“Sunco will be the leader in lighting in e-commerce in 10 years. Period.”  

The above quote is from Simon Tahour, the CEO of Sunco. It’s a bold claim, especially considering the intense competition in the e-commerce lighting space, but as Sunco celebrates its 10-year Anniversary, Simon has reason to be confident.  

Simon outlined to me exactly why Sunco is positioned to be an industry leader in 10 years' time, but upon looking back at Sunco’s first ten years, the answers might be self-evident. 

Sunco’s Origin 

As a family owned, American based company, Sunco has withstood the test of time where many online organizations tend to flicker out after a year or two. Brothers Simon Tahour (CEO) and Sam Tahour (COO) have been active players in this landscape for a decade now, and have learned many lessons along the way, but those lessons did not always come easy. 

“When I first entered my father's electrical and wholesale business in 2010, I planned to learn that business and branch out,” starts CEO Simon Tahour. “However...with the emergence of LED, I chose to adjust my course. I learned to import and start the Sunco Lighting brand as a vendor for other electrical and lighting wholesalers. After two years of B2B, I saw another wave in the emergence in the e-commerce space. Despite push-back from friends and family to not drop a successful B2B business, I made a risky bet and diverted all my attention toward e-commerce.” 

Calculated risks and invaluable business savvy birthed the start of something bigger than its original concept. Feeling that this LED space was a market filled with untapped potential, the leap has proven to be worth the risk.

Major Strides 

Sunco continued to grow under Simon’s leadership with every aspect of the business seeing some sort of expansion. As Simon details, “eight years ago, our quality control inspection for a supplier's bulb sample was simply checking if it lit up after being plugged in.” Now the quality control team is massive, stress testing every aspect of a product’s potential breaking point. 

According to a few veteran Sunconians, the office used to be nearly empty. One of our Inventory Specialists notes that at one point in time, Sunco’s workspace was just a big room populated by a few scattered desks. Now Sunco has over 100 employees and the office is vibrant with activity. 

“It seems like every month there’s someone new joining the team,” says one customer success agent. 

“I’ve definitely seen huge growth,” says Sunco’s supply chain analyst, Courtney Colin. “When I first came here, we were at a small office in Simi Valley. I worked on a folding table outside of Simon’s office. It’s been crazy.” 

“Sunco is like a living organism, akin to a 10-year-old child,” expresses COO Sam Tahour, regarding the current state of the company. “Our people, culture, and mission form its identity, which matures with each passing year. Over the past decade, we have achieved remarkable milestones, such as launching innovative product lines, expanding our market reach, and earning industry accolades. Despite these successes, Sunco is still growing and has a lot of development ahead.”  

The milestones are numerous. Sunco has just opened a second warehouse in Atlanta and even has its own line of in-house products now—a feat that wouldn't have been possible eight or nine years ago. From a small group of individuals to a full office and warehouse team, Sunco’s decade long growth is truly a story of “from the ground up.” 

How Sunco Stands Out

The qualities that make Sunco special go beyond the accolades and tangible achievements. For example, just the other day, I spent 20 minutes on hold with a department store regarding an issue with an order I’d placed online. After holding for so long, I was greeted by an automated recording asking me to briefly explain the situation so that they could transfer me to the correct department. Another 10 minutes goes by and the gentleman who answered the phone explains that he can’t help me, but to send an email to their support team and someone will respond within 2-3 business days. 

Unfortunately, this practice is all too common, with maximum wait times and minimum solutions. Call the Sunco support line however, and you won’t be waiting for more than a minute in most cases before someone comes to help. 

“Sunco's talent is and always will be its core competence,” Sam explains. Sunco spent the last ten years shaping a team of incredibly talented and dedicated professionals.  

“Even though we are growing, we’re still a tight group,” says Steph Berrera, one of Sunco’s longest tenured employees. “We know each other very well. We know each other's strengths and weaknesses. I started in customer service, but I was able to move over to data analytics because management saw potential in me and put me where I needed to be.” 

This sentiment is carried by everyone I spoke with at Sunco and it’s part of what makes this company so unique. 

The Future of Sunco 

So, will Sunco be the e-commerce leader in lighting by our 20-year anniversary (period) as predicted by Simon? It's certainly trending that way. 

Even after ten years, the company is always looking for new ways to improve and engage with its customers. Simon and Sam both see that the future of Sunco is bright (pun intended) and are working to make the company’s landing page a one stop shop for electricians, contractors, and other built environment professionals to get all their lighting needs.  

“Automation in our workflows has been a major factor in Sunco's successful scaling,” says Simon. And, with the emergence of AI, that automation is only going to be further amplified to Sunco’s benefit. 

Sunco’s Director of E-commerce, Abraham Kwan affirms that Sunco’s growth is contingent on becoming a company where we can say “‘this is the value that we are creating in the world’ because people love our content and our products.”  

Sunco will continue to strengthen its market presence through strategic partnerships and expanded distribution networks, ensuring its products are more accessible to a broader audience of both B2B and B2C buyers.  

Sunco’s Director of Marketing Swan Lee, gushes about Sunco’s potential. “It’s a transformative time for the lighting industry. We’re not just riding the wave of lighting and electrical distribution—we're creating the next one.” 

The reason why, she says is that “We're anticipating our customers' needs before they even realize them, focusing on the trifecta of quality, efficiency, and competitive pricing to drive real value. Our expansive product portfolio is just the beginning; our national expansion strategy is set to catapult us into new categories within the electrical space.” 

A Bigger Picture  

When I signed on to work for Sunco, I expected it to be just another job, but I was pleasantly surprised at the morale of the company and the community that it built, between employees, vendors, shareholders, and customers alike. Sunco stands out in the industry due to its unwavering commitment to quality, innovation, and sustainability and that all stems from its founders' passion for lighting. 

“I've always been inspired by lighting's subtle yet transformative power,” Simon explains. "There's nothing quite like how a well-chosen light fixture can completely alter a room's atmosphere.” 

Sam piggybacks off this, adding that “Lasting memories and special moments occur in every environment, and I get a warm feeling knowing a Sunco product was there to make it happen.” 

Sunco’s diverse product range, from residential bulbs to industrial high bays, reflects a steadfast dedication to meeting customer needs across any platform. As we continue to push the boundaries and deliver exceptional LED lighting solutions, in-house designs, and remarkable customer service, Sunco will undoubtedly become the go-to leader in the industry. So, here’s to a bright future with Sunco leading the way!