December 28, 2023 • 41 mins
Navigating the shifting tides of the lighting industry is no small feat, and as I peer into the rearview mirror of the past year, I'm struck by our collective resilience. Even as we missed the zenith of success from previous years, there's a spark of optimism for what 2024 holds, despite the perplexing economic signals and the shadow of an election year. In a candid sharing of my journey, I unravel the knots of undergoing a major software transition in my showroom, a process that has been both draining and invigorating. And as the possibility of rekindling our podcast in February 2024 hangs in the balance, the vitality of our community's input has never been clearer. Your voices fuel this space, and it's this very interconnection that illuminates the path ahead for our industry.
The conversation then pivots to the undercurrents of challenge that lighting showroom retailers confront daily. The narrative weaves through the undervaluation of our specialized knowledge, shrinking margins, and the fading of sales tools that were once our mainstay. I dissect the evolving dynamics between manufacturers and showrooms, advocating for 'to the trade certified' partnerships to rejuvenate our sector. With each insight and reflection shared, the episode becomes a call to arms for transparency and alliance. We're not just selling lights; we're safeguarding our expertise and fortifying partnerships that respect the depth of our work. Join me as we illuminate the intricacies of our trade and champion the reciprocal relationships essential for the lighting industry's prosperity.
Thank you to Lights America for sponsoring this episode of Lighting with Lisa!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
Hello and welcome fellow lighting nerds and
friends to Lighting with Lisa,the lighting industries podcast
hosted by me, lisa Bartlett, andsponsored this week once again
by Lights America.
Thank you so much, lightsAmerica, for sponsoring and
supporting the podcast in itsnew form, and I'll have more on
(00:25):
Lights America in upcomingminutes of the episode.
So you might have noticed, thepodcast has been off schedule a
bit this December 2023.
The last episode, I think, waspretty good insight as to why,
in our transition from WindwardSystem 5 to Oracle NetSuite at
(00:51):
my lighting showroom, it's beena journey and it has been all
consuming, as anyone who hasever gone through a huge
conversion like this can attestto.
It is really just takes overeverything in one's life and I'm
(01:13):
happy to do it.
It's been a worthwhile endeavorthus far but it sure has been a
time and energy drain.
But I'm looking forward to agreat 2024 with our new systems
in place.
But because of that the podcasthas been off schedule a bit.
(01:35):
So this will be the lastlighting with Lisa podcast for
2023.
The podcast will hopefullyreturn in 2024.
As I mentioned when I relaunchedthe podcast after Light Files,
I will only be doing the podcastfor I'm able to continue to
(01:55):
have sponsors and partners onthe podcast and, quite honestly,
I have not had time to try tomake those connections for 2024
episodes.
I will endeavor to do so and,assuming all goes well, the
podcast will be back startingFebruary 2024.
I am going to not be in Dallasfor light of Asian in January.
(02:21):
My showroom will be inattendance but it will not be by
me.
I will be off on a differenttrip that was preplanned.
So I will be thinking of youall from afar, but you know I
won't be there in January.
I will be in June and I'm sureeveryone will have a wonderful
(02:44):
market and, believe it or not, Iwill miss every one of you and
I'm sorry I won't get to see youin person but but I will not be
there.
So once I'm back from my tripand we get through January, the
podcast will come back.
The best way to make that happenif you enjoy the podcast is to
share it, tell a friend, like,like and subscribe.
(03:07):
Please email me, lisa, atlighting with Lisacom, if you
are interested in sponsoring thepodcast, if you're interested
in appearing on the podcast, ifyou have a good lead on someone
that might be interested insponsoring the podcast.
If you have some thoughts onthe podcast whether it's
(03:28):
feedback on an existing episode,ideas for future content your
inspiration and thoughts arewhat keep the podcast going.
Quite honestly, like quiteliterally, when the light files
podcast went dark, I was notplanning on bringing it back in,
(03:49):
at least not in this form.
But I was approached by many ofyou about how you enjoyed the
podcast and it helped make youfeel like you weren't alone out
there in our little lightingworld silos, and I do very much
appreciate that feeling, and soI was inspired to keep it going
under this new lighting withLisa brand I have been working
(04:14):
on.
I was working on it much moreassertively before this database
transition, but I am fullyexpecting that to come back
around in 2024.
So, anyway, I hope I am able tocontinue the podcast after this
episode.
So this episode is going to be alittle bit of thoughts on the
(04:39):
past year and what I really hopefor the lighting industry in
2024 and beyond.
I do endeavor to keep thesepodcasts positive and
informative and focused onsuccess.
I am a bit hesitant that someof the content of this podcast
(05:04):
might come off a bit negative.
That is certainly not myintention, but it is always my
intention to draw a light, toshine a light on things that I
think are not working quiteright in our industry, things we
can all improve on From allcorners.
(05:25):
Again, that can be showroomfocused, it could be
manufacturer focused, it couldbe sales agent focused, but
there are definitely things thatneed some improvement.
And, as we head into lightevasion, I think it's the
perfect time this holiday weekto sit back and reflect on these
things and really think aboutwhere our industry is going and
(05:47):
how we all fit into it in thenext year and beyond.
So that's what's coming up,this episode.
So let's get into it.
So 2023 has been, I think, forall of us, a good I'm going to
call it a solid year.
It wasn't a 2021 or 2022.
(06:12):
Those were amazing years.
I think 2023, for me at least,and in those I've talked to has
basically landed in the solidcategory.
If you were projecting growthbased on what happened in 2021
and 2022, I think you wereprobably a bit disappointed.
But I haven't talked to anybodywho said 23 has just been a
(06:37):
disaster for them.
Things have just been a bitslower, a bit softer, but by no
means bad or terrible, and fromthe signs we are seeing in the
economy at large.
I'm expecting 24 to continue inthat same vein.
(06:57):
Maybe things will soften upeven a bit more because it's an
election year.
But we do have potentially someat least stable news out of the
Fed with interest rates, maybeeven a reduction in interest
rates.
Home prices in my area of theworld are still pretty
astronomically high.
(07:19):
Inventory is still low evenwith high interest rates.
Things are certainly notselling as fast as they were,
but it's not like things are ata complete standstill.
So I think there is definitelymixed signs out there.
I am not sure.
I'm not sure I am being moreconservative in my 2024 planning
(07:41):
For my show.
I'm especially.
I did take on this additionallarge expense of a new software
platform that does not comecheap.
I'm delighted we did it, but itis a big resources hog, so I'm
behaving conservatively becauseof that and many other factors
(08:06):
in the economy at large.
So we'll see how that all playsout.
But I definitely think 24 hasthe markings of a solid to
middling year, especially tostart.
Hopefully that turns around andgrows a bit mid, middle end of
(08:28):
the year.
But again, depending how thiselection goes and how, what kind
of dramatics arise in ournational politics.
