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Wiremasters Electric/Energy Masters | Miami, Florida
The Future Looks Bright for
Florida Clean Energy Entrepreneur
Kent Crook
Wiremasters Electric/Energy Masters
Miami, Florida
Founded in 2008
Full-time employees: 8
The Future Looks Bright for Florida Clean Energy Entrepreneur
Smart entrepreneurs understand that in order to stay ahead, they have to adapt. Kent Crook understands this better than most.
In 2008, Kent opened Wiremasters Electric, a company specializing in electrical service repair and maintenance. When the economy tanked, he had to downsize and streamline the business to keep his doors open. The financial crisis didn’t put a damper on Kent’s entrepreneurial plans, though. A year later he decided to get his feet wet in the emerging clean energy sector by opening Energy Masters, which installs and repairs solar hot water and pool heating equipment. The decision was a good one.
Though Wiremasters still pays most of the bills, he has high hopes for Energy Masters. Hoping to harness Florida’s abundant sunshine, Kent believes his business model is the way of the future, and that with the right policies coming out of Washington, the clean energy business will be a success.
Kent currently has 8 employees, but believes his business can expand with help from policymakers.
“I support policies on the state and federal levels that will spur investments in the types of companies I own,” said Kent. “Lawmakers can definitely do more to open the floodgates for new business opportunities. With increased demand for energy-efficient technologies, my clean energy business would have room to grow.”

