Captain’s Quarters First Class | Lights. Legacy. Living.

Josh Trees doesn’t do a ton of podcasts...and that’s exactly why this one matters.If you’re in Christmas lighting, this is a real conversation with one of the original builders of the industry. Not fluff. Not recycled motivation. Real talk on what it actually takes to build a Christmas light installation business, scale it, keep customers, delegate, and stop racing to the bottom on price.In this episode, Josh and Captain Matt get into business growth, training, retention, systems, commercial work, perception, branding, and the mindset required to stay in the fight long enough to become a legend.Whether you install Christmas lighting, build a landscape lighting company, or sell permanent soffit lighting, this episode hits the real operator side of outdoor lighting business.In this episode:How Josh Trees got started before We Hang Christmas Lights became a known nameThe truth about growing a Christmas light installation businessWhy selling on price is a losing gameHow to sell the experience, not just the lightsWhat delegation really looks like when you want to build a business instead of owning a jobWhy commercial Christmas lighting can change your numbers fastThe role of systems, evaluation, and leadership in long-term growthHow bold branding moves can make you unforgettable in your marketThe tiny house tour story and what it teaches about attention, marketing, and industry authorityJosh also shares hard-earned lessons on risk, change, hiring, retention, and why most guys stay stuck doing everything themselves.This one is especially important for operators in the Christmas lighting world...but the principles apply across landscape lighting, outdoor lighting, and permanent roofline / soffit lighting too.If you want to build a stronger lighting business, keep better clients, and stop thinking like a technician only...this episode is worth your time.#ChristmasLighting #OutdoorLighting #LandscapeLighting #PermanentLighting #CaptainMatt #JoshTrees #BusinessGrowth #ChristmasLightInstallation---Lights. Legacy. Living. Captain’s Crew. Sink or Swim.Ready to build a real outdoor lighting business?🔹 Work with Captain Matt: https://www.captainmattoutdoors.com/  🔹 See Barefoot Lighting projects: https://barefootlighting.com/  🔹 Learn landscape + Christmas + permanent lighting: https://lightingtradeschool.com/

It’s mid-February.You felt like a king in Q4.So why are you already out of cash?In this episode of Captain’s Quarters First Class, Captain Matt breaks down one of the most common and destructive patterns in the Christmas lighting industry:💸 Blowing through “Christmas cash”💸 Using Q4 profit to patch the other 9 months💸 Mixing service divisions and hiding real losses💸 Robbing Peter to pay Paul just to survive installsIf you’re doing six figures (or more) in Christmas lighting and you’re stressed by February…this is not a slow-season problem.It’s a planning problem.You’ll learn:Why Christmas must be bucketed as its own divisionHow mixing services hides the real financial leakThe January–March funding model Captain Matt usesHow to set aside payroll + overhead before touching profitWhy “bridge loans” and panic selling are red flagsHow to stop the Q1 collapse permanentlyThis is real operator talk from 17+ years in Christmas lighting and outdoor services.If you don’t own your market, someone else will.And if you don’t own your cash flow, it will own you.🧠 Core Concepts CoveredSeparate accounts for each service (Christmas, landscape, soffit/permanent lighting)Funding slow months before they arrivePayroll reserve planning for installs + takedownsOverhead planning (5 months minimum during Christmas cycle)War chest vs. planned slow-season reservesIdentifying repeating collapse patterns vs. fluke monthsLights. Legacy. Living. Captain’s Crew. Sink or Swim.Ready to join Captain’s Crew? 🔹 Apply to work with Captain Matt or hire him for elite outdoor lighting design: https://www.captainmattoutdoors.com/🔹 Explore design + install services at Barefoot Lighting: https://barefootlighting.com/🔹 Join the movement at The Lighting Trade School: https://lightingtradeschool.com/

Most lighting business owners say the same thing every year:“I want to do a million dollars.”And then they wonder why they feel overwhelmed, behind, and defeated by February.In this episode of Captain’s Quarters First Class, Captain Matt breaks down why big, vague revenue goals destroy momentum and how translating those goals into simple daily and weekly numbers changes everything.Instead of chasing a million dollars, what if your only job was to: • Sell 13 lights a day • Close 2 permanent lighting jobs a week • Hit a realistic, seasonal monthly targetSame goal. A completely different mental game.Matt dives deep into:Translating top-line revenue into daily production goalsWhy “break-even” jobs are usually a lieThe difference between material cost vs true operating costHow to calculate your real daily minimumWhy seasonality matters and pretending it doesn’t will bankrupt youThe “Money Game” framework for knowing exactly how long you can survive with zero salesHow weekly number tracking allows real-time course correction (instead of year-end regret)If your business feels busy but your bank account doesn’t reflect it…If you’ve ever said “I sold a ton but don’t know where the money went”…If your goals sound good but don’t feel achievable…This episode is for you.🎯 Stop chasing fantasy numbers. Start winning daily.Lights. Legacy. Living. Captain’s Crew. Sink or Swim.Ready to join Captain’s Crew? 🔹 Apply to work with Captain Matt or hire him for elite outdoor lighting design: https://www.captainmattoutdoors.com/🔹 Explore design + install services at Barefoot Lighting: https://barefootlighting.com/🔹 Join the movement at The Lighting Trade School: https://lightingtradeschool.com/

