SPEAKER_01 0:03

When most people in the industry hear the word CDIA, they picture the trade show. But that's only part of the story. Cedia as an organization is, of course, much bigger than a singular event. And the work happening year-round, often behind the scenes, probably matters more to your business than anything you'll see in a booth. In this episode of Insights, I'm joined by Daryl Friedman, global president and CEO of Cedia. Daryl recently announced his pending retirement, so this felt like a good time to reflect back on what CEDIA has been building under his leadership, and even more importantly, where the organization goes from here. We start by unpacking the CEA Expo coming this September in Denver, including a rebuilt education conference with 25 new instructors and what's new around the coveted CEDIA Awards. From there, we get into the association work talking through some of the critical projects that CEDIA is engaged in, including lobbying for formal recognition of technology integration as an occupation and how that could help your business, increased outreach and engagement with the design build community, and industry research aimed at finally giving the CI channel access to well-sourced benchmarking data and analysis. We also cover what Daryl sees as the one thing his successor must get right in order to keep the organization moving forward. As always, this conversation was reported live with an audience. For a link to the video, check out the episode description. If you're interested in learning more about what your CDIA membership is doing for you behind the scenes, this episode is for you. Let's dive in. Hello, everybody. Welcome to the August edition of Insights. I am Jason Griffin, your host and director of product here at OneVision Resources. I am very excited today to be joined by Daryl Friedman, the CEO of Cedia. Daryl, thank you so much for being here.

SPEAKER_00 1:41

It's a pleasure to be with you. Thanks for inviting me.

SPEAKER_01 1:43

Yeah, absolutely. Uh CDI the Exposition, CDA the trade show, is right around the corner, of course, September 1st through the 4th, here in my hometown of Denver. And as a longtime industry guy, it's always one of my favorite times of year. So as we're coming down the home stretch of 2026, really excited to meet up with everybody and convene at the event and get, you know, a good dose of that trade show energy that I know all of us love. So Daryl's going to share a lot of great information with us today about what we can look forward to at the show. Our conversation is also going to explore what CDI has going on as a trade organization, right? So it's not all about the show. We're going to talk about some of the areas that CDI has been really focused on, including lobbying and advocacy, outreach to the design build community, and industry research and benchmarking, amongst other things. So again, Daryl, uh happy to have you here. And we'll jump in here very shortly to the uh to the meat and potatoes. But again, really quickly, just want to recap kind of some of the high-level points that we're going to be touching on today. So uh, you know, talking about um lobbying and advocacy, what what could like official occupational recognition mean for the industry? This is one of the big things CIA is pushing for. Um, how CIA's new design build outreach is gonna work to connect integrators with architects and designers, what CDIA's research division is measuring, and how that methodology, you know, what the methodology is behind it. And I'd say most importantly, how that data can help us as an industry, and then what's changing on the education side specifically at CDA Expo this year. So these are just some of the things we're gonna touch on and really looking forward to jumping into the conversation. So uh, Daryl, as we get started here, like I mentioned at the top, CDA Expo is right around the corner. And what would you say uh the integrators should be most excited about this year going into the show?

SPEAKER_00 3:27

Well, it's gonna be a great show, and as always, I'm looking forward to heading out to Denver. I think um, you know, for me this might be a little bit biased, but I think the education conference is the best we've had. Um, it's we have it's brand new, it's refreshed, 25 new instructors, uh, really topical things that will help integrators. I mean, when we're putting this conference together, and we have a new uh conference director, um Evan West, who joined us about a year ago, and he's been working on this for about a year. And really thinking from the lens of are the inner how do the integrators make more money? Really, it's it's about you know, are you leaving money on the table? There are all these sectors, power management, um even lighting to some degree, people are still getting into um cybersecurity, networking, all these things are opportunities for the integrator to go beyond what they normally um sell. And we're gonna train them on all of these things, um, have some thought leadership. Uh, some of our technical people will be there when we have a new recommended practice on audio measurement RP32. So it's really just gonna be a really invigorating conference, and I'm just really proud of what the team has put together.

SPEAKER_01 4:30

Yeah, absolutely. Um, this is actually a good opportunity here. I'm gonna launch a poll uh for everyone who's with us live today. So the poll is gonna come up. And if you could take just a second to respond to that, it would be uh appreciated. So, what's your number one reason for going to Cedia Expo? Um, while that's coming in, Daryl, I'd love your perspective on like where education you know fits in. Like when you're out there talking to integrators, I know when I'm out talking to integrators about Cedia, education's a big component of it. There's obviously other benefits, the new products, um, you know, networking with peers, catching up with old friends. How important do you as the CEO of CEDIA feel like a great education track is to making this a successful event?

