Dr. Shelley James is back with a little preview of her new podcast, “Thinking Differently About Lighting.” Dr. James has pulled together her “dream team” of scientists to discuss the latest research and findings, and how that is transforming the way we think about lighting. Watch out for the launch on the Get a Grip network. Dr. Shelley James is an international expert on light and well-being, TEDx and keynote speaker, Author, WELL Advisor and Visiting Lecturer at the Royal College of Art. She i...
Nov 11, 2024•12 min•Ep. 471
Is the LED boom over? Maybe so, but not in sports lighting. The energy savings and cost reductions with LED, and the advancements in controls now means you can get that NFL “look” for your local high school field. As Royce says, it can make participants feel like they are part of something bigger. Royce Banuelos is the marketing manager for SLG Lighting, an LED lighting manufacturer known for their high bays, commercial lighting, and turn key sports lighting solutions. He has an extensive 15+ ye...
Nov 04, 2024•25 min•Ep. 470
Yes, there is a market north of the border! The Toronto area is huge and deserves its own lighting show. Gaurav saw the opportunity and jumped on it all the way from India. With his company, MEX Exhibitions, he plans to “provide a platform for the lighting community to engage in meaningful dialogue and explore the future of smart lighting, LED technology, and design.” And he’s getting help from The Lighting Agora’s Tom Butters who is acting as the Knowledge Partner for the educational program. S...
Oct 28, 2024•17 min•Ep. 469
You or your contractor are installing lights in a retail store with a scissor lift. Suddenly, a few tiles crack under the weight. Who’s to blame? It might not be who you think. Cory joined his father at Lighting Unlimited in 2008. He took on a leadership role in 2014 as well as receiving his LC from the NCQLP in 2017. He was the president of NAILD in 2018 and the VP of the Phoenix chapter of the IES.
Oct 15, 2024•15 min•Ep. 468
Michael recently had a customer call to fix some blinking lights in his parking lot. Brian joins Michael and Greg to discuss how a distributor could handle this situation when some other company did the installation. THe boys discuss everything from selling them new fixtures, to advising them to call the installers to find out the warranty situation. What would you do? Brian began his career in the lighting industry with Pacific Lamp Wholesale, in 2009. Before Pacific Lamp he sold radiant floor ...
Oct 08, 2024•10 min•Ep. 467
CEOs of publicly traded lighting companies, you are invited to be a guest on Get A Grip On Lighting. Michael, Greg, and Spencer Miles discuss the pros and the cons for you. And we have concluded the pros outweigh the cons. If you’re up for it, email us at getagrippodcasts@gmail.com . Spencer Miles first appeared on Get a Grip On Lighting way back in 2017 on episode #4. He is the President of Pacific Lamp and Supply Company where he has worked for 23 years of Pacific Lamp’s over 100 years of busi...
Sep 23, 2024•11 min•Ep. 466
Devin and Louvers International have a new UVC air sanitizer product called Cluvaire. But while we have Devin, we go into the “deep state” of the lighting industry, outdoor lighting, bulb bans, dark sky compliance… But yeah, he has a new UV product called Cluvaire. Check it out: https://louversintl.com/uvc-air-sanitizers/ Devin, along with his brother Derek, heads up Louvers International which was founded in 1986 with reliability and good design in mind. What started out as a small business has...
Sep 16, 2024•20 min•Ep. 465
Michael presents a document from the Canadian government outlining the coming ban on CFL bulbs. Brian Huff joins Michael and Greg to tackle this misguided and needlessly complicated plan. Hey Governments - want to get rid of Mercury containing bulbs? A NAILD committee will figure it out in 15 minutes. Brian Huff, President of Adventure Lighting in Des Moines, IA, has been in the lighting industry for 15ish years, and has owned Adventure Lighting for 7 years. He has 2 kids, and spends a lot of ti...
Sep 09, 2024•17 min•Ep. 464
Jake Watters reached out to us after listening to episode #356 with Paolo Cordovado and how difficult it has become, as a building manager, to simply replace light bulbs. Even as Jake’s company attempts to mitigate the waste with their modular system, even he admits that the only path to sustainability is probably form factor standards. Michael gets hotter than usual on this one. Born and raised in the Lighting industry, Jake’s father was a branch and then general manager of a regional ED/showro...
Sep 02, 2024•21 min•Ep. 463
It was another very successful NAILD Convention. Michael and Greg give us their take on the event, from the seating plan to the presentations to the first pitch at the baseball game by Brian Huff. Greg considers the boxed lunch sandwich possibly one of the best he’s ever had!
