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On this episode of The Integration Conversation, James Bliss is joined by CEDIA Director of Research Ryan Bardach and Eric Voyer of the Farnsworth Group to unpack the new UK Professional Market Analysis and what it means for your business. What you'll hear: Why the market size dropped on paper, and what changed in how installers and integrators are defined Why two-thirds of UK integrators expect growth, and whether that optimism holds up Lighting as the #1 opportunity, in the UK and the US Why finding good people is a bigger problem than finding work How integrators and their customers are adopting AI What brands integrators are actually selling across 23 categories Where the UK and US diverge on firm size, cost pressures, and economic outlook The full UK Professional Market Analysis is available now on the CEDIA store (free for members). Get your copy of the UK Market Research Report: https://cedia.org/smart-home-professionals/advocacy/market-intelligence/smart-home-market-analysis/?utm_source=YoutubeSpotify&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_campaign=UK+Market+Research UK Smart Home Recruitment and Salary Survey 2026: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/QFK8CXS

What's the difference between running a hobby and running a real business? According to financial management expert Leslie Shiner, it comes down to whether you're actually looking at your numbers. In this episode of The Integration Conversation, CEDIA's VP of Education and Training Paul Dolenc sits down with Leslie Shiner, owner of The Shiner Group and longtime CEDIA fellow, to talk about what separates integrators who thrive from those who just stay busy. Leslie breaks down why revenue is for vanity, profit is for sanity, and cash flow is for reality and why so many integrators are quietly losing money even as their sales grow. In this episode we cover: Why customer deposits aren't income (and why that mistake sinks companies) How the shift from equipment markups to labor-based revenue changed the industry The "busy equals scrambling" trap, and how to avoid it Why gross margin is the one number every owner should track monthly Leslie's case for raising your rates when business is good How money challenges compare across global markets Where to catch Leslie's workshops in the Netherlands, Belgium, and the UK this fall Whether you're just starting out or have been running your business for decades, this conversation is a practical reminder that technical skill alone won't keep the lights on. The numbers will. Register for one of Leslie's international workshops: https://my.cedia.org/Connection/Calendar-of-Events?utm_source=Podcast&utm_medium=Organic+Social&utm_campaign=Finance+Workshops

What's the US smart home market really worth, and where's the growth coming from? In this episode of The Integration Conversation, host James Bliss sits down with Ryan Bardach, CEDIA's Director of Research, and Eric Voyer, Director at the Farnsworth Group, to break down the findings of CEDIA's newest US Professional Market Analysis. They dig into the eye-opening headline number (an estimated $33.8 billion market), why larger firms are capturing an outsized share of that revenue, and why 77% of integrators expect their business to grow in the next 12 months, even against a backdrop of inflation, tariffs, and economic uncertainty. The conversation also covers how AI is already reshaping day-to-day operations for integrators, why staffing has become the industry's top challenge, and what the data reveals about the gap between integrators and non-integrators installing smart home technology. Plus, a preview of the new housing data included in this year's report and why it matters for anyone making business decisions in this space. The full US Professional Market Analysis report drops September 16 and will be available on the CEDIA store. Get your copy of the US Market Research Report: https://my.cedia.org/Shop/Product-Catalog/Product-Details?productid=%7B74615DA0-6095-F111-8076-6045BDF08185%7D&utm_source=YouTubeSpotify&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_campaign=US+Market+Research

CEDIA Expo 2026 is almost here, and Rich Green & Michael Heiss are back with their pre-show rundown! These CEDIA legends break down everything you need to see, hear, and do at CEDIA Expo in Denver from AI's real impact on our industry, the future of distributed vs. streaming audio, power management money-makers to luxury AV trends, and a full rundown of their can't-miss sessions (Pregame Show, WTF Acronyms, EV Charging, Future Technologies, and more). Get the inside scoop before you hit the road to meet us in Denver. Register for CEDIA Expo: https://cediaexpo.com/about-the-show-cedia-ppc-linkedin/ Check out the CEDIA Education Conference Schedule: https://cediaexpo.com/education/schedule/?utm_campaign=47349079-CED261_ATT_CEDIAAssociation_Email&utm_source=email&utm_medium=Email&utm_term=CEDIAAssociation

CEDIA Expo 2026 is almost here, and this episode has the inside scoop on the education conference attendees can take advantage of. Mitch Klein talks with audio calibrator Jeff Mery (Bison HTA) and Shawn Hansson (Logic Integration) about the hands-on RP32 workshop, a follow-up to RP22 focused on verifying real-world system performance, plus Shawn's sessions on scaling a business and breaking into commercial work. They also talk AI, cybersecurity, power management, and why relationships built at CEDIA outlast any single product cycle. If you're still building your conference schedule, start here.