Entry & Exit - Inside the Security & Fire Industry
Entry & Exit is a podcast about building, scaling, and exiting security and fire businesses. Hosts Stephen Olmon and Collin Trimble share their journey growing Alarm Masters through acquisitions and organic growth, along with the lessons they’ve learned along the way.
From recurring revenue strategies to sales, operations, and M&A, Entry & Exit gives business owners and entrepreneurs an inside look at what it takes to succeed in the security industry. Whether you’re starting your first company, growing past the owner-operator stage, or thinking about an eventual exit, you’ll find practical insights and real stories to guide your path.
Episodes
15 episodes
How Smart Security Companies Scale Past $3M: KPIs, Talent, and Budget Discipline
Most security & life-safety companies don’t get stuck because they lack hustle—they get stuck because they lack measurement.In this episode of Entry & Exit, Stephen Olmon and Collin Trimble (Alarm Mast...
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Season 1
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Episode 15
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46:39
How to Scale a Sales Team in Security (What Actually Works)
How do you scale a sales team inside a security or life-safety business—without hiring too fast, burning cash, or building a “hope-based” sales org?In this episode of Entry & Exit, hosts Stephen Olmon and Collin Trim...
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Season 1
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Episode 14
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43:55
Buying a Business? Don't Make These Mistakes in the First 90 Days
Avoid expensive post-close mistakes by running a calm, disciplined first 90 days after acquiring a security or life-safety business.In this episode of Entry & Exit, hosts Stephen Olmon and Collin Trimble break down what ac...
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Season 1
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Episode 13
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41:35
Due Diligence After LOI: The First 7 Days That Prevent Post-Close Surprises
Avoid expensive post-close surprises by mastering the first seven days after signing an LOI.In this episode of Entry & Exit, hosts Stephen Olmon and Collin Trimble deliver a brutally practical due diligence playbook for buyin...
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Season 1
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Episode 12
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46:31
Lee Odess: Why Physical Security Is Becoming an Enterprise Software Business
Hosts Stephen Olmon and Collin Trimble sit down with Lee Odess for a wide-ranging, no-nonsense conversation about the forces reshaping the security and life-safety industry—and why operators who keep treating cloud, mobile, and AI like “feature...
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Season 1
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Episode 11
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48:28
RMR: The 8th Wonder of the Security Business (Here’s Why Buyers Pay More)
Hosts Stephen Olmon and Collin Trimble go deep on recurring monthly revenue (RMR) in the security and fire-alarm industry—why it’s the heartbeat of the business, the biggest driver of valuation confidence, and the single most stab...
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Season 1
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Episode 10
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45:34
The $1M Service Department Mistake Most Owners Make
Hosts Stephen Olmon and Collin Trimble tackle one of the most misunderstood parts of a security & fire-alarm business: the service department. Too many owners treat service like a cost of doing business—something you begrudgingly do to keep...
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Season 1
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Episode 9
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43:15
Buying a Business? Here’s How to Find a Deal That Isn’t Trash
Hosts Stephen Olmon and Collin Trimble get tactical on the question they hear nonstop: “How do you actually find deals worth buying?” After seven acquisitions in three years, the Alarm Masters partners break down why qual...
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Season 1
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Episode 8
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46:46
Buying a Business and How to Merge Successfully
Hosts Stephen Olmon and Collin Trimble lay the groundwork for M&A in security & life-safety, how to buy your first (or next) company without blowing up your P&L or culture. They unpack how they’ve bought 6 (soon to be ...
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Season 1
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Episode 7
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50:35
The Hidden Secret to Faster Quotes and Higher Margins
Hosts Stephen Olmon and Collin Trimble break down how to fix the bottleneck that strangles growing security & life-safety companies: design and quoting. They share the people/process/tech playbook to get proposals out in 24–72...
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Season 1
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Episode 6
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43:13
How To Make Your Business Run Without You
Hosts Stephen Olmon and Collin Trimble unpack how technology builds sellable, scalable security & life-safety companies. They reveal how connected systems—CRM, billing, and field service—create a “Customer 360” that boosts customer experien...
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Season 1
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Episode 5
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38:50
How to Build a Security Company That Actually Closes New Deals
Hosts Stephen Olmon and Collin Trimble get practical and tactical on winning new logos in security & life-safety. They break down how to niche your ICP, keep your message consistent, split lead vs. sales process...
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Season 1
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Episode 4
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54:03
The Secret to Growing a Security Company Fast!
Welcome to Entry & Exit — the Owned and Operated series for builders in security & life-safety. Hosts Stephen Olmon and Collin Trimble break down how to make your company sale-ready long before you sell: architect...
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Season 1
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Episode 3
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48:18
How the Best Security Integrators Hit $10M and Keep Growing
Welcome to Entry & Exit — the Owned and Operated series for builders in security & life-safety. Hosts Stephen Olmon and Collin Trimble lay out exactly how they’re scaling Alarm Masters past eight figures after buying it at ~$2M reven...
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Season 1
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Episode 2
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50:36
How to Build, Scale, and Sell a Security or Fire Protection Business
Welcome to Entry & Exit — the new Owned and Operated series for builders in the security & life-safety world. Hosts Stephen Olmon and Collin Trimble share how they grew Alarm Masters from under $2M to ~3× revenue, including +50% ...
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Season 1
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Episode 1
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52:12