Read the original interview in Authority Magazine

An Interview With David Leichner

The global shortage of computer chip manufacturing has highlighted the urgency for the US to have a robust High Tech Manufacturing sector. As a result, the Biden administration has signed a bill to boost chip manufacturing in the US. In addition to computer chips, what other exciting advancements and innovations are US companies making in High Tech manufacturing? What is coming out in the near future? What would it take for the US to become a High Tech Manufacturing powerhouse? To address these questions, we are talking to leaders of High Tech Manufacturing industries.

As a part of this series, I had the pleasure of interviewing Brian Stern.

Brian is the Chief Executive Officer of 1LUX, bringing extensive leadership experience in the lighting and technology industries. Brian previously founded both LED Supply Co. and PURO Lighting, where he served as CEO. In these roles, he demonstrated a strong talent for identifying and commercializing new technologies, guiding both companies through significant growth and market success. His strategic leadership has consistently delivered innovative solutions while fostering a collaborative and forward-thinking company culture. At 1LUX, Brian is focused on expanding the company’s reach and continuing its legacy of innovation by guiding its subsidiaries toward new opportunities and market success.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive in, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your ‘backstory’ and how you got started in manufacturing?

I started my first company just two years after graduating college. I had always been fascinated by what was happening in LED lighting and the opportunity it presented to make systems more efficient and sustainable.

One of my earliest ideas focused on cold-storage warehouses. At the time, most facilities were still using traditional lighting that could reach temperatures of 300–400 degrees Fahrenheit and performed poorly in freezer environments. We saw an opportunity to design LED lighting specifically for cold storage that would be more energy-efficient and more practical for those conditions. It was a somewhat unexpected entry point into manufacturing, but it turned out to be very successful and became the foundation of my first company.

Around the same time, cannabis was becoming legal in Colorado. We began developing lighting systems for cannabis cultivation, building on research NASA had conducted on growing plants in space. We adapted those concepts into large-scale commercial lighting systems for indoor growing. That idea was also very successful and ultimately helped fund the growth of our company.

Those early projects were really what pulled me into manufacturing. They showed me how innovative lighting technology could solve very specific real-world problems.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

One of the most memorable moments of my career happened at the very beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

About a year before the pandemic, we had launched a division of our company focused on UV disinfection lighting designed to sanitize indoor spaces. In early March 2020, I received a call from the mayor of Lakewood saying someone from Washington, D.C. urgently needed to speak with me. That night I connected with the Director of Innovation for the New York City MTA, who explained they were looking for ways to disinfect trains and buses so the transit system wouldn’t have to shut down.

A few days later I flew to New York with two suitcases full of our fixtures to demonstrate the system. The city was essentially shut down at that point — there were only three people on my entire flight — and when I arrived I was picked up by the Vice President of Transit for the MTA.

After testing the technology with Columbia University, it was confirmed that our system eliminated 99.99% of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. We ultimately won the contract to disinfect the entire New York City subway and bus system.

The challenge was producing and delivering the equipment in just eight weeks. Two factories had to reopen under a special order from the Governor of New York so we could manufacture the fixtures in time, but ultimately we were successful.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

One quote I’ve always believed in is: “Outwork your competition.”

Whenever I bring on new employees, I tell them that hard work is one of the most important advantages you can have. If you consistently outwork your competition, you dramatically increase your chances of success.

It’s a simple philosophy, but it’s one that has guided my career from the beginning.

Ok wonderful. Let’s now shift to the main focus of our interview about High Tech Manufacturing. Can you tell our readers about the most interesting projects you are working on now? How do you think this will help people?

One of the projects I’m most excited about right now is our CLIQ™ modular lighting system, which we developed entirely in-house.

CLIQ is designed to install up to 90% faster than traditional lighting systems in environments like data centers, self-storage facilities, and large industrial spaces.

We started looking closely at the rapid growth of data centers and realized that one of the biggest challenges isn’t just materials — it’s skilled labor. Lighting installation can be expensive and time-consuming because it requires specialized electricians.

So we approached the problem from every angle — from how the product is packaged and shipped, to how it’s installed, to how it’s maintained years later.

The result is a modular system that literally clicks into a standard Unistrut metal framework, dramatically simplifying installation. It’s also a low-voltage system, which reduces the risk of shock and allows installation by non-specialized labor.

The fixtures ship using significantly less packaging and fewer pallets, making the system more efficient from a logistics and sustainability standpoint as well.

What excites me most is that while there has been incremental innovation in lighting, this is a fundamentally different approach to how lighting systems are installed and maintained. When you can dramatically simplify something that has historically been complicated, it can change the economics of entire projects.

In addition to what you are working on, what other exciting advancements and innovations are US companies making in High Tech manufacturing?

One of the most exciting developments in high-tech manufacturing today is the rapid advancement of 3D printing and AI. As these technologies scale and become more affordable, they are dramatically lowering the barrier to entry for manufacturing.

Historically, manufacturing was difficult to break into. It required significant capital, specialized knowledge, and long development timelines. Today, 3D printing is changing that. Entrepreneurs and companies can move from concept to prototype in hours or days rather than months, allowing them to test ideas quickly and refine products much faster.

