Today’s Best Advice Q&A features Andrew Elvish, vice president of global marketing at Genetec. He offers up the best advice he’s ever gotten, shares his tips for security industry newcomers and names the person who inspires him most.
Security Sales & Integration: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
Andrew Elvish: One of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever received came from Pierre Racz. He once told me, “Remember, the elevator always comes back.” At the time, he was talking about how to approach relationships and decisions in business. Sometimes you have to do the right thing without expecting anything in return and trust that it will come back around.
That idea has really shaped how I think about partnerships and collaboration. Our industry runs on trust. Whether you’re working with a channel partner, a technology partner, a customer or a vendor, doing right by them always pays off in the long run. It might not happen right away but good faith and integrity always find their way back to you.
SSI: What advice would you give to those looking to achieve success in the security industry?
Elvish: This is a small industry and word travels fast. The best advice I can give anyone starting out is to remember that relationships matter just as much as expertise. People work with people they trust.
It’s not just about what you know; it’s also about how you comport yourself. Be someone others can rely on. Keep your commitments, stay curious, and treat every conversation as a chance to learn. When people trust your judgment and your word, opportunities tend to follow.
That’s especially true in security, where what we do directly affects people’s safety and well-being. The integrity you bring to your work is what defines your reputation and that’s what lasts.
SSI: If you could point to one person in the security industry and tell up-and-comers, “Make sure to listen to what they have to say,” whom would you pick and why?
Elvish: I’d say Fredrik Nilsson from Axis Communications. He’s someone I’ve always respected. Fredrik is principled, knowledgeable and genuinely passionate about this industry. He has a great mix of vision and humility, which is rare when you’re leading such a large organization.
He’s also the kind of person who gets behind big ideas and brings people along with him. You can see that in how he represents the Axis brand: steady, authentic and open-minded. His work with initiatives including Mission 500 also shows that he sees the broader role our industry can play in doing good. He’s a great example of someone who combines business leadership with a real sense of community.
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