A lot of lighting companies think they’re being “scrappy.”

In reality, they’re sitting on a ticking bomb.

In this episode of Captain’s Quarters First Class, Captain Matt breaks down one of the most dangerous blind spots in the lighting industry, misclassifying workers and pretending 1099 means “no responsibility.”

If your “subcontractor”:

• Shows up when you tell them to
  

• Uses your truck, your tools, your systems
  

• Works set hours and answers to you
  

That’s not a 1099. And calling it one won’t save you when the hammer drops.

This episode dives into:

• The real-world difference between subcontractors and employees (no legal jargon)
  

• Why skipping payroll, workers’ comp, or insurance always catches up
  

• How audits actually start and how fast they spiral
  

• The hard lesson Matt learned going through it himself
  

• How to price jobs correctly so compliance doesn’t kill your margins
  

• What “running a real company” actually looks like when crews grow
  

This isn’t legal advice.It's an experience-earned perspective from someone who’s built and managed crews across Christmas lighting, landscape lighting, and permanent installations and watched good companies implode because they ignored this.

If you’re still telling yourself “I’ll clean it up later”…Later is usually too late.

Lights. Legacy. Living. Captain’s Crew. Sink or Swim.Ready to join Captain’s Crew?

🔹 Apply to work with Captain Matt or hire him for elite outdoor lighting design: https://www.captainmattoutdoors.com/

🔹 Explore design + install services at Barefoot Lighting: https://barefootlighting.com/

🔹 Join the movement at The Lighting Trade School: https://lightingtradeschool.com/