SPEAKER_00 5:12

Well, education is one of our three pillars, um, you know, advocacy, connection, and education. Um, when we're talking about CDI Expo, and I do want to differentiate because there's CDI Expo, which is the trade show, and then there's CIA, the association. Um, and really education permeates through both of those. So since we're talking about the trade show, CDI Expo, um, I wanted to mention that you know this is a key component for so many people. When um when business owners bring their teams, what they really want for them is to have some time on the floor, but also be trained. So it becomes a key component of the show floor. But it really is a is part of the DNA of CDIA, the association throughout the year. So education really has become the priority for us. And uh, we're gonna be unveiling a whole new education model in a couple of months here, which you'll hear about. But um it just I just can't overstress the importance of this industry um having the training that they need. And really, CDA is the only organization that's doing this kind of training in a brand agnostic way. So it's it's the fundamentals, it's foundational training, it's advanced training, but it's not product specific. So it really augments and adds a lot of value to employers in addition to what the manufacturers are doing, of course, the very important training they do.

SPEAKER_01 6:19

Mm-hmm. And and I'm wondering if you can share anything, even at a high level, because you uh you may not be involved in this like day-to-day, but what what is sort of CDS high-level process for kind of like vetting and ensuring that the education is in line with what the members need? Again, I know we're kind of talking about education broadly, right? And that can apply both at Expo and from the organization as a whole. But just talk about like your guys' approach and your stance as the CEO on just making sure that you're not just putting out um education just to check the box, but that you're putting out education that really delivers like meaningful value to your members.

unknown 6:56

Right.

SPEAKER_00 6:56

Well, I can answer that question in one word. Volunteers. I mean, it's really not the CDIA. The CDIA team organizes everything and produces these things, but the input on what to be teaching and what is important to the integrator is based on the integrator. They tell us that we have an incredible crew of volunteers who give so much time to CDA to advance our education. And they tell us what's on the minds of the integrator. Also what's coming. So maybe things that aren't on the minds of integrators today, but they should be aware of. Um, you know, they kind of have their antennas out there to see um what's on the horizon. So really that's how we that's how we've at it. It's really coming from the community itself through our dedicated volunteers.

SPEAKER_01 7:36

Got it. Got it. That makes sense. Um, I'm gonna close this poll out. We'll talk about it here. Uh, by the way, I realized I didn't mention at the top. If anyone, uh, for anyone who's here with us live today, feel free to drop any questions, comments, um, feedback into the live chat as we go. We'll be happy to field those questions uh if anyone has them. Um, from the poll results, it looks like uh actually our number one response was FaceTime with existing vendors and partners. So I've been on both sides of the fence, right? I was an integrator for about a decade. I'm coming up on a decade now on the vendor side, and I know uh the importance of that firsthand, right? Of being at the show and getting to put, you know, see people, I like to say, in three dimensions, right? A lot of us spend a lot of time on Slack and seeing everybody from, you know, from kind of here up. And I sort of joke that it's nice to see people in three dimensions. Um, what what's your belief on the importance of this? And what can you share about like vendor participation? So for integrators out there who really value, you know, taking some time out of the business, dealing with travel, time away from family and everything to come to the show, if the that vendor engagement is one of the most important things to them, what can you share about like vendor participation this year and what is um CEA doing with their part? I know Emerald runs a lot of this, right? But like from what you guys uh are directly involved with at Cedia, um what are you guys doing to ensure healthy vendor participation um at the event?

SPEAKER_00 8:58

Yeah, well, this um you've raised sort of the second pillar of our three pillars, which is connection. And there's no there's just no other way to do that than by being there in person. I mean, it really is um, if you're on a Zoom call with a manufacturer, they're gonna tell you the information, but it's that social aspect, it's that that relationship building that can only happen in the flesh. So we think that's important too. And of course, that's the main reason someone will go to the trade show is for that kind of in-person interaction. Um, so the show floor is looking good. As you said, Emerald Expositions is the is the owner of CD Expo, and they actually do all the vendor relations. But um, I was looking at the show floor the other day, and it's just it's looks like it's gonna be really vital and and full, and uh one resource is in there, and I'm glad to see that. So um, yeah, it's gonna be a it's gonna be a great show. But again, I can't, you know, stress enough the importance of being there, having that social time, having an interaction that goes maybe outside of the product discussions, just sort of those relationship building things. I mean, this year we're doing a uh at the end of uh Friday because it's gonna be at the beginning of the holiday weekend, so people are gonna be kind of looking for fun. We're doing a pub crawl. As soon as the show floor cloak floor closes, we're out on the street and going hitting bars together and just having that camaraderie that's so important for the CD community. I mean, that this is a community and they want to be together and not just to talk about, not just to see the booths, but also just to spend time socially. So yeah, you're right. It's it's been a hugely important part of CD Expo and CD as machine.

