“You just have to surround yourself with the best people you possibly have, and empower them with the knowledge we have (…) and so you are never afraid if somebody in your team will surpasses you — you want them to. We constantly tell our project architects or designers, ‘We want the client calling you.’ That’s the next succession. If they are calling you for a commission, that’s a wonderful thing. We are not afraid when that happens.” – Dave McCarroll
Today, I’m speaking with Dave McCarroll, one of the founding partners — and the “M” in KGM Architectural Lighting (Kaplan, Gehring, McCarroll).
KGM is a multidisciplinary lighting design studio with offices in Los Angeles, New York, and Atlanta. Since the mid-1980s, they’ve been crafting lighting that elevates architecture — thoughtful, technically sharp, and deeply human. Their portfolio spans casinos, stadiums, cultural landmarks, interiors, residential, and commercial projects, across a wide range of scales and geographies.
As a founding force behind the firm, Dave has shaped not only KGM’s design legacy but also its business philosophy — grounded in trust, transparency, and a commitment to education that fuels team growth and expertise.
In this episode, Dave shares:
Stories from KGM’s early days
How the firm evolved and expanded
The art of building something that lasts
Insights on mentorship and leadership
Strategies for scaling creative teams
Preparing the next generation of designers and leaders
Welcoming new partners while preserving the firm’s values and legacy
It’s an inspiring conversation about vision, culture, and the lasting impact of great leadership.
Enjoy my conversation with Dave McCarroll.
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The Light Lounge was founded as an art project by Thomas Mnich in 2018, me interviewing and talking with the most brilliant and creative lighting designers in the world. To learn from them and to get inspired by the stories they share. Please let me know if you have any questions and feel free to contact me via LinkedIn or Instagram.
