From smart technology and creative process to business insights and emerging trends, the Connected Design Podcast explores the ideas, projects, and people pushing design forward—across residential, commercial, and everything in between.
Latest Episode

TheCoTeam’s Chris Smith Wants Integrators to Stop Unicorn Hunting
Drawing on more than two decades in the CI channel and hundreds of successful placements through TheCoTeam, Chris Smith breaks down why “unicorn hunting” is holding companies back, where integrators can find talent beyond the obvious candidate pool, and how a more intentional hiring process can help businesses grow stronger teams.
More Episodes

TheCoTeam’s Chris Smith Wants Integrators to Stop Unicorn Hunting
Drawing on more than two decades in the CI channel and hundreds of successful placements through TheCoTeam, Chris Smith breaks down why “unicorn hunting” is holding companies back, where integrators can find talent beyond the obvious candidate pool, and how a more intentional hiring process can help businesses grow stronger teams.

How Southtown AV Turned Relationships Into a Stadium-Sized Opportunity
Heather Sidorowicz, president of Southtown AV, talks about the company’s evolution from a local hi-fi shop into one of Buffalo’s leading commercial AV firms.

Force AV is Building Luxury Experiences All Over South Florida (and Beyond)
From luxury estates in Palm Beach to custom projects across the country, Rosenberg shares how Force AV approaches technology integration as a full-service experience centered on problem-solving, storytelling, and client trust.

Putting AI to Use in Floor Plan Generation with Drafted
Drafted, an AI-based platform that launched earlier this year, is a free-to-use tool that lets users dream up their ideal house plan with just a few simple prompts. Founder Nick Donahue sat down with us to talk about how the tool works, where he plans to expand its capabilities, and the role of AI in all areas of the homebuilding process.

Keder Screens on the Obstacles and Opportunities in the Shading Business
We pick the brain of Kim Parker, a partner at Keder Screens, to learn about the challenges and opportunities integrators face getting into the outdoor shade business.

What’s Next for Lightapalooza? HTSA and AVIXA Tell Us.
On the heels of the major news that AVIXA—the producers of InfoComm and a number of other AV industry show—had acquired Lightapalooza from HTSA, we sat down with Jenn Heinold, SVP of Expositions in the Americas, and HTSA’s Tom Doherty. The two dove into the growth of the event and what’s to come now that it’ll co-locate with InfoComm starting next year.