You just never know how thatcould end up playing out.
So, as always, you knowsomething to keep an eye on.
But I'm not expecting anydisasters for 2024.
(08:48):
I don't think.
I don't think any of us are.
That would be a surprise, butsurprises do happen.
So I'm just not expecting like21 and 22 were just booms.
We all know those are happensometimes and we're lucky to
have them and we can enjoy them,but it's unsustainable, really.
(09:08):
So I think we're just headedback to maybe more of a soft
position, but not a weak one,for the next year or so.
So that's my two cents on that.
So, moving into 2024.
I'm going to call 2024 thecritical year of partnership and
(09:35):
the lack thereof.
I think 2024 for the lightingindustry is a year where the
rubber really needs to meet theroad and we really need to
decide who are our partners inour businesses Every one of us.
(09:56):
Manufacturers, who are yourpartners, sales agents who are
your partners.
Lighting showrooms take a hardlook who are your partners, and
we all need to have some honestand frank conversations with
(10:17):
ourselves and one another aboutthis.
For showrooms, we can oftenfeel like we're being kept in
the dark by our manufacturerpartners.
It often feels like you'rebeing told what the whoever
(10:37):
sales agent, manufacturer,whoever it is what they want you
to hear and you know.
Pay no mind to the man behindthe curtain.
I'm not saying that is thereality.
It is often the perception.
So for many, many lightingshowrooms, there is this sense
(10:59):
of lack of genuine partnership.
I'm a business owner.
I understand that having all ofyour eggs in one proverbial
basket is not really sustainableas a business.
I wouldn't expect any of mypartners to manage their
(11:20):
businesses accordingly.
What I do hope for is thatthere is a value put on the
partnership with my business,that it is prioritized as a
customer and that it is notmarginalized by other business
decisions made by my partners.
(11:41):
Um, I want to feel like,excited about the people I'm
doing business with.
I don't want to feel like I'mbeing bullied.
I don't want to feel like I'mbeing lied to.
I don't want to feel like I'mmade to feel less than for the
(12:03):
business I have cultivated andworked so hard at.
I want to be excited.
I want to run into showrooms inDallas with like joy to see the
products, to engage witheveryone there, to network, to
learn, to grow.
I don't want it to be a chorethat I have to do, that I feel
(12:25):
obligated to do.
I think a lot of us are startingto feel a bit disillusioned in
the showroom side with ourpartnerships or lack thereof.
I'm not saying this is aone-way street.
This very well could be thecase on the other side too.
That's why I'm saying I believewe really need to have some
(12:49):
serious conversations about whatthese things look like going
forward, and I think we need tobe honest with one another.
Showroom life the past severalyears and while it has been good
economically for many of us, wehave margins continuing to be
(13:11):
squeezed, increasingly saturatedmarket of goods and a reduction
in great relationships.
That's not a winning recipe.
It's not a winning recipe forany of us.
It often feels like our partnersAgain, not all.
(13:33):
I am speaking in very generalstatements.
I am aware I'm not singlinganybody out in any way, but it
feels often that our partners inour businesses they're making
it harder to do businesstogether.
That's just not a sustainableplace to live from.
(13:57):
It almost seems to be like howmuch can we take away and still
keep this distribution channel?
How much can we impede on theirability to do business and
(14:17):
still keep them around ascustomers and engaged.
That's a fairly dramaticstatement, but sometimes it does
feel that way as the customerin the vendor sorry, the
manufacturer, sales agentshowroom, like three-legged
stool, it just feels like as thecustomer we are less and less
(14:44):
important and all of uscustomers in that relationship
are the retailer in anotherrelationship and we are just
trained day in and day out.
Not that the customer is alwaysright, we know that's kind of
like a fraudulent belief to somedegree, but we do all
(15:05):
prioritize customer service andit frequently, frequently,
frequently feels like as thecustomer I'm not getting
outstanding service and I'mbeing made to think that things
are one way when they're anotheror whatever the case may be.
It just feels like a lack ofpartnership, like how, what can
(15:28):
I do to keep this businessaround and still have them sell
my stuff?
Like what's the bare minimum wecan get by with?
You know, of course, there usedto be higher margins in the
industry, right, that's longgone.
The internet happened, so Iunderstand, with like a
reduction in margins all around.
Things like free sales toolshave also like gone away and
(15:53):
like aggressive, like programs,but like when things like free
sales tools including, likecolor samples or finished
samples or gosh what do you nameit Glass, whatever it is that
would help you as a businesssell more of a product.
A lot of those tools have likeslowly disappeared, and I
(16:16):
understand, because, likemargins are shrunk and
everything else, so that's fine.
I mean, I understand thatthat's a thing, but it doesn't
help me sell more of the product.
And then you couple that withsome of the like reward programs
that I see out there in themarket and I mean I like a nice
(16:38):
trip as much as the next person.
You all know that but theydon't actually help the bottom
line of my business and I wouldrather have funds that are spent
on a trip or some sort of itemlike that reinvested back into
my sales channels that I cansell more.
(16:59):
It just often seems like thephrase that comes to mind is
like lipstick on a pig andthat's maybe a bit more
aggressive than I mean, but itjust is not very encouraging for
showrooms to really doeverything that we need to do in
(17:24):
order to sell product.
It honestly feels like there'slike a devaluation of the skill
needed to work in a lightingshowroom and to be able to
answer all of the questionsconcerns comments, weird,
whatever that customers haveabout like their lighting and
(17:47):
their dimmers and their lightbulbs, and it just kind of feels
like the industry at large istreating our jobs in the
lighting showroom as if it isnot a skilled job, and every one
of us that works in a lightingshowroom for a living can tell
you it's highly skilled andhighly technical job, which is
(18:08):
why it is highly difficult tofind people that are willing to
learn everything that needs tobe learned to effectively sell
in a lighting showroom.
It is not a job that a lot ofpeople can step into and excel
at.
It takes a lot of learning andwillingness to learn about
(18:30):
things most of us have neverthought of before in our entire
lives.
So it often feels that thatthat knowledge, that tribal
knowledge that we've built upand learned and acquired all of
these years in the industrylearning from dimmers and
compatibility and light bulbsand LEDs and integral LEDs and
(18:53):
LED lamps and fans and CFMs andDC motors and AC motors and all
of the little little questionswe deal with all day long to
sell effectively and have happycustomers it feels like there is
a devaluation of that skill inthe industry at large, a lack of
(19:15):
prioritizing the importance ofthose skills.
It's like it doesn't.
It's like if you haven't workedin a lighting showroom you
don't quite understand howchallenging it can really be to
be able to answer thesequestions.
You know, some things are easy,right, and those are the sales
(19:35):
we all love.
But some things are hard.
Doing a tape light layout andhaving it be installed without
issue is challenging.
