'20 under 40' 2013 - Michael Campbell

Michael Campbell, 38
Senior director of business development and sales operations, Stanley Convergent Security Solutions
Naperville, Ill.

How did you get into the security industry?

I started out working at ADT, when Chris Schwegel, an ADT sales rep, passed my name on to a manager who was looking to expand a customer account manager team she was running. At the time, she remarked on how ADT did not typically hire someone without experience for an account manager role, and I felt I always had to prove she made the right decision.

Who or what in the industry has inspired you most in your security career?

I think what inspired me most in this industry is just how much I've seen it evolve over time. But it's less about technology than about protection, and that's something that's certainly resonated with me. In this industry, we often have companies who call us about a certain problem that we end up not only fixing, but [we also end up] addressing a number of other concerns they hadn't foreseen. It's that ability to address the latent needs and values that I find inspiring. Then we get to tell those kinds of stories to future customers who can really relate to them.

What can be done to boost the ranks of young people in the industry?

One thing we could do a better job of as an industry is having a curriculum we can expect. Another thing that would boost young people in business is more training around the consultative sales approach, instead of the slap and stick. I think that kind of sales pressure is part of what gives the industry a little bit of a black eye. We could do a stronger job of recruiting younger people from the technology side of the business, and then teach them how to sell consultatively. When sales reps train on being customer-centered and providing true value, it's only going to make the industry grow and appeal to younger people.