Case Study: Making Every House His Own

It's a philosophy he cultivated during his 15 years in the A/V industry, with outfits like Tweeter's Sound Advice, and one that he has used to build a loyal local following for his 4-year-old whole-home integration business, Exceptional Entertainment Experience (EEE), Naples, Fla. This year, the integrator expects to log up to $3 million in revenue.

"Every job I go into, I don't care how big or how small, I look at it from the view of if this was mine, if this was my house, if this was my equipment, how would I want it to work?" says Brown, 42, EEE's co-owner and general manager. "It has to be user-friendly. Everyone has to be happy, including my 5-year-old daughter."

It's easy to see why 90 percent of EEE's customers come via referral, especially upscale consumers like professional golfers Brad Faxon and Jeff Sluman, who saw the company's work in a Naples home and promptly hired EEE. Locally, EEE teams with Stock Development and United Construction Group in Naples, both of which use it for digital integration work.

His work ethic also helped Brown forge one of his more strategic relationships, apartnership with Exceptional Innovation, the Columbus, Ohio, company that produces the Lifeware home-automation software line. Mike Seamons, vice president of marketing at Exceptional Innovation, says his company began working with EEE after Brown's company handled a home integration project for one of his founders. Brown has been working with the vendor for about two years and was instrumental in performing early field work with Lifeware. EEE currently is only one of 32 companies authorized to handle the software.

"The relationship we have with him is special," Seamons says. "They're a great integration company that isn't afraid to try new things, to rise to a challenge."

During a recent trade conference, for example, EEE was responsible for the less-than-ideal task of deploying and integrating 20 complex control systems within a cramped exhibit booth. "They know how to work that many products at once," Seamons says. "They are not afraid to take new things and play with them."

But that doesn't mean Brown will take on just any product. When it comes to picking manufacturers he has two simple rules: First, the products must scale to fit the needs of both a high-end and low-end buyer. Second, the vendor shouldn't be hung up on volume quotas. "I don't try to sell a lot of things," he says. "If it works, I use it."

On his shortlist for receivers are Denon Electronics, Arcam and Lexicon, a division of the Harman Specialty Group. When it comes to speakers, he gravitates to Sonance and Bay Audio, relying on its standard product line and its customized components that the company produces for specific projects as needed. Brown's preferred TVs include those from Samsung, as well as the Sharp Aquos series. Typically, Hewlett-Packard supplies his Media Center PCs, as well as plasma screens and LCDs. Panasonic is his vendor of choice when it comes to IP-based cameras. For lighting, there's Lutron Electronics and Vantage Controls. He recommends Aprilaire for thermostats and Digital Security Controls for home-intrusion prevention.

Brown divides the eight full-time people who work for EEE into two-person teams, one that travels with him to other parts of the country, plus a full-time networking expert. "I go out first, make sure everything is taken care of and then I'll send the crew out and go out with the crew," he says. "I walk every job with the crew, even though they have drawings." Typically, his jobs run from $5,000 to $10,000, although he has handled some in the $1 million range.

Although Brown expects to hire one or two more crews this year, he's holding off for now until he gets a better handle on his projects for 2006. Meanwhile, he looks to strong local partners when he leaves his neighborhood turf. That's actually more often than you'd think. When Digital Connect interviewed him for this story, Brown was on-site in Columbus and his experience with Lifeware is taking him farther afield as the product launches commercially.

On these projects, Brown is careful to sit down with the developer's preferred local A/V integrator to discuss where each company's work will start and end. Typically, the A/V company will pull all the low-voltage wiring and handle the high-margin lighting business. EEE's team ensures all these components will be compatible with Lifeware. If the A/V partner wants to provide first-line support, he encourages them to complete Lifeware training.

One project that will consume much of his time in coming months is the NextGen Home certified community being built in Tampa, Fla., by BrownStone Builders and Associates, based in Landenberg, Pa. Each dwelling in the 42-home development will include a base-level installation of Lifeware, setting the foundation for custom digital home experiences. The Lifeware integration work will be performed by Brown's team.

BrownStone partner and co-founder Frank Daly said it was important for his company to ally with organizations that shared these three philosophies: an ability to always see the bottom line, a drive to build a positive reputation and a focus on customer service—not necessarily in this order. Among those who will have a say in the Tampa project and will offer their accreditation: the Institute for Business and Home Safety, the Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing, the U.S. Green Building Council and the Consumer Electronics Association.

Naturally, BrownStone has pretty high expectations for its integration partners, and Daly says Brown meets them. "We're looking to partner with people that are looking to differentiate, that are conscious of the cost elements and that are conscientious," he says.

In Andre Brown's case, thinking about yourself first has actually paid off.