This is not for the faint ofheart to do it successfully.
Let me just rephrase a littlebit what I've been saying in
(19:57):
order.
I guess anybody can like throwa dart and guess at some of
these things with dimmers andspec sheets and trying to look
up compatibilities and all thatfun stuff.
But to successfully build abusiness on these technical
applications is actually veryhard.
You could do it and give awayall your margin in mistakes.
(20:21):
But the name of the game hereis to be able to quote these
jobs, to install them, to seethem through from start to
finish and make a profit at it.
And to make a profit at it youhave to have a high level of
skill.
If you're just kind of likehalf assing and guessing, there
goes all your margin in mistakes, because mistakes in this
(20:43):
industry and this business canbe exceptionally costly,
depending on what you're workingon and what you're doing, how
tall the ceilings are orwhatever random thing you happen
to run into.
So I'm going to take a littlecommercial break here.
I want to thank our sponsor,lights America.
If you're going to Lightavation, unlike myself, be sure to
(21:07):
visit the Lights America teamFelix, eugene and Julie be sure
to visit with them inside theFramberg showroom.
You can give a test drive tothe floor kiosk, which is just
fantastic If you haven't seenthat, and they can fill you in
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(21:31):
partnership on the 3D model andaugmented reality program,
which is expanding.
For all Lights Americacustomers, whether you have a
showroom website, a sales repwebsite, it is a fantastic tool
the 3D models in the showroomsalone.
I chatted with the thetechnology team earlier this
(21:54):
week and they said that theactivations of the 3D models for
some manufacturers were justoff the charts and we all know
that tools like that can reallylead to increased sales and
interest in your products andyour business.
So Lights America proudlysupports this podcast the
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lighting industry.
It is the leading data providerfor fans, lighting and home
decor.
The database comes directlyfrom the manufacturers.
They scrub the data.
They put it back out there forall of us to use.
You can use it on the via theLights America website.
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choosing via the data 52 program.
There's I'm at holiday trackingpro tools, the 3D program.
It is the most dependable andcomprehensive catalog service in
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(22:57):
If you haven't looked recentlyat everything Lights America
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Don't forget to tell them thatlighting with Lisa sent you.
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Let them know you came via thelighting with Lisa podcast and
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time and place to do so.
Okay, so back on my 2024commiserating.
Okay, well, we're going to tryto make this a bit more positive
(24:04):
.
I just I just think it'simportant that we speak in these
hard truths about where we are.
It definitely feels sometimesthat we're like at this critical
, like half full, half emptybalance in the industry.
(24:25):
I'm just not quite sure whichway things are going to tip.
I think there I don't justthink I know there is a lot of
room for improvement.
There is a lot of room forimproving programs in a way that
(24:45):
meets the needs of allparticipants.
So let's, let's take a hot topicon selling directly to the
trade.
So, for the aforementionedreasons about feeling
marginalized as showroomdistribution, it feels like a
bit of a slap in the face thattrade programs exist in some
(25:10):
degree, that folks are not sentback to lighting showrooms for
these purchases.
I know when, every time Imention that, I'm often told
it's not your showroom that'sthe problem, it's all these
other ones, and I just think Idon't know, maybe that's a thing
(25:30):
, but say that is a thing thatnot all showrooms are responsive
or they're not pricing at thelevel the market requires for
these kinds of jobs.
Okay, fine, I will accept that.
So how about we?
Do some manufacturers come upwith a trade certified showroom
(25:55):
model and this could bedifferent for every manufacturer
.
You know, maybe somemanufacturers, maybe it's
important that the showroomsshow responsiveness.
And, by the way, a littleanecdote, I'm going to interrupt
myself I have always followedup on every lead that every
sales agent has ever passed myway for selling to the trade.
I follow rapidly, I give I'mnot, I'm going to say very
(26:22):
qualified pricing.
I do not delay.
You put dollar signs in frontof me, I'm going to follow them.
I'm not just going to like, notrespond for days.
I'm very responsive, especiallyin what comes to the health and
future of my business.
I can't tell you how many timesit's just crickets from the
(26:45):
other end because all thedesigner or whomever really
wanted to do was by direct, andthen when they find out they
can't by direct, they're beingdirected through a showroom.
They seem to go another route.
So I am understanding thatfrustration from the
manufacturer side when you thinkabout, like what happened there
(27:06):
, like I didn't want to losethat sale that went to another
manufacturer that sells directbecause I'm requiring that
people go through a showroom.
So like I do acknowledge andappreciate that point.
That said, I do think there isa place where these things can
(27:26):
overlap right, like it doesn'tjust have to be the to the trade
sales, whatever group, and thenthe to the showroom
distribution and then the online.
I don't see why these thingscan't be much more like Venn
diagram overlapping rather thanlike distinct things.
(27:49):
So I why not have like a to thetrade certified lighting
showroom distributor in everymarket area, or a key market
area, or roll it out in a fewplaces and and lay out for that
lighting showroom what your tothe trade partnership entails,
(28:11):
whether that is a guarantee ofnumber of fixtures on displays,
a guarantee of X percentdiscount off retail pricing, a
guarantee that you'll holdproduct, that you'll deliver it
at no charge, a guarantee ofhaving up to date website,
whatever it is, whatever the keypoints are for your business,
(28:35):
for a trade program, requirethat to ask that of your
showroom partners and some willbe willing to do it and be happy
to sign up for your.
Your trade certified, you know,think of it as a blue check
mark.
You know, verified by yourcompany, that this showroom
(28:57):
understands what to the trademeans They'll give you a good, a
good value.
They will provide the service,they will be your partners in
your business.
We, like fixture manufacturer,certify this showroom and it
doesn't have to be a one anddone thing.
I would strongly suggest thatit be reevaluated on an annual
(29:18):
basis.
I would also strongly suggestthat that the sales be tracked,
that responsiveness be trackedand potentially you even do some
sort of rebate, either to thedealer or to the customer,
either to the designer, to theshowroom.
Like think of it, be creativeabout it, however you want to be
(29:38):
, but whatever those benefitsare that trade partners are
looking for by buying direct,there are creative ways that we
can offer those things and stilluse the showroom distribution
channel.
It has been my repeated mantrain 2023.
If there's one thing I'm tiredof hearing my own self say in
(29:59):
2023 is that by segmenting oursales, we are not increasing the
size of the pie, we are justmaking the pieces smaller, and I
, for one, do not want to be ona diet.
I do not want the small sliverof pie.
I want the biggest slice of pieI can manage.
I don't want small.
(30:21):
So bye Saturating the marketand like creating all these
little segments were just doingeverybody such a disservice.
So I think we need to be moreproactive and be more partner
(30:42):
minded, truly partner minded.
Remember when, as a showroom,you couldn't open with a
manufacturer because there wasanother showroom in your market
area that was already a keypartner with that manufacturer.
