Coffee Break with Jake

Episódios

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  Artificial Intelligence, Real Support 09.06.2026 51min

  This week, Jake Voll sits down with Derek Carder, COO of FrontPoint Security, to talk about what happened when a DIY home security company decided their 60-to-90 minute hold time was the number one problem to solve, and how the fix turned into one of the more grounded AI rollouts in the industry.In this episode, we talk about...✅ Why Derek starts every role by taking live customer calls, and what installing his own FrontPoint system showed him in his first week as COO✅ The 60-to-90 minute hold time FrontPoint inherited in 2021, and how they got it under 30 seconds without hiding the phone number✅ Why "contact deflection" is the wrong goal, and what happens when customers solve their own problem and then call just to ask, "did I do that right?"✅ The crawl-walk-run approach to digital support: no login walls, no 15-step IVR, just the right knowledge surfaced at the right moment✅ How the 3G/4G sunset became FrontPoint's proving ground for AI-driven self-service, including shipping the radios out with full guided walkthroughs and follow-up calls✅ Why moving off a traditional Zendesk-style ticketing system was the right call once the team realized email tag was prolonging the customer journey, not shortening it✅ How AI is making the senior support reps more valuable, not redundant; they've become knowledge workers updating articles, adding diagrams, and tackling the complex scenes Betsy can't (sorry, Betsy)✅ The proactive retention program riding inside the support call that's averaging 38-month contract renewals✅ Why FrontPoint is now sharing this support infrastructure with other dealers and regional operators who want the digital front end without giving up their brand or their local techniciansCoffee Break With Jake is recorded live every Friday at 11am ET. Join us live or register to attend at https://go.ssandsi.com/coffeebreak
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  Intentional Growth 03.06.2026 50min

  This week, Jake Voll sits down with Ainsley Close, president of Guardian Security Systems out of Seattle. Guardian is a third-generation family alarm company. Ainsley's grandfather Donald founded the parent business, her dad Frank bought Guardian off him 50 years ago, and Ainsley took the chair as president in the middle of the pandemic, after Frank sent an all-company email naming her successor and then hopped a flight to Hawaii.Today Guardian runs 206 employees and about 70 trucks across Washington State, covering security, access, video, fire alarm, and fire inspections. They also own and operate Northwest Alarm Monitoring, with central stations in Seattle and a brand new one in Yakima. The company has tripled top-line revenue in the last 10 years with zero outside equity, just intentional growth one year at a time.Ainsley's path into the industry is not the usual one. She started out chasing butterflies (literally, she trained as a lepidopterist), worked in climate advocacy, and spent time in the mayor's office in Seattle before her dad pitched her on running the family business. That perspective shapes how she leads: a consensus builder running a charismatic founder's company, layering "predictable success" on top of her dad's "customer hero" and "technical excellence" so 206 people can deliver the same experience every day.In this episode, we talk about...✅ How Ainsley actually inherited the seat: an all-company email naming her president, a dad on a plane to Hawaii, and a pandemic reorg she had to run from a standing start✅ Why she added "predictable success" as a third core value, and how Guardian operationalizes it inside performance reviews and coaching conversations instead of letting it live on a poster✅ The 40 acquisitions in 50 years strategy: all local, all evaluated for fit with Guardian's own monitoring center, and the McKinsey number nobody wants to hear (70% of acquisition value is lost during integration)✅ Losing three LOIs to private equity in the last three years, why the PE checkbook is starting to reach down into sub-$500K deals, and where Ainsley thinks the structural advantage of a family business actually still lives✅ Enshittification in the alarm industry: how easy it is to extract more from a locked-in customer over time, and what staying close to the customer looks like when you're north of 200 employees✅ The service-margin question Jake puts to every operator: remote troubleshooting bundled into monitoring, on-site work priced honestly for Washington labor rates, and why Ainsley accepts a slim service margin to protect long-term retention✅ The tech-stack anxiety dealers do not talk about enough: Azure, AWS, ERP, CRM, central station automation, and what happens when the platforms you depend on start passing through 40% price hikes✅ Building company culture through a tripling of revenue, three full-time HR seats including a dedicated recruiter, and the coaching conversation that turns one customer service hero moment into a repeatable standard✅ Ainsley's one piece of advice for the smaller independent dealers on the call: "Know who you are and do it on purpose."Coffee Break With Jake is recorded live every Friday at 11am ET. Join us live or register to attend at https://go.ssandsi.com/coffeebreak
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  Your Biggest Challenges 19.05.2026 52min

