Business owner David Gardiner considers himself a regular person despite resembling superhero Helios on the Energy Defenders logo.
“I don’t want to say [I’m a] superhero because that’s pretty bold. A genuine person absolutely. I care a lot about what I do,” Gardiner said.
Energy Defenders is a company that helps people save money on their energy bill by switching to solar.
Starting in 2019 with just Gardiner himself, the company now has 30 employees and is planning on having 50 employees in 2024.
One small difference between Helios and Gardiner is that Helios has hair.
“We created that character and added some luscious hair to him, and he’s the all-mighty Helios. He’s the energy protector. He’s the hero of solar. He gives the information to the customer,” Gardiner said.
Every superhero needs a villain, so Gardiner also created a villain named Gridlock who represents energy companies closing down areas causing people to not be able to go solar.
“They close down areas and people can’t go solar, and I think a lot of people they say they’re going to wait; ‘I want to see what happens.’ And we always tell people, ‘If you want to see what’s going to happen, this is what actually happens when you wait,’” Gardiner said.
In October, Energy Defenders moved from 601 White Horse Pike to downtown Hammonton at 11 S. Third St.
“It was really a goal of mine to keep business in Hammonton,” Gardiner said.
Downstairs there’s a call center where employees reach out to customers who have inquired about solar and are looking to obtain information.
Energy Defenders also does in-home consultations.
“A representative will go to their house and give them facts about how solar works and why it’s beneficial for them to take advantage of the programs that are available in the state,” Gardiner said.
Energy Defenders recently became a licensed contractor in the State of New Jersey, so Energy Defenders will be a full installation company. The company is also a licensed contractor in Pennsylvania.
“We’re going to have a full roofing division. We’re actually doing our first roofing job this week and just planning on getting into other sectors of the business that have to do with energy efficiency so HVAC, windows, insulation,” Gardiner said.
The idea of Energy Defenders wasn’t just to capture solar energy, it was to help people with a cost that’s never going to go away.
“Your energy bill is always going to be there, so if I can get involved in every facet of the business that was the goal,” Gardiner said.
For more information about Energy Defenders call (609) 832-2734, visit their website theenergydefenders.com and follow them on Facebook.