077: John Salzinger from MPOWERD talks about LUCI lights and bringing outdoor lighting to the world

LUCI lights have been mentioned as the favorite outdoor gear purchase under $100 by a number of guests on the show. John tells us how the idea came about for the lights and some great work they do helping provide lights to disaster stricken areas after earthquakes and hurricanes. Facebook Twitter Instagram   The Outdoor Biz Podcast   Support the show   Please give us a rating and review HERE   Show Notes LUCI lights have been mentioned as the favorite outdoor gear purchase under $100 by a number of guests on the show. John tells us how the idea came about for the lights and some great work they do helping provide lights to disaster stricken areas after earthquakes and hurricanes. MOWERD's First Exposure to the Outdoors  Yeah it happened right away. You know NGO's and Amazon were the first two. So the business model was sort of initially established in my mind right away that it wouldn't be able to just sell into one or the other. You know you have to build a diverse portfolio and especially if you're going to compete globally. The outdoor industry it just lends itself to Lantern's. It's a natural so it's very easy. Emergency preparedness was also easy, lifestyle has become pretty interesting because a lot of people see the wow factor of it and find sort of elegant design. We started our first International distribution in any meaningful way in Japan. And Japan has a proclivity to High design in their retail markets. And so we've sort of tested the product in Japan that did well there. So the U.S. was relatively easy in terms of acceptance. Now we've moved into sort of a health and wellness. You know like a Luci candle you know whether it's waterproof can go a bath or a tent and it's totally safe and colored lights that go in pool. Paul McCartney I know has our lights in his pool. That's always fun when when it Beatle has your lights, then you know you're doing OK. You made it. Right? Things we talked about Save the Children International Medical Corps. The Humane Society Advice, tips  I think it's important to know your market. I mean the outdoor business is an interesting one. There's a show called outdoor retailer we were just at. And actually we won the editor's pick for the best product at the entire show. Yeah it's kind of wild considering you're going up against the North Face, Osprey, these amazing Patagonia amazing brands you know. Its interesting to walk shows like that. Talking to people understanding the market but then also you know there's the outside looking in there's also the inside looking out go camping, see what you're missing. You know solve your own problems. I always felt like that's sort of the best best way to do it. And then lastly you know be open, listen. learn to listen to others. You may think you have all the answers. 80 percent of the time you're probably wrong. If you're open to listening and especially to the market. Then there's a lot of things that are sort of counterintuitive that actually make sense. So once you built a solution especially if it's good. Keep your ear to the ground.  Be humble. Other Outdoor Activities Basketball Favorite Books Girl on a Train by A J Waines Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini Best Gear Purchase under $100 The Luci Pro Mobile  Connect with John Linkedin MPOWERD.com Welcome to a podcast dedicated to outdoor enthusiasts looking to elevate their outdoor careers while embracing the freedom and joy of outdoor adventure. We dive deep into outdoor recreation, adventure travel and outdoor activities, helping you find the best outdoor jobs that fit your ideal outdoor life. Whether you're seeking career growth or just more time to get outdoors, we've got you covered