Advertise on podcast: Automation Unplugged Podcast

SHOW NOTES In this episode, Rob and I discussed: - The eight characteristics he sees in integrators who are winning with lighting - Why starting small, in your own home or showroom, leads to bigger projects - And How a lighting champion, lighting designers, and electrician relationships speed up growth  Whether lighting is brand new to your business or already part of it, Rob shares what’s working for the dealers getting it right. So settle in and enjoy my conversation with Rob Doherty. Let's get started!  To get transcripts, resources of what was mentioned in the show, and more visit the podcast page on our website at onefirefly.com/au376

SHOW NOTES We cover: How lighting impacts wellness, visual comfort, safety, and aging in place — and how dealers can confidently introduce these conversations with homeownersPractical conversation starters that help shift discussions away from products and specifications toward lifestyle, comfort, and real-world customer experiences How AI can help integrators analyze customer conversations, uncover common questions and buying motivations, and transform those insights into more effective websites, marketing campaigns, and educational contentVisit the episode page on our website to get the audio recording and video of the original webinar. Now let's tune in and discover how thoughtful lighting conversations can help you create better homes and better marketing. Let’s get started!  To get transcripts, resources of what was mentioned in the show, and more visit the podcast page on our website at onefirefly.com/au375

SHOW NOTES In this episode, Henri and I discussed: Why smaller projects have slowed down while high-end luxury work has held steadyHow keeping inventory in a 10,000 square foot warehouse kept Elite building through COVID supply delaysAnd His rule of never promising a client anything his team hasn't tested and engineered firstWhether you're running a luxury integration firm or building toward one, Henri's approach to engineering, people, and client trust is worth hearing. So settle in and enjoy my conversation with Henri Beaudoin. Let's get started!  To get transcripts, resources of what was mentioned in the show, and more visit the podcast page on our website at onefirefly.com/au374

SHOW NOTES In this episode, Ian and I discussed: The weekly business dashboard he built in Claude Cowork that lands in his inbox at 6:00 a.m. every Monday, covering KPIs, cash flow, backlog, and a 13-week forecast.Where AI shows up across his team, from technicians dictating daily project updates in Basecamp to project managers recording every walkthrough and QC.And Why his most effective prompt starts with "I don't know how to do this. Can you please help me?"Whether you're still writing the occasional email in ChatGPT or already building automations across your business, there's something here you can put to work this week. So settle in and enjoy my conversation with Ian Williams. Let's get started!   To get transcripts, resources of what was mentioned in the show, and more visit the podcast page on our website at onefirefly.com/au373

SHOW NOTES In this episode, Curtis and I discussed: Why he believes overselling and overpromising is the industry's most damaging habit, and what it looks like from a technician's side of the businessHis take on CEDIA Expo this year, including the training gap he keeps running into when he brings new hires to the showAnd Why customers have started asking for less control instead of more, and why he thinks that's the industry's own faultWhether you're running a two-person shop or a team of fifty, Curtis brings the kind of perspective you only get from staying in the game long enough to see the cycles repeat. So settle in and enjoy my conversation with Curtis LeMaster. Let's get started! To get transcripts, resources of what was mentioned in the show, and more visit the podcast page on our website at onefirefly.com/au372

SHOW NOTES In this episode, Patrick and I discussed: The five sales roles every business has, and why an owner trying to cover all five statistically caps out between $1.5 and $2.5 millionHis sales certainty framework and the three things that get in the wayAnd why fewer than 5% of technology contractors have a sales playbook that is actually written down, and how AI has changed the way those playbooks get builtWhether you are the owner still closing every deal yourself or you are building out a sales team and trying to get everyone selling the same way, there is something here you can put to work this quarter. So settle in and enjoy my conversation with Patrick Martinez. Let's get started!   To get transcripts, resources of what was mentioned in the show, and more visit the podcast page on our website at onefirefly.com/au371

SHOW NOTES We cover: Why landscape lighting is a natural extension of the custom integration business — and how dealers can add it without competing with builders or electriciansPractical design, installation, and sales strategies, including recurring maintenance opportunities, partnering with landscapers, and positioning yourself early in the construction processMarketing tactics to help dealers build awareness, educate homeowners, and generate new opportunities through websites, email, social media, SEO, and AI searchVisit the episode page on our website to get the audio recording and video of the original webinar. Now let's tune in and explore how landscape lighting can help you create unforgettable outdoor experiences while growing your business. Let’s get started!  To get transcripts, resources of what was mentioned in the show, and more visit the podcast page on our website at onefirefly.com/au370

SHOW NOTES In this episode, Kayla and I discussed: The three Ps of event planning: planning, process, and promotion, and why most events fail on the first one How to set a real, measurable goal for an event before you touch a single logistics detail And why an omni-channel promotion strategy, not one email and a social post, is what actually fills the room Whether you're gearing up for Control4's C4Yourself event this October or planning your own customer or trade partner event, this conversation will change how you think about the investment. So settle in and enjoy my conversation with Kayla Steinberg. Let's get started!   To get transcripts, resources of what was mentioned in the show, and more visit the podcast page on our website at onefirefly.com/au369

