Entry & Exit - Inside the Security & Fire Industry

Stephen Olmon and Collin Trimble
  • 5.0 (5)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP

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.

Episodes

  1. DEC 17

    Lee Odess: Why Physical Security Is Becoming an Enterprise Software Business

    Hosts Stephen Olmon and Collin Trimble sit down with Lee Odess for a wide-ranging, no-nonsense conversation about the forces reshaping the security and life-safety industry—and why operators who keep treating cloud, mobile, and AI like “features” are already falling behind. Lee, one of the most connected voices in access control and physical security, makes the case that our industry is no longer evolving like a traditional hardware channel. Enterprise software norms are taking over: value is pooling in data, software, and architecture—not panels and readers. And that shift is happening now, not five years from now. They dig into what this actually means for operators on the ground. Why alarms will become the minority of security spend. Why access control and video are converging into platforms. Why vertical-specific solutions are replacing generic systems. And why the real risk isn’t disruption—it’s clinging to “old truths” that used to protect the industry but now actively hold it back. Lee also lays out the early warning signs operators should be watching for: losing deals to software-led solutions, manufacturers showing up with their own demand gen, revenue trapped in hardware margins, and brand-collector integrators who can’t operationalize what they sell. Throughout the conversation, one theme stays constant: this is an and moment, not an or moment. You can stay in the $10–12B high-security market—or reposition to compete in the $70B+ mainstream market—but you can’t pretend the choice doesn’t exist. The episode closes with a clear, tactical starting point for owners of legacy security businesses: erase the old mental model, define a 30-year vision, and rebuild your product mix, partners, and talent around where value is actually going—not where it used to live. ✨ What You’ll Learn Why physical security is being reshaped by enterprise software—not incremental tech upgradesThe difference between treating cloud, mobile, and AI as features vs. architectureWhy alarms are becoming a minority of total security investmentEarly warning signs your business model is quietly falling behindHow value is shifting from hardware margins to software, data, and systems integration🔗 Connect  Lee Odess Stephen Olmon Collin Trimble More Entry & Exit  Owned and Operated New Episodes Every Wednesday! Subscribe For More

    48 min

  2. DEC 10

    RMR: The 8th Wonder of the Security Business (Here’s Why Buyers Pay More)

    Hosts Stephen Olmon and Collin Trimble go deep on recurring monthly revenue (RMR) in the security and fire-alarm industry—why it’s the heartbeat of the business, the biggest driver of valuation confidence, and the single most stabilizing force for operators trying to scale without cash-flow whiplash. They unpack how RMR smooths payroll, fuels growth investments, and answers the only question buyers ultimately care about: where is the next dollar coming from? From there, the Alarm Masters partners get specific on what “great” actually looks like. They lay out the RMR-to-topline ratios they see across company sizes, explain why big projects can quietly distort your mix if you’re not squeezing every available recurring dollar, and clarify that even EBITDA-based deals live or die on the quality and density of RMR. They also walk through the five major buckets of RMR—monitoring, software subscriptions, hardware-as-a-service, maintenance plans, and managed services—plus the real tradeoffs between margin and stickiness. Burg monitoring might throw off 65–75% gross profit but churns more. Cloud access/video subscriptions run lower margin yet can be sub-1% attrition because the hardware and software are inseparable. Their core message: win by being multi-service per account, stacking recurring layers until switching costs make churn irrational. Finally, they bring it home with an operator’s playbook: your back office must be built to bill and offboard RMR cleanly, your techs must be trained so installs stay profitable, and your salespeople must be comped like RMR is the main product—because it is. If you want to hit the “mature business” benchmark, they give you the homework to map your current base, model your path to 50% RMR, and tighten your execution over the next 12–24 months. ✨ What You’ll Learn Why contracted RMR creates stability and higher valuation confidenceThe “golden” RMR mix by company size—and why 50% topline RMR is the maturity markerHow big projects can tank your RMR ratio if you don’t engineer recurring dollars into every jobThe five buckets of RMR and how to prioritize them by margin vs. attrition🔗 Connect Stephen Olmon — http://x.com/stephenolmon Collin Trimble — https://x.com/TXAlarmGuy More Entry & Exit — https://www.entryandexit.co/ Owned and Operated New Episodes Every Wednesday! Subscribe For More

