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    Our Code: AVPA's Strong Commitment to Consistency and Service
    Our Code: AVPA's Strong Commitment to Consistency and Service
    Our Code: AVPA's Strong Commitment to Consistency and Service
    Ebook65 pages56 minutes

    Our Code: AVPA's Strong Commitment to Consistency and Service

    By Matthew Grisafe

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    About this ebook

    Having built A/V Programming Associates Inc. from the ground up, CEO Matthew Grisafe has learned a lot of lessons not only about his industry, but also about the keys to running a successful business. In this second edition of Our Code, Grisafe reflects on the early days of his company, the various team members who have come and gone, some of AVPA’s most memorable jobs, and the company’s goals for the future.

    Learn how AVPA has adapted along with the ever-changing A/V industry, and how their commitment to consistency and customer service is helping them build loyalty in an industry where there typically is none. Grisafe’s passion for his work comes through in this must-read for any A/V professional, and the stories of his experiences with AVPA encourage business owners in any industry to evaluate their own goals and priorities.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherMatthew Grisafe
    Release dateAug 12, 2015
    ISBN9780996425254
    Our Code: AVPA's Strong Commitment to Consistency and Service

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      Book preview

      Our Code - Matthew Grisafe

      OurCode_BookCover_Matthew.jpg

      OUR CODE

      AVPA’s Strong Commitment to Consistency and Service

      Matthew Grisafe

      Maven_Logo_1in.png

      All rights reserved.

      No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For information please address Maven Publishing USA at info@maven-books.com.

      Copyright © 2015 by Matthew Grisafe

      Published by Maven Publishing USA.

      First Edition

      For information about special discounts for bulk purchases or author interviews and appearances please contact Maven Publishing USA at info@maven-books.com.

      ISBN-13: 978-0-9964252-5-4

      September 11, 2001

      Iawoke on September 11, 2001 wi th excitement and the feeling of a fresh start. It was the first official day of our new company. I’d been out of work while my new partners and I were putting plans together for a new programming company in the professional audiovisual (A/V) industry. Previously, I’d worked in management at a dot-com company where we built specialized software and user interfaces for transaction-based systems. I also spent ten years working on military contracts.

      As most people know, before the housing bubble, we had the dot-com bubble. It was a great ride. I met a lot of good people and worked with some amazing minds. I also made good money. In the mid 1990’s, the web was becoming a major part of our lives and started to be central to how business was done. Tech companies, like the one I worked for, were at the front of new advancements, and we had major companies basically throwing money at us to get their hands on whatever we could build them.

      Unfortunately, there was a major lack of discipline on both the companies and the customers. I think it was because no one could predict the long-term impact the web would have on the business world, although I think it was mostly because everyone was in a big hurry. People were calling it internet time. The customers wanted the technology, and the companies wanted to keep growing at amazing, albeit unsustainable, rates. With the rush, came a lack of detailed focus. Contracts were seldom clear, and the details of the final products were rarely well defined, so problems ensued. After all, how do you know when a project is complete if you never define what complete means?

      Needless to say, the dot-com bubble burst, the company I worked for vanished, and I was left looking for a new opportunity. I’d always considered starting a company of my own, and it suddenly seemed like it was the time to do just that. With a friend of mine and an acquaintance of his, I put together plans for a new company. September 11, 2001 was our first official day in business.

      As the morning progressed, my excitement turned to uncertainty. We watched the television as horror unfolded in New York City, Washington DC, and Pennsylvania. We wondered where the next attack would be. Of course, living in San Diego, a military-rich area, I wondered if our local military base would be a target for the next attack.

      On that day and the days following, I remember thinking, What am I doing? With so much uncertainty maybe it’s a bad time to start a new company, especially one that provides mostly non-essential services. After all, I assumed most of the professional A/V marketplace was geared toward private luxury residences, home theaters, and entertainment-oriented systems. Would people still purchase frivolities like home theater systems while the country seemed to be burning around them? Obviously, things calmed down over time, but all we could see in the moment were the first responders searching the World Trade Center for days, weeks, and even months.

      Deep down, I was confident and had faith that we would be successful; however, on that day, I wasn’t sure of much. I started asking a lot of questions. In the grand scheme of things, would A/V systems continue to be important enough to sustain a new company? I had a big mortgage to cover, not to mention a wife and three boys who liked to eat dinner each night and sleep in a warm home. Would my partners and I be able to build a viable company and support our families?

      I think most business owners question themselves from time to time, and I’m certainly no exception.

      Sept 11th was my first day as a business owner, and I was having some serious doubts.

      Many of the stories I tell about our business boil down to persistence, determination, the competitive nature of capitalism,

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