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 5 H

    Security Company Marketing That Actually Works in 2026 (SEO, AI & Lead Generation)

    Most security companies are still marketing like it’s 2015. The best operators are already adapting to AI search, modern SEO, and smarter outbound systems. In this episode of Entry & Exit, Stephen Olmon and Collin Trimble break down the marketing channels driving real growth for security companies today — from Google reviews and local SEO to AI optimization, outbound prospecting, and commercial lead generation. They share what’s working inside Alarm Masters, including the SEO strategy that helped land one of the biggest projects in company history, how AI platforms are changing customer behavior, and the channels that completely failed for them. Inside this episode: → Traditional SEO vs AI search optimization → How Google reviews impact lead flow → Outbound systems for commercial leads → Marketing channels that failed → Why tracking and attribution matter 🔗 More Entry & Exit — https://www.entryandexit.co/ Connect: Stephen Olmon — http://x.com/stephenolmon Collin Trimble — https://x.com/TXAlarmGuy Owned and Operated New Episodes Every Wednesday! Subscribe For More

    20 min

  2. HACE 2 DÍAS

    Founder’s Journey: The First 90 Days After Buying a Business

    Most people dream about buying a business. The first 90 days show you what ownership actually feels like. In this episode of Entry & Exit: Founder’s Journey, Stephen Olmon and Collin Trimble break down the chaotic first three months after acquiring Alarm Masters — from stolen equipment and blacklisted domains to learning every role inside the company. They share the real lessons from stepping into a service business as young operators: resisting the urge to change everything, surviving technology disasters, building trust with employees, and discovering what kind of company they actually wanted to build. From making collections calls and site visits to uncovering broken systems and redefining culture, this episode is a raw look at what happens after the deal closes — when the real work starts. Inside this episode: → Why they focused on being great employees before great owners → The brutal technology and email issues that hit immediately → Lessons on working capital, WIP projects, and key man risk → How they earned trust with technicians and staff → The discovery that shaped their sales-driven growth strategy → The coffee-drop tactic that became a scalable pipeline engine 🔗 More Entry & Exit — https://www.entryandexit.co/ Connect: Stephen Olmon — http://x.com/stephenolmon Collin Trimble — https://x.com/TXAlarmGuy Owned and Operated New Episodes Every Wednesday! Subscribe For More

    17 min

  3. 8 MAY

    How to Scale Your Business with AI (Without Replacing Your Team)

    AI won’t replace your team — but it will make them dramatically more effective. In this episode of Entry & Exit, Stephen Olmon and Collin Trimble break down how they’re using AI to scale a security business — from simple tools like ChatGPT to fully deployed agents handling quoting, support, and operations. From custom GPTs for sales and tech support to an estimation agent that turns plans into full quotes in minutes, this episode shows how AI drives efficiency, better customer experience, and margin growth — without cutting headcount. Inside this episode: → Why AI is both overhyped and underused → The 3 levels of AI adoption → Real examples across sales, ops, and finance → How one AI tool reduced multi-day estimates to 5 minutes → Why focus beats trying to automate everything 🔗 More Entry & Exit — entryandexit.com Connect: Stephen Olmon — http://x.com/stephenolmon Collin Trimble — https://x.com/TXAlarmGuy Owned and Operated New Episodes Every Wednesday! Subscribe For More

    19 min

  4. 6 MAY

    How We Bought a Security Company (And Why It Was the Perfect Industry)

    In this episode of Entry & Exit — part of the Founders Story Series, Stephen Olmon and Collin Trimble walk through how they went from software and small business experiments to acquiring their first security company — and why the industry checked every box they were looking for. They break down the real drivers behind their decision: recurring revenue, regulatory moats, fragmentation, and the opportunity to scale through acquisition. From discovering the “buy vs. build” path to finding the right deal (on the first try), this is a candid look at how their journey into security actually started — including what they got right, what they missed, and what almost killed the deal. If you’ve ever considered buying a business — or wondered why security continues to attract serious operators — this episode gives you the full origin story. Inside this episode:  → Why security stood out vs. HVAC, plumbing, and other trades  → The role of recurring revenue in making the model work  → How regulation and licensing create a competitive moat  → Finding and closing on their first deal (Alarm Masters)  → Mistakes they made during diligence and legal process  → How they financed the acquisition with an SBA loan 🔗 More Entry & Exit — https://entryandexit.com Connect:  Stephen Olmon — http://x.com/stephenolmon Collin Trimble — https://x.com/TXAlarmGuy Owned and Operated New Episodes Every Wednesday! Subscribe For More

