Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to another Sajimidab. Today we're going to have a really good friend of mine, very excited about today, because he's the founder of the Lightning Studio. They are Lightning professionals with over 20 years of experience in recitation and commercial projects in the US, mainly in Miami, and he's going to bring the spark, the ideas, and the mastermind behind some of the most exciting projects that we've seen here in Miami. So very happy to have him here today, and thank you all for connecting today.
Thank you, thank you for taking the time for this, Alvaro. Of course, no, I'm so excited to have you here today, because we have the founder of the Lightning Studio, one of the most predominant Lightning professionals here in Miami. Well, it's a pleasure having you here today, so welcome. Thank you, thank you once again, Alvaro, IE.
I love lighting, lighting is my passion. IE, I started in the lighting business with the family business back in my country in Venezuela in the year 2001. And it was amazing because IE, I started helping out by the simplest things, painting rails and taking up the trash and so forth. And you have imagined that this, they have a same lighting industry.
Once the lighting bug bites you, there's no going back. You're going to the rest of your life. And just like that, just like that, after a few years, I was sitting here for years, since 2001 in the family business, it just became my passion. It became my second-eater, what I loved doing the most, especially because it changes so much.
And you can only imagine how much it has evolved since the year 2001. Totally, I mean, come on, I got to ask you that. How has the lighting industry changed over these 20 years that you've been having? Because houses nowadays are so incredibly designed and delighted and so important.
So tell us a little bit about that transition over the years. Indeed, indeed, you would see in the past the year 2000s, the beginning that the emphasis on lighting was very creative light. So the more pendants and flush mounts and things you will have around, the better. But then things got a little cluttered, I guess, in over time.
The design change, it became a little bit more clean, more minimalistic styles. I also noticed that, of course, the technology has helped us, in a sense, that now you need less fixtures to have more light. Exactly. And that is beautiful because nowadays, when a customer wants to, a homeowner, wants to have his house, his apartment, or his commercial product, illuminate it, they can step away from that mindset.
It needs to be gazillion fixtures to have the proper illumination. That's phenomenal because you said it right there. So you work mainly with homeowners that either have a single family home, a condo, or even their commercial space. And they want to bring some amazing lighting to that space.
Now, when it comes to coming up with a project, do you offer them the ideas? Or where do you find this duration on how to bring them out to these spaces? Yeah, that's the thing. We have two scenarios.
We have a scenario where we work directly with the end customer, and which is building up in that much. And then the main of my business, which is trade partners, architect designers, or GCs, they already have a deciding tent. They already have something in their mind that need to be properly illuminated. And then, instead of us having 60 emails back and forth, I tend to go to their offices and power build up with the service.
So within half a day, we can simply see all of the ideas, all the applications that we could do and execute them. So it's perfect because it says it's tremendous. In some projects, you may have an idea of a budget, but then it turns out. There, I think, we disconnect it.
I don't see you anymore. Sorry about that. Oh, there you go. We're back.
I can hear you, and I see you perfectly. Yes, I don't know why that happened. But anyways, no, it's perfect. What you were saying is something that is very important, which is how to bring an idea into action.
Now, you have one of the biggest profiles I've seen in the real estate industry, whether it's related to lights or something else you have a program. You do a business model. How does that help you acquire a new customer and expand your personal brand and your business brand? OK.
Can you hear me now? Yeah, I hear you. Perfect. OK, perfect, perfect.
Now we can hear you. Yeah, because it was getting caught up. So yeah, the exposure of these new real estate projects and the people that I involve has helped me a lot, you know, a lot. And the reason is that our customers or homeowners or the professionals involved, everybody always want to be related or involved in properties that are up to this level.
So it's been amazing because sometimes I feel that that sort of physical assessment leads to other opportunities. That's what that's going to be. So in terms of collaborations, how important has been for you collaborations? You said we can hear designers, architects, agents.
How has that helped you expand your business? Yeah, I would say that's the most important way of positioning oneself in the market. You know, the more you collaborate together with real estate agents or, of course, contract construction companies and designers, the more you're going to have better opportunities. But I have always made actions in such way that to help, you know, if we're all together, it's easier.
So always try to help in some way or other my peers. So simply in the future, a year from now to years from now, what they may have a light project they will think about. Perfect. So yeah, it has been a very simple formula really.
There we go. That's good. Now, Guzawa, let me ask you this because obviously you are using some of the most impressive home spaces or what are some of the projects that you can share with us that you're working on? Some of the projects, well, right now there's a few that I'm very excited about.
And I mean, I don't know how to do like share screen or actually just like show what it is. It makes people follow your face. Okay, you're getting, okay, now I'll kick you because it's got caught off a little bit. I don't know.