  So what are dealers actually wrestling with right now, and what's working? In this episode of Coffee Break With Jake, we take a look at your biggest challenges.In this episode, we talk about...✅ The lead-gen reality check: what is a quality lead actually worth to you, and can you afford to outbid the largest competitor in your market?✅ Why fire alarm and access control leads beat residential security leads almost every time: less competition, higher urgency, and a daycare owner who can't open the doors without a CEO✅ Strike while the iron is hot: the HVAC story where the fastest-responding company wasn't the cheapest, it was the most profitable✅ Why your cousin's sister's nephew is a knucklehead, and why a position worth filling is a position worth spending real money to fill ✅ The attrition math every dealer should be running: 1,000 accounts means losing about 100 a year, so a "we broke even" year is actually a slow bleed✅ The $100,000 project that turned into a $160,000 project because the technicians peeled off, called the customer, and renegotiated instead of eating the rewire on schedule pressure✅ The pricing lever in both directions: charge more when a customer needs you across three states and eight locations, and pay more when you're trying to land a senior technicianCoffee Break With Jake is recorded live every Friday at 11am ET. Join us live or register to attend at https://go.ssandsi.com/coffeebreak
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  Four Ways to Improve RMR 12.05.2026 54min

  Taylor Sears is back. A few months after his Dealer Spotlight, the COO of Silent Guard and Davis Heat and Air joins Jake Voll for a working session on the four levers any dealer can pull to grow recurring revenue and the profit underneath it.In this conversation, Taylor and Jake walk through those levers, talk through where most dealers are leaving money on the table on each one, and what to actually do about it on Monday morning. You'll learn about...✅ Lever 1, raise prices: why "the next best day past yesterday is today," and how small surgical increases every year sidestep the ADT-style sticker shock that runs customers off✅ The hassle premium: anything that's a hassle, people will pay extra to make go away, but only if the value shows up first✅ Lever 2, grow your existing base: minimize attrition by doing things nobody else does, including auditing every customer's first-call-answer rate and replacing dead numbers before they cost a real alarm response✅ Why Silent Guard sells a Quality Assurance Program instead of a "maintenance agreement," runs it at 60-65% margin, and builds in incentives that pull customers back every time the tech changes (3G to 4G to LTE to whatever's next)✅ How a 10-year smoke detector lifespan becomes a forced sales touchpoint most dealers ignore✅ Lever 3, find more customers, the right ones: start with your top 100 RMR report, then hunt centers of influence like libraries, health departments, and school districts instead of fishing for lions in the Florida Everglades✅ Lever 4, increase value per transaction: Silent Guard's residential business went from losing $8 per labor hour in 2024 to making $15 in 2025 after adjusting labor rates, a $27 per hour swing on the same work✅ Why a small alarm install in a Kentucky candle factory office grew into a $400,000 project once the customer expanded their distribution, and why being already-on-site beats being the lowest bid✅ The apartment complex that adds 5-10 mobile credentials to its account every month with zero sales effort, and why that compounding is the entire point of recurring revenue✅ Wallet share: how to spot a customer where you have the alarm contract but a competitor has the fire, video, or access, and why every gap is a door for someone else to walk through✅ "What gets measured gets managed": the daily 5pm report Taylor uses to know exactly where his RMR sits, and why he texted his cell number to the live audience to keep the conversation goingCoffee Break With Jake is recorded live every Friday at 11am ET. Join us live or register to attend at https://go.ssandsi.com/coffeebreak
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  Dealer Spotlight with Taylor Sears 08.05.2026 58min