    46 min

  3. DEC 3

    The $1M Service Department Mistake Most Owners Make

    Hosts Stephen Olmon and Collin Trimble tackle one of the most misunderstood parts of a security & fire-alarm business: the service department. Too many owners treat service like a cost of doing business—something you begrudgingly do to keep customers from canceling. That mindset is killing growth and lowering valuations. In this episode, the Alarm Masters partners break down why service is actually the tip of the spear for customer experience, one of the most controllable revenue streams in the company, and a huge driver of enterprise value. They share real examples of how service failures cause churn, how tight process and communication prevent blowups, and why “see you tomorrow” has to be built into the DNA of your service culture. They also get tactical on profitability: how to schedule tighter, keep tech utilization high, price service competitively without racing to the bottom, and actively create service demand instead of waiting for the phone to ring. If you’re buying companies, scaling one, or planning to sell, this is a playbook for turning service into recurring, predictable, high-margin revenue. ✨ What You’ll Learn - Why your service department is the #1 driver of customer experience (and cancellations) - How service can be more profitable than projects when run right - The exact process + communication landmines that cause churn - How to use non-customer service calls to win new monitoring accounts - What to look for in a great service manager (and why the default picks usually fail) 💼 Big Reputation — Stop chasing reviews and watching competitors outrank you. Big Reputation is the AI-powered review + SEO platform built for home service pros. Automate review generation, respond with AI, track local SEO, and integrate with your CRM. Setup is free, and your first month’s on the house. 👉 Book your demo 🔗 Connect  Stephen Olmon Collin Trimble More Entry & Exit  Owned and Operated New Episodes Every Wednesday! Subscribe For More

    43 min

  4. NOV 26

    Buying a Business? Here’s How to Find a Deal That Isn’t Trash

    Hosts Stephen Olmon and Collin Trimble get tactical on the question they hear nonstop: “How do you actually find deals worth buying?” After seven acquisitions in three years, the Alarm Masters partners break down why quality lead flow is hard in fire & life-safety, what “deal size” really means in this industry, and how to build a sourcing engine that doesn’t rely on luck. They walk through the real-world channels that drive acquisition opportunities—brokers, vendors, referral partners, conferences, and owner-to-owner relationships— plus the hidden tradeoffs between big competitive processes and smaller “hairy” tuck-ins. Along the way, they share the most common landmines they see buyers step on (key-man risk, messy RMR data, underpaid teams, weak SOPs, unrealistic add-backs), and how to tighten your buy box so the right deals start finding you. If you’re serious about buying a “book of accounts,” a local competitor, or your next platform—but don’t have a repeatable way to source or qualify deals—this episode is your playbook to stop chasing random listings and start building real deal flow. ✨ What You’ll Learn Why finding good acquisition leads is so hard right nowThe difference between great deals and available dealsThe “hair” to expect in sub-$1M EBITDA / smaller RMR buysBrokered vs off-market deals (and why neither is automatically better)Vendor & partner channels that actually produce leads💼 Shoutout to Quick Staffers LLC  Need trained HVAC & plumbing CSRs at a fraction of the cost? Quick Staffers LLC specializes in placing top-tier global talent with the best SOPs and scripts.  🔥 Get $1,000 off your first placement here  Stephen Olmon Collin Trimble More Entry & Exit Owned and Operated New Episodes Every Wednesday! Subscribe For More

    47 min

  5. NOV 19

    Buying a Business and How to Merge Successfully

    Hosts Stephen Olmon and Collin Trimble lay the groundwork for M&A in security & life-safety, how to buy your first (or next) company without blowing up your P&L or culture. They unpack how they’ve bought 6 (soon to be 7) alarm businesses in under two years, why they’ve stayed in their lane with RMR-heavy alarm companies, and how to think about platforms, add-ons, and tuck-ins before you ever sign an LOI. From choosing the right type of security company (integrator vs alarm, commercial vs residential), to navigating RMR vs EBITDA valuations, to financing and due diligence, this episode is your primer on doing deals that actually make you richer, not just busier. If you’re daydreaming about “buying a book of accounts” or a shop in the next city but haven’t nailed your strategy, financing, or integration plan, this one’s for you. ✨ What You’ll Learn M&A Fit > M&A FOMOTypes of Security Companies to Buy (or Avoid)Platforms vs Add-Ons vs Tuck-Ins💼 Extra Special Thanks to Service Scalers! We’ve been partnering with Service Scalers to maximize our Local Service Ads (LSAs) and optimize our Google My Business profiles, and the results have been incredible. With hundreds of thousands in sales and 900+ calls in a single week, GMBs are now our top-performing organic lead channel. Want to learn how Service Scalers can do the same for you?  🔗Check Them Out Here     🔗 Connect Stephen Olmon  Collin Trimble Owned and Operated New Episodes Every Wednesday! Subscribe For More

