Entry & Exit - Inside the Security & Fire Industry

Stephen Olmon and Collin Trimble
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Entry & Exit is a podcast about building, scaling, and exiting security and fire businesses. Hosts Stephen Olmon and Collin Trimble share their journey growing Alarm Masters through acquisitions and organic growth, along with the lessons they’ve learned along the way. From recurring revenue strategies to sales, operations, and M&A, Entry & Exit gives business owners and entrepreneurs an inside look at what it takes to succeed in the security industry. Whether you’re starting your first company, growing past the owner-operator stage, or thinking about an eventual exit, you’ll find practical insights and real stories to guide your path.

  1. hace 12 h ·  Vídeo

    Why Traditional Alarm Companies Are Dying

    The traditional alarm company is changing fast. In this episode of Entry & Exit, Stephen Olmon and Collin Trimble explain why independent alarm companies are facing increasing pressure from industry consolidation, evolving customer expectations, and the shift toward video and access control. They discuss why recurring monitoring revenue is no longer enough, how the industry's most successful companies are adapting, and what security businesses need to do to stay competitive. They also explore the rise of modern security integrators, the operational changes required to scale, and why acquisitions are creating one of the biggest growth opportunities in the industry. If you own or operate a security company, this episode is a practical look at where the industry is heading,and how to prepare for what's next. In this episode: → Why independent alarm companies are being consolidated → How video and access control are replacing the traditional alarm model → The difference between an alarm company and a security integrator → Why recurring monitoring revenue is no longer enough → Building a scalable service and sales strategy → Using acquisitions to accelerate growth → How to cross-sell your existing customer base → Why the age of your customer base could become a major risk → The operational changes security companies need to make to survive the next decade Connect: Stephen Olmon — https://x.com/stephenolmon Collin Trimble — https://x.com/TXAlarmGuy Owned and Operated New Episodes Every Wednesday! Subscribe For More

  2. 29 jul ·  Vídeo

    From ChatGPT to AI Agents: How We're Using AI to Transform Our Business

    Most business owners are still using AI like a smarter search engine. They're missing where the real leverage begins. In this episode of Entry & Exit, Stephen Olmon and Collin Trimble pull back the curtain on their AI journey, from using ChatGPT to clean up emails to building AI agents that automate complex workflows across their business. They explain the mindset shift that changed everything, why treating AI like a digital employee unlocks entirely new possibilities, and how consolidating data inside Salesforce became the foundation for meaningful automation. They also break down the difference between simple automations and true AI agents, share how they built their own open-source AI stack without a software engineering background, and discuss the practical tools they're using today to create operational leverage. Whether you're just getting started with AI or looking to move beyond basic prompts, this episode offers a practical look at what's possible today. In this episode: → How Stephen and Collin went from AI skeptics to daily users → Why AI should be treated like a digital employee—not a chatbot → The importance of centralizing business data before adopting AI → The difference between automation and agentic AI → Building AI agents without a software engineering background → The open-source tools powering their AI workflows → How AI is helping automate sales, operations, and data analysis → Why the best time to start experimenting with AI is now Connect: Stephen Olmon — https://x.com/stephenolmon Collin Trimble — https://x.com/TXAlarmGuy Owned and Operated New Episodes Every Wednesday! Subscribe For More

  3. 22 jul ·  Vídeo

    AI Won't Replace Security Companies. But It Will Change Them.

    AI isn't coming for the security industry, but it is coming for companies that refuse to adapt. In this episode of Entry & Exit, Stephen Olmon and Collin Trimble explain why AI is becoming the biggest competitive advantage for security integrators. They discuss how operators can use AI to improve efficiency, protect margins, stay ahead of larger competitors, and why becoming "AI native" is no longer optional. They also share the simplest way to start implementing AI in your business today.  In this episode: → Why AI won't replace security companies—but will reshape the industry → The biggest mistake operators are making today → Why smaller companies have an advantage over larger competitors → How AI will impact margins and growth → The easiest way to start using AI in your business Connect: Stephen Olmon — https://x.com/stephenolmon Collin Trimble — https://x.com/TXAlarmGuy Owned and Operated New Episodes Every Wednesday! Subscribe For More

  4. 15 jul ·  Vídeo

    Your Service Department Is Your Best Salesperson

    The best sales strategy might not come from your sales team. It might come from your service department. In this episode of Entry & Exit, Stephen Olmon and Collin Trimble break down the playbook Alarm Masters uses to turn routine service calls into major commercial projects. They explain why leading with exceptional service builds trust faster than a sales pitch, how their teams work together to create new opportunities, and what it takes operationally to make the strategy successful.  In this episode: → Why service is Alarm Masters' biggest sales advantage → The playbook for turning service calls into major projects → Why the first dollar from a customer is the hardest to earn → Building enough service capacity to support growth → How sales and service teams work together to create opportunities → Using service history to uncover replacement projects → Why face-to-face prospecting still works in an AI-driven world → The operational mistakes that can derail this strategy Connect: Stephen Olmon — https://x.com/stephenolmon Collin Trimble — https://x.com/TXAlarmGuy Owned and Operated New Episodes Every Wednesday! Subscribe For More

