Connected Design Podcast

00:50:17

The Role of Digital Signage in Modern Spaces

Connected Design Podcast ·

2026/09/28

In this episode of the Connected Design Podcast, host Rob Stott speaks with Todd Katcher, Chief Product Officer for Zoney Digital Signage and Digital Dealership System, about how digital signage can do much more than put content on a screen. Todd explains how signage should be designed around the customer journey, from car dealership service lanes and lounges to restaurants, casinos, lobbies, and large-scale experiential installations.The conversation explores the balance between attention and

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00:50:47

How Architechne Continues to Scale Without Losing...

Connected Design Podcast ·

2026/09/21

On this episode of the Connected Design Podcast, Rob Stott sits down with Architechne Founder and CFO Jeff Cole for a candid conversation about the company's rapid growth, operator-led expansion model, and people-first approach to custom integration. Cole traces his early love of technology, the career path that led to Architechne, and the operating principles behind the company's growing footprint.The conversation also digs into culture, hiring, compensation, project management, client fit, and

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00:21:57

An Early Exit Interview with CEDIA Global President...

Connected Design Podcast ·

2026/09/14

To be fair, there's still time left on the clock for Daryl Friedman's run as Global President and CEO of CEDIA, the association that works on behalf of the custom integration and smart home industry. With plans to stay on through the selection of his successor, he could still be a few months away from actual retirement.Still, with this being his final CEDIA Expo while serving the industry in this capacity, we wanted to catch up with him, give him a chance to reflect on his time in the industry, and

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00:26:59

Forge CEO Talks Future of CEDIA Expo and More

Connected Design Podcast ·

2026/09/07

Forge – the new name for the combined Emerald Expo-Questex venture – is barely a few weeks old, but CEO Paul Miller is already doing the rounds to check out portions of the new and much-expanded portfolio. That included a stop at CEDIA Expo in Denver, where we had the chance to sit down with Miller. The conversation gave us the opportunity to learn about his approach to the event space, the future plans for CEDIA Expo, how trade shows have evolved, and much more.

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00:39:45

Kinetics Noise Control on Making Rooms Sound as Good...

Connected Design Podcast ·

2026/08/31

Jason Ehrlich, business development manager of room acoustics in the home market at Kinetics Noise Control, sits down with us for a conversation about why acoustics deserve a much earlier place in the design process.Ehrlich breaks down how room shape, materials, seating, speaker placement, reflections, and noise control all influence the final listening experience, whether in a dedicated home theater, listening room, podcast space, or commercial environment. The conversation also touches on CEDIA’s

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00:29:21

Phoenix Marketing Group is Bringing Technology...

Connected Design Podcast ·

2026/08/24

In this episode of the Connected Design Podcast, we sit down with Bret Jacob, senior business development manager at Phoenix Marketing Group, to discuss how the company is helping bridge the gap between integrators and the design-build community. Bret shares his path through retail audio, military service, integration, manufacturing, and now business development at Phoenix, where he leads Phoenix Design Build Services.The conversation explores why integrators need to be brought into projects

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00:40:16

Why Builder-Integrator Relationships Matter in the...

Connected Design Podcast ·

2026/08/17

Jason Bourg, owner of Bourg Builders + Design in North Central Arkansas, sits down to discuss how technology has become a natural part of his custom homebuilding process. Bourg shares his path from medicine to construction, how his lifelong interest in building shaped his company, and why home automation has become central to the way he thinks about custom homes. The conversation also explores his relationship with Brad’s Home Entertainment, the value of bringing an integrator into the process

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00:37:02

Mitch Klein Looks Back on CEDIA, Design-Build...

Connected Design Podcast ·

2026/08/10

Mitch Klein joins the Connected Design Podcast to reflect on more than three decades in the custom integration industry and his long-running work with CEDIA. He shares stories from the association’s early days, the evolution of smart home technology, and the effort to build stronger bridges between integrators, architects, builders, and designers.The conversation also looks ahead at what’s next for the channel, from AI and cybersecurity education to standards, government affairs, and the continued

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00:35:27

The Death of the Touch Panel is Highly Overstated

Connected Design Podcast ·

2026/08/03

The touchscreen has taken a few shots lately, as design and technology conversations swing back toward buttons, switches, and voice control. But for Crestron's Giles Sutton and Michael Short, the question is not whether one interface wins. The real story is how the right mix of touch, tactile control, voice, sensing, and automation makes a connected home easier to live in.On this episode of the Connected Design Podcast, Sutton and Short join Editor in Chief Rob Stott to discuss why the touchscreen

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00:39:17

Jeremy Rasti on Building Crescendo, Evolving as a...

Connected Design Podcast ·

2026/07/27

For Jeremy Rasti, the path into custom integration started long before Crescendo Automation Audio Video opened its doors in Baton Rouge. It began with music always playing at home and the simple wonder of distributing video from one room to another.On this episode of the Connected Design Podcast, Rasti talks about building Crescendo from a two-person startup into a maturing integration firm, expanding from AV into lighting design, shades, and networking, and using peer groups and training to keep

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00:31:07

SureBright Explores How Whole-System Coverage...

