The AV Life

56:56

334: Hiring AV Talent in 2026: What’s Changed?

The AV Life ·

2026/05/25

This week on episode 334 of the The AV Life Podcast, our hosts cover a wide-ranging discussion from practical hydration tips at InfoComm in Las Vegas to today's hiring challenges in AV, AI impacts, and career growth.The team kicks off with InfoComm preparation tips, emphasizing hydration, conference planning, certification preparation, and excitement around industry networking events. Murphy Daley’s Project Management Minute focuses on organization systems, emphasizing that successful AV project

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48:40

333: A Dongle Has Entered the Courtroom

The AV Life ·

2026/05/18

In Episode 333 of The AV Life, Tim Van Woeart may be temporarily off camera, but the crew has no trouble keeping the show moving. Renee Benson checks in from the road as InfoComm preparation ramps up, sharing the pace and pressure of visiting customers ahead of major product announcements. Brandy Johnson joins the conversation with her usual energy, humor, and road-tested perspective, while Murphy Daley gives an update on the continued momentum around The AV Project Manager Handbook, including plans

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48:44

332: The Canvas Outage and the InfoComm Countdown

The AV Life ·

2026/05/11

This week on The AV Life, Tim Van Woeart is joined by Brandy Johnson, Nancy Blanchard, Renee Benson, Steve Borho, and a surprise drop-in from Joe Way for a classic crew conversation that starts with a serious higher ed technology disruption and somehow still finds its way to dogs, border crossings, World Cup logistics, InfoComm plans, and youth sports officiating.The episode opens with the recent Instructure and Canvas cyberattack, its impact on higher education during finals week, and the reminder

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36:21

331: Project Confidence, PM Wisdom, and Spring...

The AV Life ·

2026/05/04

This episode of The AV Life features host Tim Van Woeart alongside Murphy Daley for a spring check-in that blends higher ed life, project management lessons, family milestones, and the growing momentum around Murphy’s Audio Video Project Manager Handbook. Recording on the final day of April, Tim reflects on Rutgers University Newark kicking off its 80th anniversary celebration and finishing his first MBA course, while Murphy shares updates from Southern California and her recent experience speaking

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57:27

330: Trade Shows, Travel Hacks, and Changes at Apple

The AV Life ·

2026/04/27

In this episode of The AV Life, host Tim Van Woeart is joined by Brandy Johnson, Nancy Blanchard, virtual Murphy Daley, and special guest Chris Kelly, Managing Editor for Higher Ed AV Media. The crew reflects on a successful NAB Show, noting a pivot toward "quality over quantity" in leads. Excitement builds for InfoComm 2026, with plans forming for a multi-state "HETMA mobile" road trip involving a minivan and several industry veterans.The conversation shifts to casinos as conference venues before

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41:53

329: AV Industry Shakeups & Summer Prep: What’s Ahead...

The AV Life ·

2026/04/20

This episode features Tim Van Woeart, Nancy Blanchard, and Murphy Daley discussing current trends across the AV industry and higher education. The conversation highlights a recent wave of mergers and acquisitions, supply chain and labor challenges impacting installations, and preparations for summer project season. Murphy’s “PM Minute” focuses on eliminating unnecessary project documentation and instead prioritizing clarity around project goals and key performance indicators. The group also explores

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69:22

328: Why “This Is How We’ve Always Done It” Fails in AV

The AV Life ·

2026/04/13

This episode of The AV Life features host Tim Van Woeart alongside Nancy Blanchard, Joe Way, Murphy Daley, and new crew member Brandy Johnson, with guest Steve Borho, a 40-year AV veteran.Murphy delivers a “PM Minute” focused on understanding project systems at a foundational level—encouraging professionals to decouple rigid workflows and adapt when disruptions occur. The group reinforces the importance of flexibility in both project management and AV sales, especially in higher education

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63:32

327: The AV Life St. Patrick's Day Party

The AV Life ·

2026/03/23

This St. Patrick’s Day-themed episode of The AV Life Podcast features hosts Joe Way, Tim Van Woeart, Nancy Blanchard, and Murphy Daley, joined by returning guests Brandy Johnson (PTZOptics) and Philip Leimbach. The group blends humor and industry insight, starting with Murphy’s “PM Minute,” emphasizing the importance of effective project management and promoting her new AV Project Manager Handbook.The conversation shifts between AV industry perspectives and lighthearted topics, including

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46:52

326: The AV Project Manager Handbook Is Here!

The AV Life ·

2026/03/16

In this episode of The AV Life, hosts Tim, Renee Benson, Nancy Blanchard, and Murphy Daley celebrate the release of Murphy Daley’s new book, The AV Project Manager Handbook. The team discusses the growing interest in AV-specific project management resources and how the book fills a gap for professionals seeking practical, field-ready guidance rather than general management theory. Murphy’s “PM Minute” focuses on the importance of organized, searchable project information, emphasizing folder

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56:56

325: Are You Your Own Best Advocate? Rethinking...

