In this industry, integration businesses make their mark by staying ahead of the curve. In the case of Lightworks, serving the San Diego area, it was less about being ahead and more like waiting 20-plus years for the curve to even show up.
In 2001, Troy Dunnington, an electrician who owned a subcontracting company named Lightz On, and Todd Walling, a lighting designer, decided that there were too many trades involved in the residential jobs they worked on together. They decided to do something about it by creating Lightworks, which would handle electrical, lighting, and audio/video, eventually evolving into shades and now smart power.
“From the moment we created Lightworks, we were an electrical contractor first, with lighting design, which was exciting because we were able to do CAD work and could put our work on plans and help our builders,” says Dunnington. “That was very unique back then. And we’ve been doing AV for 24 years and shades for 23 years.
“I knew if we could roll it into one company, one point of contact, then we could be in charge of all the wiring in the house. Now, electrical is probably around 38% of the company, AV a third, and the rest is lighting design and shades.”
Though this kind of thinking is commonplace now, it was not at the turn of the century. However, it did not take long for the design-build community around Lightworks to see the benefits of having an integration company on the team — especially one that also handles electrical work.
“We don’t want to be a subcontractor to a contractor; we want to be a partner, and a partner walks beside the contractor, not behind them,” says Dunnington. “We are their voice. Contractors don’t need to think too hard about the technology space, and we make sure they don’t have to. We let them know what the best trends are and what’s going on. It’s been very helpful having design and CAD capabilities all these years because, as the evolution of AV has happened and with adding motorized shading and all types of lighting, we’re a necessary partner with the architect and designer.”
Choosing an Electrical Partner
Dunnington had his electrical business for 10 years prior to starting Lightworks, which recently joined The Guild Integrators Alliance and is celebrating 25 years in 2026. He has watched as the concept behind his unique shop became more common, both from integrators adding electricians and electricians adding integration.
“A good company is going to realize where we are going in the next stage of integration, and the evolution is through electrical, and it’s going to go deep,” he says. “You have to partner with companies that have a solid foundation. If I was an AV contractor who was trying to add an electrician that is a one-guy company — that’s going to be a tough one because they’re not really a business. If I was looking for an electrical contractor, I would look at one that has been in business for a while — at least five, maybe 10 years.
“What I see all the time now is the parents who own these electrical companies; their kids are coming in. If I were that AV guy, I would try to lock horns with that young vision, because then it’s not going to be so hard to break the mold of what was done before.
“Of course, the choice also depends on where you are in the United States, because licensing is different everywhere. So, you have to make sure first and foremost that their current electrical license is in good standing and that they haven’t just gotten their license, because your AV company is putting all its faith in somebody that, to say it nicely, could burn down the house if they don’t know what they’re doing.
“Are they people of integrity? Do you have a common vision with them? This could be an easy lift, or it could be an extremely hard lift depending on who is chosen.”
Dunnington also has some advice for integrators who are looking to build deeper relationships with electricians: “I would try to break bread prior to them finding out that you’re coming on to a project,” he offers. “Reach out and let them know that you want to work together as partners and make sure that no one’s feet get stepped on. Honesty and clarity are the biggest things.
“I would also encourage dealers to offer a good percentage of the profit on, say, the lighting fixtures. The electricians were putting in 6-inch Halo cans for $20, and now you’re going to do DMF fixtures for $250. Give the electrician 10% of that $250 because that’s more than he’d make on a $20 can. I would make working with the integrator a very strong benefit for him.”
Training the Lightworks Way
In addition to its early arrival on the design-build team, Lightworks is also known for the remarkable training program it has invested in. It involves an apprenticeship program not only for the prospective electricians, but also for the integrators.
“We have a full system and training for onboarding for apprentices,” explains Dunnington. “Our electrical and AV technicians are put through a Western Electrical Contractors Association four-year apprenticeship program. There are high- and low-voltage classes in that apprenticeship program, and as long as they get a B or higher, we pay for it.
“Everybody who comes into Lightworks has to start in the warehouse and stay there for six months. In those six months, they’re going to learn our culture and get to see all the parts and pieces involved in AV and electrical. They make job-site deliveries, and, toward the end, we take them out on jobs. All our apprentices do both AV and electrical rough wiring for a house because we don’t have separate crews coming in.
“In the three and a half years since we started this program, we have eight apprentices, and not one has left — they’re all here and moving forward in different areas. We have a map in the back of our storage room that shows the journey of where these apprentices are going. We put their pictures on there, and then they can pick their path. They can go into the AV Track or the Electrical Track.
“We have a program called Lightworks University that offers more than 1000 courses that takes them through lighting training, lighting control training, leadership courses, and so much more because we want them to be well-rounded and we want them to become leaders. We don’t want them to be stagnant; we have to create young leaders who will grow within Lightworks.
“We don’t start making money on these apprentices until six to nine months, but because they are going to school, they’re invested. I couldn’t tell you the last time I had a young person show up late. Three and a half years, and they are there — they are on time, they are engaged, and they are ready to go!”
Power Predictions
As a firm with its origins in electrical subcontracting, Lightworks has been involved in the smart power movement for more than five years, going all in on the Savant Power system.
Related: Plugging Into Smart Power
“What excited me about Savant is that it is one platform, but it can also work by itself,” says Dunnington. “To me, it was the final stage of a completely connected home. We now own everything inside that house, and nothing gets in that we don’t take care of. Electricity was the final hurdle, and now it’s a big push for us. We have dedicated part of our showroom just to Savant Power and the Power Wall.”
When pressed for advice to offer integrators who are considering adding power and electric to their services, Dunnington does not mince words: “I would say do it now,” he states. “If you don’t do it now, in my opinion, you’ll be out of business. In five, maybe 10 years, you tell me how many AV companies are going to be around if they don’t have electrical services inside their company, because the National Electric Code is going to be taking it over, and then the dealers are not going to have a choice. So, start now. Don’t wait a year or two — you’ll be way behind the curve.”
Lessons Learned Over 25 Years
Ask Lightworks founders Troy Dunnington and Todd Walling for the single biggest lesson of the last 25 years, and they land in almost the same place from different directions. “The biggest lesson has been the importance of having the right people in the right positions,” says Dunnington. “People who believe in your vision and embrace your company culture.” Walling’s version is more blunt: “Don’t compromise on people, no matter how inconvenient.”
The defining challenge looked different for each of them, though. For Dunnington, it was the shift from a small team to a real leadership structure and learning to hand off control he had held for years. “Learning to trust those individuals,” he says, “by giving up some of the control I had held for so long.” For Walling, the turning point traces to a specific offsite meeting with Lightworks’ business advisors, where the company put a formal growth and succession plan on paper for the first time.
Asked what he’d tell himself in year one, Dunnington doesn’t hesitate: “Don’t be so afraid, and don’t be afraid to take chances. Growth often comes from stepping outside your comfort zone.”
