Wim GE De Vos

Small businesses with a BIG impact

the rise of Big Ass TV 📺 …

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Luxury Living Room 3 - HTA
OLED – Projection – LED: all offer +100″ TV to make you go WOOOOOOW

The rise of Big Ass TV 📺…

  • is driven by consumer demand for an immersive experience
  • needs smart audio solutions like phantom centre channel
  • will drive digital art to make it shine when not in (active) use
  • requires professionals to install
  • will drive further integration of technology with design

Netflix will never have been this much fun…

Stay tuned while we break through the 100″ barrier 🚀 💥 in the living room.

Business schools and success

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So you wonder. Do I need to go to business school to be successful with my start-up?

Warren Buffets opinion:

Business schools reward difficult and complex behaviour more than simple behaviour. While simple behaviour is more effective.

It boils down to mastering the Art of Simple.

  • Bring order to chaos.
  • Serve your clients by making things easier.
  • Offer clarity and understanding.
  • Use a compass  to navigate towards simple, not a map.

Simple will beat complex in the longer run. Always.

R&D👩🏼‍🔬 and Cash💰: a balancing ⚖️ act

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As a technology business we need to keep innovating 👩🏼‍🔬, test new products, build new solutions. Without it we stand still and die a slow/fast death.

Innovation needs money💰. Lots of it sometimes…certainly when operating at the higher end of the market.

So we are in a constant balancing act. ⚖️

A few things we have done over the years to get the balance right (and there is more):

  • be first to market with true innovations – early adopters typically provide initial ROI
  • partner up with manufacturers and offer structured feedback on beta-versions (vs always buying every new product that comes out)
  • we have created an Outlet on our PartnerZone to give super deals on (nearly) new equipment to our clients
  • work closely with our best integration partners to co-invest & co-test together
  • when building new solutions act as if it is going to a client. Often the result will be an innovation investment you can sell on later on. No cutting corners – go for perfection.

Combining innovation + positive cash flow is more of an attitude 💪🏻 and culture 🤝 than a plan. But it is absolutely essential to be successful as a small company.

PS: quick reminder of why cash is king (beyond what you already knew…)

Growth partner: Origin Acoustics

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In a previous post I highlighted the importance of working with growth partners and the value + meta-value they bring. Todays spotlight is on Origin Acoustics.

We have been growing 🚀 the business together with Origin Acoustics just over a year. The result has been phenomenal 💥 in sales, market share and profit for both our partners and ourselves.

A quick look at Origin Acoutics according to the 3 criteria for growth partners I mentioned:

Growth: 🚀

  • market share: Origin Acoustics made it to the number 2 position in the CEPro100 list for architectural speakers in only their 4th year.
  • portfolio: Without a doubt the most complete range of architectural speakers on the market. Both for the home and superyachts.
  • numbers: Genesis Technologies is growing its business with Origin Acoustics triple  digit in 2018. Not a coincidence. Proof of focus, dedication and a solid growth 🚀 partnership.

Innovation: 👩🏼‍🔬

  • products: Origin Acoustics brings several innovations to market year after year. The most significant probably still being the Zip-Clip which makes our specialist installers much more efficient in terms of labour, sales and cash-flow.
  • role in the value chain: by going beyond the offering of great products we share Origin Acoustics dedication to making our partners more successful. Support and tools that help our partners market, sell and install great systems is probably more important than the pure product spec.

Loyalty: 🙏🏻

  • Origin Acoustics is made up of people who live and die with the specialist installer channel. They are committed and focussed on making us all successful. Their actions from the past and promises for the future are as solid as a bank guarantee.
  • The team at Origin Acoustics has been standing shoulder to shoulder with us to meet, but more importantly to listen to our clients. This is how we become stronger as a tribe.

Together we will continue to shape and build our own future. And while doing so we will find great things ahead of us. The past and present have taught us that much so far.

Be well, be you.

And keep looking for growth partners 🚀🤝👩🏼‍🔬 if you want to create impact as a small business.

Growth partner spotlight: Control4 🖲

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In my post a few days ago I mentioned the importance of working with growth partners and the value + meta-value they bring. Todays spotlight is on Control4.

We have been growing the business together with Control4 now for over 8 years. Together we grew every single year.

A quick look at Control4 according to the 3 criteria for growth partners I mentioned:

Growth: 🚀

  • market share: Control4 now is the undisputed market leader in our markets as the leading control system for the connected home.
  • portfolio: With the acquisition of Pakedge networking and iHiji monitoring we are now able to offer the digital foundation of what has become the standard for every home of today and tomorrow. Total Available Market increase and scope for growth long into the future.
  • numbers: Genesis Technologies has grown its business with Control4 triple and high double digit for over 8 years in a row. Not a coincidence. Proof of a solid growth 🚀 partnership.

Innovation: 👩🏼‍🔬

  • products: Control4 has released new, simple and innovative products year after year. And shipping on announcement. A point often underestimated because true innovation only counts when it hits the market… (“true artists ship”… S. J.)
  • role in the value chain: together we have moved from simply supplying products towards investing in our partners to make them more successful. Innovating wrt  the role we have in the market is just as important as keeping up with Moore´s Law.

Loyalty: 🙏🏻

  • 8 years straight, over 3000 days working and growing together and counting.  Most are presidents that last less…we can debate if that is a good thing later 😎
  • Loyal tribe of system integrators: For us loyalty through the channel is equally important as margin through the channel. It takes long term vision and commitment. But once achieved multipliers start popping up where you least expect them.

As continue to shape and build the future we will find great things ahead of us. The past and present have taught us that much so far.

Be well, be you. And keep looking for growth partners 🚀🤝👩🏼‍🔬 if you want to create impact as a small business.