Welcome toYour Christmas
LightingBusiness
Authentic conversations with the innovators and dreamers of the Gulf Coast (and beyond). Discover the mindset and journey behind success. Get ready to be inspired.
Meet Your Hosts
Get to know the passionate voices bringing you authentic conversations with Gulf Coast innovators and entrepreneurs.
Cory Adams
Serial Entrepreneur & Founder
Latest Episodes
Watch our full conversations with inspiring entrepreneurs, creators, and changemakers who are making a real difference in their communities.
17: Christmas Light Business Advice — Stop Listening to Everyone Online
There are more Christmas light contractors online sharing advice than ever before—and a lot more contractors criticizing how everyone else runs their business.
In Episode 17, Cory talks about a recent interaction with another contractor who criticized Paradise Lights' work and why it brought up a much bigger issue: there isn't one right way to run a Christmas light business.
Some companies want to create huge, elaborate displays. Others focus on clean, professional installations that can be installed quickly, serviced efficiently, and remain profitable. Neither strategy is automatically right or wrong.
Cory talks about balancing craftsmanship with profitability, why a bigger job isn't always a better job, the problem with blindly following advice online, and why contractors need to understand the business they're actually trying to build.
In This Episode- Why there's so much Christmas light business advice online right now
- A contractor publicly criticizing Paradise Lights' work
- Why different markets require different installation strategies
- Doing professional work without overcomplicating every installation
- Are you trying to be an artist—or run a profitable business?
- Why a $4,000 job isn't automatically better than several smaller jobs
- Looking at labor, time, efficiency, and margin—not just revenue
- Why simple and repeatable can be a legitimate business strategy
- Different Christmas light companies can have completely different business models
- Why criticizing another contractor's work rarely tells you how successful their business actually is
- Choosing who you take business advice from
- Why Cory doesn't expect listeners to agree with everything he says
Different doesn't mean wrong.
You can build a company around massive custom displays. You can build one around simpler, repeatable installations. You can specialize in commercial work, residential work, palms, rooflines, or something completely different.
The important question isn't whether another contractor approves of your work.
Does your customer like it, and does the business model actually make money?
Connect with Cory AdamsWebsite:
YourLightingBusiness.com
TikTok: @c0ry.adams
Instagram: @c0ryadams
YouTube: Your Lighting Business
Free Facebook Community: Your Lighting Business
Podcast: Your Lighting Business
16. Stop Overcomplicating the Sale — What Christmas Light Customers Actually Care About
Christmas light contractors love talking about LEDs, Kelvin temperatures, commercial-grade products, wire, bulbs, clips, and all the technical details.
But is that really what the customer cares about?
In Episode 16, Cory talks about why Christmas light companies sometimes make the sales process more complicated than it needs to be. Most customers aren't looking for a technical education—they want to know what their house will look like, when the lights are going up, whether they're on a timer, what happens if something goes wrong, and when everything comes back down.
Knowing your product is important. But selling isn't about proving how much you know. It's about understanding what your customer actually wants and making the entire process feel simple.
In This Episode
Why Christmas light contractors tend to overcomplicate the sale
What customers actually want to know before hiring you
Why technical knowledge matters—but doesn't always need to be part of the sales pitch
Explaining timers, installation, service, takedown, and the overall process
Why customers are buying convenience, not just lights
Listening to the questions your customer is actually asking
Why simple communication can build more trust than technical jargon
The difference between sounding knowledgeable and making a customer feel confident
Connect with Cory Adams
Website:
YourLightingBusiness.com
TikTok: @c0ry.adams
Instagram: @c0ryadams
YouTube: Your Lighting Business
Free Facebook Community: Your Lighting Business
Podcast: Your Lighting Business
15. Christmas Light Season Has Started — The Reality of Running a Christmas Light Business
Christmas light season has officially started — and the problems didn't waste any time showing up.
In Episode 15, Cory gives a real-time update from inside his Christmas lighting business. All three company vehicles have already broken down, two new hires didn't work out, and two promising new employees have joined the team.
After months of preparing for the season, it's a reminder that no matter how much you plan, running a Christmas light business means dealing with problems as they happen.
Cory shares what's gone wrong, what's gone right, and why the goal isn't to build a business where nothing ever goes wrong — it's to build one that can handle it when it does.
In This Episode- Why Paradise Lights has already started Christmas light installations
- All three company vehicles breaking down
- Dealing with unexpected problems during a busy season
- Two new hires that didn't work out
- Why it's hard to judge an employee from an interview
- Finding two promising new team members
- What the start of the season is revealing about the business
- Preparing for problems you can't predict
- Why adaptability matters in a seasonal business
- The reality of running a Christmas light company during the season
Website:
YourLightingBusiness.com
TikTok: @c0ry.adams
Instagram: @c0ryadams
YouTube: Your Lighting Business
Free Facebook Community: Your Lighting Business
Podcast: Your Lighting Business
About Your Christmas Light Business
About The Podcast
Your Lighting Business is the podcast for Christmas light business owners, Christmas light installers, and home service entrepreneurs who want to start, grow, and scale a successful Christmas light business.
Hosted by Cory Adams, owner of Paradise Lights in Naples, Florida, this podcast shares real-world strategies for pricing, marketing, hiring, employee management, business systems, customer retention, leadership, and growing a profitable Christmas lighting company. You'll also learn how to stay busy year-round with additional lighting and home services, avoid common mistakes, and build a business that runs smoother with less stress.
Whether you're starting your first Christmas light business or looking to grow an established Christmas lighting company, each episode is packed with practical advice, honest lessons, and proven ideas you can apply to your own business.
If you're ready to build a better Christmas light business, you're in the right place.
About Cory Adams
Serial entrepreneur, Paradise Lights founder, and your host bringing you authentic conversations with the region's most inspiring leaders. Originally from Kansas City and now a passionate resident of Naples, Cory combines business experience with genuine curiosity.
“Real Talk. Real People. Real Brighter.”
Our Mission
Our mission is simple: showcase the effort behind success, the mindset that drives achievement, and the pivotal moments that define extraordinary journeys.
Find Your Inspiration Here
What our listeners say and the wisdom we share
What Our Listeners Tell Us
“Your Christmas Light Business has become my favorite podcast to start the week. The stories are so real and motivating. Thank you Cory!”
Laura P.
Fort Myers listener
“Amazing guests and conversations that really make you think. I learn something new and feel inspired after each episode.”
David R.
entrepreneur and listener
“I love how Cory brings out the best in his guests. It's refreshing to hear about the real 'hustle' and not just superficial successes.”
Samantha B.
content creator
Featured Quotes
“True success isn't avoiding failures, it's learning to get up one more time with more determination.”— Cory Adams, Your Christmas Light Business
“Your community is your greatest asset. Invest in it and it will return to you tenfold.”— Inspired by the 'Coastal Bites' episode
“Passion is the engine, but discipline is the map that gets you to your destination.”— Inspired by Elena Vasco's episode