February 2024 Contractor of the Month is: Illuminations Lighting, Inc

Can you tell us a little about what you did before lighting and how you got into it? Do you have any certifications or a background that helped excelling with landscape lighting?

Before venturing into the world of lighting, I held the role of General Manager at Hilton Hotels. My mission? To transform struggling hotels into thriving establishments through strategic capital improvements, staff reorganization, and comprehensive training. During my tenure as a General Manager, an unexpected holiday tradition took root. I was entrusted with adorning the hotel lobby for festive seasons. What began as a modest task blossomed into an annual passion project. Witnessing the joy it brought to our guests and staff fueled my enthusiasm. Enter Illuminations Holiday Lighting: initially a weekend gig where I professionally hung Christmas lights for residential properties. But fate had other plans. When the pandemic hit in 2020, travel declined, and I found myself laid off. Seizing the opportunity, I committed to my side hustle, transforming Illuminations into my full-time pursuit. Since then, we’ve flourished into a profitable company with a team of up to 10 employees. Our journey led us to a charming historic brick-and-mortar building—a true home—in our community.

Can you tell us about your business?

Established seven years ago, Illuminations Lighting, Inc is dedicated to enhancing spaces through Commercial Christmas Decorating and Landscape Lighting. As a local company, we take pride in our community’s trust and respect, which has allowed us to collaborate on numerous projects. Our expertise extends to various lighting solutions, and we’ve recently had the privilege of working with zoos, casinos, and even the Dick’s Sporting Goods Open golf tournament, where we illuminated unforgettable concerts featuring Zac Brown Band and Kenny Chesney.

How did you get into the landscape lighting business?

Our lighting experience started in the world of Christmas decor, in which we install over 2 million lights each season and continue to grow. However, as all contractors know, it's getting harder to find/keep quality employees, so we looked at Landscape Lighting in order to hold onto our staff throughout the year. Landscape Lighting has not only kept our employees year-round but has given the business the revenue boost that we really needed as well. I attended Ryan Lee's "Landscape Lighting: Live" training last season, along with reading multiple books to understand and grow in this artistry of lighting. I look forward to more unique and challenging projects in the near future to grow our portfolio!

What percentage of your business is landscape lighting/what other services do you provide (ie: landscaping, irrigation, electrical…)?

As we embark on our second full season of Landscape Lighting, our current service distribution stands as follows: 60% Commercial Christmas 20% Residential Christmas 20% Landscape Lighting Despite the initial lower percentage for Landscape Lighting, we’re thrilled by the growing interest from our existing customers. Anticipating continued momentum, we confidently project that our Landscape Lighting profits will double by the end of this season.

How long have you been installing landscape lighting?

2 full Seasons

What AMP products do you prefer to use? Which fixtures are your favorite?

I incorporate a range of AMP products from their website into various applications. What truly impresses me is the remarkable consistency across AMP’s offerings. Whether I have product inquiries, need assistance with design layouts, or require warranty exchanges, their support has consistently been top-notch—swift, friendly, and reliable. This level of service is precisely why I feel confident representing AMP in my projects.

What tips or tricks have you learned that have benefited your work from a design/installation perspective?

Listening to our clients and customers when speaking with them about the project. You are able to pull out many details that become important to the design. Performing a night time demo also helps the customer understand the possibilities and allows me to open up my creativity.

Tell me about your sales process. How do you find your customers? What is your sales process? Do you use sales tools such as a free demo…

Our sales process revolves around listening attentively to our customers, truly understanding their needs, and then crafting a lighting fixture and design that exceeds their expectations. We deliver our solutions with meticulous attention to detail and genuine passion. Additionally, we offer free nighttime demonstrations to showcase our designs in action, allowing customers to experience the magic firsthand. Our professional graphic designs further aid in visualizing the end result and play a crucial role in closing the sale. As for our marketing strategy this season, it’s a well-balanced mix of brand visibility: Digital Marketing: We’re leveraging geofencing, Facebook, and other online channels to reach our audience effectively. Trade Shows and Events: We’ll be present at trade shows and large events, connecting directly with potential clients. Radio and Potentially TV: While we explore these traditional avenues, our primary success has been through digital marketing.

Where do you find inspiration for your lighting designs?

My inspiration primarily stems from the vibrant landscape lighting community and the wealth of knowledge shared by experts I’ve had the privilege to converse with. Observing their innovative designs motivates me to strive for uniqueness and create stunning lighting results. Continual learning from others’ experiences and diving into remarkable books—such as Janet Lennox Moyer’s Landscape Lighting Book—fuels my passion for illuminating spaces beautifully.

What do you feel is the most personally rewarding part of installing a lighting system for a client?

For me lighting is about emotion. whether it's Christmas or Landscape lighting, we want the customer to connect to their emotions when they see our lighting. We want our customer to feel safe and to feel comfort walking through their softly lit backyard at night. We want our customer to feel warmth when they return home at night and see their home shining.

Tell us a little bit about you personally: What do you like to do outside of work? What are your hobbies?

Having my own business has granted me the freedom to savor moments away from the office. I cherish spending time with my 7-year-old son, Braydon, cheering him on during his hockey games. When it’s not hockey season and it's time for relaxation, my wife, son, and I embark on travel adventures to the Bahamas. And on most summer evenings, we gather on our back deck, watching outdoor movies and sitting next to the fire as a family.