D-Tools 'What's the Buzz' Podcast

The latest episode of the D-Tools "What's the Buzz" podcast features Jenn Heinold, Senior Vice President of Exhibitions, Americas for AVIXA , offering a preview of InfoComm 2026 and sharing details on the newly announced RESIDE trade show coming in 2027.  With InfoComm 2026 just around the corner (June 13–19 at the Las Vegas Convention Center) D-Tools sat down with AVIXA's Jenn...

In the latest D-Tools “What’s the Buzz” podcast, Earl Naegele, Head of CI, Retail & eCommerce at Neptune TV, describes his 40-year career in the AV industry and what led to the creation of Neptune TV from within Peerless-AV. Naegele provides details on how the company uses his strong market position in the mounting business to bolster Neptune’s outdoor display offerings, including providing fr...

ADI has announced a brand new business unit called 1Plan, which combines the existing networking design and configuration service from Access Networks, the remote network monitoring service from Parasol, and the Control4 Assist manufacturer-based remote support all under the same umbrella.  Willy Williams, business development manager for 1Plan, explained the new offering in the latest episode of...

Building profit is one of core tenets of D-Tools software as an end-to-end solution. Growing revenue through great proposal creation is important, but boosting profit by managing their entire business more efficiently is even more vital. And speaking of “vital,” Matt Bernath, president of VITAL , one of the top consulting companies for the integration industry, was the guest in the D-Tools 'W...

Somfy Systems is one of the most unique suppliers in the integration industry. The company does not manufacture the automatic shades and blinds, though many might think so. In fact, Somfy is the primary component supplier of motors that control motorized shades and blinds. That important distinction is why the company has a “What’s Inside the Shade Should Matter” campaign targeting the CI channel....

The latest edition of the D-Tools “What’s the Buzz” podcast is definitely buzzing… pun intended.  The podcast could not have a more appropriate guest than well-known industry veteran Buzz Delano of consulting firm Delano Associates.  Delano revealed in the podcast that is real first name is Hugh and he was given the nickname Buzz by his dad as a young boy and it stuck. After years in the industry...

Eric Bodley, president of distributor Future Ready Solutions , is an icon in the custom electronics industry. He was among the founding members of CEDIA and one of its original board members. He had a long tenure as an integrator originally with Sound Advice and later with his own integration company. Later, he migrated to work at Monster Cable and eventually formed Future Ready Solutions in 2014...

Tom Leblanc, executive director of the National Systems Contractors Association (NSCA), joined the D-Tools “What’s the Buzz” Podcast to discuss some of the key initiatives underway at the association, including its growing reliance on good data from entities like D-Tools to drive decisions and how smaller commercial AV integrators can compete against large national players.

The labor shortage in the custom electronics industry has become an ongoing dilemma that is hurting integrators’ ability to grow at a more rapid pace. But what should they do? Chris Smith, principal at TheCoTeam , joined the D-Tools “What’s the Buzz” podcast to offer some sage advice for integrators on the burning questions they have about finding, hiring and onboarding employees. Among the key ar...

Should you be charging your clients a design fee? It sounds like a good business strategy, but interestingly many integrators do not do it.  That topic is the crux of the discussion in the latest D-Tools ‘What’s the Buzz” podcast with guest Josh Christian, CEO of the Home Technology Association (HTA) . Christian made the case as to why integrators should be charging for their designs. In particula...

CEDIA Expo , the largest event serving the residential smart home professional installation industry is just around the corner and the excitement is building as the entire industry heads to Denver from September 4-6. D-Tools is exhibiting under the theme of Ignite Growth , where it will unveil a broad array of game-changing software features for both its D-Tools Cloud and D-Tools System Integrator...

Jeff Murray, CEO Of AVPro Edge , joins the D-Tools “What’s the Buzz” podcast to discuss the recent RTI acquisition and company's commitment to integrators. The Sioux Falls, SD-based company has its original roots in distribution handling products from companies like Atlona, Just Add Power and others.  “We learned that the biggest problem in this industry is there is just not enough support. T...

