Commercial Integrator

ICYMI: Trade tensions and tariffs are shaking up the AV industry. In this recap of CEDIA's recent webinar, experts break down actionable strategies for manufacturers and integrators to adapt. From supply-chain visibility to duty-mitigation tactics, discover how to stay ahead of the curve. https://hubs.ly/Q038j6QW0

NSCA #BLC2025 benefited from an inspiring second-day keynote from Dr. Ivan Joseph, who urged business leaders to disrupt harmful patterns. https://hubs.ly/Q038L-000

Day 2 of NSCA #BLC2025 lived up to the high standard set by the first day! In fact, it raised the bar for integration business leaders seeking inspiration and fresh ideas! ?? Today's keynote speaker, Dr. Ivan Joseph, brought high energy & good humor, plus plenty of examples from his own life. Every business leader runs the risk of inhibiting their own business' growth, Dr. Joseph said, if they fall prey to the patterns that perpetuate the status quo. "We have to disrupt patterns," he declared. "Equally important, YOU have to disrupt patterns.” Sharing clips from a '90s-era Apple commercial, he challenged BLC attendees to be crazy enough to think we can change the world -- because those are the only kinds of people who ever do. Dr. Joseph identified symptoms of frayed social cohesion, asking, for example, how many #BLC2025 attendees eat in the work lunchroom or regularly attend company barbecues or picnics. These social occasions offer the opportunity for agenda-free spontaneous conversations, as opposed to the kinds of transactional relationships that Dr. Joseph believes hold us back from greatness. These opportunities for team connection not only humanize fellow associates but also spur innovation and different ways of being. In addition, they lay the groundwork for the hard, authentic conversations leaders must have to give genuine feedback, so people can rise to their full potential. And Dr. Joseph emphasized that the feedback should flow both ways, including from employees to leaders. How often have you asked your direct reports questions like these: * “What am I doing that’s making it difficult to do your job?” * “What do you see outside our organization that would make it easier for you to do your job?” "Imposter Syndrome" is ubiquitous, and Dr. Joseph argued that those self-doubts are corrosive to leaders' success. It's all too easy to listen to others put us down, he said, and “if we’re not careful, we start to believe it.”?That negative thinking and fear of failure will hold us -- and our organizations -- back. Thus, he urged BLC attendees to disrupt the cacophony of negativity with positive affirmations and unshakeable self-belief. That positivity should radiate outward, as well. He urged leaders to affirm team members who perform well, saying, “You have to catch them when they’re good.” This is key because dissatisfaction usually motivates us to act more than contentment does. Dr. Joseph underlined the importance of centering the whole organization -- not the self -- when formulating and chasing goals. “How do I allow the light to shine on others while still allowing me to achieve my goals?” he asked rhetorically. Coaching, after all, isn't about accumulating accolades; it's about elevating team success. Dr. Joseph exhorted us to find our North Star, embrace a sense of purpose and vision, and step into our greatness. This resonated deeply with BLC attendees. A truly inspiring session! More soon, #avtweeps! #thoughtleadership

Jakarta-based integrator PT Albeta Sukses Mandiri installed LEA Professional's Connect Series 352 & Connect Series 704 amplifiers to power the immersive audio experience at Topgolf Jakarta. https://hubs.ly/Q038GFg90

Sonance strengthens its presence in Mexico with strategic investment, hiring Adrián Sepúlveda to drive growth and support in professional audio. https://hubs.ly/Q038DydX0

Day 1 of NSCA #BLC2025 shared bold ideas, with leaders exploring real-world #AI strategies to enhance efficiency and spark innovation. https://hubs.ly/Q038CPZl0

