Shy S-Carr (left) and Brad Hubbard use the training wall pictured behind them as a tool for developing their employees’ electrical services skills.

Nuenergy Atlanta Electrical has doubled its team after five years of operations. Pictured here is an electrical services project at DTLR, a retail store located at the Cumberland Mall in Atlanta.

It’s been said that timing is everything. Due to the Great Recession of 2008, timing was a major factor Shy S-Carr had to consider when launching his company. So, he wisely chose to start his business after the economy recovered.

Thus, in 2014 he founded Nuenergy Atlanta Electrical, a full-service electrical contractor that provides electrical services to commercial, industrial and multifamily residential clients in the metro Atlanta area. Economic worries aside, Shy knew he would still have to surmount other hurdles while laying the foundation for his organization.

Past Lights Way for Future

When he started Nuenergy Atlanta Electrical, Shy’s prior construction industry knowledge and experience gave him an advantage over entrepreneurial newbies. “My father owned his own construction company when I was a child, so I was brought up in the industry. I learned important lessons about running a business, such as good marketing and customer relations, well before I started my own professional career,” Shy says.

Groomed to become an entrepreneur, he eventually went on to start his first business. “I ran a general contracting company where I did remodeling, basement finishing, small commercial storefronts and several other specialties. But when the recession happened, I got out of the market and secured a job in corporate America. I waited the recession out and came back into the industry after the economy improved,” Shy explains, adding that encouragement from his friends bolstered his resolve to return to business ownership.

However, instead of going back into the general contracting field, Shy—a master electrician—decided to focus on electrical services. “I wanted to narrow down my scope of work, so I could streamline everything and reduce the amount of materials, types of vehicles and tools, and subcontractor liabilities,” Shy says.

This transition meant he would have to, once again, start from scratch and claim a foothold in a new trade.

Taking Charge of Business

Breaking into a new market is difficult for any businessperson, even in times of economic prosperity. “Those first two years were hard because we not only had to prove ourselves to every potential client, but we also had to assure our employees that they would make sufficient hours in a safe work environment and show our suppliers that we were creditworthy,” Shy says.

Fortunately, Brad Hubbard joined the company in the early days—and later became partner—followed by Kenny Thomas and Greg Mitchell, two other long-term team players who grew into lead project managers.

The team started off by doing service and emergency calls—upgrading electrical panels and light fixtures, resolving power outages and keeping electrical systems safe for the end users.

Eventually, they focused more on project work, starting with bids on smaller jobs and then transitioning to larger ones, with particular emphasis on private-sector projects.

The bidding process was complicated by the fact that Nuenergy Atlanta Electrical did not have a list of previous clients who could speak to the quality and efficiency of its electrical services work. Therefore, before bidding on projects, the team would try to meet with general contractors in person to better understand the job requirements, discuss how they would handle the work and get feedback on preliminary ideas for the bid.

Shy believes his background in general contracting gives his company an edge over others in the electrical services field. “I see things differently than most electrical companies because I know the ins and outs of all the trades, which is beneficial in scaling out a job properly,” Shy says.

After steadily increasing bid submissions and persistently following leads, in addition to marketing and networking efforts, Nuenergy Atlanta Electrical’s hard work paid off. Finally, Shy and his crew were given opportunities to prove themselves and grow their portfolio of projects. Without this steady flow of work, Shy would not have been able to provide the income and hours necessary to keep his team afloat and expand the business.

Power in the People

Like others in the construction trades, Shy stays mindful of the importance of attracting and retaining high-quality employees. Brad, for example, plays a significant role in their company. “Brad has a lot of responsibilities—he interviews new electricians for employment and evaluates their skill sets, prepares new projects for mobilization, and works on multiple projects simultaneously to ensure they are completed properly,” Shy says.

He adds, “Everyone in the construction industry is looking for good, skilled laborers. There has been a shortage in the skilled labor force so it’s tough to find good people, like our top leads, and keep them from leaving to go to another company.”

Nuenergy Atlanta Electrical recognizes that reliable, skilled workers are vital to its success, which is why it strives to make working for the company an appealing opportunity. In addition to offering competitive salaries, the company provides bonuses and gives small gifts to employees throughout the year. Upper management also invests time to get to know individual team members.

“We have to let them know we care,” Shy explains, “by spending quality time getting to know who they are and the things they are concerned about, like their families. I like the fact that when people come to work for us, they’ve got a reason to work. They’re taking care of their families—their children, their wives. We’re able to support them and make sure they can take care of their families comfortably.” By taking time to understand his staff, Shy has created a family-like workplace culture while learning more about each worker’s abilities.

“Those first two years were hard because we not only had to prove ourselves to every potential client, but we also had to assure our employees that they would make sufficient hours in a safe work environment and show our suppliers that we were creditworthy.” Shy S-Carr, 
Chief Operating Officer and Founder, 
Nuenergy Atlanta Electrical

Finding Your Niche

Now, after five years in operation, the company has more than doubled its team and maintains a steady workflow while continuing to focus on strong working relationships with both employees and clients. This small, minority-owned business is certified as a Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) in Fulton County and as a Small Local Business Enterprise (SLBE) in Clayton County. In the city of Atlanta, it is certified as an African American Business Enterprise (AABE) and a Small Business Enterprise (SBE), and has Equal Business Opportunity (EBO) certification.

What’s more, Shy has found his niche in the electrical services trade and feels appreciation for all those working within it. He recommends that others interested in the field should contact trade organizations like Independent Electrical Contractors (IEC) or International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) to learn about training opportunities.

Shy suggests another option. He says, “I would tell them to stop thinking and start applying. Apply at jobs that will offer opportunities to further their knowledge by investing in attendance to training classes.” He advises electricians to extend their career goals by acquiring education and skills to become an electrical project manager or an electrical estimator.

He believes leaders in this complex arena of service must have a broad understanding of all other trades to plan and execute the electrical work on projects. “We talk with all the different trades because we have to stretch and wire up a component to everything and set up our work based off all the other trades. What we do takes a lot of planning and communication to schedule and implement the plan,” Shy explains. Although he acknowledges that electrical tradespersons often aren’t recognized for the breadth and depth of their industry knowledge, he sees their work as vital to helping projects run smoothly.

Nuenergy Atlanta Electrical has certainly proven that although there are many barriers to starting a new business, one can transform challenges into opportunities with the right people, a well-thought-out business development strategy, passion and persistence. This startup blueprint will certainly be beneficial when the company opens its second location, outside of Georgia, in the near future.