Welcome back to Captain’s Quarters First Class.I hear it all the time:“I didn’t make enough money last year in outdoor lighting.”And here’s the uncomfortable truth…Most guys who say that didn’t do the work required to win.In this episode, Captain Matt breaks down why some lighting business owners:Miss their goalsBarely scrape byOr completely shatter expectations…even when they all have access to the same mentorship, the same systems, and the same information.We cover:Why focus beats talent every timeThe danger of splitting your energy across side hustlesWhy mindset kills more lighting businesses than pricingThe simple math behind $100K+ profit (that most people ignore)Why demos still work today (and always will)The non-negotiables: 30 demos, 10 at-cost jobs, 20 fixtures a weekWhy blaming your market is the fastest way to stay stuckWhy Christmas lighting success doesn’t translate automatically to landscape lightingThis episode isn’t motivational fluff.It’s a gut check.If you didn’t make enough money last year, the answer isn’t your area, your competition, or the economy.It’s your inputs.And the good news?You can change those starting today.Lights. Legacy. Living. Captain’s Crew. Sink or Swim.Ready to join Captain’s Crew?🔹 Apply to work with Captain Matt or hire him for elite outdoor lighting design: https://www.captainmattoutdoors.com/🔹 Explore design + install services at Barefoot Lighting: https://barefootlighting.com/🔹 Join the movement at The Lighting Trade School: https://lightingtradeschool.com/

Welcome back to Captain’s Quarters First Class.It’s a new year, and everyone is talking about goals. Revenue goals. Growth goals. “This is my year” goals.But most people skip the most important part of goal-setting entirely.The look-back.In this episode, Captain Matt breaks down a brutally honest review of his own business…where he missed, why he missed, and how easy it is to stay busy, exhausted, and still off-track.We talk about:Why working harder doesn’t fix broken focusHow ignoring the look-back keeps you stuck on the same hamster wheelThe real cost of doing work you’re no longer meant to doWhy staffing, roles, and timing matter more than motivationHow excuses sneak in disguised as “logic”Why most marketing “doesn’t work” (and what’s actually broken)How to course-correct weekly instead of burning a yearThis episode isn’t motivational fluff.It’s about radical honesty, personal responsibility, and building systems so you don’t repeat the same mistakes year after year.If you’ve ever said:“I’m working my ass off but not hitting my goals”“The leads just aren’t there”“Ads don’t work”“I’ll fix it next quarter”This one’s for you.Lights. Legacy. Living. Captain’s Crew. Sink or Swim.Ready to join Captain’s Crew? 🔹 Apply to work with Captain Matt or hire him for elite outdoor lighting design:⁠ https://www.captainmattoutdoors.com/⁠🔹 Explore design + install services at Barefoot Lighting:⁠ https://barefootlighting.com/⁠🔹 Join the movement at The Lighting Trade School:⁠ https://lightingtradeschool.com/⁠

The installs are done.The lights are up.And now comes the phase most companies ignore…takedowns.In this episode of Captain’s Quarters First Class, Captain Matt breaks down why poor takedown systems quietly destroy profit, consistency, and next season’s efficiency and how to fix it before January eats your margins.If reinstalls feel harder than brand-new installs, the problem isn’t your crew.It’s your process.Inside the episode:Why “everyone does it their own way” collapses at scaleThe real reason reinstalls take longer and how to reverse itHow to document jobs properly with photos, videos, and checklistsSimple labeling systems that let any tech reinstall next yearHow to avoid tangled chaos with smarter storage methodsWhy takedown speed matters more than you thinkHow geography-based routing beats “by request” schedulingThe urgency factor in cold climates and why early mattersWhy fast takedowns unlock clean numbers and smarter planningThis episode reframes takedowns as what they actually are: the foundation for next season’s success.If January feels sloppy and October feels painful, this is where it starts.Lights. Legacy. Living. Captain’s Crew. Sink or Swim.Ready to join Captain’s Crew? 🔹 Apply to work with Captain Matt or hire him for elite outdoor lighting design: https://www.captainmattoutdoors.com/🔹 Explore design + install services at Barefoot Lighting: https://barefootlighting.com/🔹 Join the movement at The Lighting Trade School: https://lightingtradeschool.com/