Remember that.
Remember how frustrating thatwas, especially if you were the
(31:03):
second guy.
But remember when you were thatguy or girl sorry, that was the
primary partner with thatmanufacturer.
Remember the value thatrelationship brought each of you
.
This is what I'm saying.
We don't need to go backnecessarily to strict market
territories, blah, blah, blahbut maybe we need a version of
(31:26):
it, right?
Maybe we need to be certifiedin as showrooms that are
qualified partners for thesemanufacturers and me.
As a showroom, I can take thetime to think about who are my
key partners.
If I was going to pick who I'mgoing to get that blue verified
(31:48):
status from, do I want the blueverified status from Instagram
or X AKA Twitter, which is moreimportant to me?
Something like that Make I'mhappy to work for the position
of being a valued partner insomebody's business.
I see the benefit to myself, Isee the benefit to my partner, I
(32:10):
see the benefit to all of us,so I'm happy for that.
I don't mind having to, youknow, do extra training or
understand that these are therequirements, or submitting some
quarterly reporting on here theleads we got, here's what
happened, here's the sales wemade.
I don't mind.
But if I'm going to commit tothat level of information and
(32:37):
Intel and partnership, I want itreciprocated.
I just don't want to give awayall my, my, my businesses,
information and plans andprojections for you to just take
that information with me and gooff over here and sell direct
some other way that I haven'tyet imagined could happen.
So I just think partnership isthe real key for 2024.
(33:05):
I feel like this episodedefinitely is like we're just
out here all alone, nobody likesme, Everybody hates me, and
that's not really how I feel.
As I sit here and record this,I can think of manufacturers
that I believe are reasonablygood partners for lighting
(33:25):
showrooms.
Do I believe that they arestarting to become tempted by
the ways of those that are notamazing partners?
I do.
I do feel like they're beingtempted and I feel like it's on
all of us to really evaluatethese relationships and
(33:46):
partnerships we have and reallythink about the ones that are
working for us and the ones thatare just kind of using us,
because there are some that arejust like I'm going to do the
least and if you keep selling myproducts, great, if you don't
(34:07):
not real worried about it.
We need to move away from thosepeople.
As an industry, we need to moveaway from that kind of I'm just
going to call it a toxicpartnership.
I've been hanging out with ateenager all week excessively
during the holidays.
I feel like I'm full ofwhatever generation this is
(34:30):
lingo at the moment, but In allseriousness, I always want to
view our partnerships in ourfuture in a positive light,
because I do believe there is alot of opportunity.
This thinking about a verifiedstatus for showroom selling to
(34:50):
the trade.
I'm not the originator of thatidea.
It's been around other places.
There are other very, verysmart people in this industry
that have a lot of amazing ideaslike this, but we just don't
talk about them enough, andthat's where I think we get
ourselves into trouble.
There is so much great energy.
(35:12):
This is such a tight knitcommunity and I think it does
become sort of frustrating whenwe feel like we're only being
told the things that you knowthat somebody wants to share
with us and they're leaving outall the other stuff.
It makes it really hard to planyour business.
It makes it really hard to planthe future.
(35:32):
It makes it hard to understandwhere things are going.
How do I strategically place mybusiness so that I'm doing all
the right things?
It's a saying around myhousehold bad information in,
bad information out, and it justoften feels like I have an
(35:52):
incomplete picture, which is whyI keep coming back to this
partnership idea.
It's not new, obviously I'm not.
You know I'm not makingbusiness history over here, but
I think it's where things havecontinued to struggle in our
(36:12):
industry and I think, unlesswe're able to work on
strengthening these partnerships, fixing these programs, having
sales agents buy into thesepartnerships and really
supporting them, until we'reable to do all of these things,
I think we're going to continueto flounder as an industry.
(36:33):
I think we're going to be okay,things will be fine, but I
expect the impacts of these lessthan solid partnerships to be a
continued devolving of what weall are to one another, to the
point where one day, nobodycares and nobody is going to
Dallas twice a year for lightofation.
(36:54):
Because why?
Because the partnership isn'tthere, so there's no need.
Why am I going to spend thatmoney and time away from my
business for a partnership thatdoesn't value me?
Why would I do that?
Just things to think about for2024.
I will try to wrap this up on apositive note.
(37:15):
I do believe firmly that we canall be great partners to one
another.
I do love what we do so much.
I invested heavily in my ownbusiness, in a new system that
will allow me to provide betterservice to my customer.
A big part of the reason I'mdoing that is because I feel
(37:38):
like it's often needed in ourindustry that we provide better,
more timely customer feedback,letting them know order statuses
.
There's so much lighting.
Showrooms can be doing betterand faster and engaging more
with our own clientele, so I'mbetting on that.
(37:58):
I'm betting on that for myshowroom.
I'm betting on becoming abetter partner to all of my
customers in my showroom in 2024and beyond.
Now I'm looking for other peopleto equally step up and bet on
my business and those like me,those that are committed to what
(38:19):
we are doing, that arecommitted to having great
displays, that are committed tohaving excellent programs, that
are committed to havingexceptional customer service,
that are doing all of the thingsthey possibly can to have a
great lighting and fan business.
I want the people that I'mspending my dollars with to
(38:43):
double down on thoserelationships that are key to
them, to acknowledge them, toprioritize them in the same way
that I prioritize my customers.
That's what I'm hoping for in2024.
And I know we can do it.
This industry is great.
We all know it.
(39:03):
I'm such a fan.
That's why I have spent all ofthese years and all of this time
on my own.
Not on my own.
I've always had an amazing teamaround me, but I just mean like
outside of my showroom business.
That's why I do all of thisextra content and all these
additional programs and the LSAand everything else that has
(39:26):
been a part of my world.
I do all of that out of passionand joy and appreciation of
every single one of youlistening to this podcast.
I know how much you all lovewhat you do.
I do think we are at a bit of atipping point as an industry and
I think we all just need to sitwith that and think about it
(39:48):
and take action.
If that's one thing I can leavethis podcast with is.
It is time to take action onthese things.
The longer we just sit back andlet things go the course
they're on, the more quicklythis is going to devolve.
And if we don't take any actionseriously, in five years
(40:10):
nobody's going to Dallas.
Why would you?
So let's take action.
Let's work on some of thesethings, let's forge partnerships
, let's find mutual success.
Let's find ways we can growtogether.
Instead of smaller and smallerpieces of pie, I want my piece
of pie to get bigger next year.
(40:31):
That's what I want.
All right, everyone.
Thank you so much for listening.
I can't wait to talk to youagain in 2024.
Be sure to reach out to me viaemail, lisa, at
lightingwithlisacom.
You can find me on all thesocial medias, more or less, but
you can find me there.
Thank you so much to LightsAmerica and all of the sponsors
(40:56):
for the Lighting with Lisapodcast.
