Volume 76 | October 29, 2024
Welcome to Brief 76
I am two weeks off from my trip to the United Kingdom to keynote AMAG's SES24 conference and I share my summary and key takeaways below. Long and short - it comes down to desire and execution. Thank you to the AMAG team and community for the opportunity to be there and get a first-hand understanding of whats behind this new AMAG.
Before diving into it, I wanted to share a couple of updates:
Next up for me is:
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Today I am at Brivo's Cloud Security Summit in Austin, Texas (coverage)
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Executive Meeting at DMP in Missouri with an industry dinner in Kansas City (coverage)
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Stop in Chicago to meet with Liftmaster/Chamberlain (coverage)
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I'm back in NY for ISC East, where we're activating the Critical Infrastructure Pavilion in partnership with the show and helping host a VIP breakfast with CoreWillSoft. We will be doing a takeover of the ISC LinkedIn handle on 10/31.
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Another trip to New York for the Security Investor Conference by Imperial Capital (speaking and coverage)
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Then to Groenlo, NL (outside Amsterdam) to meet with the leadership team at NEDAP (coverage)
Also, keep an eye out for the following:
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Intersec Dubai and the Thought Leadership Pavilion
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ISC West in Las Vegas with the AI Zone and much more
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The Security Event in Birmingham, UK, with the XForum and the Night of Access industry night happy hour (RSVP now as we only have 100 spots for what will be a great night of fun and networking)
Hilary and I met this week and planned out 2025, and it looks great! If you're hosting your annual sales kickoffs or partner events, looking to do something different in a trade show booth, or would like me to visit your headquarters for a write-up and strategy session, please reach out.
As always, your feedback is invaluable to us. Please let me know if there's any area where we can better meet your expectations.
Now, let's get into the main topic of this Brief...
Thank you!
PS: I am sure some of you may forward this, but please do so sparingly and encourage others to sign up here. Thank you!
AMAG's Strategic Pivot: A First-Hand Account from Tewkesbury
When I announced my attendance at AMAG's conference, the response was overwhelming. Messages flooded in across text, Slack, and LinkedIn. The reason for such interest? It's AMAG's unique position in the security industry. A company with deep historical roots, an impressive enterprise customer base, a fiercely loyal channel network, and alums spread across the globe's security landscape. This blend of factors sets AMAG apart and piques the interest of the industry, stakeholders, and potential partners.
Add to this mix David Sullivan, a seasoned CEO known for both his strong opinions and ability to generate them in others, alongside Kyle Gordon, widely regarded as a rising industry leadership talent (and before you ask β he's content where he is), and you get two things:
1. Strong Opinions
2. Genuine Intrigue
Both resonate deeply with me, so I jumped at the chance to witness AMAG first-hand and speak at their inaugural Security Executive Summit (SES) in Tewkesbury, UK.
The Power of Place
By now, you all know my conviction that a company's geographical origins profoundly shape its past, present, and future. While our industry often shies away from such "soft" factors in favor of technical specifications, visiting these companies in their native environment β sharing a meal with their people and absorbing their local culture β reveals how deeply place influences organizational DNA.
Tewkesbury: More Than a Location
Located 2 hours west of Heathrow (or a quick 1 hour drive South from Birmingham), Tewkesbury embodies the English charm. The high street bustles with traditional pubs, an excellent bookstore, artisanal food shops, and centuries of history. Though Uber remains notably absent, modern conveniences like Tesco have arrived with urban expansion.
After checking into my hotelβa fascinating hybrid of a historical, social club, and modern resortβI set out for a run through the town center (and to remedy my rookie mistake of bringing the wrong power converter). Within just 1.5 miles, I encountered medieval battlegrounds, local cider, religious heritage, and, thankfully, a charger. This is quintessentially British: a blue-collar town proud of its local industry and craftsmanship.
Notably, when mentioning AMAG to locals, their faces lit up with personal connections β stories of friends or family who had worked there. Their surprise at learning about the large conference in town revealed something telling: AMAG hadn't hosted such an event in the UK before. This oversight, likely a casualty of multiple ownership changes, shows how companies can lose touch with their roots. However, the new leadership team's choice to host SES here signals a welcome reconnection with AMAG's heritage.
The Venue: Mastering the Single-Location Format
The event occurred at a countryside resort with a golf course, spa, and squash courts. AMAG's complete takeover of the facility, from accommodations to dining spaces, created an immersive yet comfortable environment. The sprawling layout prevented any sense of confinement, offering various spaces from breakfast restaurants to piano rooms, multiple bars, and a central conference area.
The mid-week scheduling (Wednesday-Thursday) demonstrated respect for attendees' time β a refreshing departure from the industry's historical weekend-heavy event calendar. This shift acknowledges a crucial evolution in professional expectations.
Format and Content: Finding Their Footing
The inaugural event earned a solid B for format. The emphasis lay on reestablishing AMAG's identity and future direction, with most presentations focused on company strategy and a headquarters tour. While this internal focus served its purpose, attendees expressed interest in hearing more peer experiences and implementation stories β feedback that will likely shape future iterations.
Key Presentations
Opening Welcome
James Clark set the tone with a welcome address emphasizing partnership values, followed by David Sullivan's comprehensive overview. Sullivan's presentation struck an impressive balance: acknowledging AMAG's recent challenges while conveying genuine enthusiasm for its future trajectory. His digital transformation strategy revealed a nuanced understanding of how to leverage AMAG's established foundation for future innovation.
Strategic Vision
While specific details remain confidential, the outlined strategy encompasses comprehensive evolution across product development, manufacturing, service delivery, channel relationships, and corporate culture. Allied Universal's backing emerged as a crucial differentiator, mirroring the advantageous position LenelS2 enjoys with Honeywell's support.
Leadership in Action
Kyle Gordon's presentation demonstrated authentic leadership through public accountability, addressing customers and AMAG employees with clear expectations and commitments.
Industry Perspective
My presentation on Inevitable Trends explored global observations, 2025 predictions, and a call to action for the industry to embrace its full potential. The access control industry can drive unprecedented operational efficiencies and revenue generation if we evolve beyond traditional paradigms.
Product Roadmap
Jennifer Marx and Michael Kobaly product team presentation offered glimpses of next-generation solutions, though questions remain about balancing legacy support with innovation. Their definition of "enterprise" will prove crucial in navigating this transition.
AMAG at the Crossroads
AMAG is at a pivotal moment, facing a choice between maintaining its traditional 5% growth trajectory and pursuing the $100B market opportunity ahead. Their strategy differentiates them from historical peers like LenelS2 and newcomers like Verkada, charting a unique path that embraces heritage and innovation.
Success will hinge on three critical factors:
1. Execution excellence
2. Market Timing
3. Organizational desire
The foundation is solid: strong customer relationships, channel partnerships, market readiness, and resources are all in place. The question is whether AMAG β from leadership to engineering to Allied Universal and their channel partners β possesses the collective will to execute this ambitious vision.
It's early days, but AMAG has entered the game. And that's something worth watching.