  In this Dealer Spotlight edition of Coffee Break With Jake, Jake Voll sits down with Taylor Sears, COO of Silent Guard in Kentucky and Davis HVAC, to talk about how a 17-person family alarm shop turned itself into a 42-person operation doing three and a half times the revenue in five years, without ever buying out a competitor or chasing a fad.Taylor's path into the family business is not the usual one. He played college baseball, worked as an equipment manager for the Cincinnati Bengals, then took a job at 23 working directly for the governor of Kentucky and ended up across the table from Toyota's top finance executives negotiating tax incentives for the state. He came home to Silent Guard in 2019 with no specific role and zero alarm-industry experience. What he brought instead was a willingness to ask why, a comfort sitting at any table, and the conviction that the company needed a real business behind it, not just a job for his parents.In this conversation, Jake and Taylor unpack the playbook that got Silent Guard from there to here. Along the way they trade a few hard-earned leadership truths, including the Andy Dalton vs. A.J. McCarron snap-count story that reshaped how Taylor thinks about expecting excellence from a team.In this episode, we talk about...✅ Why a next-gen leader spending years outside the family business may be the single best thing they can do for it✅ "Always fear the problem that doesn't get resolved that people learn to live with and accept" (Jake confesses to a bathroom exhaust fan that ran broken for two years)✅ How Silent Guard went from 17 employees to 42 and 3.5x revenue in five years without acquiring anyone✅ Why losing Interlogix in 2019 ended up being the best thing that happened to the business✅ The decision to drop AV, central vac, and anything else outside the lane, and why being "good at everything" is a trap✅ How fire alarm and inspections became a real growth engine once Silent Guard committed to being the expert✅ Quoting jobs from actual labor data instead of wishful thinking, and what it did to margin✅ The Andy Dalton vs. A.J. McCarron leadership lesson: expect excellence, but give people the resources to hit it✅ "The biggest cause of frustration is unmet expectations, and the biggest cause of unmet expectations is either uncommunicated or unrealistic expectations"✅ Why Taylor measures growth in new hires, new houses, and new babies before he measures it in revenue✅ The Kaizen mindset Taylor took from a Toyota plant tour in Kentucky and brought home to Somerset✅ Why Silent Guard outworks bigger, better-resourced competitors, and why that mindset has to start at the topCoffee Break With Jake is recorded live every Friday at 11am ET. Join us live or register to attend at https://go.ssandsi.com/coffeebreak
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  Embers of Hope 05.05.2026 51min

  In this special edition of Coffee Break With Jake, Jake Voll sits down with Rebekah Johnson, co-founder and executive director of Embers of Hope.Rebekah's story starts in May 2002, when an electrical spark from the outlet behind her headboard set her mattress, and her, on fire. She woke up engulfed, ran out the front door, dropped, and rolled in the grass. Then she ran back inside for her roommates and her pets. She was treated at Shands Burn Unit in Gainesville. What followed is the part most people never hear: years of revisions and skin grafts that don't grow with a child, the social and emotional weight burn-injured kids carry back into a school of 400 classmates, and the life she has since built advocating for arc-fault protectors, working smoke detectors, and residential fire sprinklers. She and her husband, a Florida firefighter, founded Embers of Hope to run a Florida burn camp where kids don't have to wear a hoodie in 85-degree weather to hide their scars.In this episode, we talk about...✅ The night Rebekah woke up on fire, what stop-drop-and-roll actually looked like in the moment, and why a practiced plan beats any single product on the wall✅ The recovery story most people never hear: the social and emotional aftermath, including what life is like for a kid going back to school covered in scars✅ How a 30-minute transformation happens at Embers of Hope camp, including the boy who took off the do-rag he had worn since his injury and never put it back on✅ The sixth-grade boy who begged Rebekah to help him get back to school after his district denied medical transport, and how she made it happen✅ Why the low-battery smoke detector signal central station keeps reporting is a bigger deal than dealers sometimes treat it (Jake includes a confession of his own)✅ The advocacy fight for arc-fault protectors, residential fire sprinklers, and code changes that prevent these injuries in the first place✅ The Kidde Commercial partnership: 10% of gross profit on Kidde Commercial sales through SS&Si this year, up to $10,000, matched dollar for dollar by Kidde, all going to Embers of HopeLearn more about Embers of Hope: https://www.embersofhopefl.org/Coffee Break With Jake is recorded live every Friday at 11am ET. Join us live or register to attend at https://go.ssandsi.com/coffeebreak===========================SSS&Si Dealer Network isn’t just a distributor. We’re your partner in success. We specialize in security and low voltage products, but what truly sets us apart is our commitment to your brand. With our #blessedandbranded program, we’ll print your logo on most products you buy from us, ensuring your brand is always front and center.  Let’s grow your business together!🌐 https://shop.ssandsi.com✉️ sales@ssandsi.com📞 866-364-0030===========================Connect with us on social mediaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ssandsiFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/ssandsiInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ssandsidealernetworkX: https://www.x.com/dealernetwork
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  The End of Physical Credentials with Manish Dalal 21.04.2026 34min

