'20 under 40' 2012 - Jayson Waller

Jayson Waller, 32
President and CEO
ISI Alarms
Mooresville, N.C.

How did you get into the security industry?

Well, a buddy of mine, Kevin Klink, was selling alarm systems. I was working for Verizon, managing a sales team, and I asked him if he ever wanted to partner up. So we did and then I ended up buying him out back in 2005 and then he came back to work for me in 2009. We started out as a door-knocking company out of a bedroom of a house with two employees and now we're (primarily a telemarketing company) with about 95 employees and about 40 technicians nationwide. Best thing I've ever done. We love what we do.

What can be done to attract more young people to the industry?

I think the industry has just got to be more noticeable. Dealer programs just don't publicize enough that people could run their own alarm companies. � We try to hire folks directly out of high school to do telemarketing. We give them an opportunity. But I just don't think it's advertised enough, especially here in North Carolina, where there's not a lot of alarm companies.

Who in the industry has helped you most in your security career?

I would probably have to say Kevin Klink. We grew up together in Arizona. We were elementary school buddies. He works for me now (as VP of marketing), but he brought me into the industry as a partner back in 2004 and I'd have to give him credit. We kind of play good cop, bad cop. He keeps everybody happy and going, and I keep everybody under control. My wife (Elizabeth Waller, company VP) and I did everything together. Without her help, we'd never have been able to grow as much as we have.