The first full day of NSCA #BLC2025 was one for the books! Hundreds of integration leaders learned, networked and came away with bold ideas to improve their businesses. ?? The Executive Power Hour, subtitled "AI Implementation Success Stories," sidestepped gauzy #AI talking points and focused on concrete business applications. Moderated by Dale Bottcher (AVI-SPL), the open conversation featured John Mitton (Red Thread), Bill Fons (CTI), Sunil B. (AV Design Labs), Brian Banks (Lone Star Communications, Inc.), & Brad Dempsey (Solutions360 Inc.) discussing the AI applications that they're exploring. Mitton level-set by pointing to survey results from Microsoft indicating that 60% of businesses have no strategic plan about how to implement AI. However, 75% of knowledge workers are already utilizing AI to some extent. The chasm between strategic planning and actual use has caused serious issues. These include, for example, people introducing private, confidential business information into AI engines and, thus, putting that information into the public domain. Mitton shared details about how Red Thread established a governance board to implement AI, aligning the tool with the company’s business goals and including stakeholders ranging from power end users to HR. Fons, meanwhile, raised salient questions about the dual uses of AI: as a solution offering unto itself vs. as an internal tool for integrators (i.e., for quoting and estimating). He said data-driven companies with abundant data access stand to benefit most from utilizing AI internally, whether by aggregating/analyzing competitor information or by leveraging win/loss data for better forecasting. Fons also touted API integrations to harvest data, with the ultimate goal of building an agent based upon that. Sunil Botadra highlighted how generative AI platforms can be used for system design and engineering, as well as programming and code writing. He illustrated this by, for example, prompting ChatGPT to design a conference room system with specific product requirements. Further prompting could produce a bill of materials in a table format. Later, he showed a prompt for writing XML code for a Cisco touchpanel to control Samsung displays. "If you’re doing anything that’s repetitive, you can replace it with AI," he said. "All we sell is time. So, it’s super important that we’re efficient with time." Banks highlighted product innovation in AI applications, showing how AI tools can output, for example, a checklist of steps to resolve a problem with a device. "It’s a tool that I know enhances technicians," he declared. After all, it eliminates the need to consult a 400-some-page manual when out in the field and needing information. Finally, Dempsey highlighted AI's role in data management, describing the potential to utilize AI to clean up your organization's data. Plus, he described settings within Azure and their capacity to specify security and privacy?levels. More tomorrow, #avtweeps!

Gary Plavin of Laia Technologies NA discusses his bold vision for bringing the Spanish company to prominence in the Americas. https://hubs.ly/Q038tLXx0

NSCA economist Dr. Chris Kuehl addresses inflation, labor challenges and regulations in a shifting economic landscape at #BLC2025. https://hubs.ly/Q038sNf10

As per tradition, NSCA #BLC2025 kicked off its first full day with an economic and business outlook from NSCA economist Dr. Chris Kuehl, who provided gems of wisdom in a time of great uncertainty. ?? Dr. Kuehl pointed to the top three concerns among economists right now: 1. Inflation, including tariffs' role in exacerbating it. 2. Workforce participation and ongoing labor shortages. 3. Regulation-related issues and compliance costs. On the first, Dr. Kuehl was candid, saying, "Inflation is very definitely going to increase. There’s no way it can’t because of the tariffs." That's because the U.S. doesn't have the power to impose taxes on foreign companies and, thus, tariffs actually hit American importers, who will likely pass along those costs to the American consumer. According to Dr. Kuehl, the most accurate gauge of inflation -- the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) price index -- most recently showed 2.6% inflation. If that ends up rising, as many expect, it will likely slow down the Federal Reserve's pace of interest rate cuts, meaning it will continue to be quite expensive to borrow money. That might well constrain construction and technology investments. On the topic of tariffs, Dr. Kuehl made the point that the current administration is likely using them as a negotiating posture (i.e., to procure more border security investments from our neighbors), meaning the actual imposition of some of them may be continually delayed or canceled altogether. In the case of Canada, for example, he suggested that the election of a new leader later this year may spur a much warmer relationship with the American administration. (That being said, as evidenced at recent hockey matches, North American tensions are currently running high.) On the topic of workforce participation rate and associated labor shortages, Dr. Kuehl expressed concern about the current civilian participation percentage (62.6%), which has not stabilized at pre-pandemic levels. The continued rise of #AI is also fueling concerns about job losses and people being pushed out of the labor force. Dr. Kuehl pointed to our heavily service-oriented economy, which depends on human interaction, saying that will weigh against massive losses. He did concede, however, that “AI is going to chew into routine types of jobs.” He cited as an example junior-level accounting roles. Although budget cuts to the administrative/regulatory state might well be helpful in terms of trimming compliance costs, which Dr. Kuehl argued have been extremely challenging for many businesses, he sounded a note of caution. In particular, he expressed concerns about dismantling agencies like USAID. These, he said, have been a way for the U.S. to exercise "soft power" over the decades. As American investments abroad dry up, China is looking to step into that role. That could have ramifications for American businesses looking to gain advantage in global markets. More soon, #avtweeps! #BLC2025 #thoughtleadership