This week's home automation podcast features our host Ron Callis interviewing Chris Pearson. Recorded live on Wednesday, July 14th, 2021, at 12:30 p.m. EST.

About Chris Pearson

Chris Pearson is a distinguished entrepreneur focused on providing superior automated AV, lighting, and shading solutions to the Austin market. He founded Service Tech in 2003 and built his business by creating a company culture that embodies hard work, fun, respect, and inclusivity. Chris attributes much of his success to fully understanding his client's lifestyle before designing an integrated solution that fully meets their needs. He has also won many prestigious awards and recognitions over the years, including CEDIA Best Lighting System of the Americas, Lutron Excellence Award, Home of the Year Gold Winner for Best Media Room, and - most recently - recognition as a Lutron Black Diamond dealer.

Interview Recap

• His humble beginnings as a projector Rep and journey towards becoming one of the largest integrators in Texas
• Chris' philosophy on expanding his skill set portfolio based on his client's needs
• The danger of opportunity, and how he is managing Service Tech's growth
• The importance of having the right people in the right roles to reach growth goals
• Why continued training takes priority in his business

This week's home automation podcast features our host Ron Callis interviewing Brett Ringeisen. Recorded live on Wednesday, July 7th, 2021, at 12:30 p.m. EST.

About Brett Ringeisen

As a child, Brett Ringeisen’s father, Chet, moved the family from Lafayette, LA to Vero Beach, FL with the goal of establishing and running several businesses. Their family acquired a small business called Norris Record Center where Brett began working at the age of 14. Brett watched the industry grow over the last 50 years from the early days of records and cassette tapes to the 1st in-home televisions, to what we refer to today as "custom home electronics." As the industry changed, so did the business name and eventually Norris Record Center became The Audiohouse by the mid-’70s. Brett’s loyalty to both the industry and marketplaces needs over the decades helped him grow a once small-town record shop into an acclaimed, fixture of his Vero beach community.

Interview Recap

• How the family business and electronics industry evolved over the decades
• The very first CEDIA event in 1990!
• Brett's windsurfing accident and how that affected him as well as the company
• Lessons learned from the hardship and how they made him a better leader

This week's home automation podcast features our host Ron Callis interviewing Matt Bernath. Recorded live on Wednesday, June 30th, 2021, at 12:30 p.m. EST.

About Matt Bernath

Matt is a veteran entrepreneur in the custom electronics industry who specializes in helping technology professionals transform their businesses. He has spent more than two decades in retail, wholesale, custom integration, and coaching - including founding and managing his own integration firm at one time. Today, as a Senior Coach at VITAL MGMT, Matt helps others achieve their dreams and business goals while also focusing on his overall mission to shift the CI industry's trajectory.

Interview Recap

• 6 ways to increase profit and reduce chaos in your business
• Advice for an integration firm owner on managing their own compensation
• How to turn the most prosperous times into the most profitable times
• The time investment to start transforming your business and profits with Vital Management

This week's home automation podcast features our host Ron Callis interviewing Jaclyn Boutwell. Recorded live on Wednesday, June 23rd, 2021, at 12:30 p.m. EST.

About Jaclyn Boutwell

While Jaclyn is normally behind the scenes or behind the camera, we had so much fun connecting with her husband Donnie a few weeks ago on show 172 that we asked her to share her perspective on the business with our audience.

Jaclyn is a technology designer who specializes in merging beauty with tech. With a keen eye for detail, she elevates the home environment with high-tech solutions that blend seamlessly with architecture and aesthetics. She uses her background in artistic design, professional photography, and smart tech to aid every aspect of the business -from managing finances for the firm to assisting with sales.

Interview Recap

• How to approach your clients for approval to photograph projects
• Basics of video and lighting configurations for successful Zoom meetings
• How she manages the finances for Media Systems
• Parental control and privacy management for minors on the Internet

This week's home automation podcast features our host Ron Callis interviewing Omar Alarcon. Recorded live on Wednesday, June 16th, 2021, at 12:30 p.m. EST.

About Omar Alarcon

From baker to electrician, Omar initially gained interest in home automation while out in the field on job sites. Then, with a newfound passion for tech and helping others, he and his wife were inspired to establish their own integration firm in 2015. Today, Omar is focused on providing his clients with best-in-class, high-quality technology solutions that upgrade their daily lives.

Interview Recap

• His journey towards starting his own integration firm
• Advice and best practices with leveraging Instagram
• And how he selects which brands to work with

This week's home automation podcast features our host Ron Callis interviewing Doug Greenwald. Recorded live on Wednesday, June 9th, 2021, at 12:30 p.m. EST.

About Doug Greenwald

Based out of Scottsdale, AZ - and joining us with over 27 years of industry experience - Doug first established Creative Sound & Integration in 2001 to better serve his clients with best-in-class smart tech solutions for their homes.

While building his successful business, Doug often struggled with finding an effective project management software to meet his needs. Taking matters into his own hands, he created his own software platform, ProjX360, to solve common challenges, and has since expanded it to include a complete end-to-end SaaS management software solution.

Interview Recap

• Doug's start in the CI industry in the early '90s
• Scaling his integration company over the past 20 years
• What to expect from business software
• Developing and documenting business processes