Cory Vanderpool spent 12 years helping homeowners go solar, saving them money and energy. But when those same people tried selling their homes? Their solar investment's value vanished in the eyes of real estate agents. Equity lost. Hundreds of thousands of dollars in savings dismissed.

Ami Feller started by cleaning up job sites. That’s all they let her do. “It was the only thing ‘suitable’ for a girl,” she remembers. Until one day, staring up at a two-story roof no one wanted to climb, she took the risk. And claimed her place.

Wayne Campbell held his newborn in his arms, and at just 15 years old, felt the weight of the world settle heavily on his shoulders. While others his age planned weekend hangouts, he was staring down bills,