Most lighting business owners don’t fail because of bad work.

They fail because of bad money decisions.

In this episode, Captain Matt gets brutally honest about the financial trap almost every Christmas light installer and lighting professional falls into especially in December when the money is flowing and the dopamine is high.

You think you’re rich.

You think you’re safe.

You think this cash means you’re winning.

But without a plan, without a “money game,” you’re marching straight into the same hell Captain Matt lived in for years:

Cash rich one month. Cash poor the next. Spending to avoid taxes.Buying sh*t you don’t need.And starving your business because you never saw the full picture.

Inside this episode:

🔹 Why your December revenue gives you a false sense of security

🔹 How Christmas season tricks you into making terrible financial decisions

🔹 The “money game sheet” Captain’s Crew uses to track survival months, operating cost, debt, and risk

🔹 Why trying to avoid taxes can destroy your cash flow

🔹 Depreciation, capital improvements, and why most installers misunderstand them

🔹 The danger of scaling mentally to Christmas-size…when you’re actually a small company the other 9 months

🔹 Why most businesses fail simply because they’re not prepared for the quiet season

🔹 How to plan 2026 (or any year) using the Real → Radical → Impossible framework

🔹 The mindset shift required to operate at the next level and why you must “kill the old version of you”

🔹 How to choose the right goals, eliminate distractions, and finally stop reacting to everything

This is not a motivational episode.

This is a wake-up call.

2026 won’t be different because the calendar changed.

It will only be different if YOU change.

Captain Matt breaks down exactly how to plan your next year, your next quarter, your next month… with clarity, precision, and the courage to cut the bullshit that’s holding you back.

If you want to join the Impossible Games event with the Crew, or learn more about real one-on-one mentoring:

👉 Instagram: @captainmatt_outdoors

👉 https://www.captainmattoutdoors.com/

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/