It's been exactly six years since our founder Ashlie launched the The Light Factory with her iconic Bubble Chandeliers. Since then, a lot has changed.
We've expanded to include gorgeous new designer light fixtures, more options for customization, and even a modern home décor collection. We've welcomed fantastic new team members. We've been featured on national television, magazines, and various websites and design blogs. We've been honored to see our light fixtures grace so many of your homes and design projects. As we reflect on our first six years in business, we're proud of how far we've come. And yet, we're equally proud of how much is still the same!
We've kept our focus on creating stunning, one-of-a-kind, bespoke chandeliers that are customized for each client's specific needs. We haven't strayed from our values of putting product quality and customer satisfaction above all. Our business is still entirely female owned and operated. We love to pay it forward and donate to charities that we're passionate about supporting. And we proudly remain a cottage industry.
When you buy from The Light Factory, you're not giving your money to a faceless, mass-producing big corporation. You're supporting a small business in a corner of the Pacific Northwest, where real people will put their heart and soul into making sure your light fixture is perfect.
Ashlie herself still works with clients one-on-one over the phone, email and in person to create the light of their dreams. And to celebrate six years of her leading the The Light Factory, we thought it was time you got to know her better!
Meet Ashlie, our fearless leader and the lighting designer behind these beautiful chandeliers.
1. How did The Light Factory get started?
I grew up with a practically superhuman mom. Besides raising five children, her hands were always in motion creating something. She made bookcases, installed kitchens, designed intricate landscapes and built our childhood home with my father (who also was always fixing or building something).
While I didn't inherit her love of cooking, I grew up with a need for design and creation in my bones. When my husband and I bought our first house we DIY'd almost everything. The last, but arguably most important touch on our living room renovation, was lighting. I couldn't find anything that was modern, playful, and in my budget. So I decided to create it!
Almost a year after building that first Glass Bubble Chandelier, I had received so much interest and enough requests to move forward with production. It was a slow process with a steep learning curve, but I decided not to listen to that small voice that so often told me to quit.
The first year I worked 80 hour weeks learning, designing, and building, while always keeping my focus on quality and customer service. When my husband flew home to visit family at Christmas, I stayed behind to get orders shipped out. It was a really hard time, but it laid the groundwork for our company to grow to where we are today.
2. How has the company has evolved over the past six years?
3. What makes your lighting unique and special?
4. What are some of your favorite causes that you've donated to over the years?
5. How would you describe your lighting, in five words or less?
6. Where do you draw your inspiration from?
7. Favorite movie or TV show?
8. Favorite travel destination?
9. Besides lighting, what's something you're passionate about?
10. What are you excited about at the moment?