SPEAKER_01 10:24

Yeah. And uh, you know, as a as a vendor, we'll I'll be um still on the show floor cleaning up and breaking down the booth. So I will have to miss the pub crawl, but I think it's a good one.

SPEAKER_00 10:34

We'll miss the first couple of stops. Uh we'll we'll save it, we'll save a school for it.

SPEAKER_01 10:38

I'd love to hear you riff on it a little more. I think that's a new thing. I don't think CD has ever done that before. And so uh the core idea is kind of like uh celebratory, right? But it's about building that community and connection. So basically, what this starts, you said, right when the show floor ends, and then and then you'll be out like hitting just a bunch of uh bars around downtown Denver.

SPEAKER_00 11:00

Yeah, and I think what's happening is because it's the beginning of a holiday weekend, people have brought friends and family to Denver and are gonna spend the the weekend there. It's a great town that most people don't never see because you know you just go to the show and then you leave. And now we have this opportunity to to kind of celebrate it and have a have a long weekend. So um I think it's gonna be uh really fun to kind of have this group together. And uh word in the street is I'm I'm buying the first round for members.

SPEAKER_01 11:22

So I oh boy, you heard it here first.

SPEAKER_00 11:24

I keep hearing that. Um uh so hopefully my my CFO will uh will up that limit on my uh credit card.

SPEAKER_01 11:31

On your credit card, yeah. Well, that's a nice little bonus for everyone who joined us live today. You got the inside track. First first rounds on Daryl. If you mention this podcast, if you mention this, yeah, mention the insights podcast. There you go. I like that.

SPEAKER_00 11:44

I got to be a member of CIA.

SPEAKER_01 11:46

Yeah, yeah. Uh speaking of celebratory events, um, I know CEDIA Awards is a big deal for a lot of folks in the industry and and for you guys. I'd love to hear you just talk about that a little bit, where you see that in terms of the hierarchy of importance at the event and um what can integrators and vendors look forward to this year at the awards.

SPEAKER_00 12:08

Yeah, this is one of those things I'm I'm just so proud of the team and how it's grown. And in the five plus years that I've been uh CEO of CEDIA, the first year was very different than last year's awards. And it's just grown in popularity. It's now a sold-out event, um, but it's also grown in the sense of the importance of these awards. CEDIA as the industry body, having these um these honors really means something much more than it did five years ago or earlier. And what we're doing now, we'll talk a little bit later about um our new design build department and how our outreach to architects, designers, and builders is improving. But part of what we're really doing with these awards is getting that into the design and build community. And we do a lookbook for them. They love to have beautiful coffee table books in their showrooms, and we're showing them how design uh and integration can go so beautifully hand in hand. So now when you get this award, you don't just win this prestigious award and have that uh on your in your showroom lobby, but you also have that outreach to this whole architectural design community that's gonna know about this incredible work, the award-winning work that you're doing. So, yeah, if you uh if you can still grab uh, I think there's some some seats available, um, it's on the Expo registration site, CedateExpo.com. Um, but it's really become just a very dignified and fun and and meaningful event.

SPEAKER_01 13:26

Yeah, yeah, it is a great event. Uh as the CEO of Cedia, we're what, just like, I don't know, three, three weeks out or so from the event. I mean how are you feeling about things? You guys must be busy. Um what what's the final run-up to an event like this uh like for you? And how are you guys feeling about uh about the event this year?

SPEAKER_00 13:43

Yeah, I mean, it's just it's it's one of the busiest times of year. Every every thing from the scripting of the awards to um you know book booking and last filling last-minute slots um to continuing to promote it to make sure people know um everything that's new that's happening so they don't miss it. Um promoting our keynote, Duncan Wardle from Disney, who's gonna talk about creativity and how integrators can use that in their in their day-to-day lives. So it really is every day is pretty pretty full these these days. And all the other events that go on around it, we have um, you know, meetings and um breakfasts and and dinners and parties and all sorts of things that happen. So it's an exciting time. It's uh it reminds me of Grammy week in my old my old job. It's just like that that week is just so intense, everything gets packed in. Um, but uh looking forward to it. Really a great show.

SPEAKER_01 14:28

Yeah, yeah. And it we've done uh a couple of uh real small events, very small um compared to Cedia, uh, at One Vision. So we've we've had a some experience with that. And then um prior to me becoming an integrator, you know, 20 or so years ago, I did some work in live uh audio video. And so I know that there's like just a million details under the hood that a lot of people, if you're not involved in in planning the event, just wouldn't occur to you. So I'm sure you guys are are busy and and and scrambling, and then yeah, and then you get to the event and and you know, hopefully everything goes great, and then at the end it's just a nice uh feeling of accomplishment. So sure you can.