We experienced this firsthand while developing our CLIQ system. The ability to rapidly prototype and iterate helped us bring that product to market faster than anything I’ve worked on in the past.

To support that kind of innovation, we created SHIFT Innovations, which serves as the creative engine behind product development across all 1LUX brands. Driven by design thinking and collaborative product creation, SHIFT Innovations focuses on solving some of the biggest challenges in lighting by constantly asking, “What if?” and then quickly turning those ideas into real products.

Looking ahead, I think we’re going to see even more entrepreneurs and smaller companies entering high-tech manufacturing because the tools now exist to design, prototype, and produce products in ways that simply weren’t possible before. When designers can imagine something and quickly bring it to life, it opens the door to an incredible amount of innovation.

From your vantage point as an insider, what exciting developments will be coming out in the near future?

To build on that, one of the most exciting developments right now is how quickly companies can move from idea to product. Advances in design tools, rapid prototyping, and manufacturing technology mean we can test ideas and bring solutions to market faster than ever before.

More broadly, the barrier to entry for entrepreneurs has never been lower. If you have a strong idea today, the tools exist to design it, test it, and manufacture it. For companies like ours, that means we’re constantly exploring new concepts and technologies — and if we can dream it, we can usually build it.

Based on your opinion or experience, what would it take for the US to become a High Tech Manufacturing powerhouse?

We need to inspire the next generation to step into high-tech manufacturing with confidence and show them that this industry is no longer defined by outdated perceptions. Today’s manufacturing environment is driven by innovation, automation, data, robotics and advanced problem-solving. If the U.S. wants to become a true high-tech manufacturing powerhouse, it will take a workforce that is willing to embrace these tools and see manufacturing as a forward-looking, high-impact career path. That means encouraging young people to take the leap, invest in technical skills and leverage the technologies already available to build smarter, faster and more competitively.

As you know, there are not that many women in High Tech Manufacturing. Can you advise what is needed to engage more women in these industries?

Historically, manufacturing had a reputation for being a dirty, hands-on industry where you had to work on factory floors cutting steel. Because of that perception, it wasn’t always seen as an appealing career path for everyone. But that reality has changed dramatically.

Today, high-tech manufacturing is much more connected to technology, design, software, and advanced tools. Innovation, creativity, and problem-solving are just as important as traditional manufacturing skills.

I don’t think the barrier is ability — we work with many companies that have incredible women leaders who are driving innovation in this space. The real opportunity is making sure people understand how much the industry has evolved.

We need to do a better job communicating that manufacturing today is technology-driven, innovative, and full of opportunity. When people see that, more women — and more young professionals in general — will recognize it as an exciting and rewarding field to enter.

Fantastic. Here is the main question of our interview. What are your “5 Things You Need To Create A Highly Successful Career In High Tech Manufacturing?” (Please share a story or example for each.)

1. Be creative and embrace new tools.

Innovation in manufacturing today is heavily driven by technology, so it’s important to stay open to new tools and ideas. Technologies like AI, advanced design software, and rapid prototyping allow you to experiment and build solutions faster than ever before. At our company, using these tools has allowed us to move from idea to product much more quickly than in the past.

2. Be willing to outwork your competition.

Hard work is still one of the most important factors in building a successful career. I often tell people on our team that if we consistently outwork our competition, we’ll put ourselves in a position to succeed. Talent and ideas matter, but consistent effort over time is what separates successful companies from the rest.

3. Treat it like a marathon, not a sprint.

When I started my first company, there were moments where we saw success and it felt like we had “made it.” But you quickly realize that building a business requires sustained effort every single day. Success comes from maintaining momentum and continuing to push forward over the long term.

4. Seek feedback early and often.

One of the most valuable things you can do is bring your ideas to partners, customers, and colleagues early in the process. Sometimes the feedback is positive, and sometimes it isn’t — but both are valuable. Honest feedback often leads to better products and stronger businesses because it forces you to refine and improve your ideas.

5. Focus on profitable growth.

There are times when businesses prioritize rapid revenue growth, but long-term success depends on building a company that is financially healthy. Good ideas alone aren’t enough — you need strong cash flow and disciplined financial management. I’ve seen companies fail not because the idea was wrong, but because they didn’t build a sustainable business around it.

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.

If I could inspire a movement, it would be encouraging younger entrepreneurs to take the leap and build something.

We’re living in an incredible time where technology has made it easier than ever to turn ideas into real products or businesses. Tools that once required large teams or specialized knowledge are now accessible to almost anyone willing to learn.

When I started my first company at 24, I often felt like I was figuring things out as I went. But that’s part of the process. Today, the tools available make it even easier for people to experiment, learn quickly, and bring their ideas to life.

If more people embrace that mindset and aren’t afraid to start, I think we’ll see an incredible wave of innovation over the next decade.

How can our readers further follow your work online?

Readers can follow me on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/brianandrewstern.

Thank you so much for the time you spent doing this interview. This was very inspirational, and we wish you continued success.