  In this special edition of Coffee Break With Jake, Jake Voll sits down with Manish Dalal, Founder and President of ZKTeco USA, to dig into where biometrics fits in the modern access control stack and why the physical credential is quietly becoming the weakest link on your customer's door.Manish has been working in biometrics since 1998, starting with the first biometric time and attendance systems in India and building ZKTeco into a global operation with presence in more than 50 countries, 3,500 employees, three manufacturing plants, and a U.S. factory coming online within six months. In this conversation, he and Jake walk through fingerprint, face, and palm vein recognition, unpack the privacy misconceptions that still slow adoption here in the States, and talk honestly about what it actually costs a dealer to bring biometrics to a customer site.In this episode, we talk about...✅ Why physical credentials (even encrypted ones) have become a real security risk and the bank-badge-in-the-parking-lot story that makes it obvious✅ How palm vein works, why it's inherently private, and why you can't spoof it with a photo (or a severed hand)✅ Why the Amazon One rollout quietly moved palm biometrics into the mainstream✅ The privacy misconception that's keeping U.S. adoption behind Asia and the Middle East✅ The TSA PreCheck and Clear analogy Manish uses when enterprise customers push back✅ What the Houston customer actually did when they replaced 650 card readers with biometric readers across 13,000 employees✅ Why the cost of a biometric reader is basically the same as a card reader once you look at total cost of ownership✅ The hidden cost of mobile credentials nobody is calculating (hint: every time an employee gets a new phone)✅ Why a single password reset costs healthcare $80 to $100 and what that means for the biometrics pitch✅ Where the door reader is headed: multifunctional devices that handle credential, intercom, visitor QR, and face in one box✅ Manish's advice to integrators leaning into biometrics: sell on value and total cost of ownership, not priceCoffee Break With Jake is recorded live every Friday at 11am ET. Join us live or register to attend at https://go.ssandsi.com/coffeebreak
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  The Future of Access Control 14.04.2026 50min

  Join Jake Voll as he sits down with Lee Odess, globally recognized access control industry analyst, author of The Six Phase Changes Shaping Access Control, and founder of PhySec Collective, to talk about where access control is really headed and what that means for every dealer and integrator selling into this market today.In this episode, Jake and Lee break down the thesis that has defined Lee's work: the access control industry isn't a $10B security market. It's a $100B enterprise software opportunity hiding inside one. They unpack why that gap exists, where it shows up in real dealer conversations, and what the shift from "security industry" to "enterprise software industry" actually means for how you sell, what you carry, and who you partner with.In this episode, we talk about...✅ Why the $10B vs. $100B framing should change how every dealer thinks about their market✅ The "utility plus" shift — access control isn't just keeping bad people out anymore✅ Why COVID broke the legacy trust model and what enterprise buyers expect now✅ The identity shift: from controlling the door to managing who people are and what they can access✅ Why the value of pure system configuration is going down (and what takes its place)✅ The "access care" concept — a different lens for thinking about what you sell✅ Where AI and operational intelligence are creating real value (and where it's still noisy)✅ Why open platform might be the most overrated buzzword in access control right now✅ The locksmith opportunity: physical expertise in a software-dominated world✅ One old truth Lee says the industry needs to stop believingCoffee Break With Jake is recorded live every Friday at 11am ET. Join us live or register to attend at https://go.ssandsi.com/coffeebreak
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  Family Businesses with Josh Trim 07.04.2026 57min

