Editor’s Note: This article featuring Misty Chalk, VP of Sales, Americas, BrightSign, is part of Commercial Integrator’s #MyAVJourney series, where we explore the journey of AV professionals and the lessons learned along with way.
Misty Chalk, VP of Sales, Americas at BrightSign, shares her journey in the AV industry as part of Commercial Integrator’s #MyAVJourney series. From her unexpected start in unified communications to her current role shaping the future of digital signage, Chalk reflects on the skills, mentorship and industry connections that have fueled her nearly 30-year career. Through her insights, she highlights the growing complexity of digital signage, the importance of customer-centric solutions, and the transformative role of AV in creating immersive experiences.
Misty Chalk’s AVJourney
Commercial Integrator: How did you get your start in AV? Can you share your first job story in the industry?
Chalk: Interestingly, I ended up falling into the industry. During my post-college job search, I connected with someone working in HR for an AV company and ended up securing a role there. My first job was in unified communications, bridging conference lines, and then I moved into quality assurance. Both of these opportunities gave me a great foundational knowledge of the AV customer experience and what makes for strong product and service, supporting my transition to consultative sales, where I have stayed for nearly 30 years.
CI: What skills are essential for a successful AV career?
Chalk: One of the most important skills to develop is speaking the language of the customer. Whether you’re in a sales, marketing, or product development role in AV, understanding what challenges the customer is facing and how to solve for their needs is key. It enables you to build trust and establish meaningful relationships.
In digital signage, we’re seeing deployments grow more complex – bigger, brighter, more intelligent, more integrated, and – of course – driven by interest in AI. Customers are quick to recognize the value in working with a trusted partner who can have the right (and hard) conversations up front and support deployments from hardware to security to remote management and other managed services.
Also, pro AV and digital signage have earned a seat at the table of impactful digital transformation and customer experience conversations. Being able to translate value to broader stakeholders (and having the solutions to back it up) will be critical.
CI: How have you grown your career in AV?
Chalk: In my years at BrightSign, a lot of growth has centered on diversifying knowledge of different vertical markets and how digital signage supports unique industry needs. It has broadened my network and opened the door to incredible opportunities to expand my skillset and work on fun projects in the process. From big box retailers to national sporting arenas to transportation networks, digital signage powered by BrightSign impacts the lives of millions of people every day. As I pay it forward and help the industry reach it’s potential, I’ve been fortunate enough to meet many amazing people and have had the opportunity to share insights during panel discussions or educational sessions at industry events. Those are invaluable opportunities to connect with other leaders and explore where the industry is heading.
CI: What are the best resources for AV professionals?
Chalk: One of my favorite parts of working in the AV industry is how involved everyone is in networking and industry events. I would encourage any newcomers to attend as many mixers, roundtables, and events as possible to get to know their peers and keep up with the latest trends. Additionally, publications such as this one, which speak the language of our industry and our customers, are a great resource for industry news, trends and challenges.
CI: What advice would you give to newcomers in the industry?
Chalk: I would suggest any newcomer keep an open mind and seek out opportunities for mentorship to learn from the industry’s experienced leaders. I’ve turned to mentors at different stages throughout my career – and all have helped me develop and learn valuable skills.
CI: Anything else you’d like to share?
Chalk: While I’ve worked in a few different sectors of the AV industry, digital signage has certainly been the most exciting. Organizations see the value in immersive visual experiences to captivate audiences. They need powerful, secure, and reliable digital signage solutions to create this dynamic, interactive content. We have more opportunities than ever to partner with customers and help them create these experiences, leveraging AI and other technology integrations. This will allow the digital signage industry to unequivocally stake its claim as a true creator of business value – and answer many of the enterprise’s most difficult questions as a data-rich source of information delivery.
Stay tuned with Commercial Integrator as we continue to gather insights from AV professionals. If you’d like to be featured, contact our editorial team (Alyssa Borelli, Amala Reddie or Dan Ferrisi).
