Welcome to “Brand Champions,” where we dive deep into the art and science of building unforgettable brands. Join us on Advertising Champions TV as branding gurus share their secrets to creating brand loyalty and driving impact. Discover the strategies behind iconic brand stories and learn how to stand out in a competitive marketplace. Today our host, Howard Wolpoff spoke with Meg Watt of AlarMax
Meg Watt
VP of Marketing at AlarMax
Website Address: alarmax.com
Short company description:
AlarMax is a national distributor specializing in fire, security, surveillance, access control, and AV solutions. With 27 branches and a new national fulfillment center, AlarMax delivers industry-leading products, expertise, and personalized support to dealers and integrators across the country, blending trusted service with modern, technology-driven tools.
Transcript:
Howard:
Welcome back to Brand Champions. I’m Howard Walport, your host. The show is brought to you by Teal The Agency, and we’re excited to welcome Meg White from Alarm Max. Meg, welcome to the conversation.
Meg:
Thank you. I’m so excited to be here.
Howard:
We’re excited to have you, especially because I don’t often get to talk directly with brands. I usually speak with agencies about what they do for brands, but you represent the brand itself. Let’s talk about how you approach branding for your company. Tell us about Alarm Max and how that’s shaped the direction of your marketing decisions.
Meg:
Alarm Max is a wholesale B2B distributor of security, surveillance, access control, fire, and AV equipment—essentially the systems that keep buildings running and keep people safe. The company has been around for more than 30 years, but for most of that time, we were very much the underdog in the space.
We’re a national company, but the top two competitors are global and significantly larger. Despite that, Alarm Max was successful—but honestly, it was successful in spite of its marketing. We had a logo, but not a true brand. There really wasn’t any marketing effort at all beyond a basic flyer sent to branches.
Howard:
Okay.
Meg:
I joined the organization about a year and a half ago because leadership wanted to be brave, bold, and do things differently. I told them, “Be careful what you wish for,” because that’s exactly what I planned to do. Since then, we’ve completely transformed as an organization.
A lot of that starts with how you see yourself. I often tell people, you dress for the job you want—and the same goes for how you talk about yourself. Branding isn’t just colors and fonts; it’s how you approach business every day, how you show up culturally, and how you build community.
Howard:
That’s a powerful way to look at it. You clearly had an incredible opportunity to help shape the company’s next chapter. When you walked into an organization that hadn’t really focused on marketing or branding, what was the biggest challenge? And what are you most proud of overcoming?
Meg:
The hardest part at first was buy-in—helping people understand why this mattered. At the time, we had 26 locations that essentially operated like franchises. They did their own purchasing, their own marketing, their own thing.
So the question was, why let the “mothership” handle this? Over time, they began to see that we were there to support them—negotiating better pricing on promotional items, creating a unified voice, and helping tell a stronger story.
One of the biggest changes has been in recruiting. A year ago, hiring was extremely difficult. This industry requires expertise, and many of our employees stay an average of 8 to 15 years. You can’t just hire someone to move boxes—they need to understand the business.
Now, because of our branding, our videos, our thought leadership, and our visibility, we’re attracting top talent from our competitors. People can see that Alarm Max is an exciting place to work, that we’re growing, and that there’s a future in this industry.
Howard:
That’s such an important point. Marketing is often viewed as a small function, but in reality, it supports every part of the organization.
Meg:
Exactly. People tend to think of marketing as one small box, but that box touches everything—from hiring and culture to retention and growth.
Howard:
That must be incredibly rewarding. You’re not just driving revenue; you’re reshaping the culture and creating a place where people want to work. That impact goes far beyond traditional marketing metrics.
Meg:
It really does. When I was hired, I was a one-person department. Now we’re a team of seven. They’re young, they’re talented, and I tell them all the time that this is a once-in-a-career opportunity—to build something from the ground up, try new things, and see it come to life.
It’s exciting for me, but it’s also exciting to watch them grow and realize what they’re capable of.
Howard:
I hope they truly appreciate that, because opportunities like this don’t come around often. I’ve been part of three launches myself, and I’ve learned from every one—good and bad. You’re not just building a brand; you’re mentoring a team at the same time.
Meg:
It’s truly the most fun. Watching them flourish and experiencing all of this together—it’s incredibly rewarding.
Howard:
I’m so happy for you and for the organization. It’s clear this momentum will only continue as you head into the future. Thank you so much for joining us and sharing your story today.
Meg:
Thank you for having me. This was really enjoyable.
Howard:
And thank you all for joining us. Opportunities like this—where you get to rebuild, reimagine, and truly transform a company—don’t come around often. The reward isn’t just revenue; it’s the culture, the people, and the impact you create along the way.
Be sure to check out what Alarm Max is doing today and take inspiration from how branding can—and should—shape your organization. Have a great rest of your day, and we’ll see you next time.
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