  Join Jake Voll as he sits down with Josh Trim of Pennington & Trim to talk about what it takes to grow a security company across generations — and why “sales” isn’t about pressure or commissions, it’s about trust, character, and delivering the right solution for the customer.In this episode, Jake and Josh unpack the early grind of building a company, the advantage technical people often have in sales, and the mindset shift that separates short-term transactions from long-term customers. Josh shares the principles he learned from his dad (industry legend Ed Trim) and the day-to-day habits that build credibility fast — especially when you’re young and trying to earn respect in a tough trade.In this episode, we talk about...✅ Why technical people often make the best sales reps in security✅ The “early grind” reality of starting and scaling a security business✅ How selling the right solution creates long-term customers (and referrals)✅ The character-first mindset that builds trust faster than product knowledge✅ Josh’s best advice for younger leaders: outwork everyone, show up early, earn respect✅ Why caring about the customer beats caring about commissions (and improves close rates)Coffee Break With Jake is recorded live every Friday at 11am ET. Join us live or register to attend at https://go.ssandsi.com/coffeebreak
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  Building a Sales Team 17.03.2026 51min

  Join Jake Voll as he sits with industry consultant Robert Few, managing partner of The Connection Exchange (TCX), to unpack one of the biggest growth bottlenecks in the security industry: hiring and keeping the right salespeople. For many dealers, growth stalls not because of a lack of opportunity, but because they are afraid to invest in sales talent without the systems, pricing structure, and accountability to support them.In this episode, Jake and Robert break down what it really takes to build a sales program that works. They cover how to structure compensation, how to train new hires without expecting them to "clone the owner," and how to protect margins while still giving salespeople enough freedom to close deals.✅ Stop waiting to “clone yourself” and build real systems for training, pricing, and accountability✅ Decide whether to hire a salesperson or installer first when cash flow only allows one move✅ Set practical sales quotas for upfront revenue and RMR so reps know what success looks like✅ Build pricing guardrails and simple packages that help reps sell confidently without constant approvals✅ Create commission plans that drive profitable jobs and recurring revenue, not just top-line sales✅ Avoid common sales-management mistakes, including promoting your top rep into the wrong role✅ Learn better hiring tactics, from where to find candidates to how to evaluate fit beyond the interviewCoffee Break With Jake is recorded live every Friday at 11am ET. Join us live or register to attend at https://go.ssandsi.com/coffeebreak
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  Professionalism 101 05.02.2026 52min

  Professionalism isn’t branding; it’s operations. In this episode, Jake is joined by several seasoned pros across the industry to break down what “high standards” actually look like in the alarm and security integration world.From hiring sales reps for character and integrity, to building packages, pricing guardrails, and quote approvals, to tech behaviors as simple as booties + moving blankets, this conversation connects the dots between professional execution and what matters most: customer trust, retention, and long-term RMR.What you’ll learn in this episode:✅ How dealers are hiring salespeople around character, ownership, and integrity (not just charisma)✅ Why “packages/kits” and clear product standards prevent sales-tech conflict✅ How using the right tools can speed onboarding and reduce quote errors✅ The 2-layer safeguard that stops bad quotes before they reach the customer✅ Field professionalism that costs almost nothing but changes everything✅ Why tech soft skills can be more valuable than speed, and how to measure it✅ How to use post-install feedback to catch issues before customers quietly churnCoffee Break With Jake is recorded live every Friday at 11am ET. Join us live or register to attend at https://go.ssandsi.com/coffeebreak
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  How to Sell Proactive Video Monitoring 15.01.2026 58min