That includes Zastro andFanimation.
I appreciate you all.
Be sure to visit everybody atMarket, even though I won't be
there.
Send me your thoughts, send meyour feedback.
I can't wait to hear about allthe amazing partnership programs
that I know we're all going tohear about in January.
Thank you so much, everyone.
(41:16):
Take care, I'll talk to younext time.
Hello and welcome fellow lighting nerds and
friends to Lighting with Lisa,the lighting industries podcast
hosted by me, lisa Bartlett, andsponsored this week once again
by Lights America.
Thank you so much, lightsAmerica, for sponsoring and
supporting the podcast in itsnew form, and I'll have more on
(00:25):
Lights America in upcomingminutes of the episode.
So you might have noticed, thepodcast has been off schedule a
bit this December 2023.
The last episode, I think, waspretty good insight as to why,
in our transition from WindwardSystem 5 to Oracle NetSuite at
(00:51):
my lighting showroom, it's beena journey and it has been all
consuming, as anyone who hasever gone through a huge
conversion like this can attestto.
It is really just takes overeverything in one's life and I'm
(01:13):
happy to do it.
It's been a worthwhile endeavorthus far but it sure has been a
time and energy drain.
But I'm looking forward to agreat 2024 with our new systems
in place.
But because of that the podcasthas been off schedule a bit.
(01:35):
So this will be the lastlighting with Lisa podcast for
2023.
The podcast will hopefullyreturn in 2024.
As I mentioned when I relaunchedthe podcast after Light Files,
I will only be doing the podcastfor I'm able to continue to
(01:55):
have sponsors and partners onthe podcast and, quite honestly,
I have not had time to try tomake those connections for 2024
episodes.
I will endeavor to do so and,assuming all goes well, the
podcast will be back startingFebruary 2024.
I am going to not be in Dallasfor light of Asian in January.
(02:21):
My showroom will be inattendance but it will not be by
me.
I will be off on a differenttrip that was preplanned.
So I will be thinking of youall from afar, but you know I
won't be there in January.
I will be in June and I'm sureeveryone will have a wonderful
(02:44):
market and, believe it or not, Iwill miss every one of you and
I'm sorry I won't get to see youin person but but I will not be
there.
So once I'm back from my tripand we get through January, the
podcast will come back.
The best way to make that happenif you enjoy the podcast is to
share it, tell a friend, like,like and subscribe.
(03:07):
Please email me, lisa, atlighting with Lisacom, if you
are interested in sponsoring thepodcast, if you're interested
in appearing on the podcast, ifyou have a good lead on someone
that might be interested insponsoring the podcast.
If you have some thoughts onthe podcast whether it's
(03:28):
feedback on an existing episode,ideas for future content your
inspiration and thoughts arewhat keep the podcast going.
Quite honestly, like quiteliterally, when the light files
podcast went dark, I was notplanning on bringing it back in,
(03:49):
at least not in this form.
But I was approached by many ofyou about how you enjoyed the
podcast and it helped make youfeel like you weren't alone out
there in our little lightingworld silos, and I do very much
appreciate that feeling, and soI was inspired to keep it going
under this new lighting withLisa brand I have been working
(04:14):
on.
I was working on it much moreassertively before this database
transition, but I am fullyexpecting that to come back
around in 2024.
So, anyway, I hope I am able tocontinue the podcast after this
episode.
So this episode is going to be alittle bit of thoughts on the
(04:39):
past year and what I really hopefor the lighting industry in
2024 and beyond.
I do endeavor to keep thesepodcasts positive and
informative and focused onsuccess.
I am a bit hesitant that someof the content of this podcast
(05:04):
might come off a bit negative.
That is certainly not myintention, but it is always my
intention to draw a light, toshine a light on things that I
think are not working quiteright in our industry, things we
can all improve on From allcorners.
(05:25):
Again, that can be showroomfocused, it could be
manufacturer focused, it couldbe sales agent focused, but
there are definitely things thatneed some improvement.
And, as we head into lightevasion, I think it's the
perfect time this holiday weekto sit back and reflect on these
things and really think aboutwhere our industry is going and
(05:47):
how we all fit into it in thenext year and beyond.
So that's what's coming up,this episode.
So let's get into it.
So 2023 has been, I think, forall of us, a good I'm going to
call it a solid year.
It wasn't a 2021 or 2022.
(06:12):
Those were amazing years.
I think 2023, for me at least,and in those I've talked to has
basically landed in the solidcategory.
If you were projecting growthbased on what happened in 2021
and 2022, I think you wereprobably a bit disappointed.
But I haven't talked to anybodywho said 23 has just been a
(06:37):
disaster for them.
Things have just been a bitslower, a bit softer, but by no
means bad or terrible, and fromthe signs we are seeing in the
economy at large.
I'm expecting 24 to continue inthat same vein.
(06:57):
Maybe things will soften upeven a bit more because it's an
election year.
But we do have potentially someat least stable news out of the
Fed with interest rates, maybeeven a reduction in interest
rates.
Home prices in my area of theworld are still pretty
astronomically high.
(07:19):
Inventory is still low evenwith high interest rates.
Things are certainly notselling as fast as they were,
but it's not like things are ata complete standstill.
So I think there is definitelymixed signs out there.
I am not sure.
I'm not sure I am being moreconservative in my 2024 planning
(07:41):
For my show.
I'm especially.
I did take on this additionallarge expense of a new software
platform that does not comecheap.
I'm delighted we did it, but itis a big resources hog, so I'm
behaving conservatively becauseof that and many other factors
(08:06):
in the economy at large.
So we'll see how that all playsout.
But I definitely think 24 hasthe markings of a solid to
middling year, especially tostart.
Hopefully that turns around andgrows a bit mid, middle end of
(08:28):
the year.
But again, depending how thiselection goes and how, what kind
of dramatics arise in ournational politics.
You just never know how thatcould end up playing out.
So, as always, you knowsomething to keep an eye on.
But I'm not expecting anydisasters for 2024.
(08:48):
I don't think.
I don't think any of us are.
That would be a surprise, butsurprises do happen.
So I'm just not expecting like21 and 22 were just booms.
We all know those are happensometimes and we're lucky to
have them and we can enjoy them,but it's unsustainable, really.
(09:08):
So I think we're just headedback to maybe more of a soft
position, but not a weak one,for the next year or so.
So that's my two cents on that.
So, moving into 2024.
I'm going to call 2024 thecritical year of partnership and
(09:35):
the lack thereof.
I think 2024 for the lightingindustry is a year where the
rubber really needs to meet theroad and we really need to
decide who are our partners inour businesses Every one of us.
(09:56):
Manufacturers, who are yourpartners, sales agents who are
your partners.
Lighting showrooms take a hardlook who are your partners, and
we all need to have some honestand frank conversations with
(10:17):
ourselves and one another aboutthis.