The AV Life ·

2026/03/09

In this episode of The AV Life Podcast, host Tim Van Woeart is joined by Joe Way, Nancy Blanchard, James King, and returning guest Brandy Johnson (PTZOptics) for a candid conversation about self-assessments and performance reviews in the AV industry.The group explores how AV professionals can take an honest look at their performance, advocate for their accomplishments, and maintain ongoing communication with leadership rather than waiting for annual reviews. Panelists discuss strategies such as

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49:20

324: Pivot Like a Pro: When Project Plans Fall Apart

The AV Life ·

2026/03/02

This week our hosts reflect on leadership, adaptability, and operational consistency in higher education AV. Murphy’s PM Minute focuses on a core project management reality: plans break. Whether it’s supply chain delays, weather events, or shifting requirements, effective leaders must pivot quickly, refocus teams, and maintain momentum without dwelling on lost goals. The conversation expands into broader leadership themes, including defining outcomes versus rigid timelines, aligning teams around

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52:56

323: Live from HETMA Virtual Conference Happy Hour

The AV Life ·

2026/02/23

Recorded live during the HETMA Virtual Conference Happy Hour, this episode of The AV Life Podcast features hosts Tim Van Woeart, Murphy Daley, Nancy Blanchard, and Joe Way alongside board members and guests including Dustin, Teddy, Troy, Tim, and Brittany.The group reflects on keynote insights about AI in higher education AV, emphasizing historical context, philosophical implications, and practical readiness. Accessibility emerged as a major theme, including lecture capture by default, AI as a

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44:50

322: HETMA Takeover--Inside the Virtual Conference...

The AV Life ·

2026/02/16

In this HETMA Takeover episode of The AV Life, the hosts welcome leadership from the Higher Education Technology Managers Alliance (HETMA) to preview this year’s highly anticipated virtual conference. The discussion highlights HETMA surpassing 10,000 members and the continued growth of its free, community-driven professional development model.Panelists outline key sessions including accessible AV design, overcoming higher ed AV challenges, AV over IP, AI in AV, Wi-Fi and cloud-based assistive

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25:39

321: Live from ISE: Inside the World’s Most...

The AV Life ·

2026/02/09

Recorded live during ISE in Barcelona, this episode captures the energy, exhaustion, and excitement of one of the AV industry’s largest global events. Tim Van Woeart and Renee Benson check in with returning guests and surprise cameos from the show floor to discuss scale, planning strategies, emerging themes, and how ISE continues to evolve—especially around collaboration, education technology, and ecosystem-based design. The conversation blends practical advice, industry insight, and classic AV Life

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49:04

320: Conferences, Culture, and Campus Challenges

The AV Life ·

2026/02/02

In this episode of The AV Life Podcast, hosts Tim Van Woeart, Nancy Blanchard, and Renee Benson kick off February with a wide-ranging discussion focused on the current and future state of higher education AV. The conversation covers ISE travel and expectations, the need for truly innovative new AV products, and how professional conferences continue to shape the industry.The hosts highlight upcoming HETMA initiatives, including the free HETMA Virtual Conference and the Higher Ed AV Awards,

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69:55

319: Bold Predictions, Big Layoffs, and the Future of AV

The AV Life ·

2026/01/26

In this wide-ranging and candid episode of The AV Life Podcast, the panel dives headfirst into 2026 predictions for the AV industry, blending humor, hard truths, and lived experience. The conversation opens with reflections on lifelong learning and leadership, sparked by Tim Van Woeart’s return to graduate school and a broader discussion on how experience reshapes perspective in management and higher education. From there, the group tackles industry turbulence—including mergers, acquisitions,

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57:10

318: The AV Life Book Club Debut

The AV Life ·

2026/01/19

In this debut episode of The AV Life Book Club, the team dives deep into The AV Project Manager Handbook with its author, Murphy Daley, exploring what it really takes to manage successful AV projects. From the importance of industry standards and CAD documentation to meeting agendas, scope control, and lessons learned, this conversation highlights why project management is more than just schedules and spreadsheets. Murphy shares the origin story of the book, born from years of real-world experience

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70:15

317: A Milestone Anniversary, a Nomination, and a...

The AV Life ·

2026/01/12

This episode of The AV Life reflects on major milestones in higher education AV while looking ahead to the future of the industry. Host Tim Van Woeart celebrates his 15-year anniversary in higher ed AV, sharing lessons learned, career growth, and the importance of people skills alongside technology. The conversation spotlights Chi Hang Lo, who was nominated for AV Professional of the Year by AV Nation, highlighting his servant leadership, technical vision, and dedication to mentoring his team. The

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79:26

316: Holiday Party '25

The AV Life ·

2025/12/22

In this annual holiday party episode of The AV Life Podcast, hosts Tim Van Woeart, Murphy Daley, Renee Benson (Sony Electronics), and Nancy Blanchard (ScreenBeam) are joined by a wide-ranging group of higher education and AV industry professionals for an informal but insightful year-in-review conversation. Guests reflect on professional milestones such as promotions, job changes, awards, staffing challenges, and major personal moments, including new parents and career recognitions.The discussion

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46:30

315: Boundaries, Burnout, and the Busy AV Season

The AV Life ·

2025/12/15

In this episode of The AV Life, host Tim Van Woert is joined by Renee Benson, Nancy Blanchard, and Murphy Daley for a candid, year-end conversation about the hectic fourth quarter in AV and higher education. The team discusses extreme workloads, slipping project timelines, unusual product lead times, and the pressure to stay constantly available for customers and campus needs. Renee and Nancy share insights into navigating unlimited PTO, leadership expectations, and setting boundaries while

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