    51 min

  6. NOV 12

    The Hidden Secret to Faster Quotes and Higher Margins

    Hosts Stephen Olmon and Collin Trimble break down how to fix the bottleneck that strangles growing security & life-safety companies: design and quoting. They share the people/process/tech playbook to get proposals out in 24–72 hours, tighten scopes, and hand ops clean jobs. From building a repeatable estimation playbook to leveraging international talent and AI for door hardware and camera selection, this episode is your roadmap to faster quotes, higher win rates, and better margins. If you’re still cranking proposals at 10pm—or relying on sales reps to “figure it out” in spreadsheets—this one’s for you. ✨ What You’ll Learn Speed Wins Deals: Why time-to-quote beats price—and how to hit 24–72 hour turnarounds.The 3 Pillars: People, process, tech—how to staff solution engineering, document heuristics, and keep quoting inside the CRM.Stop Owner-Quoted Chaos: Why owners and sales reps shouldn’t be building estimates—and what to do instead.The Estimation Playbook: What photos, notes & drawings sales must capture, plus the heuristics (labor, cable, markup) your team needs.🔗 Connect Stephen Olmon Collin Trimble  More Entry & Exit  Owned and Operated New Episodes Every Wednesday! Subscribe For More

    43 min

  7. NOV 5

    How To Make Your Business Run Without You

    Hosts Stephen Olmon and Collin Trimble unpack how technology builds sellable, scalable security & life-safety companies. They reveal how connected systems—CRM, billing, and field service—create a “Customer 360” that boosts customer experience, drives predictable revenue, and reduces key-person risk.  If you want to exit someday (or just stop living in spreadsheet hell), this is your roadmap. From tech stacks to tactical CRM setup, you’ll learn how to modernize your ops and build a business that runs on systems—not you. ✨ What You’ll Learn Build to Sell: Why every business should be built to be sold—even if you never plan to exit. Customer 360: How integrated CRMs and connected tech personalize service at scale and increase retention. CRM as Backbone: Why your CRM—not your inbox or spreadsheet—should be the center of your customer experience. Avoid Key-Man Risk: How systemized processes make your company more valuable and acquirable. Homework: Step-by-step setup—pick your CRM, load your top accounts, connect your website, and start tracking customer data today. 💼 Extra Special Thanks to Service Scalers! We’ve been partnering with Service Scalers to maximize our Local Service Ads (LSAs) and optimize our Google My Business profiles, and the results have been incredible. With hundreds of thousands in sales and 900+ calls in a single week, GMBs are now our top-performing organic lead channel.  Want to learn how Service Scalers can do the same for you?  🔗Check Them Out Here  🔗 Connect  Stephen Olmon Collin Trimble More Entry & Exit — https://www.entryandexit.co/ Owned and Operated New Episodes Every Wednesday! Subscribe For More

    39 min

  8. OCT 29

    How to Build a Security Company That Actually Closes New Deals

    Hosts Stephen Olmon and Collin Trimble get practical and tactical on winning new logos in security & life-safety. They break down how to niche your ICP, keep your message consistent, split lead vs. sales process, and get multithreaded so you close more deals—without wasting budget on broad, unfocused marketing. From anchor pricing and social proof snapshots to CRM must-haves, this is the field guide to predictable pipeline and higher close rates. ✨ What You’ll Learn Niche to win: How vertical focus (e.g., K-12 & universities) sharpens messaging, improves ops, and raises credibility.ICP, not guesswork: Turn real customer interviews into a usable Ideal Customer Profile that drives copy, offers, and outreach.Lead vs. Sales process: Why separating them boosts qualification, reduces time vampires, and increases conversions.Multithreading that matters: Get beyond one facility manager to influencers and power—so you don’t lose single-threaded deals.💼Shoutout to Avoca AI! Looking to train your call center and improve technician performance? Avoca AI helps teams identify issues, improve call quality, and drive results from start to finish. 🔗 Schedule a demo 💼 Extra Special Thanks to Service Scalers! We’ve been partnering with Service Scalers to maximize our Local Service Ads (LSAs) and optimize our Google My Business profiles, and the results have been incredible. With hundreds of thousands in sales and 900+ calls in a single week, GMBs are now our top-performing organic lead channel. Want to learn how Service Scalers can do the same for you? 🔗Check Them Out Here 🔗 Connect Stephen Olmon Collin Trimble MORE Entry & Exit Owned and Operated — https://www.ownedandoperated.com/ Owned and Operated New Episodes Every Wednesday! Subscribe For More

