D-Tools Podcast #20: 'What's the Buzz' about... Buzz Delano

The latest edition of the D-Tools “What’s the Buzz” podcast features well-known industry veteran Buzz Delano of consulting firm Delano Associates.

Delano revealed in the podcast that his real first name is Hugh, and he was given the nickname Buzz by his dad as a young boy, which stuck. After years in the industry working for companies such as SAE Amplifiers and Sonance, Delano launched his successful consulting company, Delano Associates, decades ago. He has recently undertaken a new venture as part of his consulting work with a news-oriented website, newsletter, and podcast called Delano News Advance (DelanoDNA). He joined D-Tools’ Jason Knott and Tim Bigoness to discuss why he saw a gap in the existing industry media space and some of the surprising revelations he has already learned from his various podcast guests.

“About a year ago I started thinking about what I could do that could bolt on to Delano Associates,” he recalls. The idea was to extend the reach of his business, expand his relationships, and impart to the industry some of what he has learned in his decades in the industry. The result was DelanoDNA, where he hosts podcast discussions with various industry leaders, while also covering key trends and addressing important news.

"The interview format I like the most and I think works the best is having two people," says Delano.

The podcast discussions cover a wide range of issues regarding business and technology trends and best practices.

"I have noticed that more integrators are willing to share information about their businesses with their teams than they were 15 or 20 years ago." — Buzz Delano, Delano Associates

One of the more surprising trends he has recognized from his podcasts is that integrators tend to be more open with their staffs than in the past.

“I am finding that more integrators—no matter what their scale—are getting better organized. I have noticed that more integrators are willing to share information about their businesses with their teams than they were 15 or 20 years ago. It seems that non-owners of companies tend to know a lot more about where the company is going, giving them a greater voice. So, I think that is good and hopefully it is a trend for small businesses in general,” he says.

A recent installment featured veteran NYC integrators Keith Cottrell of Electronic Environments NY and Ed Gilmore of Gilmore’s Sound Advice. Both companies were recently acquired (EENY by Daisy and Gilmore’s by AHT Global), so the duo discussed the reasons for the buyouts and what the future holds.

From that discussion, Delano was surprised to hear how difficult it is to operate a business in New York City, noting how both Cottrell and Gilmore said their technicians only have the ability to work for about 5 hours per day on projects due to traffic, parking, and other big-city factors.

To subscribe to the DelanoDNA newsletter, watch the podcasts, or read the content, visit www.delanodna.com.