Sound Business Plan Creates Decades of Success
Ron & Sons thrives providing security and sound systems
When Ron Brown relocated his family to Southwest Florida from Illinois 50 years ago, he had no real game plan for providing for their future. He and his wife, Judy, knew they wanted to start their own business but weren’t sure exactly what type of commercial endeavor would be best suited for constructing a successful future.
The Browns had the sense to see, even five decades ago, that the potential for tremendous growth here meant thousands of new homes and businesses would be sprouting up. They thought about which types of businesses could grow by supplying products and services to local homebuilders and commercial construction companies, and Ron & Sons Security & Sound was born in 1974.
Starting out with modest means and a vision, the Browns began by designing and installing home and business security systems. In the early days, technology in this industry was minimal at best, but Ron understood that his family’s future depended on staying current and embracing new trends and tech advancements to serve the company’s clientele. He also had a lot of help from his three sons, Tim, Todd and Ronny, in staying ahead of the curve in home security.
“My dad and mom knew that the business couldn’t succeed without learning what was new and available to home and business owners,” says middle son Todd, the business’s general manager. “They made sure we fully understood the new products and practices coming out in our industry, and that we prepared ourselves to sell and install anything and everything related to security and sound systems in any home or business.”
Today Ron & Sons operates with 23 employees, including three generations of the Brown family. Todd’s daughter Brittany helps run the office operations, and Tim’s son Tyler is also a key part of the bustling business. Working out of their building just off College Parkway near South Pointe Boulevard, they offer a wide range of services. They sell and install a full line of home theater products from Bose, Denon, Panasonic, Sharp, Samsung and more, and they can take any home theater from an idea to production and installation. They design, build and
install opulent home theaters with the latest in projection systems and theater-quality audio, plus total home and commercial security systems with 24-hour monitoring, “smart home” wiring and technology, total-home sound and intercom systems and central vacuum installation.
The company also offers structured wiring design and installation to handle today’s demand for voice, video, satellite, data and networking technology for home and business, plus state-of-the-art digital videosurveillance systems.
“We can do anything from a simple home security system to designing and installing some of Southwest Florida’s most luxurious, extravagant theater rooms in the area’s finest homes and condominiums,” says Todd. “If it involves electronics or security, we can handle it all.”
While Ron and Judy Brown had the foresight to bring in the younger generation to stay on top of new developments in their industry, they both still are very involved in the day-to-day operations of the business. Todd points out that his mother still runs the administration of the office and his dad is on top of all the current projects and sales to ensure the company continues on its impressive growth path.
Judy points to one key factor that has made the company a survivor in the competitive local business environment. “To stay successful in any business for as long as we have, you need to provide people with the absolute best service and attention,” she says. “I think our longevity is a result of always putting the client first, and we’ve been very fortunate that our clients have helped spread the word about what we do, and how we do it.” Ron’s vision when he came to a new area to start a business hasn’t wavered and is even more critical in today’s environment. He believes a company’s success is based almost entirely on the integrity and professionalism of what they do, and not settling for anything less than excellence. Driving around any of Southwest Florida’s upscale residential communities or near one of the burgeoning commercial construction sites, you’re almost sure to see the familiar white Ron & Sons vans on the job. The company’s client base has grown exponentially over its four-plus decades of existence, and with two generations coming along to help carry on their tradition of being the best at what they do, the Brown family sees no end to where their company can go in the future. “Our reputation is extremely important to us, especially since we’re a true family-owned business,” says Todd. “We know that in order to survive this long in business, we can’t ever lose sight of that.”