Was it Intransa or Pivot3 that tried to refocus sales efforts to data centers as a larger market and failed?
BCD Founder Is Out, New CEO Interview
Published Sep 29, 2023 13:31 PM
In the last two years, BCD has received private equity investment and broke up with Genetec. Now, BCD's founder and CEO is out, and they have brought in a new CEO.
In this note, based on an interview with the new CEO Jim Gross, we examine the impact of this change, including feedback on the company's strategic growth plans and challenges.
Executive *******
*** *** ***, *****, **** ***'* core ********* ***** ** *** ************, custom-built ********, *** ********* ******** **** not ******. ** ******** **** *** plans ** "****** ****" ** *** OEM ******** *** ** ******* ** expand ** ******* ******* ** ******** to ******** ********.
** ******** ** ***** * *** Global ** ******** ** ********* ****, Gross *** ******** ********** ****** **** family-owned ********* *** ******* **** **** the ******** ******* *******.
******* *** **-*** **** ******* ******* BCD's ******** *** ***** ***** ** investment ** *** *******. ***** **** he ****** ** ******* *****, *** they ******** ** **** **** ** communication.
*** ******* ********, ********* ***, **** challenges ** *** ***** ************ ******, including ***** ****** ** **-****** *** cloud ******* ***. *******, *** ******** in ***** ****** *** * ********** of ****** ********** *********, ***** ************ has ****** ** ******* ************.
New *** *** ***** **********
** **** ****** ** ********* *** CEO *********, * ******-******** ******** *********** *******, which *** ******** ** * ** firm, ***** ** **** *** ******** to *** *** ******** ** ***:
** ******* ** *******, *******, *** innovating ****** ********* *** ********* ***** businesses. * *** *** *********** ** join * ******-*** ******** **** *** over *** ***** *** *** ****** in *** ************ *** ************ *****, specifically ***** ****** *** ********** *** giant ********* *** ***********. *** ******** was *** ** *** *****-********** ********, with ***** ******** **** ******* *****. The ******** *** **** **** ** private ******, *** *** *** ****** needed ** *************** ** *** **** it ** *** **** *****.
** **** ********** * "*******" *** the ******** ********:
**** ** ******** *********** **** *** and **********, * ****** ******* **** world ** ********. ***, ***** **** several ******* ** *** ******, ********** and ** *** *** * *** new ***** *** ***** *****, *** I **** **** * ***** *** a **** ******* *** ****** ******* and ******** ** *******. * ****** enjoyed *** ************* ********, *** *'* proud ** *** ****** ** *** to ******* **, **** ** ********** new ******** *** ******* *****. **, I **** * ***** ************ *** this ******** *** *** *********.
** ***** **** ***'* ********** ** the ******** *** * **** *** joining *** *******:
**** *** **** ** *** ********* of ***, *** *** * ***** that ** **** *********, **** *********** in *** ********, *** ****** ***** for **** ******* *******, **** ******* speed **** ** **** ********* ********** and ****** *********.
Founder/CEO ******* ***, ******* ********
*******, *** **********'* ******************** ** ** * **********. *******, BCD **** **** ******* ** ***** involved "***-**-***" ** *** *******:
**** *** *******, *** ** ** still * ****** ** *** ***** and *** ********. **, ** ** still ******** ** *** ********. **** is **** * ***** ******** ** this ********, *** * **** **** a ****** **** ** ************* **** him. * **** *** *** ** every ***** *******, *** * **** plan ** **** ********* **** *** outside ** ****.
** ** ****** *** ******-***** **** to ****** **** **** **** ** private ******, ********* ******* ** ***** have ************* ********* ********* *** ********* focuses. *******, *** *+ ***** ***** between *******'* ********** *** ***** ***** named *** ********* ***** *** **** conflict **** *** ** *** *******.
"Double ****" ** *** *******
****** **** **** *** *********** ********* changes, ***** **** **** *** ***** to ******** *** ***** ** *** OEM *******:
** **** ******** ** ****** **** in **** **** *** **** ********* more **** **** * ***** *******. I ***'* **** ******* **** **** means ***, *** *'* ******* ** see *** *** ****** ******* *** what *** ********* ***** ** *** of **. **** **** ** ** a ********** *******, *** * ***** we *** ** **** **** ** that ****. **'** ***** ** *********** hardware, ********* ******* *********, *** ****** the ******* **** ****. **** **** that **** *** *** **** *** other ******** **** ** ***** ** innovation? * ***** **'** ***** ** see * *** ** ******** ****** emerge ** *** ******.
** ******** ** ********, * **** think ******* ** * *** **** of *** *********. ** **** ** figure *** *** ** **** **** piece *** ******* **** **** ***** to *** *********.
*******, ***** **** *** *********** ******* and ****** ********, **** *** *** planning ** **** **** ****** / hardware ** * *******:
** *** *** ***** ******** ** a *******. *******, ** *** ********* integrator ******* **** ******* ** ********** services. **** ** **** **** **** generic **** *** *****. ** *** talking ***** *** ************ ** *** of **** **** ** *** ****, especially *** ***** *********** **** ******** multicast ******. ** **** *** ********* on ***** ** ********* ******** *** these ***********.
*** ******* **** ******* *** ***** to ** ******** ********** ********:
** ******** ******* ****** **** ******* from ** ********* *** ************* ***********, I ***** ***'** ***** ** *** more *** **** *************, *** **** us, ********* ********** ******** ** ******* or *********** **** ***********. ****'* ***** we're ***** ** ******** ** *****.