    54 min

  9. OCT 22

    The Secret to Growing a Security Company Fast!

    Welcome to Entry & Exit — the Owned and Operated series for builders in security & life-safety. Hosts Stephen Olmon and Collin Trimble break down how to make your company sale-ready long before you sell: architecting a team that’s bigger than the owner, shifting from one-time installs to recurring revenue, and building a repeatable sales + service engine that PE buyers love. From SDR/AE/SE role design to skills-based routing and an estimation playbook, this is a practical blueprint for predictable growth and a stronger exit. ✨ What You’ll Learn Design for exit early: reduce key-man risk, diversify revenue, and make the business run without you.RMR as the growth engine: why we sell cloud/subscription solutions by default—and when to walk from non-subscription deals.Cash vs. contracts (hybrid): trading some upfront GP for higher enterprise value via contracted recurring revenue.Sales org that scales: split roles (SDR → AE → Solutions Engineer) so AEs spend time in front of customers.🔗 Connect  Stephen Olmon Collin Trimble Owned and Operated Owned and Operated New Episodes Every Wednesday! Subscribe For More

    48 min

  10. OCT 15

    How the Best Security Integrators Hit $10M and Keep Growing

    Welcome to Entry & Exit — the Owned and Operated series for builders in security & life-safety. Hosts Stephen Olmon and Collin Trimble lay out exactly how they’re scaling Alarm Masters past eight figures after buying it at ~$2M revenue — growing to $6M+ in ~24 months through 4 tuck-ins and a 50/50 mix of organic and inorganic growth, with 50%+ RMR growth in Year 1.  From face-to-face selling to buying RMR accounts and mining your install base, this episode is a step-by-step operating manual you can copy. ✨ What You’ll Learn The 3 revenue pillars (Install, Service, RMR) — and how to think about target marginsWhy fire-alarm monitoring is the best land → expand wedge (opens doors to 5 scopes: cameras, access, fire, intercom, PA)The coffee/taco drop: a $5 in-person touch that creates pipeline and stickinessThe metric that matters: 7–10 face-to-face meetings = ~90% win rate (vs. 7 = steep drop)Buying RMR the right way (typical RMR multiples and how to turn one contract into projects, service & managed services)Building a B2B sales process around relationship & information: BANT, anchor pricing, and sequencing meetings🔗 Connect  Stephen Olmon — http://x.com/stephenolmon Collin Trimble — https://x.com/TXAlarmGuy John Wilson — https://x.com/WilsonCompanies Owned and Operated — https://www.ownedandoperated.com/ Owned and Operated New Episodes Every Wednesday! Subscribe For More

    51 min

  11. OCT 8

    How to Build, Scale, and Sell a Security or Fire Protection Business

    Welcome to Entry & Exit — the new Owned and Operated series for builders in the security & life-safety world. Hosts Stephen Olmon and Collin Trimble share how they grew Alarm Masters from under $2M to ~3× revenue, including +50% RMR growth in Year 1. From recurring revenue (RMR) to acquisitions and organic growth, this episode breaks down what it really takes to scale a security business — and eventually position it for a successful exit. ✨ What You’ll Learn -The 3 revenue pillars (Install, Service, RMR) and target margins - Why buying monitoring accounts opens doors to 5 scopes (cameras, access, fire, intercom, PA) - The coffee/taco drop strategy that keeps customers sticky & cross-sold - How Alarm Masters went from 1st deal → 4 acquisitions → $6M+ in just 2 years - Lessons on hiring, ops leadership, and competing with the national giants - What buyers look for when evaluating your business (RMR %, retention, service cadence) 🔗 Connect Stephen Olmon Collin Trimble  Owned and Operated New Episodes Every Wednesday! Subscribe For More

    52 min
  • 11 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

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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