Today we’d like to introduce you to AlyJo Chism.
AlyJo, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I always knew I wanted to build something.
Growing up, I watched my dad run his own business my entire life. His work was an inspiration to me how he made a huge impact on families’ lives and created a company culture that was worth fighting for. That planted something in me early — this deep desire to create something greater than myself, something that actually mattered.
I even got my first taste of project management as a kid. When my family had a project going on, my parents empowered me to collect the estimates, manage the process, and even earn a little commission at the end. I didn’t know at the time that I was learning one of the most important skills I’d ever use.
Before Goodlux, I worked in the construction industry — and honestly, watching how corrupt it can be only made me more determined. There’s so much cutting corners, so little integrity, so many homeowners who get taken advantage of. Instead of discouraging me, it grew my desire to do something different. To prove that you can operate with excellence and integrity in this industry and still build a thriving business. I believe the construction industry needs redemption — and I want Goodlux to be part of that story.
Then there’s the hospitality piece, which is just woven into who I am. I grew up in a family that opened their home to people. My parents had a gift for creating spaces that made others feel welcome and cared for. I saw firsthand how a physical space can become a vessel for real connection — and that never left me.
I’m a host at heart. My heart is genuinely at home. And when this pocket of the market opened up to me — luxury outdoor construction, becoming the authorized StruXure dealer for DFW — it felt less like a calculated business decision and more like the right door opening at the right time.
Today we are a growing company specifically empowering young leaders in the construction industry. Our mission is building next-level outdoor spaces for a greater purpose. And I mean that. The purpose is the people — the families gathering, the neighbors invited in, the memories made outside. We want every space we build to function like a magnet, drawing the people you love most back to where you are. That’s what gets me up in the morning. That’s what Goodlux is for.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Absolutely not.
The hardest part — and honestly the most ongoing challenge — has been finding the right people to do the actual physical labor. This industry has a serious integrity problem. There’s a lot of cutting corners, a lot of people who see a job as just a paycheck. Finding craftsmen who believe the work of their hands actually matters, who are purpose-driven and integrous in all things — that takes time. It takes discernment. And it’s not a problem you solve once. It’s something you’re constantly stewarding.
Beyond that, there’s just the reality of business ownership that nobody can fully prepare you for. I grew up watching my dad build a business, so I had more context than most — and I was still caught off guard by how much there is to it. The moving pieces, the strain, the decisions that land on your plate every single day. I genuinely think if people knew the full weight of it before they started, a lot of them wouldn’t. You just have to learn it by living it.
I am a new mama & honestly I see a lot of crossover to parenting! I have a one-and-a-half-year-old, and being a mom has been the most joyful, purposeful thing I’ve ever done. It’s also not easy. And I’ve come to believe that the things in life that matter most tend to work that way — hard and beautiful at the same time.
My faith is what has grounded me through all of it. Truly. I believe that the work of my hands and the labor I pour into this business is held by God — and that if my foundation is solid and rooted in truth, the seeds I’m planting will take root. They’ll grow. And eventually, they will flourish. That fruit isn’t always immediate. The sower doesn’t plant and harvest the same day. But if what you’re building is built on something real, something true — it will bear fruit in its season. That’s what keeps me going when the road is hard. Not a promise that it will be easy, but a confidence that the labor is not in vain.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Goodlux is building next-level outdoor spaces — for a greater purpose.
That’s not just a tagline. It’s the whole heartbeat of what we do.
We specialize in high-end outdoor living construction, and our core product is the StruXure motorized pergola — the most thoughtfully engineered shade solution on the market. We’re the official authorized StruXure dealer for Dallas-Fort Worth, and there’s a reason we chose this product above everything else. In Texas, if you don’t have shade, you won’t use your outdoor space. Period. But what makes StruXure different is that it doesn’t just block the sun — the louvered roof opens and closes, so you get shade when you need it and natural light when you want it. It integrates beautifully with the home, whether attached or freestanding, and it’s fully customizable to the way you actually live.
We build around the experience our clients are trying to create. That looks different for everyone. For some families it’s Sunday evenings together. For others it’s wine nights on a Tuesday, holiday gatherings, or just a quiet morning with their coffee before the day starts. We layer in heating, cooling, sound, lighting — whatever makes that space feel like theirs. The goal is always the same: a space so good you actually use it, and memories you wouldn’t have made without it. Life is short. Your spaces should be meaningful.
What I’m most proud of is our boutique experience. In this industry, it’s common to be handed off — a salesperson closes the deal and then you’re passed to five different people who don’t know your story or your vision. That’s not us. At Goodlux, the person who’s with you at the beginning is with you through the end. We hold the details. We hold the relationship. We genuinely care about how it turns out — not just that it gets done. When you build trust with someone, you carry that through. That’s a promise we make and keep.
We’re also a women-owned business, and we’re young leaders who are genuinely trying to make an impact in an industry that needs it. Part of that means we only offer products we believe in — legacy products. Things built to last 30-plus years, not the cheap solutions flooding the market today. We live in a world where you can buy almost anything for a fraction of what it used to cost, and it shows. We’ve all heard about our grandma’s pots & pans, oven or fridge (all the appliances) that still works decades later. That’s the standard we hold ourselves to. We want our clients to still be enjoying what we built for them in 30 years.
And we’re just getting started. There are things we’re working on that we haven’t released yet — new offerings that are going to be a really special addition to what we provide. Stay tuned. We think it’s going to be something that truly blesses our clients in a unique way.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
Bold. Joyful. Rooted.
I was the kid who was always outside, always in the middle of something, always making sure everyone was having a good time. I didn’t spend much time indoors or in front of a TV — I was catching bugs, playing soccer, making art, dragging people into whatever I had going on that day.
I was involved in everything growing up — show choir, club soccer, you name it. If there was something to be a part of, I wanted to be part of it. I’m one of four kids, number three out of four, with both brothers and sisters — and I was always kind of the glue. The one who cared deeply about keeping the relationships together, making sure everyone felt connected. That wasn’t a role anyone assigned me. It was just who I was.
I love people. Genuinely. I’m extroverted to my core, and what I wanted more than anything was for the people around me to feel known and to have a really good time. I was the kid hosting, bringing people together, thinking about how to make something special for someone. Thoughtful and intentional — but also just bold. I said what was on my mind. I still do.
Creative, outdoorsy, relational, confident — I think a lot of who I was then is exactly who I am now. Goodlux didn’t come from nowhere. It came from a little girl who loved the outdoors, loved hosting, and always believed something meaningful was worth building.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://goodluxoutdoor.com
- Instagram: @goodluxoutdoor
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/GoodLux-Outdoor-Living-61568209509320/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/goodlux-outdoor/?viewAsMember=true
Image Credits
Kate Summers photo (katesummersphoto.com)