Josh Christian, CEO of the Home Technology Association (HTA), joins the D-Tools ‘What’s the Buzz’ Podcast to discuss how certification helps integrators stand out from the competition with builders, architects and interior designers. He describes the three tiers of membership in the organization and how the HTA’s online Budget Calculator are helping close deals and avoid sticker shock from clients...

Not many companies can legitimately claim that they “invented” a product category, but Sonos can. The company created the wireless multiroom audio category way back in 2005. The rest is history, as the old adage goes. Since then, Sonos has diversified and today is the most-recognized consumer audio brand.  The company has deftly balanced its direct-to-consumer business while at the same time build...

In this episode of the D-Tools “What’s the Buzz” podcast, one of the industry’s leading consultants and a process expert – Jason Sayen of I Am Sayen – discusses the steps that integrators need to take to establish a process-driven business that will result in high efficiency not only when they are onboarding new employees, but during all operations.  Sayen notes that one of the telltale signs that...

Offering service plans can be crucial to the success of an integration business and move it away from relying solely on project-based income. Many integrators don’t where to start in terms of setting up their service plans. In this episode of the D-Tools “What’s the Buzz” Podcast, Martin Roseman of MC Group discusses the keys to creating and operating a profitable service department using what he...

Since 2009, Together For Cinema has installed 51 cinema rooms in the UK at a value of £1.35 million, or $1.9 million. All the products and services are donated. Ian Morrish, Founder and Managing Director of Together For Cinema, joined the D-Tools “What’s the Buzz” podcast to discuss the organization’s origins and achievements, and how suppliers and integrators can get involved.

Marc Fisher, president of Origin Acoustics, pulled back the curtain during the most recent D-Tools “What’s the Buzz” podcast and provided a glimpse into what makes Origin Acoustics so successful. He discusses the company’s unique culture, how it goes about establishing its partnerships, and what new products are coming soon.

It’s far too limiting to consider Azione Unlimited as just a “buying group.” It has evolved to become virtually an arm of its membership, emphasizing the importance of community, trust and shared goals, according to newly named executive director Patrick McCarthy, who joined the D-Tools “What’s the Buzz” podcast recently. In this Thanksgiving edition of the podcast, McCarthy discussed with hosts T...

Distributors are becoming more vital to the integration industry. Of course, the crux of that importance is primarily related to their ability to provide integrators with the products they need for their projects, but it stretches well beyond that. Distributors have truly become partners with integrators.  Blackwire Designs is a great example of a distributor that has diversified to offer unique v...

It’s autumn and the leaves on the trees are beginning to turn vibrant colors and blanket the ground. That means it’s time for the integration market to assess 2024 and start to look ahead to 2025. There is still uncertainty in the economic climate, but the consensus among several key industry leaders is a generally positive outlook for the year ahead. In this month’s D-Tools What’s the Buzz podcas...

In this episode of the D-Tools "What's the Buzz" podcast, Richard Charschan, president of AcousticSmart Home Theater Interiors , discusses his new book "Home Theaterology" and some key trends facing the home theater market. The book features 15 incredible home theater projects as well as some recommended demo clips for integrators to use to showcase home theaters to potent...

What are the two most important business metrics for integrators to track? It’s an important question that gets asked all the time to Matt Bernath, principal at industry consulting firm VITAL . “We track more than 30 key metrics at VITAL, and we review those monthly with our members and they serve as a report card,” says Bernath, who was a longtime integrator himself and sold his company before jo...

In this episode of the D-Tools What’s the Buzz podcast, Jason Knott and Tim Bigoness from D-Tools speak with Dan Ferrisi, Group Editor for Commercial Integrator and Security Sales & Integration, leading industry publications and websites, about the upcoming InfoComm 2024 trade show in Las Vegas. In addition to the exhibits at the Las Vegas Convention Center from June 12-14, there are education...

Welcome everyone! We are so excited to start the D-Tools ’ “What’s the Buzz?” podcast and take you along on this adventure with us.  Co-hosts Jason Knott, data solutions architect & evangelist at D-Tools, and Tim Bigoness, Chief Marketing Officer, at D-Tools, have a combined over 50 years serving the integration industry. They have lots of information to share and lots of industry friends with...