Take-5 Spotlight: Adam Hayward

What is your title?

Senior Vice President, Sales & Business Development

How long have you been with VLS?

17.5 years

What office do you work out of?

Cincinnati

What is your hometown?

Cincinnati, OH

What do you like most about the lighting industry?

There are two things that have always impressed me most about our industry.

First, how small and close-knit the community is. Whether you’re on a job site or at a convention, you’ll see competitors, vendors, clients, and colleagues who genuinely ask about your family and how you’re doing—before talking about work. While we may be competing for the same jobs and projects, we see each other as people first.

Second, I love the lasting impact our work can have on people’s day. When I think about projects we’ve completed at theme parks, in cities, and at entertainment venues, it’s amazing to know that our work is being seen and enjoyed by everyone who passes by—whether they realize it or not. A great example: years ago, we updated the lighting on the facade of a parking garage in Kentucky. What seemed like a mundane project turned into a backdrop for countless selfies and photos taken by visitors. That’s always a great feeling—and a testament to the work we do.

Who inspires you?

This list could go on for days. So many people have inspired me and helped shape my growth over the years.

One of the biggest influences would have to be my high school choir teacher, Mr. Wesp. Back in middle school, I wasn’t the best student and struggled to find direction. He suggested I join the stage crew for the high school musical. My only job was opening and closing the main curtain during a production of Hello, Dolly!, but I was hooked. Seeing the process, the talent, and how it all came together made me want to learn more. Over the next four years, he never said no to an idea I had. Even if it was crazy or had never been done before, he supported it. While I’m sure he had second thoughts at times, that freedom gave me the creative confidence to try new things—and to understand that failure was just part of learning.

The second major influence would be Paul Vincent and Walt Weber. When they took a chance on me in 2007, I had zero sales experience and no idea what I was getting into. Their leadership, guidance, and focus on the core principles of selling and taking care of people have had the biggest impact on my professional career. They made sure the team at VLS understood the value of relationships, doing the right thing, and being a solution-minded organization. Those lessons have shaped my entire approach to sales.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to enter the lighting industry?

Three things:

1. Build relationships, not transactions.

2. Be humble and always willing to listen and learn.

3. Bring solutions—and be ready to adapt when those solutions don’t work.

What’s one thing — either industry-related or not — you learned in the last month?

As someone who grew up Catholic, I became really interested in the recent Conclave and enjoyed doing some deeper research into its history, pageantry, and rituals. Some interesting facts I learned: not every Conclave has taken place in Rome; the famous black and white smoke is now produced using pyrotechnics (it used to be done by burning hay); there have been physical altercations during at least one Conclave; and in 263 AD, a pope was elected unanimously when a dove landed on a priest’s head during the proceedings.