We posed some questions to Skip Godwin, the newest addition to the PCD team

1.) How did your career begin?  What did you learn along the way?

Didn’t everyone in the AV business start by playing guitar?  Well I did – Until I hit 6’ tall.  Apparently, the rules of rock and roll clearly state that when a guitar player hits 6’ his 6 string card is revoked and a bass guitar card is issued!  Oh well…  At least I was a better player with 4 strings than 6. 

So, playing in bands through high school is where I fell I love with creating and reproducing music (I was and am better at the latter).  I worked in a recording studio in my hometown of Stockbridge Georgia for a few years (with a childhood friend of mine, Ed Roland, who went on to front Collective Soul).  During my time in the studio I started working for a sound company in Atlanta called Seriously Sound.  I did regional touring as a front of house and stage monitor engineer for a few years.  This is when the pro sound bug bit me and I have been smitten ever since.

After that I worked for a series of manufacturers rep firms in New York, Los Angeles, and ultimately formed my own firm in the Bay Area in 1998.  We represented companies like ElectroVoice, ClearOne, Biamp, Revo Labs, Whirlwind, etc.  Mostly professional audio lines but also dabbling in the video and conferencing side of the business with displays, projectors, early VC appliances and the like.  Eventually I ended up with Bosch as the director of sales for the western US with 4 rep firms working under me.

What did I learn along the way?  Work hard, put in the time, and learn everything you can from everyone you meet.  It’s a simple credo that has served me well.

2.) When did you end up working at PCD?  Tell us about your new job, in your own words.

I called on PCD for many years and always respected the work that they did.  More importantly, PCD was respected by the people I respected; The consulting community and PCD’s competitors.  Those two things say a lot about this company and its ownership.  My reputation is important to me so working with a company that operates the same way felt natural to me.  I heard John was looking for a design build sales consultant so I gave him a call and jumped on board.

My new job is a great fit for me.  It gives me the creative outlet that I was missing working for a manufacturer.  Designing clever AV systems for exciting applications is what I signed on for and that’s exactly what I am doing.

3.) What technology trends are you seeing in the Bay area?

User interfaces are the key to any well-designed AV system.  Technology should not overwhelm the user.  That should always be our focus.  Stepping back from a mound of great technology and seeing a path for successful use is what we should be trying to achieve every time we pull out a fresh sheet of paper and begin a project.  It really doesn’t matter how much cool stuff we pack into a design if the user can’t operate the system the way they want to in a manner that is familiar to them.  People matter way before technology matters…  Period.

4.) What do you love about the AV/IT convergence, what don’t you love?

Again, it’s the user interface.  Neither the AV or IT design cultures lend themselves to something that most people can relate to or understand.  And, surprise engineer guys, they don’t want to!  Digital signage, for example, is a great addition to many enterprises (hospitality, education, healthcare, etc.) but if the content creation part of the process is too complicated or expensive the deployment will fail.  At PCD, as with most reputable AV firms, this is a no-go.  If they can’t operate it we don’t build it – Re-engineer it so they can.  I am learning that this is the hard part – Thinking about the way an average user can successfully interface with, and hopefully enjoy, the technology that we deploy.

5.) Are you busy?  What kind of jobs is PCD working on?  What are your verticals?

Busy is a relative term.  I know and love many people in my professional and personal life who seem to be perpetually busy.  A wonderful man I worked for early in my career often pointed out that there is a real difference between activity and productivity.  He warned me to recognize the difference and avoid the pitfalls of an activity based work life.  Activity simply produces motion – But productivity produces results.  There is a real difference.

Right now, I am working on anything that needs to be done. Fortunately, PCD has a consistent flow of new opportunities for me to work on.  Some come from new and potential clients but the bulk of those opportunities come from loyal customers looking to expand existing systems or build new projects.  It’s a great foundation for me knowing that these customers have been satisfied in the past and have come back to us for their AV needs.

6.) How do you sell to so called Millennials, who are used to shopping online?

I don’t think millennials make buying decisions much differently than the rest of us at this point.  I absolutely love the convenience of Alexa sending me more detergent or whatever at the touch of a button but I know one thing for sure; You can’t buy solutions from Alexa.  That being said, the AV industry cannot ignore that reality simply because PEOPLE LIKE IT.  Once upon a time we could ignore that reality because we could hide behind the complexity of our offerings.  That ship has sailed.  We must treat each client the way they want to be treated.  Whether they want to buy-and-forget or be deeply involved – It’s the same process just tailored to their preference.  Let them buy the way they want to buy.

7.) Tell us your thoughts on video conferencing and collaboration platforms

Having spent time on the user end of the technology stick working for a very large company I know the frustrations of many collaboration platforms.  The bottom line is that the user is looking for a transparent way to collaborate with their counterparts just as if they could walk over to their desk and have a productive conversation.  Our job is to cut through the crap and make that happen.  A thoughtfully deployed VC or collaboration AV system is a success only if it satisfies that need.

8.) What would be your advice to someone new to the AV industry?

Work hard and listen more than you talk.  Listening is not hearing, it’s understanding.  If you can demonstrate to a client that you understand what they are trying to accomplish you don’t have to be a low-cost provider.  But you must provide value!  Define value to your client up front and price dissolves as an issue.  Most clients are looking for value whether they know it or not.  Define that up front and you will separate yourself from the pack.  The only price a customer really cares about is the price of success.  Everything else is noise.