SPEAKER_00 15:05

And we don't we don't want people to know what's under the like we don't want people to feel. We want to make it look smooth and seam, we want them to just have an incredible experience from from start to finish, let us do all that you know, work and hopefully the seams don't show, and you guys, uh everybody who attends just has an amazing time.

SPEAKER_01 15:20

Yeah, exactly. Um, speaking of you know, but planning shows, we here on the Insight Podcast on our last episode had the folks on from uh Avixa, ProSource, HTSA talking about the new upcoming reside uh trade show, which you know, uh want to address that, right? Because that does look competitive as Cedia. So I think it would be good to get your perspectives on, you know, what what's your take on Reside and what do you think makes CIA um uniquely valuable to residential integrators in particular, um, given this new kind of competitive show that's that's coming onto the scene?

SPEAKER_00 15:58

Yeah, well, we'll see um how it how it unfolds. I said when it launched, I think I've said you know publicly it feels like a little bit of a square peg and a round hole. Um I love Infocom. I go every year because you know Avixa is our partner with ISE, and we have great relationships with them. Um they build themselves as the world's most vital pro A V show, and that's what it is. So I do think CDA Expo just has that value of being the residential show, and it's it's not a piece, a small piece of a larger show. It's really the relevant piece for most integrates. I um I know though the the founding of CEDIA was really about kind of being lost in a big show. Um, I actually called a couple of the founders of CDIA and just like, tell me the tell me the story again, the origin story. And part of it was that um the residential integrator just was not getting any love at CES. And so they said, we're gonna do a show for ourselves. And out of that, CDA Expo was born. So it's kind of impressive to see that. And I think when I've talked to integrators, they still want that. They still want that show that's dedicated for them as opposed to being a small piece of a of a larger show that's largely um not relevant to them. In fact, you know, this is says that over 90% of their attendees are not doing any residential work. So I think if you're coming, if you're in the residential business, if you're if you're doing pro AV, Infocom is the place to be absolutely great show. And I would encourage anybody who's on that commercial side to to go there. But if your focus is residential technology or like commercial, CD Expo is the only show in North America that's dedicated to residential integration.

SPEAKER_01 17:28

Yeah. Yeah. I will say, as somebody who is um, you know, like neutral, kind of looking at all the different options, like I I buy the argument as a product guy as well. Like you you have a product, right? You can think of the CDA trade show as a product, and like it's optimized for a certain type of customer. Um, Infocom's optimized for a certain type of customer. So yeah, I I I buy what you're saying. And I think that, you know, CDIA just continuing to stay focused on like how can you guys as an organization and as a trade show just continue to provide the mo the maximum amount of value to that integrator, particularly one who's maybe 100% focused on residential, uh, make makes a lot of sense.

SPEAKER_00 18:07

Yeah, I think it's gonna be the place to go to it's I always say that's where my people are, right? You know, this is like there's the the residential integrator is very different than sort of an enterprise AT IT guy. Um, and so they they want to be in the integrators I've talked to, they want to be at a place where it's their people, and that's what CDO expose.

SPEAKER_01 18:25

Got it. Well, I'd love to shift gears. We've spent uh so far just talking about the upcoming uh trade show. But as you pointed out early on, CDI, there's there's CDA the trade show, and there's CDIA the organization. Those two sometimes get conflated. They're obviously related, right, but separate things. So let's shift gears and talk about CDIA as an organization and some of the key initiatives um that you guys have going on, starting with um advocacy and um lobbying. This, I know, Daryl, from getting to know you uh in you know recent months is a big uh a big topic for you, right? It's near and dear to your heart. So talk about what you guys are doing on the advocacy front um and why it matters, why integrators should be paying attention and should be excited about the work going on there.

