8250 Theaterworks: Home Theater With Altitude

After undergoing some changes in attitude and changes in latitude, Ken Davis was inspired to parlay what was also a change in altitude into a brand new career.

Upon settling into his new home in Evergreen, Colo. -- some 8,250 feet above sea level -- four years ago, the former IT executive from the East Coast embarked on his own custom design and installation business.

Inspired by his new elevation, he named the company 8250 Theaterworks.

A one-man operation, the company specializes in home theater, multiroom audio/video distribution, media rooms, lighting control and pre-wire, and it services both new construction and existing systems.

Davis' scope of services encompasses design, planning, sales, installation and technical support, if needed. All systems, he says, are designed and integrated to meet the specific needs and budgets of his clients.

Coordinating Subs

Davis says he offers customers a one-stop shop solution and is the point person for all jobs.

He always works with five subcontractors -- an electrician who also assists with pulling low voltage, a general contractor for framing and drywall, a flooring expert, an acoustical company and a general handyman for simple patchwork and small repairs.

"That's the core," he says. "And we take care of everything else you can think of in a house, like HVAC, plumbing, concrete work, etc. It's one-stop shopping in the true sense. I have every possible tradesperson at my disposal to do any job imaginable.

"The bottom line is I don't want the client to have the burden of lining all these people up. I do all that and it gives the client one point person to communicate with, which they like."

When selecting his subcontractors, Davis tries to keep it local, and he maintains high standards and expectations of their work.

"I look at how they present themselves, their work ethic and the quality of the finished product. They have to succeed on every level and then maintain that high standard to continue working with me.

"Every time they do a job, they're almost interviewing with me all over again for the next one. Their work has to be good."

Quality control, Davis maintains, begins, and ends with the subcontractor. It's a win-win situation because his core contractors often consider his jobs over others because they know he'll have ongoing work for them.

Davis says he keeps installations on schedule by first setting up a rough project outline with the client. He then meets with the subcontractors to discuss the workflow, contingent on what's needed for the particular job.

He personally stops by the job-sites throughout the week and always emails or calls the client to ask how things went on days he can't be on-site.

"They have no problem talking with me about things they might not want to discuss with the subcontractor."

This management approach, Davis says, keeps the customers happy, the subcontractors productive and the business profitable.

Custom Perspective

While profitability is key, so is functionality. Davis doesn't try to talk clients into systems that cost a fortune.

"I don't look at home theaters as elaborate," he explains. "I don't do the ridiculous over-the-top ones. I try to make them very functional so the client will like it now and continue to like it later."

Davis asserts that there's a certain sensation people should get when they first turn on that home theater system.

"I want them to continue to have that excited and energized feeling sitting in that special room watching movies, high-definition programming or sporting events for years to come. And I try to set reasonable goals and discourage my clients from doing over-stylized rooms, because tastes change.

"I don't want them to have to reinvest in the design down the line. We do a lot of contemporary styles where we can swap out colors easily, so not much reinvestment is needed.

"Of course, in the end it is the client's room, I just try to provide the best guidance I can. I also try to be very reasonable with the money they're spending. I strongly believe in investing the client's money in the theater's performance."

Davis' emphasis on clients' interests has paid off in the form of referrals and word-of-mouth recommendations. He says he's consistently busy and does limited work through builders.

He recently started offering extended service contracts to create recurring revenue and does reap recurring sales with upgraded or new equipment. A generous buy-back policy on gear keeps his clients up to date with equipment.

Davis deems it important to take the time to really talk with clients about which equipment would best benefit them.

"Some consumers can't distinguish Equipment A and B other than from a price standpoint," he says.

"I take a lot of time in accessing what's going to make the most sense for them. If they are going to spend more money I want it to be a quantifiable difference. I recently brought on a high-end audio company, and it took me a year to decide because I wanted the value to be something that my clients could appreciate and comprehend."

Davis' clients look to him to recommend what they need, he says.

"They usually know what they want -- flat panel, front- or rear-projection, two-channel or surround sound, for example. I recommend only a handful of quality products.

"It keeps the client focused on the end results of their project and not on the vast, head-spinning features of all the products. I look at it like a toolbox, there is a certain tool for a certain job and there is no sense in having duplicate tools."

Being a one-man operation has its pros and cons. "Sometimes it takes a lot of Advil," jokes Davis. "But the pros are that I can make decisions quickly on the products we carry, the projects we'll do and the day-to-day operations.

"The only real negative is having the raw manpower as the company grows to handle that expansion. The company is growing quickly and the immediate goal is to figure out how to best manage the growth, and make the right decisions.

"I'm focused on what the next level will be. There's so much opportunity right now and I'm working on maximizing the short term while keeping the long term in mind."

Integrating the Business Community

8250 Theaterworks hosts the 8250 Club, an association of businesses with which owner Ken Davis works.

The Club promotes the local businesses the company partners with, most of which are located within 30 miles of Davis' Evergreen, Colo., hometown.

"Making an investment in your local businesses can benefit the entire community," says Davis, a strong supporter of keeping and growing revenues locally.

Davis produces a newsletter for 8250 Club members highlighting the company's various vendors and products. The publication also touches on technical topics and industry news.