After working as a medic in the United States Army for several years, Kenny Kaufman faced the question of what to do after leaving the military. He was in his early 20’s and decided to pursue a position as an EMT. Unexpectedly, he discovered that a hiring freeze was in place for EMT’s in his area. Not knowing how long the freeze would last, he turned to other opportunities and was hired as a lighting technician for Outdoor Lighting Perspectives in Augusta, Georgia.
Kenny discovered that he thrived in this role and enjoyed it. With encouragement and support from the Outdoor Lighting Perspectives franchisee in Augusta, Kenny acquired an available franchise in Columbia, South Carolina and embarked on what turned into a highly successful career.
Outdoor Lighting Perspectives is the largest landscape lighting franchise in the world offering professionally designed, installed and maintained residential and commercial low-voltage landscape lighting systems as well as holiday lighting services. As part of Outdoor Living Brands, Outdoor Lighting Perspectives has locations throughout the United States as well as a few international locations.
After dedicating his entire savings to acquiring the franchise, Kenny approached his new business with the attitude that he was not only going to work hard, but he intended to work harder than anyone else. By investing in his business, he invested in himself (and the franchise system) and was determined to have it pay dividends. He learned that he had a knack for selling and this developed into a strong suit for him. Despite the initial slow and steady growth of his franchise business, Kenny quickly realized that he had a talent for outdoor lighting and he has built the franchise into a thriving business.
When Kenny thinks about the early days of his business compared to the success he has created today, he remarks that “I came from almost nothing and would not be where I am today without being a part of Outdoor Lighting Perspectives.” In addition to Outdoor Lighting Perspectives of Columbia, Kenny also licensed the Outdoor Lighting Perspectives of Charleston location a few years ago. He is proud of being an honest, hardworking, and successful businessperson and is grateful to be able to provide a lifestyle for his family that he never dreamed would be possible. He could not have imagined winning Columbia’s Best and Brightest 35 Under 35 Award which he won in 2016.
“I had a lot of help along the way,” comments Kenny. He points out that he surrounded himself with people who also worked hard and knew more than he did. Kenny notes that he “was not afraid to constantly ask questions and learn from other people.” He hired talented people, sought out successful franchisees, followed the proven Outdoor Lighting Perspectives business model, and learned from other “successful” businesspeople in other industries as well.
One of the aspects that Kenny appreciates about being part of a franchise system is the support from other franchisees and from the franchisor. “The franchise system has a lot to be proud of and the people within the system have made huge impressions and provided a lot of help throughout the years,” comments Kenny. He also notes that Outdoor Living Brands is different from other companies in that the atmosphere is one of camaraderie between franchisor and franchisee and that of a family.
Additionally, Kenny recognizes that Outdoor Living Brands provides a consistent brand and a plan that if followed provides the path for success. Kenny’s success is a testament to hard work, learning as much as possible, surrounding himself with talented people, and following the business plan and training provided by the Outdoor Lighting Perspectives franchise system.
About Outdoor Lighting Perspectives
Established in 1995, Outdoor Lighting Perspectives is the nation’s first and largest full-service low voltage outdoor lighting company. With over 150,000 installations across the United States and abroad, the franchise is known for skillful, custom design for the hospitality industry, commercial businesses, and residences. Featured in Lodging Engineer, Lodging, Architectural Digest, Garden Design, House Beautiful, Better Homes and Gardens, Coastal Living, Country Living, HGTV Magazine and Martha Stewart Living, Outdoor Lighting Perspectives features stunning handcrafted copper and brass LED outdoor lighting fixtures saving clients up to 75% in energy costs with bulb life between 5 to 10 years. As a part of Outdoor Living Brands, Outdoor Lighting Perspectives’ sister brands include Archadeck, Conserva Irrigation, and Renew Crew. Visit OutdoorLightingFranchise.com or OutdoorLights.com to learn more.