Most lighting business owners don’t lose their companies overnight.They let them decay slowly by tolerating the wrong behavior for too long.In this episode of Captain’s Quarters First Class, Captain Matt shares a raw, real situation straight from an active job site where a new hire showed exactly who he was on day two…and was gone the same day.Not because of a single mistake.Because of how he chose to show up.Inside this episode:Why hiring “just to have a body” quietly destroys cultureThe difference between coachable mistakes and non-negotiable behaviorHow one toxic employee poisons good people and drives your best techs awayThe real test of core values: will you enforce them when it’s inconvenient?Why crews should never feel unsafe or on edge around coworkersThe shift from “I see potential” to “do they actually want this?”How letting things slide turns your values into empty wordsWhy underpaying for hard outdoor work guarantees turnoverThe truth behind “no one wants to work anymore”How hiring the right people unlocks growth instead of shrinking your incomeMatt also dismantles the solopreneur lie:“If I hire someone, I’ll make less.”On a spreadsheet it might look true. In reality, it keeps you trapped.The right team frees you to sell, design, lead, and build a company not just a job you can’t escape.If you say culture, standards, and values matter to you…this episode forces the real question:Are you actually protecting them or just talking about them?Lights. Legacy. Living. Captain’s Crew. Sink or Swim.Ready to join Captain’s Crew? 🔹 Apply to work with Captain Matt or hire him for elite outdoor lighting design: https://www.captainmattoutdoors.com/🔹 Explore design + install services at Barefoot Lighting: https://barefootlighting.com/🔹 Join the movement at The Lighting Trade School: https://lightingtradeschool.com/

Most lighting business owners think growth comes from something new.A new ad platform. A new funnel. A new strategy.In reality, growth usually comes from fixing what’s already working.In this episode of Captain’s Quarters First Class, Captain Matt dismantles shiny-object syndrome, the habit that drains momentum, profits, and focus in service businesses.Before you chase more leads, more platforms, or the next guru tactic, this episode forces you to look at the leaks in your current systems.Inside the conversation:Why “we need more leads” is often a misdiagnosisHow the first phone call quietly determines the entire client experienceWhy unclear messaging lowers trust and spendThe power of scripts, tone, and emotional framing on day oneHow small wording changes can dramatically improve close ratesWhy refining one proven system beats launching five new onesA real example of expensive marketing that failed because fundamentals weren’t dialed inWhen to keep testing and when to walk away from distractionsThis episode isn’t anti-marketing.It’s pro-discipline.Every business has something that works.Your job is to identify it, refine it, and compound it before you add anything else.Optimize. Measure. Repeat.That’s how real companies are built.Lights. Legacy. Living. Captain’s Crew. Sink or Swim. Ready to join Captain’s Crew? 🔹 Apply to work with Captain Matt or hire him for elite outdoor lighting design: https://www.captainmattoutdoors.com/ 🔹 Explore design + install services at Barefoot Lighting: https://barefootlighting.com/ 🔹 Join the movement at The Lighting Trade School: https://lightingtradeschool.com/

A lot of Christmas lighting installers think they’re elite at sales until they try to sell something without a deadline, nostalgia, or built-in demand.In this episode of Captain’s Quarters First Class, Captain Matt breaks down why crushing it in Christmas doesn’t automatically translate to success in landscape lighting and why that disconnect catches so many installers off guard.Christmas selling is easy because the value already exists.Landscape lighting requires you to create it from scratch.Inside the episode:The psychological difference between seasonal buying and discretionary buyingWhy Christmas success doesn’t equal sales masteryHow to establish value when clients have no reference pointWhy your holiday clients don’t instantly see you as a lighting designerThe mistake of letting December momentum die in JanuaryHow to structure a starter package that removes friction and still protects profitUsing takedowns and over-the-ground demos to preload spring installsThe mindset shift required to stop resetting every yearThis episode isn’t about working harder in December.It’s about building a system that carries momentum into Q1 and beyond.If you’re tired of sprinting for 45 days and scrambling the rest of the year, this conversation reframes the problem and shows you how to fix it by building value, not chasing it.Lights. Legacy. Living. Captain’s Crew. Sink or Swim. Ready to join Captain’s Crew? 🔹 Apply to work with Captain Matt or hire him for elite outdoor lighting design: https://www.captainmattoutdoors.com/ 🔹 Explore design + install services at Barefoot Lighting: https://barefootlighting.com/ 🔹 Join the movement at The Lighting Trade School: https://lightingtradeschool.com/