  Most alarm systems still deliver the same thing they did decades ago: a binary signal from a door or motion sensor. But customers don’t buy “a signal”; they buy the belief that you’ll stop crime. In this episode, Jake sits down with Wes Usie (Founder/CEO, Guardian Alarm Systems and CHeKT) to unpack why traditional intrusion is hitting a ceiling and why proactive video monitoring is becoming the new standard.Wes shares what he learned building an alarm company, running a monitoring center, and then building a platform to scale video monitoring. You’ll hear how to sell and price proactive video in the real world, how to reduce false alarms with smarter detection, and why SMB outdoor assets behind a fence might be the biggest untapped opportunity dealers have right now.What you’ll learn in this episode:✅ Why “binary door info” won’t meet customer expectations going forward✅ The real business risk of the 99% false alarm rate✅ How proactive video changes the game: deterrence before the crime✅ Why a fence matters (and how it reduces events and improves monitoring outcomes)✅ How to price video monitoring without getting wrecked by central station event costs✅ A simple mental shift: stop selling “cameras”; start selling detection devices✅ A practical on-ramp: self-monitoring + automated deterrence as a baby step into videoCoffee Break With Jake is recorded live every Friday at 11am ET. Join us live or register to attend at https://go.ssandsi.com/coffeebreak
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  Dealer Spotlight with Marvin Smith 23.12.2025 57min

  What does it really mean to be unapologetically client-focused in the security industry? In this episode of Coffee Break With Jake, Jake sits down with Marvin Smith, owner of Orlando Emergency Signal, to unpack nearly two decades of lessons on service, culture, and building a brand people trust.From growing up on a farm with a love for electronics to walking away from Disney to build a security company rooted in values, Marvin shares why attitude, appearance, and accountability matter more than any piece of hardware you install. This conversation is a masterclass in how service failures, when handled right, can become your biggest differentiator.In this episode, you’ll learn how to:✅ Turn service into a competitive advantage that fuels referrals✅ Transition from solo operator to team leader without losing standards✅ Set and celebrate milestones without chasing a moving goalpost✅ Handle high-maintenance clients without firing them prematurely✅ Use technology like texting and video to elevate customer experience✅ Stay relevant to long-term customers as the industry evolves✅ Build brand recognition through consistency, visibility, and trustCoffee Break With Jake is recorded live every Friday at 11am ET.Join us live or register to attend at 👉 https://go.ssandsi.com/coffeebreak
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  Growing Your Business (a Spotlight Interview with Jake Voll) 16.12.2025 45min

  The tables have turned. Jake Voll (the host of Coffee Break With Jake and CEO of SS&Si Dealer Network) is in the hot seat this time! Tyler Martin takes over the mic to uncover the story behind one of the alarm industry's most distinctive distributors: how a family business and an eBay side hustle evolved into a national competitor that punches well above its weight class against billion-dollar giants.This isn't your typical origin story. Jake reveals the unconventional strategies, "poison pill" competitive edges, and relationship-first philosophy that allowed SS&Si to carve out dominance in a commoditized market. From building one of the industry's largest online communities (Burglar Alarms Online) to offering unprecedented free branding programs for dealers, Jake shares the counterintuitive moves that turned limitations into advantages—and how you can apply the same thinking to your business.✅ The pivotal moment that transformed an online side hustle into a distribution powerhouse✅ Why Jake's "poison pill" strategy slowly dismantled competitor advantages (and how family-owned companies can deploy similar tactics)✅ How SS&Si differentiated in a commodity business through creativity, community, and killer branding✅ The real cost and ROI of investing heavily in dealer branding programs (printers, people, systems—Jake breaks it all down)✅ Why Jake's favorite customers are family-owned alarm companies—and what that reveals about competitive moats in this industry✅ Behind-the-scenes insights on leadership in ESA, TMA, and why industry involvement isn't optional for serious players✅ What the billion-dollar distributors consistently miss that small, nimble companies get rightCoffee Break With Jake is recorded live every Friday at 11am ET. Join us live or register to attend at https://go.ssandsi.com/coffeebreak
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  Selling Your Business with Jeremy Bates 18.11.2025 51min

