Employee Spotlight: Craig Morse
As part of our Team Spotlight Series, we sat down with PVpallet’s Director of Sales, Craig Morse, to hear about his professional journey and personal motivators. If you’ve ever had the opportunity to talk with Craig one-on-one, you know he’s full of great stories and truly a coach at heart. He excels at building strong teams, establishing thriving professional partnerships, and taking organizational growth to the next level. At PVpallet, Craig continues to see success in the wake of his hard work and push to be the best version of himself.
Here’s a peek into Craig’s unique experiences and perspectives.
Outside work, Craig enjoys traveling the world with his wife, Lisa.
What did you do before you started at PVpallet?
I have a very diverse background and skillset—from medical device sales to custom software consulting to growing startups and transforming turnarounds. One of those startups was when I scaled my own business to 40 million in two years. It’s the combination of those experiences that has enhanced my knowledge and defined what I bring to the table for an organization. PVpallet is the fourth startup I’ve been a part of, and it has been a very positive thing for me. To be trusted to help grow an organization is a big deal to me that I take very seriously.
What is your biggest lesson learned from those experiences?
I’ve learned that I really like a startup environment. I like the chaos and the low level of bureaucracy. I like being accountable and knowing that I’m making a difference. In a startup, there’s no place to hide—either you perform or you’re not a good fit. I enjoy being able to deliver value to PVpallet by integrating what I’ve learned in my previous experiences and successes.
When did you first know that you wanted to pursue a career in sales?
Growing up, I wasn’t aware of the opportunities out there—I just didn’t have visibility do different career options. Shortly after college, I had a couple friends who went into sales and it really appealed to me. Specifically, I liked sales with a more consultative approach; it aligned better with my goals and objectives. That’s the approach I took and how I moved forward in sales and sales management.
What do you think sets you apart?
Starting and scaling my own business to 40 million in two years—that’s really one of my proudest moments professionally. When you’re taking 100% of the risk, you really have to ask yourself: Am I smart enough? Am I lucky enough? I was able to prove to myself that I was both. I’m very proud of that. And I am glad that I’m able to take that successful track record and apply what I’ve learned to helping grow PVpallet.
What inspired you to join the PVpallet team?
I was on LinkedIn one day and an ad for the Director of Sales at PVpallet popped up. It intrigued me, so I started going through the organization’s objectives and their mission. Then I looked into the solar industry as a whole. From a growth perspective, the industry is astounding. There’s so much potential. I could see that PVpallet was entering into the market at a perfect time. I could see that they had a great opportunity to rapidly scale along with the industry. I know that sales are sales—as long as you can address a gap or challenge in the marketplace, you can be successful in any industry. Honestly, I’ve been a supporter since I read that ad. Then I met Philip and appreciated his intelligence and positivity. His enthusiasm and potential for building an innovative, positive culture helped me quickly realize that we could work well together.
What do you like most about working at PVpallet?
I like the core team. We’re all focused on growth and doing our best. We all truly want to see PVpallet succeed. It’s a younger team and really a fun group that is focused on continuing to accelerate their careers. The culture is great—it’s very positive which is a big deal to me. I’m happy to be a part of it.
Which one of our core values resonates with you most? Why?
Operating with integrity. I’m a big believer in an honest, open approach to things. It goes hand-in-hand with trust. Can you be counted on to do what you say you’re going to do? That’s a big thing for me. It’s one of my core beliefs.
“Can you be counted on to do what you say you’re going to do?
That’s a big thing for me. It’s one of my core beliefs.”
What’s your favorite memory from working at the company?
The first day I started at PVpallet, I flew to St. Louis to meet with the executive team. I hadn’t been there for more than a few minutes when Luke looked at me and said, “We have a sales call in five minutes. Do you want to handle it?” I said, “Sure.” Fortunately, I’d already done my research and was comfortable talking about the product. The whole situation just entertains me and shows the culture of a startup. It’s fast-paced and you have to be ready to just dive in—often with little notice.
What do you think our biggest challenges and opportunities are?
One of the biggest challenges we’ve had is that we came to the market a bit backwards, in my opinion. We developed a product internally, then told the market, “Here’s what you need.” This is something I’ve seen even fortune 500 companies do. The problem with this approach is that you can easily miss the mark. As a company, we’ve pivoted significantly on this approach. We’re now asking the market, “What do you need?” It’s that consultative, listening approach that will really enable us to meet market demand. We’re prioritizing taking the time to understand the specific challenges and needs of solar manufacturers—and developing custom solutions that fit their needs. As we’ve pivoted, we’ve also expanded our service offerings. Our reverse logistics program, for example, enables customers to track and trace their product through the supply chain and provide key metrics that enable them to fine-tune their operations. We’re focusing on delivering long-term value. As we scale, we will continue to listen to the market and pivot as needed.
What industry changes or trends do you think will have the biggest impact?
The IRA and the current administration’s focus on renewables is rapidly scaling the industry. Solar manufacturers are moving and scaling operations in the United States—which is a really big deal for the industry as a whole. Just look at the impact the recent deal between Qcells and Microsoft—it’s transforming the domestic solar landscape. That, coupled with the growing understanding of the positive impact reusable packaging can have on a company’s bottom line, will have a snowball effect for us.
What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned in your career?
I go back to blocking and tackling. The biggest thing I know is work hard and smart—take the initiative and put effort into it. No matter your skill set, you can learn and take on the positive habits and be disciplined in whatever you do. If you work both hard and smart, you can deliver good results.
“No matter your skill set, you can take on the positive habits and be disciplined in whatever you do. If you work both hard and smart, you can deliver good results.”
What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
I enjoy spending time with my family, traveling, and staying active. I really am very grateful for my wonderful family—my wife and two kids. Each of my kids has grown up to be successful in their own right. I’m extremely proud of them. We all love to travel. Even when my kids were very little, we brought them all around the world. One of my favorite trips was when my wife and I spent several weeks crisscrossing Europe. We got to experience a lot of different countries and cultures—and spend a lot of quality time together meeting new people and doing new things. I also like going to the gym and working out. A sedentary life is not for me.
Where do you want to travel next?
India, Vietnam, Thailand, Australia, and New Zealand are all on the list. I haven’t been to those places yet and would really like to visit them. I’d also like to travel more in South America—specifically Argentina, Brazil, and Chile.
If you could pick any superpower, what would it be and why?
That’s a hard one. I think I’d like to be able to see the future. Then I could adjust to do certain things to help people and have better outcomes.
What motivates you?
First of all, I have found that money is not a motivator. Instead, I’m motivated by being the best version of myself. I believe in putting in the effort and doing your best. If I focus on being the best I can be at any given skillset—money and success will follow.