Are You a Lighting Artist or a Business Architect?

I’ve been thinking about something lately:

What separates the lighting businesses that are absolutely killing it from the ones that just can’t seem to get traction?

A big part of it comes down to one question:

Are you a lighting artist—or are you a business architect?

Most people get into the lighting industry because they love the artistry.

And honestly, that’s one of the coolest things about what we do.

You get to take someone’s home and completely transform it. Then the lights come on, and you get to watch the homeowner’s reaction.

That’s pretty freaking cool.

There aren’t many industries where you get to create something like that.

But here’s the problem:

The artistic talent that got you into business won’t necessarily keep you in business.

You can be the best lighting designer in your market and still have a terrible business.

You can create incredible projects and still have no money left at the end of the month.

You can obsess over the perfect fixture, the perfect beam spread, and the perfect design…

…and completely forget that you’re running a business, not a charity.

The Business Architect Has to Show Up

This is where the business architect comes in.

An architect creates a blueprint that other people can follow.

That’s exactly what you need to do with your lighting business.

You need to design:

• Your systems

• Your team

• Your client experience

• Your pricing

• Your marketing

• Your sales process

• Your installation process

• Your company structure

Most importantly, you need to build a company that can actually operate without you doing every single thing.

Because think about why you started your business in the first place.

Most of us wanted freedom.

We wanted to control our schedules.

We wanted to go to our kids’ games.

We wanted to take vacations.

We wanted to make more money.

Then somehow, we leave our 9-to-5…

so we can work 5-to-9.

And now the thing that was supposed to give us freedom has us completely trapped.

That’s not the dream.

You Don't Have to Choose Between Artistry and Business

This is where I think some lighting professionals get stuck.

They believe that becoming more business-focused somehow means caring less about the craft.

I completely disagree.

You can do both.

You can be an amazing lighting designer and build an extremely profitable business.

You can care deeply about the artistry and build systems that allow other people to execute your vision.

You can create beautiful projects and make serious money.

In fact, profitability allows you to do even more for your clients.

When your business is profitable, you can afford:

• Better people

• Better products

• Better training

• Better technology

• Better systems

• Better customer service

You can overdeliver because you actually have the resources to do it.

That's not taking away from the craft.

That's creating a stronger foundation for it.

Stop Building a Business That Depends Entirely on You

If every decision has to go through you…

If every installation requires you…

If every design has to be approved by you…

If every customer question ends up in your inbox…

If every sale depends on you…

Then you don't really own a business.

You own a job.

And the more successful that job becomes, the harder it can be to step away from it.

That's why systems matter.

A good system allows your team to know what needs to happen, when it needs to happen, and how it should be done—without requiring you to constantly step in.

Your job as the business owner isn't to do everything.

Your job is to design the business so the right things get done consistently.

Which Hat Are You Wearing?

So here's what I want you to think about this week:

Which hat are you wearing most of the time?

Are you constantly designing, installing, tweaking projects, solving problems, answering questions, and making sure everything is exactly how you would do it?

If so, maybe it's time to put on the business architect hat.

Your customers need your artistry.

But your team needs your architecture.

And your family?

They need both.

Build beautiful lighting.

Create incredible experiences.

Take pride in the craft.

But don't forget to build the business behind it.

Because the goal isn't simply to become a better lighting professional.

The goal is to build a lighting business that gives you the freedom you started it for.

Design amazing lighting.

But don't forget to design an amazing business, too.

Keep Moving Forward!

— Ryan Lee

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