Page 31 - enLIGHTenment Magazine - May 2016

Susan Irie

Founder of Kilohana Lighting, Hawaii

is obviously the big one with the game-changing

advances in LEDs as a white light source. Plus
the IoT (Internet of Things) and automation of

devices is bringing control and management of
energy consumption to the residential market.

Another really big change is the shi in distri-

bution channels across all product categories.
Businesses like ours struggle to maintain our

relevance to the customers we serve. Pricing
pressures from big box stores skew the con-

sumers’ perception of the real cost of products,

the Internet brings a convenient and time-
e ective way for buyers to research and evalu-

ate information quickly to make decisions and
How did you enter tHe industry?
purchase immediately, and the general decline

It was fate! My then-husband (an electrical in product quality and reliability (of course not

contractor) and I were newly married, having in every case) all a ect a showroom’s ability to R
just arrived on Kauai for our honeymoon. The be the most relevant option for any consumer E
L
following day, Hurricane Iniki – a Category 4 type. The lighting industry has fared be er than I
hurricane – struck Hawaii with its heaviest con- most I must add. In most cases, the complexity A
T
centration on Kauai. Everything in the storm’s of the product we sell requires some education E

path was devastated or destroyed and our and hand-holding by a knowledgeable sales/ R
honeymoon went from fun to serious in a mat- customer support person. Bringing value to the
|
ter of seconds.
client while gaining their trust is the big hurdle.

In an e ort to pitch in and help, we became R
E
immediately involved with local people and the wHat do you tHink Has been tHe key D
to your success?
A
community. Having just married with no real
roots set anywhere and the economic climate I have a passion for lighting, architecture, and E
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being one of recovery from the Savings & Loan business in general. I am very organized and
Crisis of the mid-1980s, we decided to start very process driven. I have treated my business

our planned electrical contracting business on as if it is much larger than its nancial state-

Kauai. It was only when we realized the di - ments present. Everyone on my sta knows
culty in sourcing ceiling fans and lighting that I what our goals are, where we stand at any point

decided to become our own factor of supply.
in time, and understands their role in the team
My father managed Sears stores in my early environment. My success in leadership is inspir-

childhood and my rst job was in retail. My edu- ing everyone to think like an owner, believe in

cation was in Economics and Finance so I was what we are doing in the growth goals we have
comfortable jumping into this new venture as I set forth, meeting consistently as a team, and

had an “in” with the electrical side of the busi- spending as much time as possible investing in
ness. If there was anything I didn’t know about their own personal growth and development

the product, I had an experienced electrician for their careers and for Kilohana Lighting.

to help me choose merchandise, repair/trou-
bleshoot issues, and solve customers’ problems wHat do you know now tHat you

creatively. I had no idea how passionate I would wisH you knew wHen you were first
eventually become about lighting.
starting out?

That my perception of customer loy-
wHat are some of tHe biggest
alty was inaccurate and that many of the
cHanges you’ve seen?
vendors we source from would also become

I have seen many changes in my 23 years of
business. Technology in product development
ontinued on pag 36
C
e

May 2016 | enLIGHTenment Magazine 29