Most lighting companies don’t collapse because of bad installs.They collapse because they misunderstand their money.In this episode of Captain’s Quarters First Class, Captain Matt pulls the curtain back on a financial trap that shows up every December when revenue spikes, confidence inflates, and bad decisions feel justified.The problem isn’t cash flow. It’s false security.This episode breaks down:Why seasonal revenue creates dangerous confidenceHow December money tricks owners into short-term thinkingThe hidden cost of spending just to “beat taxes”Why depreciation and capital improvements are misunderstood and misusedThe risk of operating mentally like a big company when you’re seasonal the rest of the yearWhy most businesses fail in the quiet months, not the busy onesCaptain Matt also walks through the Money Game framework how to track survival months, real operating costs, debt exposure, and risk so decisions are based on clarity, not emotion.This isn’t motivation.It’s correction.The calendar won’t save you.More revenue won’t save you.Only better decisions will.If you want the next year to look different, this episode forces the mindset shift required to let go of the old version of you and operate with intention instead of reaction.👉 Instagram: @captainmatt_outdoors👉 https://www.captainmattoutdoors.com/Lights. Legacy. Living. Captain’s Crew. Sink or Swim. Ready to join Captain’s Crew? 🔹 Apply to work with Captain Matt or hire him for elite outdoor lighting design: https://www.captainmattoutdoors.com/ 🔹 Explore design + install services at Barefoot Lighting: https://barefootlighting.com/ 🔹 Join the movement at The Lighting Trade School: https://lightingtradeschool.com/

Most deals don’t die.They just get neglected.In this episode of Captain’s Quarters First Class, Captain Matt calls out one of the most expensive habits in service businesses labeling silence as “ghosting” instead of taking responsibility for follow-up.Here’s the reality:- Some clients never saw the proposal.- Some didn’t understand it.- Some needed a conversation, not another email.Inside the episode:Why chasing “maybes” quietly kills momentumHow falling in love with a clear yes or no changes everythingWhat happened this week on Matt’s own real follow-upsWhy walking a proposal beats sending one every timeHow to use Loom and video without hiding behind emailWhy calling while sending the estimate increases close ratesWhen a real phone call outperforms texts and automationsThis episode isn’t about pressure. It’s about clarity.If you want more closed jobs, stop assuming people vanished.Pick up the phone.Confirm delivery.Have the conversation.Because most clients aren’t avoiding you.They’re waiting for leadership.Lights. Legacy. Living. Captain’s Crew. Sink or Swim. Ready to join Captain’s Crew? 🔹 Apply to work with Captain Matt or hire him for elite outdoor lighting design: https://www.captainmattoutdoors.com/ 🔹 Explore design + install services at Barefoot Lighting: https://barefootlighting.com/ 🔹 Join the movement at The Lighting Trade School: https://lightingtradeschool.com/

A lot of lighting guys think systems close jobs.They don’t. People do.In this episode of Captain’s Quarters First Class, Captain Matt calls out a mistake that quietly costs lighting companies real money every fourth quarter hiding behind screens instead of showing up in person.October isn’t admin season. It’s game time.Whether you install Christmas lighting, permanent lighting, or landscape lighting, this is when homeowners are paying attention. And if you’re firing off PDFs, sending software links, and avoiding face-to-face conversations, you’re already losing ground.Inside this episode:Why in-person meetings still outperform any virtual processHow presence builds trust faster than polished proposalsThe difference between real reputation and online reviewsWhy acting “too busy” repels the best clientsHow showing up changes the entire sales dynamicIf your calendar isn’t full yet, this episode is the reality check.Get out of the chair.Go meet people.Let them experience you, not just your quote.Because the right clients don’t hire links.They hire leaders.Lights. Legacy. Living. Captain’s Crew. Sink or Swim.Ready to join Captain’s Crew? 🔹 Apply to work with Captain Matt or hire him for elite outdoor lighting design: https://www.captainmattoutdoors.com/ 🔹 Explore design + install services at Barefoot Lighting: https://barefootlighting.com/ 🔹 Join the movement at The Lighting Trade School: https://lightingtradeschool.com/

Most business owners don’t fail loudly.They fade quietly.In this episode of Captain’s Quarters First Class, Captain Matt talks about the real reason so many brands get ignored they look, sound, and act exactly like everyone else.Same shirts.Same language.Same stock photos.Same forgettable presence.This conversation isn’t about gimmicks or trying to be loud for attention. It’s about alignment letting who you actually are show up in your brand.Inside the episode:Why “playing it safe” makes you invisibleHow authenticity creates recall without tryingThe story behind building the Captain Matt brand from almost nothingThe evolution from The Christmas Guys to Barefoot Lighting to Captain Matt OutdoorsWhy things finally clicked when professionalism stopped meaning “generic”How to identify the small details that make people remember youIf your marketing feels flat…If your brand doesn’t feel like you… If you’re hiding behind something polished that doesn’t connect…This episode will hit close.Find the detail that’s unmistakably yours.Lead with it.And make sure people don’t forget you.Lights. Legacy. Living. Captain’s Crew. Sink or Swim.Ready to join Captain’s Crew? 🔹 Apply to work with Captain Matt or hire him for elite outdoor lighting design: https://www.captainmattoutdoors.com/🔹 Explore design + install services at Barefoot Lighting: https://barefootlighting.com/🔹 Join the movement at The Lighting Trade School: https://lightingtradeschool.com/