  5. 8 jul ·  Vídeo

    The Leadership Hires That Actually Scale a Service Business

    Building a great service business requires more than hiring great technicians. It requires building the right leadership team. In this episode of Entry & Exit, Stephen Olmon and Collin Trimble share how they've approached key leadership hires at Alarm Masters. They discuss when to hire directors, why operations is often the first bottleneck, and how to know when your business is ready for executive-level talent. They also cover hiring ahead of growth, budgeting for A-players, lessons from promoting internally, and the framework they use to build a leadership team that can scale. In this episode:  When to make your first executive hire  Why operations becomes the biggest bottleneck  Hiring ahead of growth  Budgeting for A-player talent  Internal promotions vs. outside hires  Building your leadership team in the right order Connect: Stephen Olmon — https://x.com/stephenolmon Collin Trimble — https://x.com/TXAlarmGuy Owned and Operated New Episodes Every Wednesday! Subscribe For More

  6. 1 jul ·  Vídeo

    When to Fire a Customer (And When to Fight for Them)

    Difficult customers are inevitable. Losing great customers because you handled the situation poorly doesn't have to be. In this episode of Entry & Exit, Stephen Olmon and Collin Trimble break down the systems they use to handle customer complaints, payment disputes, and difficult conversations without letting emotions get in the way. They discuss why the best operators separate business from personal feelings, how customer history should influence your decisions, and when it actually makes sense to fire a customer. They also share the internal standards they've built at Alarm Masters, from eliminating gossip about customers to owning mistakes without throwing employees under the bus. If your business depends on recurring revenue and long-term customer relationships, these principles can help you protect both your reputation and your bottom line. In this episode: → Why you should never take customer conflict personally → How to prepare before every difficult customer call → When to refund, compromise, or hold your ground → Why long-term customers deserve a different approach → The danger of gossip inside your company → How to own mistakes without blaming your team → Creating internal standards for handling conflict → Protecting recurring revenue through better customer relationships Connect: Stephen Olmon — https://x.com/stephenolmon Collin Trimble — https://x.com/TXAlarmGuy Owned and Operated New Episodes Every Wednesday! Subscribe For More

  7. 26 jun ·  Vídeo

    Why Paying Salespeople More Makes Security Companies More Profitable

    Paying your sales team more sounds risky, until you realize it can actually make your business more profitable. In this episode of Entry & Exit, Stephen Olmon and Collin Trimble break down the compensation strategies that attract top-performing salespeople, drive better results, and help security companies scale. They discuss why most operators underpay their sales teams, the dangers of commission caps, how to structure base salary vs. variable compensation, and why trust and transparency are critical to retaining great reps. They also share lessons from building Alarm Masters' sales organization, including how they handle quotas, clawbacks, commission timing, and incentive structures that keep salespeople motivated without creating desperation. In this episode: → Why paying salespeople more can increase profitability → The ideal base salary vs. commission split → Why commission caps destroy motivation and growth → Common compensation mistakes security operators make → How to structure quotas, accelerators, and clawbacks → Why salespeople need a clear path to wealth → Creating compensation plans that scale with your business → The importance of transparency and predictable commission payouts Connect: Stephen Olmon — https://x.com/stephenolmon Collin Trimble — https://x.com/TXAlarmGuy Owned and Operated New Episodes Every Wednesday! Subscribe For More

  8. 24 jun ·  Vídeo

    The Security Industry's Best Lead Generation Channel Right Now

    Paid ads can be one of the fastest ways to grow a security company—or one of the fastest ways to waste money. In this episode of Entry & Exit, Stephen Olmon and Collin Trimble break down the paid advertising channels security operators should actually be paying attention to. From Google PPC and Meta ads to LinkedIn campaigns and competitive intelligence, they discuss where they're investing marketing dollars, what surprised them most about B2B lead generation, and why Facebook and Instagram may be outperforming traditional search for commercial security companies.  They also share how they're building new Meta campaigns, the importance of creative and messaging, how sales teams can improve marketing performance, and why most operators should avoid managing ad platforms on their own. In this episode: → Google PPC vs. Meta Ads for security companies  → Why Meta is outperforming expectations in B2B security marketing  → The biggest mistakes operators make with paid advertising  → How Facebook and Instagram find commercial buyers  → Using the Meta Ads Library for competitive intelligence  → What makes a high-performing security ad  → Why creative matters more than most operators think Connect: Stephen Olmon — https://x.com/stephenolmon Collin Trimble — https://x.com/TXAlarmGuy Owned and Operated New Episodes Every Wednesday! Subscribe For More

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Entry & Exit is a podcast about building, scaling, and exiting security and fire businesses. Hosts Stephen Olmon and Collin Trimble share their journey growing Alarm Masters through acquisitions and organic growth, along with the lessons they’ve learned along the way. From recurring revenue strategies to sales, operations, and M&A, Entry & Exit gives business owners and entrepreneurs an inside look at what it takes to succeed in the security industry. Whether you’re starting your first company, growing past the owner-operator stage, or thinking about an eventual exit, you’ll find practical insights and real stories to guide your path.

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