Aug 27, 2024•13 min•Ep. 462
Mel Jacobson started selling light bulbs out of a van in 1951 and in 1955, Paul’s Grandfather Don McLellan joined Mel, then bought the company in 1982 when Mel retired. When the internet arrived, teenage Paul built a website and started selling light bulbs online. But vanolite.com just wasn’t going to cut it. And so LightBulbs.com was born. Paul and his brother-in-law Jason tell us how they built up the online business and how they continue to keep it successful. Hint - they have a big family. P...
Aug 22, 2024•40 min•Ep. 461
Special Release! It’s almost September and that means the Archlight Summit is almost upon us. Lea and Cindy update Michael on what to expect this year at The Dallas Market Centre in Dallas Texas. Educational and enjoyable. Catch up with friends and colleagues you haven’t seen for a while. September 17 and 18. Lea is a seasoned professional with over 25 years of experience in Trade Show Sales, Attendee Development, and new business development, specializing for over 14 years in the commercial and...
Aug 12, 2024•18 min•Ep. 460
We get back to basics with lighting distributor Brian Amundson, President of Pacific Lamp Wholesale. We start off with a video of possibly the most hellish room you could ever experience. Brian discusses with Michael and Greg, how to handle a situation like that, and sticking up for the customer in general. Brian began his career in the lighting industry with Pacific Lamp Wholesale, in 2009. Before Pacific Lamp he sold radiant floor heating, solar electric, and solar water systems. That is how h...
Aug 05, 2024•15 min•Ep. 459
Alex and Paulina are our first guests from Mexico. And they seem to have many of the same challenges as in the rest of North America - problems with Chinese products and standards and certifications, for example. They are making headway on light pollution however, starting with some dark sky compliant areas in the Baja Peninsula and working its way through Mexico. Alex is an Architect and Lighting Designer from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia. With extensive experience in lighting design...
Jul 22, 2024•32 min•Ep. 458
We’re a little off-topic here, but it’s for a good cause. Instead of the usual black tie event to raise money to fight cancer, founders of the H Foundation decided to create an uplifting event with The Goombay Bash. So grab your Hawaiian shirt and get yourself to the Navy Pier in Chicago on July 27th and help fight cancer ( https://www.goombaybash.com/ ). While you’re there, order yourself a Goombay Smash, just like the one Michael is drinking in this episode. Cortney Hausser has dedicated her c...
Jul 15, 2024•22 min•Ep. 457
Let’s go back to the time when people accepted that light bulbs would burn out. Michael calls it a “pseudo subscription model.” You could sell light bulbs to customers on a pretty regular schedule. We don’t need to tell you how that changed with the advent of LED. Michael and Greg discuss how distributors should react to the change.
Jul 08, 2024•8 min•Ep. 456
Deborah Gottesman is a lighting Designer in Michael’s neck of the woods. Gottesman Associates has been designing lights since 1999. Deborah stresses, as a lighting designer, to consider what’s best for the client. For instance, one client who was visually impaired, needed to see everything. So a design with contrast and shadows, which would be pleasing for most of us, just wouldn’t work for this person. The “intention” in this case was flat, even lighting, and that was the best design for that c...
Jul 01, 2024•40 min•Ep. 455
Sure, Jon sells light bulbs, but he also sells safety and risk mitigation. First, by installing the right bulb in the right position, safety is increased, and second, by installing a longer lasting bulb and requiring someone to climb up and change it less often, he is mitigating risk. If you're doing it right, you’ll NEVER have OSHA involved. Jon Rud is an accomplished sales executive with over a decade of experience in the electrical and lighting industries. Currently serving as the VP of Sales...
Jun 24, 2024•33 min•Ep. 454
If you want to REALLY become technically proficient about lighting, get on grow lighting. Taylor Schaberg has been in the business for quite awhile and he tells us he’s still learning. You want to light a warehouse, throw up some high bays. You want to light a cannabis greenhouse? Wait a minute, what strain of cannabis is it? How strong do you want it to be? Then there are the controls that you need to set to mimic night and day. And then there’s the heat and moisture controls! Taylor is all for...
Jun 17, 2024•39 min•Ep. 453
If you don’t know who Bill Brown was, you weren’t in the lighting industry. From founding Bill Brown Sales at the kitchen table with his wife Norma in 1955, to creating A.L.P manufacturing in 1972, Bill was a force in the industry. Known for his mutual respect, philanthropy and hard work, he received numerous industry awards over his lifetime. We were lucky enough to have him as a guest way back on episode 10 in 2017. Please enjoy this retrospective and encore presentation. https://www.billbrown...
