Page 35 - Lighting Magazine May 2018

2018 LeGends / Leaders / LumInarIes
LUMINARY
MATT HULETT Spectrum Hule Group SALES REPRESENTATIVE
HOW DID YOU ENTER THE LIGHTING INDUSTRY?
My whole family is in the industry; it’s in my blood. I’ve been hanging lighting xtures since I could walk and spent my sum- mer vacations in showrooms. My father started with Progress Lighting in the late ’70s and created his own rep agency, Hule and Associates, in 1981. I bought the business in 2013, and ve years later merged with Spectrum Lighting to create Spectrum Hule Group.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BIGGEST CHANGES YOU’VE SEEN?
There have been several big changes. The decorative side of lighting, for example, has evolved tremendously. There used to be a lot of oral stained glass and those giant candelabra chandeliers. Now, everyone wants Contemporary pieces
and streamlined LED xtures. Another big change has been technology. I remember the days when my father and I would print out a map before going to meet clients. If we got lost
or hit tra c, we would have to nd a pay phone and give a heads up that we were running late. Now, everything is on your phone. I just think it’s incredibly brilliant. So many people take it for granted, but that li le device has completely changed the entire process of how we live our lives and conduct business.
WHAT IS THE KEY TO YOUR SUCCESS?
I dedicate everything to my dad, Skip Hule . He built this company. He always believed in me. It all goes [back] to him.
WHAT DO YOU KNOW NOW THAT YOU WISH YOU KNEW WHEN YOU WERE STARTING OUT?
I think I was lucky. Growing up in the industry, I already knew what to expect. I just wish I would have started earlier. It was very important for me to make it on my own without using
my father’s success and good name as a crutch. I established myself and developed my skills with another company in North Carolina before taking over the family business.
WHAT DO YOU ENVISION THE LIGHTING SALES AGENCY OF THE FUTURE TO BE LIKE?
I see them having multiple lines, covering both residential
and commercial lighting. New technology has changed the game. You can’t just be a good showroom rep anymore. You must diversify yourself to compete against the internet. Sales agencies of the future have to embrace a dynamic mentality or they’ll be le behind.
May 2018 | enLIGHTenment Magazine 31