SPEAKER_00 19:10

Yeah, well, I'll focus on what we're doing in the US and we're actually doing advocacy work uh globally, but in the US, it's critically important for a couple of reasons. Um, one is that, and this blows people's minds when I say this, but it's it is true, the integration occupation is not recognized by the United States government. It just doesn't exist. So when you have to put in an occupation code for insurance or for anything else, you're you're an electrician or a telephone repair person or something like that. So it should not be that way. And the US uh looks at this every 10 years, and this is our moment. So a few years ago, and it's a long process, they started it a few years ago, it won't be till 2028. But we have filed um, I think a very compelling argument why technology integrators should be um a recognized occupation. And we have uh with us joining with us on that, we have other commercial um and security uh associations who agree to be part of that and help us uh just show the numbers. And so when that happens, that'll open up a whole sort of credibility for this industry. Um you might find your insurance rates go down because you're you're not uh dealing with line voltage, you know, it's very different to deal with low voltage limited energy. So um, you you will find the apprenticeships uh and workforce is much different when there's an awareness to it. You'll find technical colleges much more open to training our curriculum when there's an awareness and like the stamp and approval from the government. So that piece is important. Um, you know, we do a lobby day every year. We go to Washington and and now coming up in the fourth year for this. And last year we went to the Department of Labor, had some grade meetings uh at that uh with those folks from the government, and they're interested in the uh recognizing an apprenticeship for our channel, actually a smart home residential systems apprenticeship. So there'd be a pathway for young people to get into this field, it'd be recognized, it'd be a uh a formal process, and integrators who still tell me one of their main challenges is labor would have this whole new influx of people coming in. So other things we, you know, we've done, we passed legislation, uh, and this year we're gonna expand the uh CDA day on Capitol Hill and include any of our members who want to come. It's been sort of invite only. But this year we're doing it with a much broader audience. We're also partnering with buying groups like Nationwide ASEAN and OASIS to get their members to come and just make this a real movement for our industry.

SPEAKER_01 21:32

Got it. Did I hear you correctly that, like essentially, if we as an industry miss this window, then it's another 10 years before it can theoretically happen again?

SPEAKER_00 21:43

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 21:44

Wow. That's so it's I mean, I guess I shouldn't be shocked. That's government, but uh that's that's good too.

SPEAKER_00 21:49

It's every 10 years and it takes five years to do it. So yeah, that's still in the government course. But um, but you know, at the Department of Labor, we did talk about that as well, and we have some great um great contacts there now to help us make sure we get to.

SPEAKER_01 22:00

Got it. How optimistic are you? 99%. 99%. Good.

SPEAKER_00 22:06

Yeah. Just based on some of the feedback we've gotten from labor. Also, we have some congressional friends pushing from that side, even though it's that's in the that's an executive branch play. Um it helps to have some Congress uh friends in Congress. So yeah, I think I feel good about it. I think that's gonna happen.

SPEAKER_01 22:23

Yeah, yeah. And this is the kind of thing that like CDIA as a as an organization can bring economies of scale and expertise to that, like you know, integrators um are you it's hard hard to imagine individual integrators sort of banding up uh and and getting something like this done without this overarching um organization that CDIA can bring to it. And I have to say, like, you know, for me, it always felt um it always felt important, but like in a very abstract sense, like, oh yeah, that that that would be good to get the recognition, but it wasn't until I sort of heard you lay out some of those really concrete benefits, like lower insurance rates, um, recognition at trade schools that can help us address, you know, the labor shortage, uh things like this are really meaningful to integrators out there. And so I I think like you know, promoting that awareness and helping the industry really understand why leaning in and helping with this in whatever way they can is beneficial for everybody. What does it actually look like? If I'm an integrator and I'm listening to this and I want to get involved, um, what what's the process for me kind of getting more information, showing up on this day? What does that actually look like? Like talk me through that.

SPEAKER_00 23:37

Yeah, well, the best way to do that, we're gonna be launching sort of the movement at Cedia Expo at the Smart Stage on Friday morning. Um Andy Rusko from um Nationwide Binding Group will join me as well as um some others from from uh involved in government relations at CEDIA. And we're gonna announce at that point any any member of CEDIA who wants to come to Washington will have an up uh process to you know just submit their information really so we can place them, so we know where their workplace is, where their home is, we can place them with the right member of Congress. Um but really until you do it yourself, no, like you said without it being abstract, it's so true because when people come to Washington with this for the first time, there's no way to explain it other than doing it. Like when you're sitting down with your US senator or US representative and you're telling them about this residential integration industry and they're listening and they're saying, Oh, I didn't know that. How can we help? There's nothing quite like walking the hall. So I encourage anyone who's interested in taking the trip to DC in March of 27, come join us.

SPEAKER_01 24:36

Man, you got me interested now. No, that sounds really cool. Like uh, you know, not not only is it super helpful and important for the industry, but just like what a cool and interesting experience it would be for somebody like myself. I've I've never had any exposure uh to what that looks like in person. So it'd just be a cool experience. So yeah, I would, I wouldn't, for what it's worth, encourage anybody listening who um has any interest in that to you know, definitely follow up. Um, shifting gears, you're also, I know, big Daryl, on the outreach to the design build community. Um, I think you said there's a new department uh dedicated to this. Talk a little bit about what CEDIA has going on in terms of helping the integration industry uh raise its sort of visibility um and reputation amongst that really critical cohort of folks in the design and build community.