Revenue / ***** ******
*** *** *** ******** *** ******* or ******, *** ***** **** **** had *** ********** ******** *** ******* for ******:
*** ******* *** ********* ** ** healthy *** **** ******* ********* ********* in ******* *******, *** ***** ** proliferating *** *******'* ****** *** ********.
** * **** *****, ** ***** on ***** *** ******, *** **** I ****** ***** ***** *** ********, I **** ** ********** ***** ** can ****** ******. ** *** **** looking ** ******* **** ** ******** customers, *** ****** ** *** ********* and *** ******** ***** *** ****** metrics **** * **** ** **** at ** ****** **** ******* * am **.
Acquisitions ** **** ********
***** ******** **** ************ **** ** considered:
*** ** *** ***** ******** ** private ****** ** ****** ** *******, which *** ** **** *** ************. This ** ********* **** ** **** be ***********, ****** ** *** **** year ** *** **** ****** ** years. ************ *** ** * ***** way ** **** * ********, *** they *** ** ********* ** ******* without *** ***** *********.**** *** ******* of * ******* ****** ****, ** will **** *** ******* ** **** investments ** *********, *** ******** *** strategic ************ **** **** **** ** achieve *** ****** *****.
***'* ** ********** ****, **** ****** Capital, ********** **** **** **** **** would ** * ******** *** ***, which *** ***, ** **** *****, happened:
********* ******* *** ********* *** *** partners. ************ *** *** ** *** question, **** *** *** ** ********* to ******* *** ****
Expanding ******* ********
*** **** **** *** ******* ** continue ********* ******* ** ******** ********/***** surveillance *******:
***** ** ** ****** ***** ******* worth ******** ** ******** ** ******* in ******* **** ** **** ** focus **. ** **** ** ****** out *** ** **** ********** ** did ***** ** *** ***** ** BCD ***** *** ****** ** *** this ***** *******.
*** *** ** **** **** **** people, ********** ***** *** **** **** us, ********** *** *** ********* ****** we *** **? ** ** ****, we **** ** ****** *** *** to ****** ** ***** ********* *** do **** ** * ********** *******. We **** *** *******, *** **'** already ***** **. **'* **** * matter ** ******* *** **** *** and ****** **** **** ****** ***'* dismiss ** ******* **** *** *** word "*****" ** *** ****.
Expanding ***** *****
***** **** **** **** ******** **** direct *** ************ *** ***** *****:
*** ***** ** *** **** ******* about ** ********* *** ******* ********. We **** ******** ***** * ****** of *** ***** ***************, *** ** are ******* **** **** *** ****** sales **** *** *** ************* *************** to *** *** **** *** ***** all *** ***** ****** ***** ***.
Market ******
***** **** **** *** ** ********** current ****** *** *** *** **** any ******** ********** ** ******** ***:
* ******* **** ********** ********* **** continue ** ***** ********** ** *** store *** *****. *** ***** ****** that * *** *** *****-***** ******* and *************.
*****-***** ******* ** * ***** **** is **** ** ****, *** ***** are ****** ******** ***** *** *** in *** ******** ********. ** **** carefully ******* **** ***** *** ****** that ** ******** ** ******* *** recommend *** **** ****** ******* ** our ********** *******.
************* ** * ***** ***** ** every ********, *** ** ** ********* affecting *** ***** ** *******. ** need ** ** ******** *** *** challenges **** ************* *****. *** ** are ******** *** *** ********** **** cybersecurity ***** **** * ****** ** out ** *** ********* **** ****** our ********** *** ** ***.
*******
** *** ******** **** *** ***, it ******* * ****-*********** ***** ** video ************, ******** ***** ****** ******** ***** ******* / ****** Manufacturers *******, *** * ***** ******* *** service ********, ** *** *********** ******** the ******-*** ******* ** *** ********.
*******, * *** ******** *** ******* increased ******** **** **** ****** ** perform ** *** ******* ***** ********** market ********** ** ** ******* **** growth **** ******* ** ******** *******.
Comments (8)
UI
Undisclosed Integrator #1
Sep 29, 2023JH
John Honovich
Sep 29, 2023Intransa and Pivot3 both marketed "secret sauce" / special tech and raised a ton of money trying to do that.
BCD, to me, is more focused / limited to building systems and not magic. That's not to say BCD doesn't have problems but not same category as Intransa and Pivot3.
Related, Pivot3 Sells Video Surveillance Business To Quantum, Pivot3 Mass Layoffs, Pivot3 Says Big Growth Despite 3 Top Execs Out, Intransa Wind Down Investigated, Entire Intransa Staff Laid Off
UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #2
Sep 29, 2023Does BCD have any unique software/hardware they use or are they just limited to sells and configuring boxes and switches? If the later, that's a tough play as you can really only offer your services at a lower price that the customers own time is worth.
UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #3
Sep 29, 2023IPVM, your information is flawed - BCD does not have anywhere near 250 employees
The entire Middle East team was all eliminated about 30 days ago.
The development team was all eliminated 2 weeks ago
Best guess is they have around 40-50 employees and that might be generous.
Sean Patton
Sep 29, 2023UM3,
Thanks for the information, I updated the report, which was due to a miscommunication on my part, not a detail directly from this interview. I am following up with BCD regarding your response and will provide an update.
UI
Undisclosed Integrator #4
Oct 02, 2023So if you eliminate your development team, what do you have left that makes you unique in an industry? This would make it sound like they fired everyone and are just reselling boxes.
UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #3
Sep 29, 2023Also Europe and Latin & South America Sales teams were eliminated but that happened many months ago
UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #3
Sep 29, 2023Also you should note that there are two equity firms involved in BCD
High Street Capital & Centerfield Capital