Want to win on trust, not price? Check out our latest article, and see how leading installers are transforming their business models. https://info.amply.energy/blog/win-on-trust-the-heat-pump-business-model-matrix

Join the best heat pump contractors at the US Heat Pump Summit

November 18-19, 2025 | DCU Center, Worcester, MA

The annual gathering of top contractors advancing their work with heat pumps. Get world-class business and technical training from industry leaders, plus direct access to regulators, rebate providers, and energy experts shaping the future of our industry.

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https://bit.ly/us-heatpump-summit

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When DR Richardson tried to install a heat pump in his Boulder townhome, the experience was a disaster. Finding rebates, sizing equipment, vetting contractors — every step was harder than it should be. That frustration led him to co-found Elephant Energy, a tech-enabled platform now operating in Colorado, Massachusetts, and Los Angeles that's redefining how homeowners get heat pumps installed.

Elephant's model is straightforward: they own the customer relationship, handle all the sales and rebate complexity, then partner with vetted contractors who show up, install, and get paid quickly. For contractors, it means consistent work with better margins but giving up customer ownership. DR calls it "the Uber of heat pumps" — a comparison that raises an important question: Is this solving contractor problems or creating a new kind of competitor?

In this episode, DR walks through Elephant's entire process — from the 60-second online quote to contractor partnerships to managing the nightmare of multi-state rebate programs. We dig into the economics, the quality assurance challenges, and what this model means for the future of heat pump installation. Whether you see Elephant as friend or foe, their approach reveals what problems homeowners and contractors are actually facing — and forces the question of who should solve them.

Key topics: tech-enabled HVAC platforms, contractor partnerships, rebate management, the future of home electrification, and whether heat pump installation is fundamentally a craft business or a logistics problem.

Key Takeaways:

• Why the customer journey for electrification is fundamentally broken and how Elephant Energy fixes it.
• How Elephant’s tech-enabled platform bridges the gap between homeowners and contractors.
• The strategic role of rebates and the hidden friction they create in the market.
• What it takes to build trust and quality assurance at scale in the HVAC industry.

Timestamps:

[00:00] - Episode Teaser

[03:18] - Introducing DR Richardson & Elephant Energy

[04:08] - Founding Elephant Energy: The Opportunity & Vision

[09:10] - Building a Seamless Customer Journey

[14:13] - The Digital Experience & Quote Process

[17:46] - Contractor Partnerships & Operational Excellence

[27:26] - How Contractors Make Money with Elephant

[33:13] - The Role and Challenges of Rebates

[44:33] - The Future of Elephant Energy

[48:33] - Recommended Resources & Closing Thoughts

Follow DR Richardson:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardsondr/
• LinkedIn (Company): https://www.linkedin.com/company/elephant-energy-us/
• Website (Company): https://elephantenergy.com/
• Facebook (Company): https://www.facebook.com/elephantenergyus#
• Instagram (Company): https://www.instagram.com/elephantenergy_us/
• Twitter (Company): https://x.com/elephant_energy

Follow the Hosts:

• Ed Smith: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ed-smith-5aa8716
• Eric Fitz: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ehfitz/
• Amply Energy Website: https://www.amply.energy/
• Amply Energy YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@amplyenergy
• Amply Energy Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amplyenergy
• Amply Energy Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amply_energy/