SPEAKER_00 25:27

Absolutely. This really started with um a partnership with um the NKBA, which is another association that their membership are all designers. Um and we did some joint research with them, found, you know, what confirm what we probably know instinctively, which is that there's a very little awareness of the integration industry to designers and architects. And when they do have an awareness of it, their perception is completely incorrect. Their perception is it's gonna make my design look ugly, it's gonna cut into my margin, all things that are basically myths. So we thought we needed to respond to this and to dispel those myths and to make that partnership really solid. And so we built a new department at CDIA, um decide and build outreach, um, hired a designer who actually knows our world, but she really is a designer first, Andrea Harvey, uh, to come lead that department. She's already got a second in command. And um, what they are going to be doing is connecting our members to designers and architects and builders and their and their communities. And the importance of that can't be overstated. Uh, integration companies have built their entire businesses on these relationships when it's done right. And we want to make sure that scales. We want to make sure that the next time we do research with the design association, they're going to tell us the awareness is much higher and that partnership is valued and seen as something that they want to get into as opposed to right now, all these misperceptions and misconceptions about it.

SPEAKER_02 26:51

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_01 26:52

And and where is that initiative at? Like, um, is it is it still new, nascent? Is there um active outreach happening? Like, give me a sense for the day-to-day work uh that that these folks are doing to really push this forward. Because I agree with you. I think it is critical. Again, I've sat on both sides of the fence in terms of being an integrator and a vendor. And those those relationships with designers, builders, architects in uh local communities are really the lifeblood of most integration companies. And that's not an exaggeration. So I'd love to hear um just a little bit more detail about like what does that outreach actually look like and how are they engaging uh with the community in order to uh to push the ball down the field.

SPEAKER_00 27:34

Yeah, I mean, it is a new department, but if anyone who's met Andrea will know that there's no such thing as uh starting slow. I mean, she's out of the gate, just like she's everywhere. First of all, Kiz at high point at anywhere designers are, she's gonna be there seeing the the you know, the virtues of being an evangelist for our industry. But we're about to launch a new um product for designers that basically tells them it's a website product that actually shows them they can go into any room and kind of click on the invisible technologies and see what it can do for their clients. That's gonna be uh promoted at CDExpo as part of our after awards. Um, getting that um that smart home guide, that the smart home style guide that I talked about with the award winners, getting that out to much far more designers and architects, and working with the other associations too. So, you know, we have lunch with the Builders Association coming up. We've got meetings with uh NKBA and AIA and all these associations that themselves have thousands of members in those fields, and they can help us amplify her voice. So um out of the gate, she's doing a great job, and I think we're gonna see incredible value for CDM members to have that connective tissue with the architect and designer.

SPEAKER_01 28:43

Excellent. Yeah, that's great. Uh, one other big area that CDIA I know is digging into that uh I believe is sorely needed for the industry is research. Um, we're really kind of hurting for definitive data, benchmarking data, understanding about things like industry size and scope. Uh, and I know this is another big area that you've been helping to steer the organization into. So give us an overview, a kind of thumbnail sketch of what's going on on the research front at CDA.

SPEAKER_00 29:13

Right. And you know, CDA had been doing research. It's never had its own sort of dedicated staff at CDI, and it's also had been in the past every other year. And, you know, we're part of what when I came here um at CDIA, is like, let's make this a real industry. Let's make this every the professionalism that every other you know trade association industry has. And one of those things is good data, good research. So um we've been stepping that up into doing annual research, but now we have a dedicated department, a new director, a research expert who's Ryan Bardash, who's just doing this. This is his job, it's his expertise, and it's his background. And we're going to be unveiling the first, I think, the most credible research C has ever unveiled at C to Expo during a town hall on Tuesday, the day night before the afternoon before the show open, the floor opens. And that'll be size and scope, that'll be sectors, most growing uh uh projections on where the industry is going, um, what sectors people should get into, have labor issues happening. But in time, I think this can really grow beyond size and scope of the industry and those kinds of factors. We can do research specific to a sector, we can do research specific to a uh manufacturer. Um, we can really be kind of create bespoke research now. We have a dedicated department with an individual there who's really knowledgeable about this and really has the background and expertise. So come to see the expo if you're coming, come to the Cia Town Hall Tuesday afternoon. Um, you'll be the first to hear the new, the new research, yeah, the results of our of our data collection.

SPEAKER_01 30:43

If there's somebody listening who's like, okay, you know, sounds important. I get it, kind of again, in that abstract sense. Maybe they understand data is important. But like, what are some of the concrete benefits that you see good data like this delivering? And I'd love to hear you address that on both sides, uh, the vendor and the integrator side.