SHOW NOTES In this episode, Jason and I discussed: Why AI felt like a pile of cheap hacks for a year, and what finally made it meaningful Building the foundation first: a common language document, a company taxonomy, and an org chart his AI tools can actually use How Premier structures its Claude workspaces around the project life cycle, from marketing through customer service The install-to-service handoff that now produces a personalized client letter and full warranty documentation in about 30 seconds Whether you have been putting AI off or you're already deep in it and looking for a model that scales past you to your whole team, Jason lays out how he got his company aligned and what he would tell you to do first. So settle in and enjoy my conversation with Jason Barth. Let's get started! To get transcripts, resources of what was mentioned in the show, and more visit the podcast page on our website at onefirefly.com/au368

SHOW NOTES In this episode, Brian and I discussed: Why Barrett's built a separate small projects team, and how those smaller jobs still fuel cash flow and client loyalty. Their approach to educational events, from an AI workshop to a new lighting lab built for specifiers. What's next for the industry, from video walls to energy storage to the wellness trend that never quite took off. Whether you're figuring out how to serve both your legacy clients and your biggest projects, or you're looking for new ways to build relationships with the design community, you're going to get a lot out of this one. So settle in and enjoy my conversation with Brian. Let's get started! To get transcripts, resources of what was mentioned in the show, and more visit the podcast page on our website at onefirefly.com/au367

SHOW NOTES We cover: How the rapid expansion of AI infrastructure and data centers is creating unprecedented demand for skilled labor across the country The five pillars of workforce resilience, including employer branding, candidate experience, career development, culture, and proactive workforce planning Practical strategies to help integrators attract, hire, and retain top talent in an increasingly competitive labor market Visit the episode page on our website to get the audio recording and video of the original webinar. Now let’s tune in and explore how AI is reshaping the hiring landscape — and what your business can do today to stay ahead of the competition. To get transcripts, resources of what was mentioned in the show, and more visit the podcast page on our website at onefirefly.com/au366

SHOW NOTES In this episode, Robert and I discussed: Why selling his company at age 30 turned out to be the best lesson of his career. How their showroom and light lab sell what a conversation never could. The in-house training program that cut ramp time for a job site lead from ten years to two. And why a $20 million company had to go back to a single point of contact to keep feeling small to its clients. Whether you're early in your growth or running a company that has outgrown how you used to do things, you're going to love this conversation. So settle in and enjoy my conversation with Robert Haecker. Let's get started! To get transcripts, resources of what was mentioned in the show, and more visit the podcast page on our website at onefirefly.com/au365

SHOW NOTES In this episode, Mike and I discussed: How AI image editing helps his team solve real client challenges — from removing private artwork and family photos before sharing project images, to swapping out unlicensed content on screens. How he uses simple ChatGPT prompts to turn a designer's scale elevation drawing into side-by-side visuals, helping clients make decisions faster and reducing costly change-orders after installation. And how Bethesda Systems is building an AI culture from the ground up, including weekly leadership meetings with hands-on AI demos and shared licenses across the team. What makes this conversation so valuable is that Mike doesn't call himself an AI expert — and that's exactly the point. He's a business owner who started with simple experiments and turned them into practical tools that improve margins and client communication. Whether you're already experimenting with AI or just trying to understand where to begin, you're going to get a lot of value from this conversation. So settle in and enjoy my conversation with Mike Wilson. Let's get started! To get transcripts, resources of what was mentioned in the show, and more visit the podcast page on our website at onefirefly.com/au364

SHOW NOTES In this episode, Ollie and I discussed: Why founder-led sales eventually becomes the ceiling on your growth, how the "founder advantage" makes it unfair to expect your salespeople to sell like you do, and the path to getting off the hamster wheel. The five-pillar operating system Sales Velocity uses to build scalable sales machines—positioning, process, people, performance, and planning—and how to find the key constraint holding your team back. And practical tactics you can implement right away: how to attract, assess, and onboard sales talent without falling for the "black book" myth, why public dashboards tracking percentage of time gone versus target achieved create ownership and urgency, and how to structure your weekly accountability and coaching meetings. Whether you're the owner still carrying your company's sales on your own back or you're looking to build a repeatable sales engine, you're going to love this conversation. So settle in and enjoy my conversation with Ollie Tuffney. Let's get started! To get transcripts, resources of what was mentioned in the show, and more visit the podcast page on our website at onefirefly.com/au363

SHOW NOTES In this episode, Jason and I discussed: How he scaled Austin Home Systems from a three-person shop to 26 employees and over $7 million in revenue. How reading Traction helped him define his target market of custom home builders and break through the million-dollar ceiling. Why joining a ProSource peer group and learning to “be vulnerable” with fellow dealers has been, in his words, life-changing for his business. Jason is known for his hands-on approach and for building a company focused on quality, service, and long-term relationships. Whether you’re building your own integration firm or just want to hear how a values-driven leader scales a business, you’re going to love this one. So settle in and enjoy my conversation with Jason Zuniga. Let’s get started! To get transcripts, resources of what was mentioned in the show, and more visit the podcast page on our website at onefirefly.com/au362