Connected Design Podcast ·

2026/07/20

Warranty programs have their own connotations that they carry. But, traditionally, they're seen as single-product programs that are there in the event of a product failure to protect the consumer. For custom integrators, who install products in myriad rooms and across a variety of categories and price points, the idea of attaching a warranty to all those products would be impossible. That's where SureBright's new offering comes in. VP of Strategic Partnerships Keith Kranepool joins the Connected

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00:29:41

Loewe Brings Its Luxury Electronics Vision to the...

Connected Design Podcast ·

2026/07/13

German luxury brand Loewe has big plans for their expansion here in the U.S. North America General Manager Jeff Costello joins the Connected Design Podcast to discuss the brand's methodical launch, which starts with their design-forward lineup TV lineup. We also get into Loewe's Cabasse acquisition and how that'll impact their home entertainment story, and the opportunity for integrators serving premium clients.

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00:29:39

Chris Oram Leads Audio Advice Expansion Into Las Vegas

Connected Design Podcast ·

2026/07/06

From a chance meeting in Las Vegas to a podcast together just a few short days later—Chris Oram and our Editor-in-Chief Rob Stott had a great deal to dive into on this episode. Chris is in the midst of a unique journey helping the Audio Advice team open its sixth showroom, and first this far West as the brand enters Las Vegas. As the General Manager of the location, he's got his hands full planning and executing the build-out, while also introducing the brand to a new crop of clients.

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00:18:30

AVPro Crafts a Complete Story for Commercial and...

Connected Design Podcast ·

2026/06/29

Amid construction of the InfoComm trade show floor, we sat down with Tom Devine, VP of Marketing for AVPro Global, to talk about their presence here, as well as the new narrative the brand gets to tell to commercial and residential dealers alike. From their complete package of system solutions, to their ability to support a range of applications, AVPro Global's entire suite simplifies things for their dealers.In addition, Tom previews how the brand is preparing itself for a new experience at next

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00:17:12

Design-Centric Technology is the Prevailing...

Connected Design Podcast ·

2026/06/22

During our recent trip out to Las Vegas, we stopped by the Origin Acoustics headquarters to catch up with their team. And they certainly had a lot to show off, including a completely re-outfitted showroom that features their full line in a variety of applications.Beyond the physical updates, Origin's Marc Fisher and Todd Anderson talk through the company's design-centric philosophy that has redefined how they approach just about everything as a company.

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00:42:37

Designing Before Digging: Boca Tech’s Innovative...

Connected Design Podcast ·

2026/06/15

We sit down with Boca Tech and Automation Founder and CEO Jeff Galea and Marketing Director Marcio Gomes to explore how the company is using what it calls 'digital twin technology' to transform the way it designs, sells, and installs high-end automation systems and other luxury technology.The conversation covers Boca Tech’s evolution from traditional integration work into a more visual, experience-driven design process, including how 3D scanning, LiDAR-adjacent tools, high-resolution imaging, and

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00:40:28

TheCoTeam's Chris Smith Wants Integrators to Stop...

Connected Design Podcast ·

2026/06/08

Chris Smith, principal of TheCoTeam, joins the Connected Design Podcast to talk about one of the most persistent challenges, regardless of industry: hiring. Drawing on more than two decades in the CI channel and hundreds of successful placements through TheCoTeam, Smith breaks down why “unicorn hunting” is holding companies back, where integrators can find talent beyond the obvious candidate pool, and how a more intentional hiring process can help businesses grow stronger teams.The conversation

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00:32:31

How Southtown AV Turned Relationships Into a...

Connected Design Podcast ·

2026/06/01

In this episode of the Connected Design Podcast we sit down with Heather Sidorowicz, president of Southtown AV, to talk about the company’s evolution from a local hi-fi shop into one of Buffalo’s leading commercial AV firms. Sidorowicz shares how Southtown AV became involved in the new Buffalo Bills stadium project, why relationship-building has been central to the company’s growth, and what it takes to make bold business pivots without losing sight of your core strengths.We also explore Southtown

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00:38:58

Force AV is Building Luxury Experiences All Over...

Connected Design Podcast ·

2026/05/25

David Rosenberg has helped turn Force AV into one of South Florida’s premier luxury integration firms — but as he explains on this episode of the Connected Design Podcast, the company’s work goes far beyond TVs and soundbars. From luxury estates in Palm Beach to custom projects across the country, Rosenberg shares how Force AV approaches technology integration as a full-service experience centered on problem-solving, storytelling, and client trust.

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00:42:11

Putting AI to Use in Floor Plan Generation with Drafted

Connected Design Podcast ·

2026/05/18

Drafted, an AI-based platform that launched earlier this year, is a free-to-use tool that lets users dream up their ideal house plan with just a few simple prompts. Founder Nick Donahue sat down with us to talk about how the tool works, where he plans to expand its capabilities, and the role of AI in all areas of the homebuilding process.

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