We continue our Best Advice Q&A series with Mike Maher, senior sales director, security, at Resideo. He shares the best advice he’s ever gotten, offers advice for upcoming security industry pros and reveals who inspires him and should inspire the entire sector.
Security Sales & Integration: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
Mike Maher: The best advice I’ve ever received is simple: put your customer at the center of every decision. I started my career as a dealer so I’ve experienced the same challenges our professional partners face every day – tight labor markets, demanding homeowners and evolving technology.
If you truly understand your customer’s world and solve their pain points, you’ll always be successful. That mindset continues to guide me at Resideo, where we focus on being more than a manufacturer. We’re here to be a true partner – helping our pros win more jobs, keeping their customers loyal and strengthening their business for the long term.
Early in my career at IntelliSense, I was fortunate to work with Tom Polson and Ben Cornett – two leaders who consistently outperformed the competition. What stuck with me was their belief that success happens when no one is watching.
It’s about what you do when you’re alone in your car at the end of a long day: will you make one more sales call, one more follow-up, find one more opportunity? That lesson taught me that shortcuts and settling for quotas won’t create lasting success. If you always push to exceed your goals, even when you fall short, you’ll still hit your targets.
SSI: What advice would you give to those looking to achieve success in the security industry?
Maher: My advice is to focus on solving your customer’s biggest problem – and become the obvious answer to it. The security industry changes fast but trust never goes out of style. Whether you’re an installer, integrator or manufacturer, listen before you lead. The more you understand your customer’s world, the easier it is to deliver real value.
We focus on labor, loyalty and leads – helping our pros make their teams more efficient, attract new customers and build relationships that last. If you do those three things well, success follows naturally.
SSI: If you could point to one person in the security industry and tell up-and-comers to listen to what they have to say, who would you pick and why?
Maher: I’d point to the many leaders who give back to this industry through organizations like the Electronic Security Association (ESA) and the Security Industry Association (SIA) – people like Kevin Stone, who lead with service and collaboration.
What I admire most is his willingness to help anyone – competitor or partner – because he genuinely cares about advancing the profession. That spirit of servant leadership is what keeps this industry strong.
I’d also add that some of the most inspiring voices today come from the next generation of professionals. Watching younger leaders embrace new technology and help veterans like me look at innovation differently and that kind of reverse mentorship is powerful. It reminds us that leadership isn’t about titles; it’s about helping others succeed.
Click here to check out the entire Best Advice series!
