Vidsys CEO Out

Published Jan 27, 2015 05:00 AM

Three years ago, Vidsys, one of the last independent PSIMs, named a prestigious CEO.

Now he is out.

In this note, we look at the move and the future for Vidsys.

Michael *. *******

** ****,****** ************ *. ********* ***** ***. ******* ******* * prestigious ********** ********* ***** ** *** Deputy ********* ** *** (****-****), ****** Secretary ** *** *** (****-****) *** Senior **** ********* ** *****. ** was **** ** ******** ************ *** them (*.*.,**** *********). *********** ****'* ***** ******, **** was ***** * ******* ****.

***, ** ** ***. *** *** was ******** ** *** *** ******* was *** ********* ******** ***** *** *** ***** *******. ******' ********* ** **** **** that ******* "*** ***** ** ** other ********."

******* *** ***** ******* ** ** independent **********, *** ************ ******** ****.

The ****

**** ** * ******** *********** *** Vidsys, ******* ******* *** ****** *** or ****. ***** *** ****** *** handled *** *********, ** ***** ****** to ** ** *** *****, ** typically ****** *********** ******* ****** ********* to *** ******** *** *** **** to ******** * ***********.

Vidsys ******

*** **** ****** *** ********* ** a *****. **** ******' *** ******** of *** **** ****** **** *** just $*** ******* *** ****, **** 20% ****** ****** ****** *****.

*******, ****** *** ******* * ************** $**.* ******* ** **** ******* in ****. *******, *** ******* *** ****** more **** $** *******, ********* *$** ******* ***** ** ****.

** *** **** ****, *** ******* still ****** **** **** ***** ********* from *** **** *****. *** ******** is **** *** ****** ** ****, especially ******** ** *** ******* ********* have *** **** *** *******.

*** ** * **** * *** who *** **** ************* *** *********** to *** ** ********** **** **** it **** **** *********** *** ******.

Comments (5)
U
Undisclosed #1
Jan 27, 2015

Now to a lose a CEO who had deep understanding and connections to the US government will make it even more challenging for Vidsys.

Yes, but I think they were focusing too much on that sector anyway.

(2)
JH
John Honovich
Jan 27, 2015
IPVM

Where should they focus? There's only so many organizations that can justify spending hundreds of thousands on an additional, typically non budgeted, system.

(1)
(1)
U
Undisclosed #1
Jan 27, 2015

They should focus on not having to charge hundreds of thousands on their product.

I think there could be a lot of potential for PSIM featuresets in large enterprise accounts, Fortune 1000, and so forth beyond government.

By focusing heavily on the government sector you can get lulled into believing your product is worth $100,000 for a basic install when comparably the code is not much more complex than a $20,000 software offering. If you build for government, you'll end up pricing yourself into a corner. Not to mention have a fairly limited market base with a long, complex sales cycle.

Build for large private sector enterprises and you can still charge a lot, but you have a much wider audience, and haven't eliminated the government sector.

Overall their biggest problem might simply be that nobody knows exactly what a PSIM is or does.

(1)
JH
John Honovich
Jan 28, 2015
IPVM

"when comparably the code is not much more complex than a $20,000 software offering"

You know you are asking for the holy grail of PSIM? :) You need a miracle worker, not a new CEO....

In all seriousness, I see 2 challenges:

  • There's typically a lot of custom integration needed since there are so many random, different security subsystems to be integrated.
  • These sales take so long to close and require such high touch.

Both of them put pressure on pricing.

(2)
(1)
Avatar
Brice Sloan
Jan 29, 2015

I enjoyed working with Michael P. Jackson when he was DHS point person on the border fence. Very unpretensious.