For showrooms, we can oftenfeel like we're being kept in
the dark by our manufacturerpartners.
It often feels like you'rebeing told what the whoever
(10:37):
sales agent, manufacturer,whoever it is what they want you
to hear and you know.
Pay no mind to the man behindthe curtain.
I'm not saying that is thereality.
It is often the perception.
So for many, many lightingshowrooms, there is this sense
(10:59):
of lack of genuine partnership.
I'm a business owner.
I understand that having all ofyour eggs in one proverbial
basket is not really sustainableas a business.
I wouldn't expect any of mypartners to manage their
(11:20):
businesses accordingly.
What I do hope for is thatthere is a value put on the
partnership with my business,that it is prioritized as a
customer and that it is notmarginalized by other business
decisions made by my partners.
(11:41):
Um, I want to feel like,excited about the people I'm
doing business with.
I don't want to feel like I'mbeing bullied.
I don't want to feel like I'mbeing lied to.
I don't want to feel like I'mmade to feel less than for the
(12:03):
business I have cultivated andworked so hard at.
I want to be excited.
I want to run into showrooms inDallas with like joy to see the
products, to engage witheveryone there, to network, to
learn, to grow.
I don't want it to be a chorethat I have to do, that I feel
(12:25):
obligated to do.
I think a lot of us are startingto feel a bit disillusioned in
the showroom side with ourpartnerships or lack thereof.
I'm not saying this is aone-way street.
This very well could be thecase on the other side too.
That's why I'm saying I believewe really need to have some
(12:49):
serious conversations about whatthese things look like going
forward, and I think we need tobe honest with one another.
Showroom life the past severalyears and while it has been good
economically for many of us, wehave margins continuing to be
(13:11):
squeezed, increasingly saturatedmarket of goods and a reduction
in great relationships.
That's not a winning recipe.
It's not a winning recipe forany of us.
It often feels like our partnersAgain, not all.
(13:33):
I am speaking in very generalstatements.
I am aware I'm not singlinganybody out in any way, but it
feels often that our partners inour businesses they're making
it harder to do businesstogether.
That's just not a sustainableplace to live from.
(13:57):
It almost seems to be like howmuch can we take away and still
keep this distribution channel?
How much can we impede on theirability to do business and
(14:17):
still keep them around ascustomers and engaged.
That's a fairly dramaticstatement, but sometimes it does
feel that way as the customerin the vendor sorry, the
manufacturer, sales agentshowroom, like three-legged
stool, it just feels like as thecustomer we are less and less
(14:44):
important and all of uscustomers in that relationship
are the retailer in anotherrelationship and we are just
trained day in and day out.
Not that the customer is alwaysright, we know that's kind of
like a fraudulent belief to somedegree, but we do all
(15:05):
prioritize customer service andit frequently, frequently,
frequently feels like as thecustomer I'm not getting
outstanding service and I'mbeing made to think that things
are one way when they're anotheror whatever the case may be.
It just feels like a lack ofpartnership, like how, what can
(15:28):
I do to keep this businessaround and still have them sell
my stuff?
Like what's the bare minimum wecan get by with?
You know, of course, there usedto be higher margins in the
industry, right, that's longgone.
The internet happened, so Iunderstand, with like a
reduction in margins all around.
Things like free sales toolshave also like gone away and
(15:53):
like aggressive, like programs,but like when things like free
sales tools including, likecolor samples or finished
samples or gosh what do you nameit Glass, whatever it is that
would help you as a businesssell more of a product.
A lot of those tools have likeslowly disappeared, and I
(16:16):
understand, because, likemargins are shrunk and
everything else, so that's fine.
I mean, I understand thatthat's a thing, but it doesn't
help me sell more of the product.
And then you couple that withsome of the like reward programs
that I see out there in themarket and I mean I like a nice
(16:38):
trip as much as the next person.
You all know that but theydon't actually help the bottom
line of my business and I wouldrather have funds that are spent
on a trip or some sort of itemlike that reinvested back into
my sales channels that I cansell more.
(16:59):
It just often seems like thephrase that comes to mind is
like lipstick on a pig andthat's maybe a bit more
aggressive than I mean, but itjust is not very encouraging for
showrooms to really doeverything that we need to do in
(17:24):
order to sell product.
It honestly feels like there'slike a devaluation of the skill
needed to work in a lightingshowroom and to be able to
answer all of the questionsconcerns comments, weird,
whatever that customers haveabout like their lighting and
(17:47):
their dimmers and their lightbulbs, and it just kind of feels
like the industry at large istreating our jobs in the
lighting showroom as if it isnot a skilled job, and every one
of us that works in a lightingshowroom for a living can tell
you it's highly skilled andhighly technical job, which is
(18:08):
why it is highly difficult tofind people that are willing to
learn everything that needs tobe learned to effectively sell
in a lighting showroom.
It is not a job that a lot ofpeople can step into and excel
at.
It takes a lot of learning andwillingness to learn about
(18:30):
things most of us have neverthought of before in our entire
lives.
So it often feels that thatthat knowledge, that tribal
knowledge that we've built upand learned and acquired all of
these years in the industrylearning from dimmers and
compatibility and light bulbsand LEDs and integral LEDs and
(18:53):
LED lamps and fans and CFMs andDC motors and AC motors and all
of the little little questionswe deal with all day long to
sell effectively and have happycustomers it feels like there is
a devaluation of that skill inthe industry at large, a lack of
(19:15):
prioritizing the importance ofthose skills.
It's like it doesn't.
It's like if you haven't workedin a lighting showroom you
don't quite understand howchallenging it can really be to
be able to answer thesequestions.
You know, some things are easy,right, and those are the sales
(19:35):
we all love.
But some things are hard.
Doing a tape light layout andhaving it be installed without
issue is challenging.
This is not for the faint ofheart to do it successfully.
Let me just rephrase a littlebit what I've been saying in
(19:57):
order.
I guess anybody can like throwa dart and guess at some of
these things with dimmers andspec sheets and trying to look
up compatibilities and all thatfun stuff.
But to successfully build abusiness on these technical
applications is actually veryhard.
You could do it and give awayall your margin in mistakes.
(20:21):
But the name of the game hereis to be able to quote these
jobs, to install them, to seethem through from start to
finish and make a profit at it.
And to make a profit at it youhave to have a high level of
skill.
If you're just kind of likehalf assing and guessing, there
goes all your margin in mistakes, because mistakes in this
(20:43):
industry and this business canbe exceptionally costly,
depending on what you're workingon and what you're doing, how
tall the ceilings are orwhatever random thing you happen
to run into.
So I'm going to take a littlecommercial break here.
I want to thank our sponsor,lights America.
If you're going to Lightavation, unlike myself, be sure to
(21:07):
visit the Lights America teamFelix, eugene and Julie be sure
to visit with them inside theFramberg showroom.
