Home-Based lighting distributor to local trades

Electricians, general contractors, small builders, property managers and independent retailers in your area.

You buy at trade price and sell at a markup, quoting per project or per order. Repeat accounts and larger project quotes drive most of the income.

• Sales and relationship building
• Reading lighting specs and plans
• Organized quoting and order tracking

• Check each manufacturer's dealer or distributor requirements, as some set minimum orders or restrict territories
• Check your state's rules on sales tax registration, resale certificates and collecting tax from non-exempt buyers
• Make sure products carry the safety listings your local code requires (such as UL or ETL) and meet any energy codes in your state
• Product liability and general liability insurance, plus a clear returns policy for damaged or wrong items
• Check your city or county for a business license and any home occupation permit or HOA/lease limits

Startup costs are typically around $1,500 to $7,500, depending on your setup, samples and how you quote and track orders. Treat this as an estimate, and check each manufacturer's dealer requirements before you commit.

Monthly revenue is typically around $2,000 to $10,000, depending on how many trade accounts you win and the size of their orders. These are estimates, and results will vary with your local market and niche.

Check each manufacturer's dealer requirements, such as minimum orders or territory limits, and your state's sales tax and resale certificate rules. Make sure products carry the safety listings your local code requires, and check product liability insurance and home occupation limits.