Today we’d like to introduce you to Scott Romacker.
Scott, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
In 2000, fresh out of a golf academy in San Diego, I had big dreams of becoming a golf pro. But life had other plans. When I returned home to St. Louis, a friend introduced me to the world of landscape lighting. What started as a small side job installing lights around homes at night quickly turned into something much bigger.
There was something about the transformation that got me. Watching a dark, ordinary house light up with warmth and curb appeal felt like magic. And I realized I had a real passion for it.
A few years later, I bought into a landscape lighting franchise in Kansas City and spent the next decade learning everything I could, sales, installs, customer service, and business management. I lived it every day and saw firsthand how rewarding, yet challenging, this line of work could be.
After 10 years of running that business, I stepped away and returned to St. Louis. I shifted gears and worked in electrical contracting, then became a national sales rep for a major lighting manufacturer. That job gave me the opportunity to visit lighting contractors across the country. No matter where I went, I noticed one big thing missing: there was no clear path or real training for people getting into the landscape lighting business.
That’s what sparked the idea for The Outdoor Lighting Hub.
I wanted to create a place where people could learn the right way to start, grow, and succeed in landscape lighting, from wiring and installation to pricing and business systems. So I built Bright Beginnings: A Step-by-Step Guide to Professional Landscape Lighting, an online course and training platform packed with everything I wish I had when I started.
Now, after 25 years in the industry, I’ve combined real-world experience, expert insight, and proven systems into a resource that helps contractors skip the trial and error and start with confidence.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
One of the biggest challenges I faced when I started my business back in 2000 was getting caught up working in the business instead of on it. As a new business owner, I didn’t realize how important it was to build systems and checklists for my team. Over the years, especially while working as a national rep and meeting contractors across the country, I saw many others dealing with the same struggle. Without clear systems and standard operating procedures, it’s easy to stay stuck in the daily grind, which makes growth difficult. The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that creating a clear roadmap for every role in your business, including onboarding, training, and daily checklists, helps everything run more efficiently and frees you up to focus on growing the company.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about The Outdoor Lighting Hub?
The Outdoor Lighting Hub is a first-of-its-kind education and training platform built specifically for the landscape lighting industry. We provide step-by-step online courses, expert-led webinars, and business resources designed to help contractors, electricians, and service professionals succeed in outdoor lighting, whether they are just getting started or looking to grow.
What sets us apart is that we are not a manufacturer or a sales company. We are focused solely on education and support for professionals in the field. Our flagship course, Bright Beginnings, walks users through everything from proper installation techniques and understanding voltage drop to pricing, troubleshooting, and building repeatable business systems. It’s practical, real-world training taught by experienced professionals who have worked in the industry.
We are most proud of helping people skip years of trial and error. With over 25 years of experience in landscape lighting, from franchise ownership to national manufacturer sales, I created The Outdoor Lighting Hub to be the kind of resource I wish existed when I was starting out. It is built on the belief that you do not need to figure everything out on your own.
Our brand stands for clarity, professionalism, and true support. We provide contractors with the confidence and tools they need to build a lighting business that is profitable, efficient, and built for long-term success.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
Even with my experience in the business and a clear understanding that there was a gap in our industry, I’ve still struggled at times to build my brand. Mental health has always been a challenge for me. In 2024, I went in for a routine surgery that unexpectedly led to complications and six days in the hospital. It’s not uncommon for people to feel depressed in situations like that, and I was no different.
That season forced me to get serious about my daily habits. I became disciplined about taking time every morning to walk or do some form of exercise. Around that same time, in August of 2024, I started using an app called Mindset. It’s filled with motivational speeches, interviews, and podcast clips that help keep me grounded and focused. To this day, I still use that app regularly to stay in the right headspace.
My wife has also been a huge part of my growth. She is an amazing, kind, and giving person, but she also doesn’t allow a “poor me” attitude to linger. She builds me up, but she also reminds me that we don’t get to just sit and feel sorry for ourselves. You have to keep moving forward.
I’m also incredibly thankful for a few former coworkers and clients who continue to cheer me on and help spread the word about what I’m doing. Their support means more than they probably know.
Lastly, my relationship with God has become a foundation in my life. Developing faith and learning to trust His plan has been a game changer. I still have to remind myself of that from time to time, but it’s made a difference in how I approach each day. No matter how difficult the journey feels, I know I’m not walking it alone.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.theoutdoorlightinghub.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theoutdoorlightinghub/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61572144887401
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottromacker/