I was saying that we'll make sure that, yeah, I was saying that I'll be sure that everybody's going to stay up to date with your latest projects because it's very inspirational to see those types of projects. I like to see it in my homes. And when a home doesn't have the right thing, it's like a dead home. It needs light, energy.
I believe that that's what you've shown and you showcase it through social media so well that it's perfect. Yes, yes, you know, it's always beautiful. I would like to see from beginning to end a project, you know, so so many people would see what the final results are in a specific project. But it's nice because they see the results.
And now when you see a project, it's about to start. They come together with you on that baby, you know, and then three months from now, there's some, there's a dance in the project and then at the end the actual finished project. So that's all good. Exactly.
No, I love it. That's good. So what are some of the ideas that you have for the lighting studio for the future? I mean, you've been 20 years on it.
What's ahead for the business and for Gustavo, for yourself? Well, for myself, I'm going to, you know, I'm going to be doing this rest of my life. I love like that. That's what I do.
I think I think, especially architectural lighting, that's what I would say now. It's my true passion. I just love when customers, either end customer or trade partners listen to you in the sense that they want assessment and then they want to hear your ideas. They're open to change a little bit their lighting layout or design intent.
And for me, that's the most satisfactory factor of what I do. In the future, Wells, planning some things, planning some things. But for now, it's a history. It's been fun.
Keep doing your thing. Gustavo, obviously you've been a very successful career, but it hasn't always been easy. I will say most difficult things about building your brand throughout these years. I think back in the year 2014, 15, I had a transition from the family business to working by myself.
The reason the family business was established in the building that they sold, they wanted to rent, actually. I had to make a decision towards what I wanted to do with my life. I had an opportunity thanks to a very good friend of the industry, Joe Martinez, and he introduced me to the people of Dannarke. He was an entrepreneur, established in New York.
I was the rep for about four months. During this period of time, it was a difficult transition because it was something new, but it got me out of the comfort zone. And then at the same time, it was amazing because before, when I would present my business car or meeting with these high-end architectural firms that would say, come back in six months. We don't have time for that.
But then with the actual Fantanarke business car, they would say please come and eat one coffee. Give me a catalog. It was really good because it opens a lot of doors that otherwise it wouldn't have happened. And then I got bored of only selling one decorative line.
I wanted to do what I love to do. I wanted to do, have my multi-lines and offer solutions to different angles to different customers. So my wife and I decided to open a small warehouse, small office. That was in 2016.
And they get only for trade, only for the architects. And it has worked out very well so far. Amazing. I think that's a good idea.
We are excited about it. One thing that I always ask the problem, and I want to know this from you, because it comes in all types of shapes. What is luxury to you? Okay, luxury for me is peace.
It's not just luxury for me, the ultimate sense of luxury, you have lighting on non-light related, it's peace. So unless you enter a space and you're in peace, you're done, you made it. I think you're the first one that says that luxury is peace. I love it.
I find it very inspirational. And you're right on point. I think that's one of the most important things to have in life. And that's luxury.
Now, I know with that touch base on different things that you're doing, that you've been working on, but what are some of the takeaways that you can share with our audience? For those that are building their own business, whether it's in the lighting industry or in real state or anything related to luxury, what would be some takeaways that you can share from your successful career? Can you repeat the question? Sorry, Avam.
What are some takeaways that you can share with the audience? For those that are building their own businesses? What could be one thing that they could be implementing? Yeah, I think the main thing is the best currency, simple as that.
You know, not only in lighting, you know, the industries you see that people sell just to sell. And I call their car dealership businesses and that's not the way business should be. Business has to be personal. Business has to have a touch.
Business is to be caring, you know, and I think that's just the proper way to do so. To do a more personal approach. That's how you win. Correct.
But you know, meaningful. You know, like true. That your personal is sitting in front of you can actually feel it. Build relationships in a personal base.
Not very good. Now, Gustavo, is there anything else that you would like to share with us before we wrap this up? Well, no, my friend, I think, you know, I think you for having me here, you know, any questions, any increase that anybody may have, please feel free to contact us. And we're here.
We're here to light up your world. Gustavo is the man. Please make sure to follow him and also his company, the lighting studio. It's very inspirational, the content that they put daily.
And also, you are, by far, one of the nicest guys I've met here in Miami. It's very strange that we're speaking in English, though, but I'm not going to. Yeah, but we do it with the purpose. So I'm hoping that this conversation has inspired many of our audience today.
And looking forward to seeing where you will be taking your brand in the next near future. Amen to that. Amen to that. Thank you.
Thank you, brother. All right, Gustavo. Muchas gracias. Adi, plus El Amiro.
So thank you everybody that was tuning in. Bye. And thanks again for everybody tuning in today. We hope you enjoyed it.
I remember. Embrace its beautiful success in life. My name is El Amiro and I'll see you next time.