Automation Unplugged Podcast
Since its launch on Facebook Live in 2017, Automation Unplugged has become the leading podcast for AV and custom integration professionals. Now pre-recorded and produced in both audio and video formats, episodes are released across our website, social media, and all major streaming platforms. Our content spans engaging interviews with industry leaders, in-depth discussions with One Firefly’s marketing experts, and insightful education on marketing & business growth strategies. From industry trends and business development to marketing, hiring, and beyond, Automation Unplugged delivers the knowledge and perspectives you need to stay ahead in the ever-evolving technology landscape.
Episodes
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 electricians
- Practical design, installation, and sales strategies, including recurring maintenance opportunities, partnering with landscapers, and positioning yourself early in the construction process
- Marketing tactics to help dealers build awareness, educate ho...
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...
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 produc...
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...
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 mark...
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...
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 ...
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...
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 busin...
SHOW NOTES
We cover:
- How AI platforms like ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and Perplexity are changing the customer research journey — and why integrators need to rethink how they present themselves online
- The concept of EEAT — Experience, Expertise, Authority, and Trust — and how businesses can use content to strengthen their online visibility and credibility
- Practical strategies for capturing and creating conte...
SHOW NOTES
In this episode, Jon and I discussed:
- How his experience in NASCAR shaped the way he approaches precision, pressure, troubleshooting, and entrepreneurship in the integration world.
- Why professional design documentation, outsourced engineering partnerships, and strong project planning are critical.
- And how Jon is building Fusion Automation through relationships with architects, designers, and builders, while leani...
SHOW NOTES
In this episode, Blake and I discussed:
- How one simple ChatGPT project opened his eyes to the business potential of AI and led him to start building his own software tools.
- Why Claude Code, AI skills, agentic coding, and tools like MCP are helping non-traditional developers solve real business problems faster than ever before.
- And how Blake built LVN Signals, an AI-powered platform that helps contractors uncover ...
SHOW NOTES
In this episode, David and I discussed:
- How EOC Audio grew 400% in six years by prioritizing "buying right," leveraging the power of buying groups, and hiring talent in advance of growth.
- Why long-term success comes from "saying yes" to clients and builders alike, and how David used 12 years of live radio hosting to build a legendary reputation in his market.
- And A look at the rising demand for sophisticated ligh...
SHOW NOTES
We cover:
- Why smart ceiling fans represent a growing opportunity for integrators — from comfort and energy savings to aesthetics and whole-home control integration
- The evolution of ceiling fan technology, including DC motors, airflow optimization, and smart controls
- How AI search and large language models are changing the customer journey — and why integrators need to rethink their online visibility s...
SHOW NOTES
In this episode, Hally and I discussed:
- The power of peer groups and why her V11 group in ProSource has become her most valuable business asset for vulnerability and growth.
- How she saved a client over $120,000 by re-engineering a high-voltage lighting hurdle into a low-voltage solution.
- And the AI revolution in integration and her journey from "just an email helper" to using Claude for site readiness an...
SHOW NOTES
In this episode, Jeremey and I discussed:
- His journey from the pro golf circuit to tech inventor, including the wild story of pitching a helmet-cam prototype to investors in a wedding buffet line.
- The strategic decision to "throttle" growth by raising prices, ensuring his team maintains a high standard of quality and reputation without burning bridges by growing too fast.
- How he is leveraging a new 4,000...
SHOW NOTES
We cover:
- How AI search is changing the way prospects research integrators, compare companies, and decide who to contact
- Why foundational SEO strategies — like Google Business Profile optimization, on-site content, backlinks, reviews, and technical SEO — still matter in the age of AI
- And what business owners can do now to help AI tools understand, trust, and recommend their company when potential clie...
SHOW NOTES
In this episode, Shawn and I discussed:
- How implementing a structured operating system and focusing on core values allowed Shawn to step back from the "trenches" and empower his team to lead.
- The specific strategies Logic uses to maintain a six-minute response time and build a "sticky" recurring revenue model that keeps clients for life.
- And Shawn’s insights on how AI is streamlining internal operations and...
SHOW NOTES
We cover:
- The Four Experiences of Light — and how each plays a distinct role in how people live, relax, and interact with their spaces
- How to sell lighting without selling products, using real-world examples like restaurants, hotels, spas, and homes to help clients emotionally connect to the value of great lighting
- How to market lighting effectively, with strategies that help prospects understand why lighti...
SHOW NOTES
In this episode, Corby and I discussed:
- Why trying to handle your own marketing and web design is often the worst business decision an integrator can make, especially when trying to scale.
- How shifting from "free courtesy support" to tiered recurring service contracts can transform your cash flow and strengthen client satisfaction.
- Why Micro LED technology is the most significant advancement since plasma and how ...
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