GLOBAL ELECTRONIC SECURITY FORUM
Vol. 1, No. 7 JULY 2025
Page 20
By; Kelly Bond, Bridgepoint Advisors
Featuring: Stan Matysiak, AiN Group
Running a business can be incredibly rewarding, but it also brings
its own set of challenges--especially in the security industry, where
operations run around the clock. Balancing responsibilities like hiring
the right people, adopting new technology and keeping customers
satisfied often leads to high pressure and sleepless nights. Over the
last several months, I’ve continued to share stories from business
owners who are candidly opening up about what’s keeping them
awake and the strategies they’re using to face those challenges
head-on.
This month I spoke with Stan Matysiak, Founder and President of
the AiN Group.
Stan- please tell us about your business.
The AiN Group is a national network of independently owned
low-voltage dealers and integrators. While outsiders think of us as a
buying group, we really operate as much more than that. Our mem-
bers gain access to exclusive product lines with leading manufacturers
and national account opportunities that might otherwise be out of
reach for smaller businesses.
Beyond products, The AiN Group is about community—we share
best practices, collaborate on business strategies, and support each
other’s growth. It’s a unique ecosystem designed to help independent
companies stay competitive, grow faster, and access new market seg-
ments they may not have been able to reach on their own.
What’s one thing that keeps you up at night?
SM: For me it’s what doesn’t keep me up at night, but there are
two primary concerns that continue to weigh on my mind. The lack
of interest from Gen Z in pursuing careers within our industry would
be at the top of the list. Unlike previous generations, Gen Z tends to
place their greatest importance on selecting careers which align with
their passions. Schedule flexibility and greater responsibility to social
and environmental initiatives also appear to factor heavily for the new
generation in our workforce.
The perception from the younger generation that our industry does
not meet these criteria and the resulting lack of good candidates to
hire as a result of it is disheartening. It just isn’t an appealing line of
work to the average young professional, and the impact it will have on
the industry’s future is worrisome. Secondly, the security industry is
not researching, developing and announcing new, exciting, innovative
products at the rate of other progressive companies like Tesla, Ama-
zon or Nvidia. The lack of innovation and excitement gets me caught
up in wondering how it will survive another decade or century.
How have you worked to overcome it?
SM: We are working with our members on how to promote the
fact that smart security systems and automation technologies are
transforming daily life, improving home and business safety and
increasing energy efficiency. We put great effort into engaging with
our members to understand their challenges. We have expanded
our offerings to the Outdoor Living segment to create new customer
opportunities for our members and provide them the ability to offer
exciting new products that give that WOW factor. On a company
level, we are attending more industry expos and manufacturers’
What Keeps Security Business Owners Up At Night? Ed. 11
events to better understand the competitive products in the market.
There is much to take away from attending these events that we take
back to our members to ignite a spark.
What advice do you offer other business owners?
SM: We plan to offer a best business practices panel on this topic
at our next Live & Learn Conference at the Baha Mar in the Bahamas
in January. This will be a workshop of sorts to focus on how our
members can attract the younger generation to careers in this
industry. The presentation will educate those in attendance on how to
highlight the innovation that exists in the industry, how to utilize case-
use examples of thwarting the bad guys in their community and how
to effectively communicate the purpose and growth opportunities.
Young professionals are drawn to fields that merge cutting-edge
technology with meaningful impact. Emphasizing the role of smart
technology, AI integrations and sustainability in protecting homes and
businesses can appeal to their self-developed tech-savvy and socially
conscious mindset. Additionally, fostering a modern, flexible work-
place culture with continuous learning can be very enticing for the
many great candidates of this generation.
Stan, thank you for sharing your concern about the lack of
new potential candidates and how we can be working to
generate their interest in the security industry.
As we’ve seen from Stan’s insights, the future of the security
industry depends not only on innovation and technology, but also on
our ability to attract and inspire the next generation. The challenges
keeping business owners up at night, whether it’s staffing, stagnation
in product development, or industry perception, are real, but not
insurmountable. By fostering collaboration, sharing solutions, and
staying focused on purpose-driven growth, we can shape an industry
that remains vital, relevant, and resilient. I look forward to continuing
these important conversations in the months ahead.
About Kelly:
Kelly Bond brings over twenty-five years of industry
experience to her clients. A 2024 inductee into
the Security Sales and Integration Hall of Fame,
she serves as Partner of Bridgepoint Advisors
LLC, representing buyers and sellers of alarm and
integration companies.
About: Stan:
Stan Matysiak is the President and owner of AiN
Group, a company he founded in 2001. As President,
Stan is responsible for overseeing the company’s
operations and ensuring that clients receive the
highest level of service possible. With a career in the
security industry spanning over 38 years, his prior
experience included his time at Ademco and later
with First Alert, where he created the First Alert
Professional Dealer Program.