All Pro Sound, located in Pensacola, Florida, is a large systems contractor with a small business philosophy. The company began 25 years ago as a small audio equipment and contracting firm. Led by President Richard Couture, employees would sell gear during the day while moonlighting as systems installers, working nights and weekends to grow the company. This work ethic, and the friendly, courteous service delivered by All Pro Sound staff, remain part of the company’s culture.
Today, a 43,000 square-foot facility and a staff of nearly 100 audiovisual professionals helps the company meet the audiovisual and lighting needs of churches, schools, and government buildings in all 50 states. All Pro Sound has evolved into a three-phased business, specializing in commercial audio contracting, audio equipment sales, and custom residential systems installations.
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| John Fuqua Director of commercial/residential systems contracting |
John Fuqua, director of commercial/residential systems contracting, reports that the company produces annual revenue approaching $30 million. “Growth has been steady, with a productivity-based structure that produces consistent results in all areas,” he says.
The management group includes President Richard Couture; Directors of Commercial/Residential Systems Contracting, Fuqua and Bobby Taylor, and Director of Commercial Equipment Sales, Creighton Jordan.
Fuqua shared his thoughts with Church Production Magazine (CPM), discussing trends that will affect the company’s house of worship clients, and explaining why All Pro Sound treats its religious market clients just like any other customer.
CPM: What differentiates All Pro Sound from other companies?
Fuqua: All Pro Sound is a unique firm that specializes in three major areas. First, the company was founded in systems contracting for audio, video, and theatrical lighting. The second area is commercial/pro equipment sales and the third is residential systems equipment sales and contracting. This combination of assets allows us to be very competitive on equipment sales and pass our buying power on to commercial and residential contracting clients. A dedicated team of sales/designers, technicians, and support personnel promote quality from start to finish.
CPM: How has All Pro Sound evolved over the years?
Fuqua: All Pro Sound has evolved from a small equipment sales and installation company to one of the largest systems integrators in the nation, fluent in all types of commercial and residential systems.
CPM: What are some of the major goals you have set out for the company?
Fuqua: Continuation of controlled growth, maintaining customer satisfaction, and positioning our workforce for the forward march of technology. [To] do what we enjoy doing!
CPM: What are some of the main initiatives you have launched, or are in the process of launching?
Fuqua: The main initiative of this company is to continue to develop a highly skilled workforce that can easily adapt to changing trends in the audiovisual field. Maintain profitability and keep pace with industry advancements. Enhance productivity-based plans to reward those who make it happen.
CPM: What are some of the challenges you face in taking All Pro Sound into the next stage of its growth?
Fuqua: The challenges we face are to maintain profitability and to grow while continuing to improve results. Is growth good if the cost outweighs the profit?
CPM: How will you do this?
Fuqua: To meet the challenges of remaining profitable, we constantly keep a finger on the pulse of All Pro Sound from a gain/loss prospective while measuring our staffing needs versus the amount of work we do. Historically, we have grown at a rate of around 10 percent per year. There are many factors in sustaining growth and then understanding when growth no longer results in higher profit, but just adding people, which actually cuts profitability. Confusing?
CPM: No, what you said makes sense. But how do you keep your growth rate up without cutting profitability? Fuqua: We are always looking for ways to streamline installation methods. Continuing to educate our technical forces to remain competitive as technology changes. Working smarter, not harder, as the saying goes. Knowing when to say no and to continue delivering the best systems for the dollar spent.
CPM: What are your thoughts on growth potential in the religious market?
Fuqua: The house of worship market continues to grow. The complexity of the systems and the desire for “enhanced” worship is the driving force behind most churches. Seventy percent of our systems integration is based in church system design/build. This is due to our ability to provide a complete “turnkey” package inclusive of audio, video, and lighting.
CPM: How will you address this market over the next several years?
Fuqua: We continue to assess the needs and desires of churches so that the systems we design are among the most technologically advanced, yet user friendly, systems available. Refinement and enhancement are the key words here.
CPM: Do you approach the religious market differently from others?
Fuqua: I think that is where we are different. We approach the rest of the market the same as we do the religious market. That is where we do most of our business. We know the church market and it requires a vast knowledge of worship styles, denominations and other factors to produce consistent results. Churches — just like any [of our] other clients — require honesty and integrity. We hear of too many stories of churches being taken advantage of. We take this work very seriously.
CPM: What trends are going to affect All Pro Sound in the near future?
Fuqua: Continuing advancements in digital technology, Ethernet technology, and video systems will drive this industry for years to come. Streamlining wiring and systems components continue to allow more bang for the buck. 10,000-lumen projectors now sell for what 1,000 lumen units sold for six to seven years ago.
CPM: How are you adjusting the company to accommodate for these trends?
Fuqua: We must keep an eye on developing trends and new technologies to be able to bring the very best systems to our clients.
Dawn Allcot, a New York-based freelance writer, is a regular contributor to Church Production Magazine. She can be reached at Dawn@DawnAllcot.com.
