As Commercial Integrator‘s AV Living Legends series rolls on, we’re pleased to honor Mike Boettcher, who works to connect integrators and vendors at Edge, formerly USAV, as our 89th inductee!
Boettcher didn’t set out to join the AV industry. After college, he moved through a range of sales and services roles, and he even spent time in golf. Then, in 2000, he heard about an opening at a fast-growing company in a field he’d never heard of: AV. He started in sales but quickly shifted to the services side, where he helped build out a new business unit as integration outpaced the traditional box-sale market.
From there, his career kept climbing. He stepped into the role of president, running an integration company, navigated a private-equity transition and a string of acquisitions, and eventually landed at Edge.
Today, he collaborates across every facet of the industry, supporting integrators while staying closely connected to the vendors who serve them.
Boettcher has long believed in giving back to the community that shaped him. He served on the Board of Directors at NSCA, rising to president and joined the dealer advisory council at Edge, then USAV. For Boettcher, the strongest relationships and most valuable lessons came through associations, committees and peer groups.
In this interview, Boettcher explains why the friendships he’s built stand as his greatest accomplishment. He shares a Sinatra-inspired take on regrets, wonders aloud about the chance he once had to play baseball in Australia and offers the hard-won wisdom that leadership sometimes means finding the courage to let something go.
Read on to learn more about Mike Boettcher, our latest #AVLivingLegends inductee. You can also visit our hub page to explore all our past honorees.
Interview with Mike Boettcher
Commercial Integrator: What motivated you to join the commercial AV industry?
Mike Boettcher: Like many, I was not searching for a job in the AV market. After college, I had a number of sales and services roles across various industries and even dabbled in the golf profession. Then, in 2000, I heard about an opportunity in a rapidly growing organization in something I’d never heard of: AV.
Timing-wise, it was just after the Y2K crisis (ha), and the AV industry was going through quite a transition. Integration was taking off, outpacing the traditional box-sale market, and soon to follow, the service sector was born.
I accepted a role in sales, but very quickly shifted to the services side of the business in an effort to help build that department. Other transformations were happening at that time, as videoconferencing was starting to blossom, shifting from an ISDN to IP platform. There were so many opportunities to find a place in the AV world, and so many great people, it really was an exciting time. Once I’d started, I knew I’d never want to leave the industry.
CI: What kept you motivated and engaged in the decades that followed?
Boettcher: As technology evolved, so did the focus of the AV business. Beyond the rapid growth of the industry, there was an increasing emphasis on operational efficiency and collaboration. As integration companies expanded beyond their roots as contractors, success depended on stronger coordination across teams and a greater commitment to service. That service-oriented mindset aligned perfectly with my background and interests.
What kept me motivated was the opportunity to solve new challenges every day. No two days were the same, and I enjoyed being part of a team that embraced problems, worked together and found solutions.
Just as important, I was fortunate to be surrounded by talented people who shared that same commitment to teamwork, innovation and continuous improvement. Those relationships and shared successes made the journey both rewarding and enjoyable.
Helping to build out a service-based business unit was exciting, and then moving into the role of president, running an integration company, kept those juices flowing. Navigating a private-equity transition and many company acquisitions continued to fill that knowledge bucket.
Now at Edge, formerly USAV, I love the opportunity to collaborate with so many different facets of the industry and make connections, both supporting integrators and being connected with the vendors as well.
CI: Reflect on your role as both a mentee early in your career and as a mentor later in your career. Who helped shape the trajectory of your professional life? How have you tried to help shape others’ careers?
Boettcher: Many of the values that have shaped my career came from people who influenced me long before I entered the workforce, first and foremost, my parents. And as someone who played quite a bit of sports growing up, there are a number of coaches who helped influence my character in those early years, as well as elder teammates who were never afraid to share advice. You must be coachable to succeed and grow in your career, and in life.
I also learned a great deal from so many folks within the industry. I was fortunate to have worked alongside some very smart people, much smarter than me. There’s an old adage that if you are the smartest person in the room, you’re in the wrong room. I tried to wedge my way into important discussions and soak up as much knowledge as I could, then I’d look for ways to apply what I learned and move ideas into action.
Paul Grafinger appointing me to run Advanced AV and Chuck Wilson pulling me into the NSCA world are two pivotal moments in my overall career.
Likewise, some of the most valuable relationships and lessons came through involvement in industry associations, committees and peer groups. These organizations brought together people with different experiences, perspectives and expertise, and many of those professional connections have turned into lasting friendships. Their willingness to share knowledge and collaborate had a profound impact on my career.
When others ask me for advice on how to be successful in the industry, I resoundingly share, “Get involved!” Create connections beyond your organization and don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. The industry is comprised of great people who want to help.
CI: What’s the most memorable story/anecdote of your career in commercial AV?
Boettcher: There are so many great stories through the years, it is impossible to pick just one! Late nights at the office, weekend integration blitzes at client facilities, dozens upon dozens of industry events…
Instead of sharing some of those, I will say my time serving others has been deeply impactful, both on the Board of Directors at NSCA, as well as the dealer advisory council of Edge (at that time, USAV). These opportunities enabled me to connect with so many great people, and we were able to accomplish some incredible things together. At one of those events, I did learn the difference between a vase (vace) and a vase (vahhse), which I never knew I needed to know.
Commercial Integrator: What has been your greatest professional accomplishment?
Boettcher: I thought about this one for a while. My initial thought was to talk about rebuilding a business, achieving a specific profitability goal or becoming president of NSCA.
But the more I thought about it, the more I felt that I am fortunate to have built so many amazing relationships with people in the industry. Whether they are co-workers, clients or industry colleagues, having people that I can call true friends stands out among the other accomplishments.
CI: What has been your biggest professional regret?
Boettcher: Like Sinatra said, “Regrets, I have a few, but then again too few to mention.” Maybe we are all a little naive at times and would like to have made a better decision here or there, but the present is because of the past, and if there was another path chosen, or decision made, things could have turned out much differently than they have.
I’m happy with where the journey has taken me. I do wonder what would have happened if I accepted the opportunity to play baseball in Australia after college, though.
CI: What’s the best advice or pearl of wisdom you either received during your career or came to realize on your own?
Boettcher: One of those really smart people that I mentioned earlier told me not to be afraid to let something go. And at the time I thought, “Wow! That’s pretty vague and unhelpful, but thanks anyway.” Over time, though, I came to appreciate just how powerful that advice really was.
Throughout my career, there have been several difficult decisions where I had to let go. Sometimes, it meant letting go of an employee or client when questions remained around how to cover the workload or make up the lost revenue. Another example is letting a process go because your organization or the environment had changed.
All of those I have done — and, in each case, it was uncomfortable and felt risky, but it worked out better than anyone could have imagined. The lesson I took away is that leadership often requires the courage to move on from what worked yesterday to make room for what’s possible tomorrow. Sometimes, the best path forward begins by letting something else go.
Would you like to nominate a peer or colleague — or perhaps even yourself! — to be featured in the ongoing AV Living Legends list? If so, just email Dan Ferrisi, group editor, commercial and security, Emerald.
