By Matt Bernath I keep thinking about those moments when you meet someone who just thinks differently. Maybe they didn’t follow the traditional path. Maybe they questioned authority a little too much in school. Maybe they have blue hair — literally or metaphorically — and make you a little uncomfortable at first. These are often the people who end up being the best employees to unlock a growth cap in your business because they’ve already proven they can think for themselves.

New AI-powered live chat and luxury direct mail systems help integrators connect with clients and drive measurable growth.

Will help the company better support customers by improving technical documents and creating training materials and training programs.

The new facility brings together key administrative functions and a product development suite that serves multiple Legrand | AV brands.

KEF’s Blade Meta Series is now available in three high-gloss metallic finishes in North and Latin America.

The new BP7 features a bipolar driver array, sealed cabinet, and 350-watt Class D amplifier.

The Bellare loudspeaker will make its debut at T.H.E. Show New York and Capital Audiofest 2025.

Last year, our sister publication Systems Contractor News put 16 traditional Halloween candies to the test to see which was the most popular. The finals came down to a thriller, but Snickers walked away victorious, taking down Starbursts in a close call. (You can read the recap, with interviews from each candy, here.) The competition has returned this year, and we thought all integrators should be represented, so here is your chance! Vote for your favorite candies in our polls and stay tuned to find out which will grab the glory in 2025!

By Henry Clifford I recently scheduled a dinner for design-build thought leaders here in Richmond and invited a group of designers, architects, and builders to spend an evening together. Some of the invitees I knew well, so connecting with them was relatively straightforward. A quick email or text was enough. The people I didn’t know, though, proved to be a very different challenge. I sent out direct emails, but reaching out cold in 2025 is nothing like it used to be. Gone are the days when you could simply pick up the phone and make contact. Most of us (including me) now block calls from unknown numbers, and with the latest iOS updates, the same is true for text messages. Unless a sender is already in your contacts, their messages often never surface.