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 scale
  

• The real reason reinstalls take longer and how to reverse it
  

• How to document jobs properly with photos, videos, and checklists
  

• Simple labeling systems that let any tech reinstall next year
  

• How to avoid tangled chaos with smarter storage methods
  

• Why takedown speed matters more than you think
  

• How geography-based routing beats “by request” scheduling
  

• The urgency factor in cold climates and why early matters
  

• Why fast takedowns unlock clean numbers and smarter planning
  

This 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 culture
  

• The difference between coachable mistakes and non-negotiable behavior
  

• How one toxic employee poisons good people and drives your best techs away
  

• The real test of core values: will you enforce them when it’s inconvenient?
  

• Why crews should never feel unsafe or on edge around coworkers
  

• The shift from “I see potential” to “do they actually want this?”
  

• How letting things slide turns your values into empty words
  

• Why underpaying for hard outdoor work guarantees turnover
  

• The truth behind “no one wants to work anymore”
  

• How hiring the right people unlocks growth instead of shrinking your income
  

Matt 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 misdiagnosis
  

• How the first phone call quietly determines the entire client experience
  

• Why unclear messaging lowers trust and spend
  

• The power of scripts, tone, and emotional framing on day one
  

• How small wording changes can dramatically improve close rates
  

• Why refining one proven system beats launching five new ones
  

• A real example of expensive marketing that failed because fundamentals weren’t dialed in
  

• When to keep testing and when to walk away from distractions
  

This 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/