Jay Strickland
Owner/Founder of LiveWire Electrical Services
Operating Partner at Iconic Performance Center
Jay Strickland grew up in the Texarkana area and proudly calls it home, not only for his family but for his businesses. “Growing up was a lot different than what it is now. You did not come home until the street light came on. I was the youngest in the neighborhood, so I always ran with the older boys. I had a great time growing up and graduated from Pleasant Grove,” Jay says. “My Dad also owned Interstate Raceway, a go-kart track. I worked out there growing up as well. I started when I was 8 years old and was a flagger, and eventually worked at the ticket booth, refueling the karts, performing tire changes and oil changes.”
Jay has always had an entrepreneurial touch. He came up working alongside his father, Rod, who was a master electrician and owned Nash Electric. Jay spent 10 years under his father’s guidance, learning the ins and outs of the business. At the same time, Jay went to school at night and earned his teaching degree. He taught school at Queen City, Hooks, and Liberty-Eylau and coached for seven years. However, teaching was not the career choice Jay would end up with. His interest was sparked in the construction world, and he began Lone Star Custom Homes. After the first year, he was able to leave teaching, and the business did well for many years. In 2017, Jay came back to his roots and started working as an electrician. He spent the first year working independently and then slowly added crew members each year. LiveWire Electrical Services was born, and now Jay and his crew focus on residential and commercial needs.
Jay enjoys the electrical field. He says, “Wiring a house is easy for me, but I love troubleshooting more. I like it when customers want to add on to a house, and it requires me to find the best way to make that dream happen. I never get bored.”
Problem-solving is what Jay does best and how he has built the residential service end of his business. LiveWire listens intently to their customers’ challenges and finds solutions. However, they take it a step further. His company evaluates the entire home system, including a brief safety evaluation, checking fire alarms, CO2 detectors, and GFI protection. His crew consists of industry professionals, each one highly trained, background checked, drug tested, and with the right experience to complete the job.
However, Jay not only owns and runs the day-to-day business of LiveWire but is also an operating partner with Iconic Performance Center. “My partner, Rodney Whatley, and I have a softball organization. We use the building for private lessons and rent the facility for parties. I handle the paperwork end, and Rodney does more hands-on work,” Jay says.
Jay married Megan in 2017, and she joined the LiveWire business in November 2024. “She is my bright light!” Jay says. Jay is also a father to four children: his daughters Kara (16) and Katie (14) and two bonus sons Ryker (14) and Wyatt (11). The family also shares their love for their three dogs and one cat: Lucy, Bella, Blue, and Alex.
Jay’s advice for parents today is to cherish every moment with their kids. “Spend time with them and support their passions—whether it is sports, academics, cheer, dance, or band. Celebrate the good times and be there to guide them through the challenges. Communication and patience are key, especially in a blended family like ours. It’s about learning each other’s personalities and finding balanced solutions along the way,” he explains.
As Jay looks towards the future, he hopes to have LiveWire Electric running smoothly with managers in place where he can eliminate some of the day-to-day operations and decision-making from himself. “I want to be sure to train the right people and put them in the right places to do those jobs because in 10 years, I would like to retire,” Jay says. “Personally speaking, I have four very athletic kids who want to pursue a college career in baseball or softball. I want to give them every opportunity they are willing to work for.”
Tidbits about Jay:
He is a big music head. Early years included Mötley Crüe, Def Leppard, Bon Jovi, and Aerosmith. Now, he is more into country music but still likes Jelly Roll, Eminem, and Zach Bryan.
If he could have dinner with anyone, he would pick Elon Musk and would ask him where he sees the energy demands and solutions are going forward.
He loves that Texarkana is a smaller community with great school and athletic programs.
His favorite advice for homeowners is this: A cheap electrician is always more expensive than an expensive electrician because it will cost you more in the long run. Please do your research, look at reviews of electricians you are considering hiring, and have a conversation with them.
He enjoys using the Headway app to study business and motivational books. His favorite podcast is Certain Path.