There’s a quiet mindset problem killing creativity in lighting and most people don’t even see it.In this episode of Captain’s Quarters First Class, Captain Matt breaks down why so many installers design like technicians instead of designers and how that single shift is costing them bigger projects, better clients, and real growth.If you’re already worrying about ladders, sidewalks, wire paths, or access points while you’re still walking the property…you’re designing from fear instead of vision.Inside this episode:Why technical thinking too early suffocates creativityHow to separate the walkthrough from the design phaseWhat information to collect on-site and what to ignoreWhy selling the illumination portrait must come before install logisticsHow limiting designs leads to smaller jobs and weaker closesWhen the installer brain should actually turn onThis episode challenges the habit of solving problems that don’t exist yet.Design first.Sell the vision.Then engineer the execution after the client commits.That’s how you break away from cookie-cutter installs, elevate your work, and deliver the projects your clients actually want.Lights. Legacy. Living. Captain’s Crew. Sink or Swim.Ready to join Captain’s Crew?🔹 Apply to work with Captain Matt or hire him for elite outdoor lighting design: https://www.captainmattoutdoors.com/🔹 Explore design + install services at Barefoot Lighting: https://barefootlighting.com/🔹 Join the movement at The Lighting Trade School: https://lightingtradeschool.com/

Most Christmas lighting companies don’t fail because of effort.They fail because they start thinking too late.In this episode of Captain’s Quarters First Class, Captain Matt calls out the September scramble and lays out the systems that separate chaotic seasons from scalable ones.Real Christmas money is built during takedown, not when the phones start ringing.This episode breaks down:Why planning after summer guarantees stress and missed revenueHow to design intake scripts that collect real client data before qualifyingWhy a proper CRM with next-action dates changes everythingHow multi-channel lead flow actually works (yard signs, Google, social, referrals)Turning “no for now” into installs, add-ons, and future upsellsSetting expectations around rental vs. sell—before confusion kills trustUsing lookbooks to plant ideas instead of waiting for clients to askWhy arguing online doesn’t book jobs—and calling leads doesIf you want $100K, $300K, or seven-figure Christmas seasons, this isn’t about grinding harder in October.It’s about building the machine early so December doesn’t break you.Lights. Legacy. Living. Captain’s Crew. Sink or Swim.Ready to join Captain’s Crew? 🔹 Apply to work with Captain Matt or hire him for elite outdoor lighting design: https://www.captainmattoutdoors.com/🔹 Explore design + install services at Barefoot Lighting: https://barefootlighting.com/🔹 Join the movement at The Lighting Trade School: https://lightingtradeschool.com/ 🔹 Buy elite American-made fixtures at: https://lifetimelightingsystems.com/ 

Everyone wants the big Christmas lighting season.Very few build the operation that can actually support it.In this episode of Captain’s Quarters First Class, Captain Matt breaks down the Impossible Game a goal-setting framework that separates wishful thinking from real execution.This isn’t motivation.It’s math, structure, and accountability.You’ll hear how to think through:Reasonable goals that keep things exactly the sameRadical goals that stretch you but still rely on hopeImpossible goals that force you to upgrade systems, leadership, and decision-makingUsing a real-world example trying to jump from ~$50K to $150K Matt walks through what actually has to change behind the scenes: storage, hiring, routing, checklists, scripts, client experience, and the invisible costs most installers ignore.Inside the episode:Why profit targets fail when systems don’t existHow chaos quietly kills referrals and momentumWhy processes must live on paper not in your headWhere automation actually saves time (and where it doesn’t)How to hire based on friction, not fantasyThe real math behind runners, windshield time, and crew efficiencyA clear week-one action plan to start tightening the machineThis episode isn’t about setting bigger goals.It’s about becoming the operator those goals require.If you want more money with less stress, this is where it starts.Lights. Legacy. Living. Captain’s Crew. Sink or Swim.Ready to join Captain’s Crew?🔹 Apply to work with Captain Matt or hire him for elite outdoor lighting design: https://www.captainmattoutdoors.com/🔹 Explore design + install services at Barefoot Lighting: https://barefootlighting.com/🔹 Join the movement at The Lighting Trade School: https://lightingtradeschool.com/🔹 Buy elite American-made fixtures at: https://lifetimelightingsystems.com/

