Our story · Lima, Ohio
We didn’t start
Light Up Lima to become
a lighting company.
We started with a challenge from a friend in Texas, a Toyota Corolla with the seats removed, and 25 homeowners in Northwest Ohio willing to give us a shot.
How it started
A Corolla, some ladders,
and 25 homeowners.
In 2020, a friend in Texas challenged me to try Christmas lighting. He owned a lighting company and believed it could change my life if I was willing to take it seriously.
At the time, I was working full time at St. Charles Catholic Church in Lima as the Director of Discipleship and Evangelization. I had tried different side businesses over the years to help support our family, but nothing had really taken off.
So we made a few Facebook posts to see if anyone in Northwest Ohio would even care about professional Christmas lighting.
They did.
That first season we had around 25 clients, and I installed every single job myself.
I did not even own a truck yet. I pulled up to installs in a Toyota Corolla with the seats removed so I could fit foldable ladders inside. Looking back now, it is hard to believe how much has changed.
Zach Everett — 2020, first season
Today Light Up Lima operates multiple trucks, serves homeowners across Northwest Ohio, and fills a 3,000 square foot warehouse with Christmas lighting alone.
But the reason the company grew was never just because people wanted lights. People wanted the feeling the lights created.
What lighting actually does
Lighting changes the way
a home feels.
One of my favorite moments is still being outside at night while we are finishing an installation and watching cars slow down as they drive past. Even if it is only for a second, something made them pause.
Before I understood lighting, windows became black mirrors at night. Now I feel like I can experience the outdoors even when I am sitting inside. That is what good lighting does. It changes how you experience home.
Christmas lighting brings nostalgia.
It reminds people of slower times, childhood memories, family traditions, and the excitement of the season. I love seeing neighborhoods become brighter during the darkest part of the year.
Landscape lighting creates pride.
It is the pride of pulling into your driveway after a long day. It is sitting on the patio and appreciating your property in a completely different way.
Light transforms the ordinary.
Watching snow fall through illuminated trees instead of looking out into darkness. That is what good lighting does. It changes how you experience home.
Our standard
You can tell when it’s
a Light Up Lima house.
Over the years, clients started saying something we never expected. That became what we now call the “Light Up Lima Look.”
A homeowner once called asking if we installed “Magic Lights.” I told him I had never heard of the brand and would research it for him. He laughed and said: “They are not a brand. I just don’t understand how you put lights on homes without seeing any wires.”
The lights are not magic. We are just obsessive about details.
- If one side of a property is illuminated, the other side should feel balanced
- Tree wrapping should feel even from every angle
- Fixtures are adjusted at night, not just placed during the day
- Wires should disappear completely
- Peaks should line up cleanly. The lighting should feel natural, not chaotic
A lot of companies rush installations because speed matters more than precision. We believe if a homeowner is investing in professional lighting, the finished result should feel dramatically different than anything a DIY installer could achieve on their own.
The transition
Built slowly.
Built intentionally.
Leaving ministry was not easy for me. I spent ten years helping people grow in their faith and walking through life with families in meaningful moments. In many ways, lighting felt completely unrelated at first.
But over time I realized something surprising. Both are deeply connected to people.
In ministry, it could take years to see the impact of your work. With lighting, the transformation is immediate. A property changes instantly. A family walks outside and smiles. Kids get excited when the trees light up. Homeowners suddenly fall in love with their house again.
That never gets old.
Today Light Up Lima has grown far beyond what I imagined when I was loading ladders into a Corolla. But we still approach every project the same way: thoughtful design, attention to detail, long-term relationships, and a genuine desire to create something people are excited to come home to every night.
The people behind the work
More than lights.
One local team.
We are not trying to become the biggest lighting company. We are trying to become the company people trust when they want their home to feel exceptional after dark.
We are a small local business and we want to stay that way. When our customers support us, we support local people and local jobs. The people working on your home are your neighbors.
What clients say
“Several-year client here. This team is amazing. Well-mannered, clean, fast, and efficient. In the rare instance there’s an issue, service is over the top. Quick response, no excuses. A true gem.”
“The lights exceeded my expectations. This is a premium service — the quality of the product, installation, and takedown process fully justified it. I look forward to expanding my lighting next year.”
“Nice to see a business that does exactly what it says it will do, when it says it will do it, and works around your schedule. A job very well done and completed on time.”
Ready when you are
If you care about the details,
we’d love to help.
Tell us about your home. We’ll walk your property with you, talk through what you’re hoping to accomplish, and put together a custom proposal with no commitment required.
Licensed · Insured · Locally owned in Lima, Ohio