You can give a test drive tothe floor kiosk, which is just
fantastic If you haven't seenthat, and they can fill you in
on all of their latest productsand innovations, including their
(21:31):
partnership on the 3D model andaugmented reality program,
which is expanding.
For all Lights Americacustomers, whether you have a
showroom website, a sales repwebsite, it is a fantastic tool
the 3D models in the showroomsalone.
I chatted with the thetechnology team earlier this
(21:54):
week and they said that theactivations of the 3D models for
some manufacturers were justoff the charts and we all know
that tools like that can reallylead to increased sales and
interest in your products andyour business.
So Lights America proudlysupports this podcast the
(22:15):
lighting industry.
It is the leading data providerfor fans, lighting and home
decor.
The database comes directlyfrom the manufacturers.
They scrub the data.
They put it back out there forall of us to use.
You can use it on the via theLights America website.
You can use the data on awebsite platform of your own
(22:36):
choosing via the data 52 program.
There's I'm at holiday trackingpro tools, the 3D program.
It is the most dependable andcomprehensive catalog service in
the lighting and fan industryand I think it's definitely
worth a look.
(22:57):
If you haven't looked recentlyat everything Lights America
offers, so be sure to visit themat the Framberg showroom at
light ofation or reach out tothem via lightsamericacom.
Don't forget to tell them thatlighting with Lisa sent you.
If you're a current LightsAmerica customer, you can still
(23:19):
take advantage of a free websitebanner or email blast, and if
you're new to Lights America,you can take advantage of a 15%
discount on setup fees ofpremium or data 52 services.
That is a great bargain, soplease be sure to reach out to
them.
Let them know you came via thelighting with Lisa podcast and
(23:42):
it really, really is somethingto check out if you haven't
looked at it in a long time, andlight ofation is the perfect
time and place to do so.
Okay, so back on my 2024commiserating.
Okay, well, we're going to tryto make this a bit more positive
(24:04):
.
I just I just think it'simportant that we speak in these
hard truths about where we are.
It definitely feels sometimesthat we're like at this critical
, like half full, half emptybalance in the industry.
(24:25):
I'm just not quite sure whichway things are going to tip.
I think there I don't justthink I know there is a lot of
room for improvement.
There is a lot of room forimproving programs in a way that
(24:45):
meets the needs of allparticipants.
So let's, let's take a hot topicon selling directly to the
trade.
So, for the aforementionedreasons about feeling
marginalized as showroomdistribution, it feels like a
bit of a slap in the face thattrade programs exist in some
(25:10):
degree, that folks are not sentback to lighting showrooms for
these purchases.
I know when, every time Imention that, I'm often told
it's not your showroom that'sthe problem, it's all these
other ones, and I just think Idon't know, maybe that's a thing
(25:30):
, but say that is a thing thatnot all showrooms are responsive
or they're not pricing at thelevel the market requires for
these kinds of jobs.
Okay, fine, I will accept that.
So how about we?
Do some manufacturers come upwith a trade certified showroom
(25:55):
model and this could bedifferent for every manufacturer
.
You know, maybe somemanufacturers, maybe it's
important that the showroomsshow responsiveness.
And, by the way, a littleanecdote, I'm going to interrupt
myself I have always followedup on every lead that every
sales agent has ever passed myway for selling to the trade.
I follow rapidly, I give I'mnot, I'm going to say very
(26:22):
qualified pricing.
I do not delay.
You put dollar signs in frontof me, I'm going to follow them.
I'm not just going to like, notrespond for days.
I'm very responsive, especiallyin what comes to the health and
future of my business.
I can't tell you how many timesit's just crickets from the
(26:45):
other end because all thedesigner or whomever really
wanted to do was by direct, andthen when they find out they
can't by direct, they're beingdirected through a showroom.
They seem to go another route.
So I am understanding thatfrustration from the
manufacturer side when you thinkabout, like what happened there
(27:06):
, like I didn't want to losethat sale that went to another
manufacturer that sells directbecause I'm requiring that
people go through a showroom.
So like I do acknowledge andappreciate that point.
That said, I do think there isa place where these things can
(27:26):
overlap right, like it doesn'tjust have to be the to the trade
sales, whatever group, and thenthe to the showroom
distribution and then the online.
I don't see why these thingscan't be much more like Venn
diagram overlapping rather thanlike distinct things.
(27:49):
So I why not have like a to thetrade certified lighting
showroom distributor in everymarket area, or a key market
area, or roll it out in a fewplaces and and lay out for that
lighting showroom what your tothe trade partnership entails,
(28:11):
whether that is a guarantee ofnumber of fixtures on displays,
a guarantee of X percentdiscount off retail pricing, a
guarantee that you'll holdproduct, that you'll deliver it
at no charge, a guarantee ofhaving up to date website,
whatever it is, whatever the keypoints are for your business,
(28:35):
for a trade program, requirethat to ask that of your
showroom partners and some willbe willing to do it and be happy
to sign up for your.
Your trade certified, you know,think of it as a blue check
mark.
You know, verified by yourcompany, that this showroom
(28:57):
understands what to the trademeans They'll give you a good, a
good value.
They will provide the service,they will be your partners in
your business.
We, like fixture manufacturer,certify this showroom and it
doesn't have to be a one anddone thing.
I would strongly suggest thatit be reevaluated on an annual
(29:18):
basis.
I would also strongly suggestthat that the sales be tracked,
that responsiveness be trackedand potentially you even do some
sort of rebate, either to thedealer or to the customer,
either to the designer, to theshowroom.
Like think of it, be creativeabout it, however you want to be
(29:38):
, but whatever those benefitsare that trade partners are
looking for by buying direct,there are creative ways that we
can offer those things and stilluse the showroom distribution
channel.
It has been my repeated mantrain 2023.
If there's one thing I'm tiredof hearing my own self say in
(29:59):
2023 is that by segmenting oursales, we are not increasing the
size of the pie, we are justmaking the pieces smaller, and I
, for one, do not want to be ona diet.
I do not want the small sliverof pie.
I want the biggest slice of pieI can manage.
I don't want small.
(30:21):
So bye Saturating the marketand like creating all these
little segments were just doingeverybody such a disservice.
So I think we need to be moreproactive and be more partner
(30:42):
minded, truly partner minded.
Remember when, as a showroom,you couldn't open with a
manufacturer because there wasanother showroom in your market
area that was already a keypartner with that manufacturer.
Remember that.
Remember how frustrating thatwas, especially if you were the
(31:03):
second guy.
But remember when you were thatguy or girl sorry, that was the
primary partner with thatmanufacturer.
Remember the value thatrelationship brought each of you
.
This is what I'm saying.
We don't need to go backnecessarily to strict market
territories, blah, blah, blahbut maybe we need a version of
(31:26):
it, right?