Most people pivot because they have to.Toby Blair pivoted because he saw what was next.In this episode of Captain’s Quarters First Class, Captain Matt sits down with Toby Blair co-owner of Absolutely Clean Services and founder of Ox Lighting Concepts in Grand Rapids, Michigan to talk about what it really looks like to step into a new industry after you’ve already built a successful company.Toby grew up in a family service business, worked the grind for decades, and could’ve stayed comfortable. Instead, he chose to build again this time in outdoor lighting.Inside the conversation:The real backstory of growing Absolutely Clean Services from the ground upWhy Toby decided to move beyond soft washing and into permanent lighting and landscape designHow a serious injury forced reflection and sharpened his directionThe plan to push Ox Lighting Concepts past $200K before ChristmasLessons on leadership, humility, and learning a new craft without egoWhy mentorship accelerates pivots faster than trial and errorThis episode is for operators who feel the pull toward something more but aren’t sure if starting over is worth it.You’ll hear why experience compounds…even when the business changes.Lights. Legacy. Living. Captain’s Crew. Sink or Swim.Ready to join Captain’s Crew?🔹 Apply to work with Captain Matt or hire him for elite outdoor lighting design: https://www.captainmattoutdoors.com/🔹 Explore design + install services at Barefoot Lighting: https://barefootlighting.com/🔹 Join the movement at The Lighting Trade School: https://lightingtradeschool.com/🔹 Buy elite American-made fixtures at: https://lifetimelightingsystems.com/

Most people talk about growth.Chris and Rich Vazzana built it brick by brick.In this episode of Captain’s Quarters First Class, Captain Matt sits down with the twin brothers behind The Patio Bros to unpack how they went from scraping by in the field to running a seven-figure hardscape company that keeps accelerating.This isn’t a highlight reel. It’s the real progression.Their journey includes:Starting with a handful of lawn accounts and zero financial clarityHitting breaking points that almost ended the businessLearning the hard way why effort alone doesn’t scaleReplacing chaos with systems that pulled them out of daily laborBuilding a massive showroom, a committed team, and a brand their market actually trustsIn this conversation, we cover:Why systems matter more than raw skillHow hiring changes when you stop thinking like a hustlerThe role of content and social media in local dominanceWhat finally allowed them to step out of the fieldThe mindset shift from surviving jobs to building an operationIf you’re in landscaping, lighting, hardscape, or any service trade, and you’re grinding without seeing traction, this episode will hit close to home.This is what happens when execution finally catches up to ambition.💥 Follow them on Instagram: @thepatiobros 🎓 Join their free Process to Profits school: Link in their bioLights. Legacy. Living. Captain’s Crew. Sink or Swim.Ready to join Captain’s Crew?🔹 Apply to work with Captain Matt or hire him for elite outdoor lighting design: https://www.captainmattoutdoors.com/🔹 Explore design + install services at Barefoot Lighting: https://barefootlighting.com/🔹 Join the movement at The Lighting Trade School: https://lightingtradeschool.com/🔹 Buy elite American-made fixtures at: https://lifetimelightingsystems.com/

This episode marks the first guest interview on Captain’s Quarters First Class and there was only one right way to start.Captain Matt sits down with his longtime friend, lighting entrepreneur, and certified grinder Shane “Glo Daddy” Duffy.Shane isn’t a highlight-reel entrepreneur.He’s the guy who built everything the hard way…through mistakes, pressure, and relentless forward motion.From early hustles to seven-figure companies, Shane’s path includes:Starting small with vending machines and service workScaling Glass Geeks into a dominant window cleaning brandGrowing GloGeeks into one of the fastest-moving names in lightingDigging out of a $90,000 tax hole that would’ve ended most peopleIn this conversation, we break down:Why imperfect action beats waiting until you “feel ready”The truth about licensing, scaling, and staying leanWhat Shane would do today starting with almost nothingHow pressure, not comfort, forged his momentumWhy mindset matters more than resources when building from scratchIf you’ve ever told yourself you’re too broke, too late, or too buried to build something real—this episode will challenge that story.Nothing polished.Nothing sugar-coated.Just proof that momentum favors the willing.👉 Learn more about GloGeeks: https://glogeeksgang.comLights. Legacy. Living. Captain’s Crew. Sink or Swim.Ready to join Captain’s Crew?🔹 Apply to work with Captain Matt or hire him for elite outdoor lighting design: https://www.captainmattoutdoors.com🔹 Explore design + install services at Barefoot Lighting: https://barefootlighting.com🔹 Join the movement at The Lighting Trade School: https://lightingtradeschool.com🔹 Buy elite American-made fixtures: https://lifetimelightingsystems.com

Most lighting companies don’t lose jobs because of price.They lose them because of how they sound.In this episode of Captain’s Quarters First Class, Captain Matt breaks down how language shapes perception and why the words you choose directly impact how much clients trust you, respect you, and ultimately pay you.If your vocabulary still reflects a DIY mindset, your clients will treat you like a DIY option.Inside the episode:Why language instantly positions you as premium or disposableHow subtle wording changes shift authority without sounding salesyThe difference between explaining work and leading a clientWhy mindset and vocabulary always rise togetherWhat to read, watch, and study to upgrade how you speakHow Captain Matt rewired his own sales language using Nate Mullen’s teachingsA real mentee story that proves clients can afford more once you believe itThis isn’t about being fake. It’s about aligning your words with the level of client you say you want.Stop selling components.Start communicating outcomes.Because clients don’t just buy lighting they buy confidence in the person standing in front of them.Lights. Legacy. Living. Captain’s Crew. Sink or Swim.Ready to join Captain’s Crew? 🔹 Apply to work with Captain Matt or hire him for elite outdoor lighting design: https://www.captainmattoutdoors.com/ 🔹 Explore design + install services at Barefoot Lighting: https://barefootlighting.com/ 🔹 Join the movement at The Lighting Trade School: https://lightingtradeschool.com/ 🔹 Buy elite American-made fixtures at: https://lifetimelightingsystems.com/