SPEAKER_00 31:03

Yeah, it's interesting because the vendor has always um valued this research. Um, sometimes they call and say, What's it coming out? You know, is this coming out soon? Yeah, it's coming out in the week, whatever. The vendors want to know that because they want to know their market share, they want to know how other competition is doing. I don't believe we've done a good job of conveying to the integrator how important this is for their business. Um, this, when they open up that research, they're gonna see how their competition's doing. They're gonna see what the current coming trends are, they're gonna see whether their competition believes the market is they're bullish or bearish on the future. And so all those things really matter to an integrator. I think we're gonna try and do a much better job of conveying that to the individual, because we've always seen this as sort of a vendor benefit that they get this research. But really, you know, this this is this is something that we sell for $2,000 and any CD member gets it for free. So I really want the integrators to understand if you want to know where you sit in relationship to your competition, this is the document you want to be looking at.

SPEAKER_01 31:58

Yeah, yeah, having that frame of reference. I mean, a really concrete example. I think you guys are gonna have wage data. Uh, did I hear that correctly? So, I mean, that's just one concrete example, but there's there's a bunch of those, I'm sure. I'd love to hear a little about the methodology. So, like when somebody's looking at this data, you know, the trained eye is always gonna ask, well, okay, what is the methodology? How much stock can I put in this data? How was it gathered? What's the sample sizes, you know, these sorts of things. So, can you give us an overview of what the methodology was in order to get this data put together?

SPEAKER_00 32:32

Yeah, it's it's been great. And having Ryan here, because he has that background, and he also has selected a new outside firm to kind of help us, uh, a data research firm to help us with that. So I think it's it's much more credible. So there are a couple of different aspects to that. One is um survey. And what they Ryan was charged this year to increase our participation of that survey. I think we tripled the number of responses we got this year. So he's done a good job with that. Um, the other is conversations, so sort of qualitative data. We have conversations with different um vendors, different um uh to see how their dealers are doing, to see what trends, what growth areas they've had. And the third is we ingest data from other um organizations that have that data, like um like Portal and uh DTools. So they've been very helpful in kind of helping us um round out with some of their data. So when you have this kind of 360 approach to research, you get very credible results. And on top of that, with having Ryan and his expertise having the new research firm, I think um it's gonna be beyond approach. It's gonna be very credible data.

SPEAKER_01 33:31

Got it. Well, I will look forward to hearing more. I know we we don't get a sneak preview today, other than just knowing that this is where it's gonna be unveiled, and you got to be there if you want that inside track.

SPEAKER_00 33:41

So you said Tuesday uh Tuesday afternoon at 5 30 in Denver, and um it's the evening before the shed floor opens, and get you out of there and get a good night's sleep before the keynote uh the next morning with Dr. Ward. Exactly, exactly.

SPEAKER_01 33:56

Um, I did want to touch on here one more topic uh as we're coming down the home stretch is your upcoming retirement. So this has been announced. There's no fixed date in place yet. I know you're um personally very committed to making sure that CDIA has a smooth transition and you're gonna hang around through the duration of that transition. But uh, you know, talk to me about the why behind your retirement um and and uh you know what what do you see as you know the things that you can really focus on to make sure that it's smooth and that CDIA is set up for success as you move on to the next chapter.

SPEAKER_00 34:34

Yeah, this is a this is a tough one to talk about. It's bittersweet for me. If I go off, I'll go off camera here in a second. I'm starting to get teary. I need to just bring your tissues. Yeah, you make your this has been, I mean, it's been an honor to be in this position. I always say to my wife, I wish I'd gotten this job 10 years earlier in my career because I just would have had more runway. And but it is a an all-consuming um position and a lot of international travel, and it's kind of like a 24-7 uh gig. So you get to a point after almost 40 years of being in the workforce that you just need to, you have to know when your energy level can't do justice to the requirements. And I think I kind of hit that point, so I let the board know in April and told them this is going to be the first orderly succession in CEDA's history. I'm going to stay as long as needed, and you guys do a great search and find somebody amazing to take my place. So the plan is for me, again, there's no end date, we're probably thinking sometime early next year, but um the search committee is already meeting and starting that process. I think by expo, we'll have an open position, and uh anyone who's interested and wants to recommend somebody can can uh can send that name in to um the firm we're using vetted solutions as a very specific Washington D-based association-based firm. Uh, they're actually the ones that found me, and they are um gonna do a great job for the search committee and the board. So um, yeah, it's gonna be it's gonna be a uh a very easy and smooth transition. I hope to have a good you know few weeks of uh maybe months of onboarding, depending on what the person wants. So um I'll stay around as long as I'm useful to him or her, and I will leave when I become not useful to him or her. But um we we definitely want to make sure that this transition is uh is a seamless one, and I think it'll be great for the for the next person. It's an amazing position, and I just um I think the next person can do great things, and there's so much potential for CTA to grow and the foundation that we've set, I think will be a great uh launching pad for them.

