CE Pro December 2021 - 29

varied business career with
one amazing company, but I
always told my kids to follow
their passion, do what they
love and, if possible, try to do
it for themselves rather than
work for someone else. "
Troy had already been in
a few CE jobs and knew he
enjoyed the work. Greg, who
was then in a position to
retire if he wanted to, told
Troy he would love to step
in and help him start up a
new business. " I said to him,
" You're young, you have
nothing to lose. You know
your products and how to
sell and install them, so you
take care of starting up the
sales, installation and customer
support teams, and I'll
set up banking relationships,
handle the build out and
take care of all the back-end
accounting functions, as well
as HR and marketing. "
That same division of
responsibilities continues
today, " though of course
everything has become so
much more complex, " he
notes.
Hanson's has enjoyed
growth every year except
one (2008, a small 2% dip),
and today supports 32
employees, two stores (in
Dayton and Cincinnati),
plus stand-alone custom
operations and installation
facilities. " I've always been
a firm believer in owning
your own buildings so no
one can ever surprise you
with a cancelled lease. We
have put down strong roots
in both of our trading areas
with good-looking buildings
where we proudly hang our
sign, host multiple events
and participate in community
activities, " Hanson explains.
cepro.com
He says the company's
biggest growth has come
from lighting and shade
control, outdoor, wholehouse
control and even golf
simulators. But Hanson's also
sells serious audio systems,
inviting customers to sit and
listen for hours.
" We sell $150 Sonos
speakers and $200K Magicos,
so we can compete with
Best Buy on the low end
and walk customers all the
way up to the top. We have
nearly 100 pairs of speakers
on display! "
The company was one
of the first Control4 Certified
Showroom Dealers
and remains one of its top
accounts in the country,
Hanson notes, and in 2018
Hanson's won the coveted
CEDIA Showroom of the
Year award.
" We strongly believe you
can't buy what you can't
experience, " he says. " In
both stores we incorporate
a home-within-the-store
concept showcasing lifestyle
environments in different
sized rooms where customers
can 'try before you buy'
all manner of smart home
technologies as well as furniture,
cabinetry and home
theaters. "
Another of Hanson's
proudest achievements
has been creating custom
performance review software
to help evaluate, train and
develop employees.
" We work hard, have
great systems and excellent
people, but this is a tough
business and on any given
day we feel like frantic plate
jugglers trying to keep all
the plates spinning, " he says.
" Never a dull moment. "
LUCETTE NICOLL,
President,
Nicoll PR
SIMILAR TO CHER, MADONNA OR ADELE, in the custom
electronics industry all you have to say is the first name
" Lucette " and immediately everyone knows exactly who
you are talking about. And like those famous females,
Lucette Nicoll is a single-name star in her own right in
consumer electronics.
She got her start in CE in 1972 with the iconic Acoustic
Research (AR) brand, where Nicoll worked in various roles,
eventually managing public relations. In 1987, she started
her own public relations firm and has been going strong for
34+ years.
" It has always been important to me that I surround myself
with people of integrity. We spend many hours during
the course of our professional careers at work - and I have
been blessed to work in an amazing CE community alongside
my husband John and some wonderful and innovative
clients, " Nicoll says.
She credits Ron Fone from AR for giving her the opportunity
to manage PR, and Andy Oxenhorn and Bill McGrane of
MB Quart for choosing to be Nicoll PR's first client.
" I have always been more than grateful to have learned
the media business from such gifted professionals as Rebecca
Day, Terry Shea, Joe Palenchar, Nancy Klosek, Nick
Mattarazzo, Tony Catalano, Scott Constantine and others, "
she adds.
As a pioneering woman in the male-dominated world of
CE, Nicoll says it has been fulfilling to her to see so many
other woman thrive in the industry, noting she is " honored
to be a part of it! "
And ever-the-positive person, Nicoll believes this is one
of the most exciting times to be in the industry.
" Today's innovative solutions have opened the eyes and
ears of consumers while providing them with solace during
a time of isolation. As more people look to work, play and
relax at home, opportunities have presented themselves
in every category of the custom electronics industry and I
expect that trend to continue, " he adds.
Her advice to others looking to get into this industry is
to " be willing to give 100%. Be genuine, honest, humble and
have passion for what you do. Nurture long-term relationships
and take advantage of the educational opportunities
that exist. "
December 2021 CE Pro | 29
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CE Pro December 2021

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