Too many lighting companies argue about fixture prices like it’s a badge of honor.Meanwhile, they’re losing money in silence.In this episode of Captain’s Quarters First Class, Captain Matt breaks down why pricing by the fixture is one of the most misleading habits in the lighting industry and how real profit has nothing to do with ego or comparison.This episode walks through a real job that produced over four figures in net profit without inflated pricing and explains why others charging more per fixture still can’t make payroll.Inside the breakdown:Why per-fixture pricing hides the numbers that actually matterHow to calculate your true daily operating costThe danger of small installs that feel good but don’t scaleWhen a higher per-fixture price works—and when it quietly destroys marginA real-world example showing how profit is created through structure, not bravadoWhy comparing prices with other installers is the fastest way to stay averageThis isn’t about being cheap.And it’s not about charging the most.It’s about knowing your numbers so well that pricing becomes a decision, not a guess.If you’re done playing the comparison game and ready to run a lighting business that actually pays you, this episode draws the line.Lights. Legacy. Living. Captain’s Crew. Sink or Swim.Ready to join Captain’s Crew? 🔹 Apply to work with Captain Matt or hire him for elite outdoor lighting design: https://www.captainmattoutdoors.com/ 🔹 Explore design + install services at Barefoot Lighting: https://barefootlighting.com/ 🔹 Join the movement at The Lighting Trade School: https://lightingtradeschool.com/ 🔹 Buy elite American-made fixtures at: https://lifetimelightingsystems.com/

If your proposal is just a price wrapped in software…You’re forcing clients to shop you instead of trust you.In this episode of Captain’s Quarters First Class, Captain Matt breaks down how he rebuilt his proposal process to close more jobs, faster often without ever visiting the site.This isn’t about fancy templates.It’s about controlling the narrative, stacking value, and guiding the client to a confident yes.Inside the episode:Why sending line-item quotes trains clients to say “I’ll think about it”How to structure proposals that educate before price ever becomes the focusWhat each line item should actually communicate—and why that mattersHow video walkthroughs change the buyer’s perception instantlyWhy this approach works especially well for remote sales and permanent lightingThe mindset shift from “contractor quoting” to “professional advising”Whether you’re selling permanent lighting, color changing soffit lights, or high-end landscape lighting, this episode shows you how to stop chasing approvals—and start closing with authority.If your close rate feels lower than it should be, the problem probably isn’t the homeowner. It’s the proposal.Lights. Legacy. Living. Captain’s Crew. Sink or Swim.Ready to join Captain’s Crew? 🔹 Apply to work with Captain Matt or hire him for elite outdoor lighting design: https://www.captainmattoutdoors.com/ 🔹 Explore design + install services at Barefoot Lighting: https://barefootlighting.com/ 🔹 Join the movement at The Lighting Trade School: https://lightingtradeschool.com/ 🔹 Buy elite American-made fixtures at: https://lifetimelightingsystems.com/

Most lighting business owners are addicted to the hunt. New leads. New calls. New installs.Meanwhile, the fastest money in their company sits untouched—right inside their own CRM.In this episode of Captain’s Quarters First Class, Captain Matt breaks down how to turn old “no’s,” ghosted estimates, and stalled conversations into real revenue—without spending another dollar on ads.This isn’t theory. It’s a repeatable system built from years of reactivating past leads across Christmas lighting, landscape lighting, and permanent installations.Inside this episode:Why “no” usually means not right now—not neverHow simple reactivation campaigns generate five figures fastThe psychology behind follow-up that converts without pressureHow to separate true do-not-contact leads from missed opportunitiesThe hidden cost of abandoning past conversationsWhy harvesting always beats hunting when cash flow mattersIf you’ve been telling yourself your old leads are “cold,” this episode will challenge that assumption—and show you how to wake them back up.You already paid for those leads. Ignoring them is optional.Lights. Legacy. Living. Captain’s Crew. Sink or Swim.Ready to join Captain’s Crew? 🔹 Apply to work with Captain Matt or hire him for elite outdoor lighting design: https://www.captainmattoutdoors.com/ 🔹 Explore design + install services at Barefoot Lighting: https://barefootlighting.com/ 🔹 Join the movement at The Lighting Trade School: https://lightingtradeschool.com/

