Captains Quarters First Class - The Hidden Time Bomb Inside Most Lighting Companies | 3
Description
If you're calling your crew ‘1099’ but treating them like employees… you're playing with fire.
In this episode, Captain Matt tackles one of the most misunderstood (and most dangerous) topics in the lighting industry: the difference between true 1099 subcontractors and W-2 employees.
If you’ve ever:
Paid a guy under the table and called it a “1099”
Let someone clock in at 8 a.m. and drive your truck using your tools
Skipped workers' comp to save a few bucks
Told yourself, “I’ll fix it later…”
…this episode could save your business from an audit, a lawsuit, or worse.
Inside:
The exact difference between a true subcontractor and a misclassified employee.
Why insurance, worker’s comp, and payroll tracking aren’t optional as you scale.
How to set up clock-in systems and tax structures that actually protect you.
The audit nightmare Matt went through so you don’t have to.
How to budget the costs into every job and run a real business, not just a side hustle.
This episode isn’t legal advice. It’s battle-tested owner advice from a guy who’s grown crews across Christmas, landscape, and soffit lighting and has seen how fast things can go wrong when you’re not protected.
If you're still operating in the gray...this is your line in the sand.
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