SPEAKER_01 36:26

Yeah. And what and what's your plan personally? Uh do you have a concrete plan for the next chapter, or is it mostly just you know, kicking, kicking your feet up and enjoying the fruits of uh for 40 years of labor?

SPEAKER_00 36:39

Yeah, I think uh the first six months I'm not really trying to have a concrete plan. I just want to kind of slow down, catch my breath. Um, everybody always says when they retire they want to travel. I I always say when I retire, I don't want to stop traveling because the travel is exhausting. Uh so I'll probably just kind of stay home and enjoy my integration here in my house and um play with around a few, play with a few new scenes and uh listen to some multi-room audio and do do all the things that uh I I don't have time to do now. So um it'll be uh it'll be a nice relaxing uh shift for me. And maybe after six months I'll you know get get more concrete plans. But the main my main plan right now is to ensure a smooth transition and to make sure I set up my successor for success.

SPEAKER_01 37:20

Got it. I'm gonna put you on the spot here a little bit. Um if and obviously this is a very hypothetical situation because this won't be how it plays out. But if you were sitting in front of the person right now who's gonna take over the position and you had to give them one piece of advice to make CDA successful, what would that be?

SPEAKER_00 37:41

Conveying the undisputable value of the association. Um, I still think after even after the five plus years I've been here, and when you just did it done with this podcast, like people just conflate CDA with the show and they use it interchangeably. And what we've tried to do is explain that value that CDA has for this industry is uh indisputable. And if it went away, it would be terrible for this industry. If we didn't have the advocacy, the connection, the education that CDA provides, um, really independent of that CD expo. Um so I think that person needs to kind of carry that forward and make that penetrate more in integrators' minds to understand what CDA is doing for you. Um really 24-7, the things that CD do, they don't make money, we're a nonprofit. We do it in service to the community. And the more we can get that word out, I would say to him or her, that would be your number one task.

SPEAKER_01 38:33

Yeah, I've had a few conversations with you, like I alluded to, and I will share with everybody that um from my perspective, your commitment to um making sure that you're tuned in to what your um constituents uh want and need, and then making sure that the organization is doing everything in its power to um convey back to uh the base, like what's happening, you know, where are we running into challenges, what are we trying to do to advance things, I think has been great for the organization. And uh, you know, I hope that your successor will come in with that same kind of very like again, I'm a product guy, right? So it's all about like who's the customer and what problems are we solving for them. And I hope that that mentality continues.

SPEAKER_00 39:15

I'm sure. Well, we have a great board, uh, but very dedicated to making sure this next CEO is going to be serving their industry and serving their community. So I have 100% confidence.

SPEAKER_01 39:24

Got it. Well, as we wrap up, um, I'll put a call out to the audience. If anyone has any uh questions that uh maybe are on your mind that we didn't address, uh go ahead and throw those into the chat here. We've got a few more minutes um while we're waiting to see if any of those do come in. There was one question, Daryl, that came in from the audience uh via email before the recording. And uh this is from Ajar at eHome. Uh and he said, How can Cedia help us uh with getting better margins on popular equipment? So on the A V side, products like Sonos and Ubiquity uh come to mind. So these are, of course, products that are um popular with integrators, but also sold direct to consumer. So I know this is always a topic of conversation. Um is there anything you can share there about what role you see CDA playing in uh addressing that?

SPEAKER_00 40:15

Yeah, well, there's a couple past stamps to that question. The first is um we are constantly telling the homeowner use a professional integrator. Yes, some of these things you can do yourself and you can buy them off the shelf, but there's nothing like having a professional install. So part of that is just that education piece that we do. We have a whole campaign geared to the homeowner. But I think there's other technical things we can do. We're talking to internally about having a vendor program where maybe CD members get discounts to certain products because why wouldn't a vendor want to do that when you're dealing with a CD member who is committed to the industry, who's trained, who's you know taking the time to be part of an association, um, they're gonna be a better dealer for you, and maybe it's in your interest to offer them a better price. And in that case, there would be an increase in margin. So I think both of those things can be addressed.

SPEAKER_01 40:59

Got it. Excellent. Well, it does not look like any other questions have come in. So I think we'll go ahead and wrap up for today. Daryl, really appreciate you taking some time out of your schedule during what I know has to be a very busy time for you. So uh thanks again for being here.

SPEAKER_00 41:17

Thank you. It was a great conversation. I really appreciate it.

SPEAKER_01 41:19

Yeah, absolutely. And to everybody who joined us live, thank you as well for taking some time out of your day to be here. We will let you go. Hope everyone has a great rest of your week, and we will look forward to seeing you. Take care.