In Business: NLFX Professional In Bemidji Provides Lights, Sound & Much More
“25 years ago, it was a lot different. We were in downtown Bemidji, mostly walk-in customers. In 1998 we launched an eBay store,” says Sam Wike, AV system integrations for NLFX Professional.
NLFX Professional in Bemidji has grown immensely over the years. Not only can you find their work all over Minnesota, they go all over the country and sometimes even internationally.
“We cover so many different facets in the industry. We’ve got your musicians, your school bands, your production, your install,” says Kat Carlson, the marketing director for NLFX.
The company has five main areas. There are system integrations, system design and installation. Many people in Bemidji have probably seen them around town taking care of all the light, sound and technical operations for various productions.
“One of my recent jobs has been uprigging which is at the Sanford Center; the beams that you see above your head, I’m the one that will go up and walk on those beams and pull up motors to set for shows and things like that, all the way down to the end of the show. I’ll be the one who’s running the lighting,” says Nate Anderson, production coordinator for NLFX.
NLFX also hosts more than 300,000 products on their roster. The showroom is Northern Minnesota’s one-stop shop for many area producers and musicians.
“We can supply them with the strings that they need. They don’t have to order [online] if they don’t want to because we like to give them whatever they’re asking for, and if we don’t we’ll surely try to get it in,” says Vicki Hegg, the showroom manager for NLFX.
NLFX gives back a lot to their home base of Bemidji. They foster their relationship with the community by giving back with education.
Ben Stowe, NLFX president says, “We’re really excited about the academy we started at the high school. A chance to train future generations of technicians and people who just are lovers of sound, lighting and video and then, of course, the community in and of itself. The classes and things that we hold here. We’re actually committed to education across the United States.”
Another thing that keeps NLFX in business is the people. The company is big on teamwork, and that’s why everyone who walks through the doors, even their customers and clients, are treated like family.
“We work very closely together every single day and the company, really, it becomes your family and everyone treats each other like family members so that’s really cool about it,” says Katie Cabak, lead sales for NLFX.