A lot of lighting companies think they’re being “scrappy.”In reality, they’re sitting on a ticking bomb.In this episode of Captain’s Quarters First Class, Captain Matt breaks down one of the most dangerous blind spots in the lighting industry, misclassifying workers and pretending 1099 means “no responsibility.”If your “subcontractor”:Shows up when you tell them toUses your truck, your tools, your systemsWorks set hours and answers to youThat’s not a 1099. And calling it one won’t save you when the hammer drops.This episode dives into:The real-world difference between subcontractors and employees (no legal jargon)Why skipping payroll, workers’ comp, or insurance always catches upHow audits actually start and how fast they spiralThe hard lesson Matt learned going through it himselfHow to price jobs correctly so compliance doesn’t kill your marginsWhat “running a real company” actually looks like when crews growThis isn’t legal advice.It's an experience-earned perspective from someone who’s built and managed crews across Christmas lighting, landscape lighting, and permanent installations and watched good companies implode because they ignored this.If you’re still telling yourself “I’ll clean it up later”…Later is usually too late.Lights. Legacy. Living. Captain’s Crew. Sink or Swim.Ready to join Captain’s Crew? 🔹 Apply to work with Captain Matt or hire him for elite outdoor lighting design: https://www.captainmattoutdoors.com/ 🔹 Explore design + install services at Barefoot Lighting: https://barefootlighting.com/ 🔹 Join the movement at The Lighting Trade School: https://lightingtradeschool.com/

Starting over isn’t a weakness, it’s the way forward.In this episode, I crack open the real story of how I launched The Christmas Guys back in 2009 with nothing but grit, printer paper, and borrowed hustle. No ad spend. No courses. Just raw determination.But this isn’t about polished “success” stories. It’s about the ugly truth, that being wrong is part of the process. Pivoting doesn’t make you a failure. It makes you free.Here’s what I get into:Why chasing nursing homes as my first clients backfired completelyHow I scrapped my way from 3 installs to 9 with nothing but flyersThe painful lessons from Groupon discounts and TV ads gone sidewaysWhy ego keeps guys trapped in businesses they secretly hateAnd the brutal fact: if no one knows what you do, no one can hire youThis one’s for the underdogs; the guys staring down a pivot, scared of looking like they screwed up. If you’ve ever felt stuck, burned out, or like the first chapter of your story wasn’t the right one… this episode is your permission slip to start again.Hit play, and let’s talk about the power of being wrong and why it’s the best thing that can happen to your business.Lights. Legacy. Living. Captain’s Crew. Sink or Swim.Ready to join Captain’s Crew?🔹 Apply to work with Captain Matt or hire him for elite outdoor lighting design: https://www.captainmattoutdoors.com/🔹 Explore design + install services at Barefoot Lighting: https://barefootlighting.com/🔹 Join the movement at The Lighting Trade School: https://lightingtradeschool.com/Follow me:https://www.instagram.com/captainmatt_official/Listen to More Outdoor Lighting Podcasts:https://open.spotify.com/show/3zP6CmWQAAenGC5eWrnIuMhttps://youtu.be/rN9lUNhdasw?si=fvnmkBMd4nnUL6dB

Every story has a first chapter.Here’s mine.Before The Lighting Trade School…Before the coaching calls, the mentoring, the podcast…Before the designs that made millionaires stop in their tracks…I was just a broke dad in upstate New York, stringing lights to make sure my kid had Christmas gifts.In this debut episode of Captain’s Quarters First Class, I rewind the clock—back to the clients who handed me hot cocoa, the frozen ladders, and the lessons that forced me to level up from part-time holiday hustle to full-time lighting artist.Inside this episode you’ll hear:Why I couldn’t survive on Christmas lights alone.What it really felt like to dive into landscape lighting with zero roadmap.How crossing paths with Nate Mullen changed my trajectory.The single mindset shift that flipped everything for me.This show isn’t about dabbling—it’s about domination.It’s about building something real, raising the standard, and proving you’re the one who won’t quit when everyone else folds.Press play and step into First Class.If you’re ready to stop playing small and start building a legacy…Welcome aboard Captain’s Quarters First Class.Lights. Legacy. Living. Captain’s Crew. Sink or Swim.Ready to join Captain’s Crew? 🔹 Apply to work with Captain Matt or hire him for elite outdoor lighting design: https://www.captainmattoutdoors.com/ 🔹 Explore design + install services at Barefoot Lighting: https://barefootlighting.com/ 🔹 Join the movement at The Lighting Trade School: https://lightingtradeschool.com/

Captain Matt here this 2-minute teaser kicks off Captain’s Quarters First Class. From Christmas lights in 2009 to landscape lighting today, here’s my backstory. I share how I started The Christmas Guys, grew a side hustle into real money, and eventually built Barefoot Lighting and Captain Matt Outdoors. You’ll hear how I met Nate Mullen, what I learned along the way, and why this podcast exists.Full episodes dropping soon. Sink or Swim.