  Selling a family business isn't just a financial transaction. It's an emotional journey that tests your identity, relationships, and vision for the future. Jeremy Bates, VP of Business Development at Pye Barker, joins Jake to share the raw, unfiltered story of selling Bates Security, the second-generation company he helped build from cleaning bathrooms to the SDM Top 32.This conversation goes beyond the numbers. Jeremy opens up about the fears that kept him up at night, the promises that mattered more than price, and why staying on after the sale became the opportunity of a lifetime. If you're a security business owner wondering what's next—or just trying to build something great—this episode will give you a roadmap.In this episode, you'll discover:✅ Why you should always run your business like it's for sale (even if you never plan to sell)✅ The critical questions to ask potential buyers that go far beyond valuation✅ How Jeremy validated buyer promises by talking to other sellers, and what he learned✅ What actually changes post-acquisition (and what surprisingly stays the same)✅ The "deal certainty" framework: funding, staff, infrastructure, and integration capabilities✅ Real numbers that shocked Jeremy (like $20 million in employee bonuses and ownership programs)✅ Why recurring revenue (RMR + service contracts) makes your business recession-proof and acquisition-readyCoffee Break With Jake is recorded live every Friday at 11am ET. Join us live or register to attend at https://go.ssandsi.com/coffeebreak
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  Service Agreements & Financing for RMR Growth 28.10.2025 47min

  Most security integrators treat large commercial projects like one-time windfalls.Install the system, collect the check, and move on. But what if that $50,000 access control system could generate $200,000 over its lifetime? In this episode of Coffee Break With Jake, Jake Voll welcomes Peter McCoy from New Lane Finance to discuss strategies for security dealers to transform project revenue into predictable, recurring income streams.You'll learn about...✅ The exact pricing formulas successful integrators use for service agreements (per door, per camera, per system size)✅ Why waiting to offer maintenance plans until after installation kills customer relationships (and your profit)✅ How to finance commercial systems with $408 monthly payments instead of $20,000 upfront (and still get paid in full immediately)✅ The network control mistake that costs integrators thousands in unbillable service hours✅ Real case study: How one dealer structures deals to collect $12,000 upfront and $12,000 more over 5 years✅ Leasing vs. in-house financing. The risk/reward breakdown every integrator needs to understand✅ The $1.89/hour sales technique that closes commercial deals by reframing security as supervision, not expenseCoffee Break With Jake is recorded live every Friday at 11am ET, and anyone in the security industry is invited to join us! Register to attend at https://go.ssandsi.com/coffeebreak
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  Beyond the Hype: How AI Agents Are Transforming Security Businesses Today 07.10.2025 57min

