Our Best Advice Q&A series closes out July with Ken Francis, executive vice president of video solutions at Digital Monitoring Products (DMP). He shares the best advice he’s ever gotten, gives tips to young security pros and names his ultimate business inspiration.
Security Sales & Integration: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
Ken Francis: The best advice I’ve ever received regarding the security industry was simple: never lose sight of the customer’s reality.
It’s easy in any business to get caught up in product features, internal goals or the next big trend but the leaders who truly make a difference are the ones who stay grounded in the problems they’re trying to solve.
That advice has stayed with me because it shifts your focus from selling something to serving someone. In security, that means understanding what customers are protecting, what keeps them up at night and what success really looks like for them day to day.
When you lead with empathy and a genuine desire to help, you make better decisions, build stronger relationships and create solutions that last.
I’ve also learned that progress often comes from consistency, not perfection. You don’t have to have every answer on day one but you do have to keep listening, keep learning and keep improving. The best advice is often the kind that keeps you humble enough to grow and focused enough to make a difference.
SSI: What advice would you give to those looking to achieve success in the security industry?
Francis: My advice would be to build trust first and everything else second. Security is a relationship business. People may come to you because they need technology but they stay with you because they trust your judgment, your follow-through and your commitment to their safety and success.
To earn that trust, be willing to do the unglamorous work. Learn the customer’s environment. Ask good questions. Understand the operational pressures they face. The more you know about their world, the better you can help them navigate it. Success in this industry doesn’t come from trying to be the loudest voice in the room; it comes from being the most reliable one.
I’d also encourage rising professionals to stay curious and adaptable. Security is constantly changing but the fundamentals remain the same: protect people, simplify complexity and deliver solutions that work in the real world.
If you can combine technical knowledge with integrity, responsiveness and a service mindset, you’ll build a career that matters.
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?
Francis: I would choose the people in the field; the dealers, integrators, and sales teams who deal with the realities of security every single day. They may not always be the most visible voices in the industry, but they are often the most valuable ones to listen to.
Why? Because they know where the friction is. They know what causes delays, what improves adoption, what frustrates customers and what actually helps them do their jobs better. Their insight is grounded in experience, not theory and that makes it incredibly powerful.
If you want to understand where the industry is headed, spend time listening to the people who are closest to the work.
If I had to narrow it further, I’d say listen especially to the professionals who combine technical skill with humility and service. They understand that security is not just about systems; it’s about people, protection and peace of mind. Those are the voices that deserve the attention of the next generation.
Click here to check out all entries in SSI’s Best Advice series!
