished it. Over the course of 4 days, I focused on nothing but Kimroy Bailey’s lessons. I finished the course.
Kwan Johnson course experience at the Trott Bailey University
Upon doing so, I was told that I would be transitioning over to the Trott Bailey University. It made feel even more special than I had already felt after finishing the course. The Customer support team from the Trott Bailey University was so awesome. I can’t even put into words how thankful I was to connect with them. I feel like the customer support reps, Kaytlyn McFure is family, along with Zeynep Ali and Emre. I go through the solar course content at the Trott Bailey University ever night. Some nights I’m on so long the sun comes up. The overall experience has been a blessing. I am excited for what is to come. They really do walk you through this, but you have to willing and ready to learn. I have talked too much. The last thing, I am going to go back through it again, and again. It is something that I enjoy, and it is thanks to the support team. They are entirely encouraging, and tirelessly working to ensure you the best experience possible. I am looking forward to getting some hands-on work experience with the Kimroy Bailey Group on one of their global solar megaprojects.
Kwan Johnson is now a Certified Solar Installer
Kwan completed the Step by Step Solar Residential Solar Installation course, quizzes, and course exams with above 90% average on all course content. Congratulation Kwan Johnson, we are super proud of you and are looking forward to some amazing days ahead. Kwan is ready to start taking homes off the grid and giving power to the people :). You Rock Kwan, keep up the awesome work with your athletics, training, and empowerment enterprises.