Episode 18 | Matthew Efird - Franchise Building

In this episode of the Service Contractor Allstar Podcast, Trevor sits down with Matthew Efird, founder and CEO of Lighting Pros, owner of a Mosquito Joe franchise in North Georgia, and host of the Pillars of Purpose podcast.

Matt shares his journey from hospital pharmacy sales into service business ownership, and how that sales background shaped his mindset around focus, resilience, and long-term vision. What started as a solution to a seasonal staffing problem - keeping crews busy during the winter months - evolved into a fast-growing Christmas and outdoor lighting business, and eventually into a full-fledged franchise system.

The conversation dives deep into:

How Matt built Lighting Pros to complement an existing seasonal business
Why saying “no” to the wrong customers is critical for operational health
The realities of franchising - what works, what breaks, and what most people underestimate
Key KPIs Matt tracks across his franchise system, including close rates, referrals, and renewal rates
Why Lighting Pros focuses heavily on commercial clients and a leasing-based model
How systems, inventory management, and quality standards enable scale
What it really takes to franchise a business from a legal and operational standpoint
How Matt recruits, vets, trains, and supports franchise partners for sustainable growth

Matt also shares practical, no-BS advice for contractors considering adding Christmas lighting as a seasonal revenue stream, including common mistakes, inventory decisions that impact profitability, and why quality and clear positioning matter more than being cheap.

The episode wraps with lessons on leadership, feedback-driven culture, niche focus, and the books and mentors that shaped Matt’s philosophy as a founder.

This episode is a must-listen for service contractors thinking about:

Solving seasonality issues
Building systems that don’t rely on the owner
Scaling through franchising
Or simply running a tighter, more intentional business