    20 min

  5. 1 MAY

    Why Security Is the Perfect Industry for High-Ticket Sales

    Most trades sell one thing. Security sells four — and that changes everything. In this episode of Entry & Exit, Stephen Olmon and Collin Trimble break down why the security industry is uniquely built for high-ticket sales — and how operators turn small jobs into $50K–$100K+ projects. They unpack the core advantage: multi-scope selling across fire alarm, intrusion, video, and access control — plus the “fifth scope” that expands deals even further. From real-world deal breakdowns to the compounding power of recurring revenue, this episode shows why security isn’t just another trade — it’s a sales engine. Inside this episode:  → The 4 core scopes that drive high-ticket security deals  → Why security problems grow (and lead to bigger contracts)  → How a $35/month account can turn into a $75K project  → The role of urgency, regulation, and risk in closing deals  → Why recurring revenue is the “eighth wonder of the world” 🔗 More Entry & Exit — httpsentryandexit.com Connect: Stephen Olmon — http://x.com/stephenolmon Collin Trimble — https://x.com/TXAlarmGuy Owned and Operated New Episodes Every Wednesday! Subscribe For More

    15 min

  6. 29 ABR

    Greenfield vs. Acquisition: How to Scale a Security Business the Smart Way

    A security business doesn’t just grow one way — it’s built through smart expansion, whether that’s buying, building, or blending both. In this episode of Entry & Exit, Stephen Olmon and Collin Trimble break down the real tradeoffs between greenfielding a new location and acquiring an existing company in the security industry. From capital requirements to operational complexity, they walk through what actually drives success — and why the best operators don’t treat this as an either/or decision. They dig into the realities of starting from scratch vs. buying a platform, how to think about risk, and why having a repeatable playbook matters more than the strategy you choose. Plus, they unpack a hybrid approach that combines both tactics to scale faster and smarter. Inside this episode: → Greenfield vs. acquisition — the real pros and cons of each → Why having a playbook is the difference between scaling and stalling → The hidden risks (and advantages) of starting from scratch → How to test a new market before going all-in → The hybrid strategy: combining buy + build for maximum optionality 🔗 More Entry & Exit — entryandexit.com Connect:  Stephen Olmon — http://x.com/stephenolmon Collin Trimble — https://x.com/TXAlarmGuy Owned and Operated New Episodes Every Wednesday! Subscribe For More

    16 min

  7. 24 ABR

    $100K Security System Breakdown: Cameras, Access Control & More

    $100K Security Installs: Where the Money Actually Goes Burglar alarms aren’t the whole story anymore—and they’re definitely not $100K. In this episode of Entry & Exit, Stephen Olmon and Collin Trimble break down what actually makes up a six-figure security installation—and why the real money is in multi-scope projects. From cameras and access control to fire and intrusion, they walk through how modern security stacks are built, sold, and scaled—and why bundling multiple systems is the key to bigger deals and long-term revenue. They also unpack real-world project economics, margins, and what separates a $20K job from a $150K+ install. In this episode:  What a $100K security project actually includes  The “big four”: video, access, fire, and intrusion  Why multi-scope selling drives massive deal size  How camera systems and specialty hardware boost margins If you’re in security, HVAC, or home services, this is a tactical breakdown of how to think bigger—and sell smarter. More Entry & Exit — https://www.entryandexit.co/ 🔗 Connect Stephen OlmonCollin Trimble  Owned and Operated New Episodes Every Wednesday! Subscribe For More

    15 min

  8. 22 ABR

    How to Close High-Ticket Deals Using Sales Psychology

    Sales isn’t about talking more—it’s about understanding why people say yes. In this episode of Entry & Exit, Stephen Olmon and Collin Trimble break down the sales psychology behind closing high-ticket deals—especially in industries where trust, risk, and certainty matter most. They challenge the idea that great salespeople are extroverts, unpack why emotional intelligence beats raw IQ, and explain how top performers position themselves as the “safe choice” in high-stakes decisions. From uncovering real buyer motivations to building authority and confidence, this episode is a tactical deep dive into what actually drives deals across the finish line. In this episode:  Why high-ticket sales is driven by emotion—not logic  The role of fear, risk, and “playing it safe” in buying decisions  How to uncover what really matters to your customer  Why “What’s your biggest pain point?” is the wrong question If you sell anything high-value—or want to—this is your playbook for closing with confidence. More Entry & Exit — https://www.entryandexit.co/ 🔗 Connect Stephen Olmon Collin Trimble  Owned and Operated New Episodes Every Wednesday! Subscribe For More

    14 min
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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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