The Ingredients of Success: The Power Behind Power Home Technologies
Ben Brookhart and Erik Randesi are the dream team of the security and life safety industry. As CEO and President of Power Home Technologies respectfully, their efforts have brought home security to thousands of families across the United States.
“I began as a security technician in 1999 and I did installs for about 8 months. I was second best out of 43 people on my floor,” says Randesi. “Ben was my manager at the office and stood out in sales. We became good friends and excellent business partners. We became dealers for different security companies, but knew we wanted to start our own.”
Equipped only with a couple of tools, Brookhart brought a dream to the table. In 2004, Brookhart and Randesi founded Power Home Technologies in a shoebox apartment in Richmond, Virginia. Their goal was to be a small, local security company for Richmond residents.
But staying small isn’t in their blood.
In the first year, the team started off with 90 installs per month. In 2006, the company’s second year, the number of monthly installs for Richmond residents jumped to 650.
The company decided to take a risk by expanding the businesses to the southeast portion of the United States. Power Home Technologies invested time into hiring experienced professionals and establishing new offices in North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. The opportunity opened new markets and allowed the business to skyrocket.
Power Home Technologies hit triple digit growth within the first six years. In the company’s most successful year, they attained $35 million in end-of-year revenue. Today, Power Home Technologies provides home security for over 100,000 families. The company offers full integrative systems, 24/7 monitoring, video monitoring, access control, and energy management. The business that started in Richmond, Virginia, has expanded to eight other states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.
Finding Success as a Team
Looking back on 22 years in the business, Brookhart attributes his success to investing in his employees. This has given the company the opportunity to become the market leader in multiple cities across the US.
“When you find people that you build trust with you have to earn their loyalty by showing that you care,” Brookhart says.
“It’s not always about how much you pay them. It’s about them feeling they have an opportunity to grow with you and share experiences with you.”
Power Home Technologies currently employs over 180 passionate security professionals. For over 15 years, Power Home Technologies has been dedicated to customer service. The company works hard to create a family atmosphere for its customer and employees.
“Ben and I lead by example,” Randesi says. “During the week, we are in the field with our Power Home Technologies team. Most executives have an ownership mentality and never step foot in the field. With 600-700 installs a month, we are out with our sales team and technicians, ensuring our company is led with thoughtful leadership.”
When the team founded Power Home Technologies in 2004, their vision was to serve the community through home protection. Brookhart prides himself on retaining the core values established on the first day of Power Home Technologies.
“The core values of Power Home Technologies are trust and loyalty. We believe that when we have those two things with our employees and customers we can accomplish anything,” Brookhart says. “We always try to build trust by honoring everything we say that we will do and earning loyalty by showing that we care.”
Moving Forward and Giving Back
The company prides itself on being active in community outreach with the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Over the last 8 years, Power Home Technologies has donated over $350,000 to families of terminally ill children through customers and employee giving.
“Giving back to our community is part of our culture and it’s something that the entire company is behind,” Brookhart says. “Being able to raise money to help grant a child’s wish that has a critical illness is something that we are all passionate about. I believe that every business has a responsibility to make the communities it serves better.”
Over fifteen years, the company has faced many challenges, and have overcome them while continuing to focus on the customer. When faced with difficulties, Brookhart reverts to foundational company values to combat the threat of competition.
“Customers need to understand the value behind a professional company. How we combat that is that we focus on customer service,” Brookhart says. “We highlight the different features and benefits of a professional installation and quality product.”
The needs of consumers have always changed quickly, and Power Home Technologies has learned to adapt to those changes.
One of the biggest challenges Power Home Technologies faces today is the entrance of Do It Yourself (DIY). The company plans on introducing voice-controlled home automation and remaining focused on providing an excellent customer experience while advancing new technologies.
