Today we’d like to introduce you to Emilio Linares.
Hi Emilio, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
After moving to San Diego over a decade ago I was scrambling to find a career that I enjoyed yet also was profitable. I bounced around from different managerial positions in the service industry. I kind of hit a dead end in that field. At this point I knew how to manage and really valued flexibility in my schedule, which was a foreign concept. In steps a family member of mine who would live in San Diego for the summer and head to Northern California for the winter to hang Christmas lights. After picking his brain and learning the ins and outs of how he operates, the value he built in a short period of time, and the flexibility that came with this industry, it was a no-brainer for me to give it a shot. After some extensive training with him in Northern California, I launched SD Light Guys in 2007. Since then, we have not looked back and continue to grow and value to the company as well to our many satisfied clients.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
With any small business starting out is the most challenging part. You are taking a leap of faith hoping that someone will see the value in what you have to offer. It was slow at the beginning but with diligence and smart and strategic partnerships and networking along the way we have continued to grow.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next, you can tell us a bit more about your business?
We specialize in holiday and event lighting for all of San Diego County. I’ll start with the holiday perspective since that is our busiest and most successful time of the year.
We offer a variety of lighting displays for numerous holidays. Obviously for us Christmas is the primary one. For Christmas we offer elegant warm white lights for rooflines, trees, walkways, etc. however we are not just limited to warm white. Depending on preference and if you have kids or happen to live in a neighborhood where home lighting competition amongst neighbors is a fun a spirited event, we can offer multi color lighting and color changing elements to really wow all on lookers.
On the event side we offer string lighting for weddings, parties, and other events where an elegant esthetic is greatly appreciated.
Whether an event or holiday or team do everything in our power and ability to make our clients vision a reality. You want an 8’ star on your roof? Let’s make it happen. You want color changing lights in your tree? We got you. Your kids are flying in for the holidays, and you haven’t put lights up in a decade? No problem.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
Obviously, every profession is different and has its own unique challenges. For me this started out as a very seasonal career with a couple modest years at the beginning. I encourage entrepreneurs who have a vision and a passion for something similar to be okay with doing it part-time for a while. It’s ok if it takes months or even years to be truly profitable. Before I was able to make this my yearlong passion and career, I had to work numerous jobs to pay the bills, stay afloat, etc. All the while after working my 9-5, coming home, and strategizing how to make SD Light Guys my primary income.
I guess to sum it up, work hard at your dream job while working for someone else’s dream job come true. Those other jobs aren’t pointless. You will learn a ton along the way. And the work ethic and discipline that comes with that will set you up when your dream job starts taking off.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.sdlightguys.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sd.light.guys/
Image Credits
Myro Yartym