  Let's talk about how AI is transforming security businesses. And no, we're not talking about AI-powered security technologies. We're talking about how artificial intelligence is revolutionizing the way security integrators and dealers run their businesses right now.On this special edition of Coffee Break with Jake, Jake Voll sits down with Don Moran from HighlandTech, a former industry insider turned AI entrepreneur who left a Fortune 100 career to help security companies leverage AI agents in their daily operations.If you've been hearing the AI buzz but struggling to understand what it actually means for your business, this episode cuts through the noise with real-world examples from central stations, integrators, and service providers already seeing results. Don and Jake explore how AI agents—digital workers with the ability to automate repetitive tasks—are helping security companies improve service levels, reduce response times, and stay competitive without necessarily reducing headcount.✅ What AI agents actually are (and how they differ from ChatGPT): think digital workers that operate autonomously within specific workflows, not generic chatbots✅ Real central station success stories using AI voice agents to handle non-dispatchable events, replacing clunky IVR systems with natural conversations that customers actually appreciate✅ The service-side goldmine: why 24/7 service inbox monitoring, tier-one tech support automation, and inspection scheduling represent the biggest opportunities for security integrators✅ How to start small and scale smart: Don's proven framework for identifying repetitive tasks, mapping workflows, and implementing vertical agents tailored to your brand voice✅ Lead conversion breakthroughs: AI agents that call expired leads immediately, book appointments consistently, and never have a bad day or forget to follow up✅ Security and ethical considerations: what you need to know about data privacy, prompt injection risks, and giving AI agents the right level of access✅ The upskilling opportunity: how to help your team transition from repetitive roles into more strategic positions as AI handles mundane tasks, keeping jobs while elevating serviceCoffee Break With Jake is recorded live every Friday at 11am ET. Join us live or register to attend at https://go.ssandsi.com/coffeebreak
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  Real Life Work Wife: Working With Your Spouse 30.09.2025 51min

  What happens when your work spouse is your actual spouse? In this episode of Coffee Break With Jake, we dive into the real-world dynamics of running a business with your spouse. Jake sits down with Katie & Parker Smith of Alarm Protection Services, Barb & Dwight Sears of Silent Guard Security, and Jim & Rita Parker of Parker Security Services. Together, they unpack what actually works when love and livelihood overlap. From communication and culture to hiring, growth, and hard pivots, this is a candid look at how strong marriages shape strong companies.Episode Highlights:✅ “Attitude reflects leadership”: how respectful spouse-to-spouse communication cascades into company culture and customer care.✅ The Sears family playbook✅ Katie and Parker's transition lessons✅ Startup grit from Jim & Rita✅ Making big decisions without blowups✅ Rapid growth without family chaos✅ Home vs. office and setting healthy boundariesCoffee Break With Jake is recorded live every Friday at 11am ET. Join us live or register to attend at https://go.ssandsi.com/coffeebreak
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  Family-Owned Alarm Companies 23.09.2025 53min

  In this episode of Coffee Break with Jake, we dive into the realities of running (and working in) a family-owned alarm company with special guest Melanie Henson of Stewart Electronics. From rags-to-joy founder stories to third-generation transitions, we explore what makes family businesses resilient through candid insights from owners, successors, and non-family team members.Key takeaways from this episode:✅ How founders built loyal customer bases through word-of-mouth (and what still works today)✅ The messy middle of succession: planning early, using a neutral consultant, and separating personal vs. business finances✅ Creating fair opportunities for non-family staff with clear org charts, SOPs, and Monday huddles where every voice counts✅ Setting boundaries: no shop talk at Easter, no chain-of-command shortcuts at work✅ Open-door leadership that actually works: why access to decision-makers beats big-company bureaucracy✅ Preparing the next generation the right way (rotate roles first; leadership is earned, not inherited)✅ Why women are changing the game in security—and how to invite more into the industryCoffee Break With Jake is recorded live every Friday at 11am ET. Join us live or register to attend at https://go.ssandsi.com/coffeebreak
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  What Makes a Great Central Station? 16.09.2025 53min

  In this episode of Coffee Break with Jake, we sit down with Steve Butkovich, president of The Monitoring Association (TMA) and Chief Product Officer at CPI Security, to unpack where professional monitoring is headed and why it matters for dealers, integrators, and end users.From life-safety saves to business-critical dispatches, we explore how modern central stations turn sensors, video, and automation into real outcomes.✅ Real saves that matter✅ Next-Gen ASAP-to-PSAP✅ AVS-01 Alarm Scoring✅ Two-Way Voice.✅Central-station portals and daily activity reports✅ Central Station as a Service✅ What makes (and breaks) partnershipsCoffee Break With Jake is recorded live every Friday at 11am ET. Join us live or register to attend at https://go.ssandsi.com/coffeebreak.