Jun 10, 2024•55 min•Ep. 452
Like many of us, India “fell” into lighting. Except India’s interest is in the history of Los Angeles street lighting, from the “moon towers” of the 1880’s, to the Golden Age of street lighting in the 40’s and 50’s to the skyrocketing of street lighting over crime concerns in the 60’s. Some of these classic light poles are still in use, but alas, with copper wire theft and some of these cast iron poles being literally ripped out of the ground and taken for scrap metal, we may be losing the beaut...
Jun 03, 2024•39 min•Ep. 451
Paolo is your typical customer for a lighting distributor or a contractor. The misinformation on LED lifecycles, the difficulty in replacing drivers, and the sheer waste that has been created prompts Paolo to label the whole system as a Ponzy scheme. How many electricians does it take to change a light bulb? The joke’s on you because on many fixtures, you can’t change the bulb. Paolo Cordovado is a Building Operator at Avison Young Real Estate Management Services, recognized as BOMA Toronto's 20...
May 28, 2024•33 min•Ep. 450
Mike is a member of AAILA and he’ll tout the benefits all day long, from assistance and support to education, just like NAILD does for independent lighting distributors. AAILA brings together independent lighting agents and makes them “stronger together.” When he’s not volunteering for AAILA, he and his company are working on projects like lighting the longest enclosed pedestrian bridge in the world. ( https://www.durhamregion.com/news/lighting-up-the-pickering-skyline/article_008e7f09-f2f4-5d10...
May 20, 2024•37 min•Ep. 449
Luminaire Level Lighting Controls. Is it time? Bruce and Angela think so. With wireless and Bluetooth maturing, the time may be right to NOT rip out walls and old control boxes, and just install LLLC. Now lighting controls are accessible to contractors and end users. Everybody’s happy. Okay maybe it’s not quite that simple. Listen to this one to hear about the promises and the challenges of LLLC. Angela Pilant has more than 25 years of experience working within the lighting and energy industries...
May 13, 2024•42 min•Ep. 448
We’ve all heard about AI by now. But probably not everyone really understands what it’s about. Pete Grett is kinda counting on that a little. As he says, using AI is pretty simple, but people just want others to do it for them. That’s where Pete steps in. He wants to help individuals be more efficient by taking away tasks and giving them to AI to perform. But don’t tell the boss. Just produce your usual level of productivity, then with your spare time watch or listen to Get A Grip On Lighting ep...
May 06, 2024•27 min•Ep. 447
You will remember Dr. James from episode 291 in December 2022. She’s written a couple of books about light and health since then (see below). Light and its relation to circadian health keeps popping up on this podcast. There’s no doubt there’s something to it. But even Dr. James will tell you, the best way to deal with it is to go outside and let the rays from that big light in the sky hit you. Dr Shelley James is an international expert on light and well-being, TEDx and keynote speaker, Author,...
Apr 29, 2024•39 min•Ep. 446
What exactly is the National Lighting Bureau? Well, Tom can tell us because he is now the Executive Director. He gives us a sneak peak on what's ahead for the Bureau. Tom also explains three personal goals he has as Director: increasing member benefits, outreach to like-minded organizations, and public outreach. The topic of transformation comes up between Tom, Michael and Greg. Is it coming? Listen to this episode to find out. Tom Butters, LC, is the creative mind and developer behind some of t...
Apr 22, 2024•27 min•Ep. 445
From billionaires’ butler to very successful owner of 3 hair salons with 77 employees (which also meant 77 headaches) to lighting designer and decorative lighting store retailer. William has always had a knack for what looks good and that has served him well as a lighting designer. When he’s not out designing the interior and exterior lighting of a home, he’s minding the store in Santa Barbara ( lightandhome.com ). William George has been a photographer, interior designer, art historian, theatri...
Apr 15, 2024•25 min•Ep. 444
Two interesting perspectives on the lighting distribution industry: Sean Valliere who knew nothing about the lighting industry when he became an owner of Lamp Sales Unlimited, and Miranda Shepherd, who worked at Lamp Sales Unlimited for 23 years and also became an owner. Sean and Miranda discuss how they keep customers coming back by carefully choosing the right stock and having better customer service than the other guys. Sean Valliere moved from Pennsylvania at the age of 19 to Jacksonville FL...
Apr 09, 2024•33 min•Ep. 443
Omar is so knowledgeable about the Internet of Things that he’s written a book about it. He talks to Michael and Greg about the future of smart sensors and cloud data. Imagine a smart sensor that can see where, when and why people gather in a particular spot in a retail establishment. But, as Michael points out, a downside of collecting all this data is that it has to be stored on physical drives that take enormous amounts of energy and cover acres and acres of land around the planet. Omar A. Ri...
Apr 01, 2024•34 min•Ep. 442