Maybe we need to be certifiedin as showrooms that are
qualified partners for thesemanufacturers and me.
As a showroom, I can take thetime to think about who are my
key partners.
If I was going to pick who I'mgoing to get that blue verified
(31:48):
status from, do I want the blueverified status from Instagram
or X AKA Twitter, which is moreimportant to me?
Something like that Make I'mhappy to work for the position
of being a valued partner insomebody's business.
I see the benefit to myself, Isee the benefit to my partner, I
(32:10):
see the benefit to all of us,so I'm happy for that.
I don't mind having to, youknow, do extra training or
understand that these are therequirements, or submitting some
quarterly reporting on here theleads we got, here's what
happened, here's the sales wemade.
I don't mind.
But if I'm going to commit tothat level of information and
(32:37):
Intel and partnership, I want itreciprocated.
I just don't want to give awayall my, my, my businesses,
information and plans andprojections for you to just take
that information with me and gooff over here and sell direct
some other way that I haven'tyet imagined could happen.
So I just think partnership isthe real key for 2024.
(33:05):
I feel like this episodedefinitely is like we're just
out here all alone, nobody likesme, Everybody hates me, and
that's not really how I feel.
As I sit here and record this,I can think of manufacturers
that I believe are reasonablygood partners for lighting
(33:25):
showrooms.
Do I believe that they arestarting to become tempted by
the ways of those that are notamazing partners?
I do.
I do feel like they're beingtempted and I feel like it's on
all of us to really evaluatethese relationships and
(33:46):
partnerships we have and reallythink about the ones that are
working for us and the ones thatare just kind of using us,
because there are some that arejust like I'm going to do the
least and if you keep selling myproducts, great, if you don't
(34:07):
not real worried about it.
We need to move away from thosepeople.
As an industry, we need to moveaway from that kind of I'm just
going to call it a toxicpartnership.
I've been hanging out with ateenager all week excessively
during the holidays.
I feel like I'm full ofwhatever generation this is
(34:30):
lingo at the moment, but In allseriousness, I always want to
view our partnerships in ourfuture in a positive light,
because I do believe there is alot of opportunity.
This thinking about a verifiedstatus for showroom selling to
(34:50):
the trade.
I'm not the originator of thatidea.
It's been around other places.
There are other very, verysmart people in this industry
that have a lot of amazing ideaslike this, but we just don't
talk about them enough, andthat's where I think we get
ourselves into trouble.
There is so much great energy.
(35:12):
This is such a tight knitcommunity and I think it does
become sort of frustrating whenwe feel like we're only being
told the things that you knowthat somebody wants to share
with us and they're leaving outall the other stuff.
It makes it really hard to planyour business.
It makes it really hard to planthe future.
(35:32):
It makes it hard to understandwhere things are going.
How do I strategically place mybusiness so that I'm doing all
the right things?
It's a saying around myhousehold bad information in,
bad information out, and it justoften feels like I have an
(35:52):
incomplete picture, which is whyI keep coming back to this
partnership idea.
It's not new, obviously I'm not.
You know I'm not makingbusiness history over here, but
I think it's where things havecontinued to struggle in our
(36:12):
industry and I think, unlesswe're able to work on
strengthening these partnerships, fixing these programs, having
sales agents buy into thesepartnerships and really
supporting them, until we'reable to do all of these things,
I think we're going to continueto flounder as an industry.
(36:33):
I think we're going to be okay,things will be fine, but I
expect the impacts of these lessthan solid partnerships to be a
continued devolving of what weall are to one another, to the
point where one day, nobodycares and nobody is going to
Dallas twice a year for lightofation.
(36:54):
Because why?
Because the partnership isn'tthere, so there's no need.
Why am I going to spend thatmoney and time away from my
business for a partnership thatdoesn't value me?
Why would I do that?
Just things to think about for2024.
I will try to wrap this up on apositive note.
(37:15):
I do believe firmly that we canall be great partners to one
another.
I do love what we do so much.
I invested heavily in my ownbusiness, in a new system that
will allow me to provide betterservice to my customer.
A big part of the reason I'mdoing that is because I feel
(37:38):
like it's often needed in ourindustry that we provide better,
more timely customer feedback,letting them know order statuses
.
There's so much lighting.
Showrooms can be doing betterand faster and engaging more
with our own clientele, so I'mbetting on that.
(37:58):
I'm betting on that for myshowroom.
I'm betting on becoming abetter partner to all of my
customers in my showroom in 2024and beyond.
Now I'm looking for other peopleto equally step up and bet on
my business and those like me,those that are committed to what
(38:19):
we are doing, that arecommitted to having great
displays, that are committed tohaving excellent programs, that
are committed to havingexceptional customer service,
that are doing all of the thingsthey possibly can to have a
great lighting and fan business.
I want the people that I'mspending my dollars with to
(38:43):
double down on thoserelationships that are key to
them, to acknowledge them, toprioritize them in the same way
that I prioritize my customers.
That's what I'm hoping for in2024.
And I know we can do it.
This industry is great.
We all know it.
(39:03):
I'm such a fan.
That's why I have spent all ofthese years and all of this time
on my own.
Not on my own.
I've always had an amazing teamaround me, but I just mean like
outside of my showroom business.
That's why I do all of thisextra content and all these
additional programs and the LSAand everything else that has
(39:26):
been a part of my world.
I do all of that out of passionand joy and appreciation of
every single one of youlistening to this podcast.
I know how much you all lovewhat you do.
I do think we are at a bit of atipping point as an industry and
I think we all just need to sitwith that and think about it
(39:48):
and take action.
If that's one thing I can leavethis podcast with is.
It is time to take action onthese things.
The longer we just sit back andlet things go the course
they're on, the more quicklythis is going to devolve.
And if we don't take any actionseriously, in five years
(40:10):
nobody's going to Dallas.
Why would you?
So let's take action.
Let's work on some of thesethings, let's forge partnerships
, let's find mutual success.
Let's find ways we can growtogether.
Instead of smaller and smallerpieces of pie, I want my piece
of pie to get bigger next year.
(40:31):
That's what I want.
All right, everyone.
Thank you so much for listening.
I can't wait to talk to youagain in 2024.
Be sure to reach out to me viaemail, lisa, at
lightingwithlisacom.
You can find me on all thesocial medias, more or less, but
you can find me there.
Thank you so much to LightsAmerica and all of the sponsors
(40:56):
for the Lighting with Lisapodcast.
That includes Zastro andFanimation.
I appreciate you all.
Be sure to visit everybody atMarket, even though I won't be
there.
Send me your thoughts, send meyour feedback.
I can't wait to hear about allthe amazing partnership programs
that I know we're all going tohear about in January.
Thank you so much, everyone.
(41:16):
Take care, I'll talk to younext time.
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