Connected Design Podcast

Lawrence Walters, founder of southeast Michigan’s Imagined Home Technology, joins Rob Stott to talk about starting over after a business failed and what it took to finish the jobs clients had already paid deposits on. Walters explains how those experiences shape the way he handles tough calls, builds trust with clients, and talks to builders about what technology can do for the homes they design and build.

Five stories on how connected spaces come together, from the design conversations that shape a home to the controls coordinating a resort. We close with AVIXA’s CEO handoff and David Labuskes’s take on what residential and commercial integrators could gain from being neighbors at RESIDE, Lightapalooza, and InfoComm.Stories and sources:1. Technology Design Collective at Design Edge Midwest — https://connecteddesign.tech/technology-design-collective-puts-collaboration-at-the-center-of-connected-spaces/2. Crestron's compact lighting modules — https://castercomm.com/client-newsroom/crestron-launches-two-next-generation-din-rail-lighting-modules-engineered-for-the-led-era3. Custom drivers for Josh.ai — https://next.josh.ai/stories/joshai-expands-installer-flexibility-with-nimble-devsuite-update4. Predictive cooling at Resorts World Sentosa — https://www.honeywell.com/us/en/news/press-releases/2026/11/resorts-world-sentosa-launches-ai-powered-sustainability-initiatives-in-partnership-with-honeywell-technologies5. AVIXA names its next CEO — https://www.avixa.org/resources/press-releases/avixa-announces-marco-pardi-as-new-chief-executive-officer

As he prepares to retire at the end of 2026, AVIXA CEO David Labuskes joins Rob Stott for a candid conversation about knowing when to step aside, planning for succession, and building a team that can carry an organization forward. Labuskes reflects on AVIXA's global reach, its collaborative culture, and the role curiosity plays in leadership.The conversation also explores RESIDE and Lightapalooza alongside InfoComm, why community is central to the effort, and how residential and commercial integrators could benefit from sharing a neighborhood. Along the way, Labuskes discusses his legacy, the work of serving distinct audiences, and the potential of unexpected connections.

A new, weekly series takes five stories that custom integrators need to know about and shares the details in five minutes or less.This week's five-story recap covers adaptable commercial spaces, audio planned around a Denver home's architecture, practical AI opportunities in lighting controls, Mitch Klein and Michael Braithwaite taking on new roles, and CEDIA's upcoming Smart Home Day. Each story connects the news with decisions facing integrators, designers, builders, and their project partners.Stories and sources:1. Integrators See Increasing Demand for Adaptable Commercial Spaces — Connected Designhttps://connecteddesign.tech/integrators-see-increasing-demand-for-adaptable-commercial-spaces/2. Sound That Belongs — Connected Designhttps://connecteddesign.tech/sound-that-belongs/3. AI Could Rewrite the Rules of Lighting Control — Inside Lighting, October 29https://inside.lighting/news/26-10/i-could-rewrite-rules-lighting-control4. Mitchell Klein Joins BlueConnect Partners — Connected Designhttps://connecteddesign.tech/mitchell-klein-joins-blueconnect-partners Just Video Walls Names Michael Braithwaite CTO — Connected Designhttps://connecteddesign.tech/just-video-walls-names-michael-braithwaite-cto5. CEDIA Leads Global Smart Home Day Activations for Second Year Running — CEDIAhttps://cedia.org/smart-home-professionals/news/cedia-leads-global-smart-home-day-activations-for-second-year-running

The Connected Design Podcast heads to L-Acoustics' Americas headquarters in Nashville for a conversation with Nick Fichte, global business development lead for hospitality, home, and yacht. Fresh from experiencing the company's HYRISS showroom, Rob Stott talks with Nick about the thinking behind the space, L-Acoustics' roots in live sound, and how its technology can help one room support everything from movies and music to karaoke, sports, and quiet conversation.They also explore the importance of room acoustics, the parallels between designing with sound and designing with light, and what helps architects and interior designers understand the possibilities. Nick shares lessons from a London design installation, discusses how growing awareness of spatial audio creates opportunities for the industry, and explains why successful projects depend on close collaboration among the manufacturer, integrator, design team, and client.