By
Bob Cox
Life
is long and incredibly boring in stretches, especially if you were a
fat little munchkin like me growing up in the 1960’s. Those were
practically the stone ages; long before the internet, video games and
cable TV. The highlight of long summer days was getting under the
skin of one or more of my three older sisters. In those crazy days of
my youth and boy were they crazy, boredom was a fate worse than
death, or so I thought since no one I’d ever truly loved and cared
about had ever passed away. Now that I’m a lot older and a brain
cell or two wiser, I know better as I’ve felt the unbearable sting
of saying farewell to a loved one forever. I can honestly acknowledge
how truly short and precious life is.
Annie
Graham, a partner for JMJ Natural Lighting in Rancho Cordova
understands that feeling all too well. Her brother in-law Tony passed
away very unexpectedly from an accidental drowning four years ago at
the age of 41, leaving behind a wife, three children and a large
number of bereaved family members. “That opens your eyes about life
being really short and every day is supposed to be a gift,”
explained Annie.
From
the first time we met, I’ve always felt completely at ease while in
Annie’s presence, which is a rare occurrence in an oftentimes cold
business world. What’s even more impressive about Annie is she’s
always been upbeat while very much at peace, in spite of the fact
that she’s travelling through life at warp speed, working
tirelessly while raising four energetic young girls and one boy and
basically cramming in a week’s worth of activities into a single
day every day! Even when she took her girls out on an all day
shopping extravaganza, she made the experience more meaningful by
taking a much needed break in the park for a picnic lunch.
On
those occasions when Annie is not at her best, she finds solace by
simply looking at the enormous challenges that so many other people
around the world have to deal with every day. “I really try to put
things in perspective a lot of days and think long term. As terrible
as it might sound, comparing your circumstances to other people, we
could be so much worse off. We are really very blessed, even when
things are hard and times are stressful, it still could be so much
worse,” said Annie.
When
I asked Annie if she had any other tips on how to stay so optimistic,
I was impressed by her authentically heartfelt and tender reply. “I
feel like I’m not the one to be giving advice and I sometimes feel
like I’m not a very nice person, even though I try to be nice to
everybody. This is really hard for me because you represent such good
things, and it’s not that I’m a bad person. I am a good person
but sometimes I feel bad about my thoughts and feelings,” Annie
confessed.
Being
able to express your true thoughts and feelings is crucial when the
goal is to establish deep, powerful and enduring relationships with
cherished loved ones. Anything less than pure honesty becomes a
barrier to real intimacy and genuine connections. Fortunately,
Annie’s personal philosophy is shared by her close knit family;
many of who are integral participants in this very special family
owned and operated business.
I
asked Annie what it was like to be a vital part of this very unique
family business.
Q:
How have you incorporated your personal philosophy into the business
at JMJ Natural Lighting?
A:
We are very honest people. We’ve never, ever tried to gain for
ourselves by taking advantage of other people. According to our
religion, that’s the opposite of how you’re supposed to live your
life. Our business model is always to offer a really great product
with really great customer service, with honesty and integrity. What
you put out there is what we’re hoping to get back eventually.
Q:
Do you have any specific examples of how your business practices
genuine honesty?
A:
Sure. When our guys go out, for example, if a customer thinks they
need two Solatubes but they really don’t, they will always tell
them that instead of just installing two and taking the extra money.
We strive to be trustworthy in every regard.
Q:
What does JMJ Natural Lighting offer?
A:
We sell and install Solatube brand tubular solar skylights, which are
guaranteed to be the brightest on the market. We offer a lifetime
installation warranty on our installs and this is our 23rd
year in business.
Q:
Why do people buy solar skylights in general and Solatubes in
particular?
A:
We do have an excellent reputation and Solatube is guaranteed to be
the best and brightest tubular skylight on the market. Tubular
skylights are a fantastic option when compared to traditional
skylights because they’re installed quickly and they are
significantly less expensive.
Q:
Why are solar lights less expensive than traditional skylights?
A:
Because there is usually no permits required when installing
Solatubes. Solatubes go between the rafters, so there are no
structural changes. With traditional skylights, you have to cut
through the rafters and install a box, which means that you have to
have a permit, which drives up the costs and extends the timeline.
Q:
How long does it take to install a Solatube system?
A:
Solatubes are generally installed in an afternoon. Usually, if it’s
just a really simple install, they can do it in an hour to an hour
and a half.
Q:
Do Solatubes change the look and feel of your home?
A:
Yes, there’s a huge change to the look and feel of your home. It
brings in more natural light and there are a lot of studies out there
that show how good natural light is for our physical and mental well
being. Unlike skylights, Solatubes don’t have heat or cold transfer
coming down into your home because the tubing is made of aluminum.
Q:
How did your business begin?
My
parents Jerry and Joann Buckman opened the dealership in 1994 and
then my husband Damen started working for my dad back in 2001. Four
years later, Damen’s parents, Stacy and Sandy Graham, saw what a
great business it was and purchased it in 2005. My father retired and
they have been doing it ever since. I started working in the office
after Tony passed, because his wife Shannon, my sister-in-law had
been doing it for years and then she actually needed to get a paying
job. So, it’s safe to say that we are truly a family run business.
Q:
Does JMJ Lighting do anything else besides installing Solatubes?
A:
Yes, we’ve done a lot of skylight replacements lately. We work with
Sun Optics, Velux and JC Berry Manufacturing up in Redding, who do a
lot of fabrication for us as well.
Editor’s
notes: For more information about JMJ Natural Lighting, check out
their website at jmjnaturallighting.com, call
(916) 635-7652 or visit their showroom at 11255 Sunrise Gold Cir. in
Rancho Cordova.
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