Capital Wholesale Electric

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the owner of Hair Guitar Haircuts in California. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Capital Wholesale Electric?

I needed a company to create a lighting plan for my shop — it was a challenge because the lighting is imperative in the salon world.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Capital Wholesale created a custom lighting plan that emphasized a musical environment. I needed them to create a lighting plan to reflect the feeling of walking into a stage set — as if the curtain was about to drop and the entertainment was about to begin. 

We had no benchmark to refer to because a project like this had never been done before — I knew that I wanted clients to look at a wall and with every foot closer to the ceiling, the light would be darker. The idea was that it would be brighter on the bottom and then gradually become pitch black on the top. We had quite a challenge of creating appropriate spotlighting to see all aspects of my customers’ heads while also keeping the dark feel of the room. 

They came in and consulted with me — I shared the blueprints with their team and they did a site visit. We went through a variety of unique lighting sources and tested them in various environments until we chose a final combination. They combined unique spotlights, lighting angles, and unique lights to create exactly what I wanted. 

My building contractor did the lighting installation, but Capital Wholesale was involved in the whole process and oversaw the light installation process. We had to make a handful of modifications and additions during the process because some of the lights we initially planned weren’t sufficient for us. We changed lighting angles a few times — in essence, it was a living creation. 

What is the team composition?

I worked with the owner occasionally but mainly worked with one teammate who handles daily sales and consults on lighting. 

How did you come to work with Capital Wholesale Electric?

I became acquainted with Capital Wholesale a few years ago when I purchased residential lighting from them. I shared my initial concept with a teammate at Capital Wholesale Electric and he started helping me put together a vision for the lighting. Once my plans came to fruition, I went back to them to discuss a potential partnership.

We sat down and the team invested time in drawing up an outline and showed me how my vision could be best met. Compared to the other companies I contacted, the teammate from Capital Wholesale had a better understanding of how exactly I could acquire the outcomes I wanted.  

The teammate who ended up consulting with me on this project had a significant background within the creative environment I was interested in, specifically within the music world, and understood salon needs and lighting applications. 

How much have you invested with them?

I invested between $20,000–$25,000 with Capital Wholesale — it was a substantial investment that was worth every penny. 

What is the status of this engagement?

I worked with the Capital Wholesale team from November 2019–March 2020. However, the timeline was affected by slowdowns caused by the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

The lighting plan Capital Wholesale put together was awesome. They’ve created something unlike anything else on the market right now. Capital Wholesale delivered the level of light that was vital for my salon business while maintaining the stage feel I wanted. I had a specific vision of this project six years before the buildout and the final product was almost precisely what I had envisioned. I was ecstatic at the outcome. 

The teammate I worked with is unequivocally the most gifted lighting consultant I have spoken with, even compared to my friends in the movie and TV industry. He understood lighting in a unique way that most people in the lighting industry don’t — he had an exceptional talent.

How did Capital Wholesale Electric perform from a project management standpoint?

They were very transparent with the costs, and there were no hidden charges with anything. They laid out a spectrum of options — they gave me the exact range of prices and precisely what lights we could use within those ranges to create the look I wanted. 

Communication was effortless. We primarily communicated via texts, phone calls, and emails. I would pitch an idea, and a teammate and I would come together and work through each one, and eventually, we’d find the one route to take to get to where I wanted on the project. 

It was vital for me to share the buildout timeline with them as well. We worked from a timeline we created in an Excel sheet that listed anticipated costs and delivery dates. They did an excellent job of creating a clear line of sight for the project — the project progress and every deadline were clear.  I was always comfortable in the direction we were heading during the whole process. 

There ended up being some supply chain issues because many manufacturers had already been shut down in China due to COVID-19. It was challenging to find products, but because of the connections the Capital Wholesale team had, I could get products exported from China before lockdown. Even with these lockdowns, I never found myself waiting for products. They met all the benchmarks we had to hit to meet our buildout timeline. 

By the time we reached the building stage, the Capital Wholesale team had everything prepared and delivered — there was never a point where we waited for the lighting equipment to be available. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

The teammate that developed my lighting for me had an extraordinary talent — it’s the individual special talents that make the company shine. He had an artistic eye and an excellent technical understanding of how to bend light. He created light vectors and channels while still maintaining that darkness throughout the room that I wanted. 

I told him what I wanted, and he took my vision from ground zero and delivered a final product identical to my expectations. It was probably the most dynamic aspect of the buildout from the creative perspective. It was an impressive journey to work beside him. The whole company exceeded my expectations in spades for their consultative capacity. 

Even with the COVID-19 pandemic and the related shutdowns, Capital Wholesale exceeded my expectations. It almost seemed like we were getting expedited service — even when other builders were struggling to find products, I got all of my products from Capital Wholesale in a timely fashion. They provided me with exact deadlines for lighting fixture delivery and outlined the timeline of the entire supply chain. 

I look for value in a partnership — not necessarily just the lowest cost, but where the greatest return is. Capital Wholesale had competitive pricing at every turn. They were clear that if I hit specific benchmarks, I could receive different discounts. They always delivered on the expected timeline. For me, finding a quality partner in Capital Wholesale, a company that filled a consultative capacity, had competitive pricing, and met deadlines, was the greatest return on investment for me. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

There isn’t anything that stands out to me. Maybe products could have been delivered faster, but with the pandemic and the circumstances surrounding it, the Capital Wholesale team still met all of their projections. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My experience was unique, but I would tell potential customers to hire them! Their team is exceptional, and if I have any other lighting projects I will contact the teammate who helped me because he was so talented.