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Top 10 Under 40: Stephen Karchut, Owner/leader, Alarmtech, 28

What does your typical day look like? Tell us more about your security roles and responsibilities.
My typical day starts at either 5 or 6 a.m. – depending on if I go to the gym. Following that, I go to my office and begin prepping the day for my field technicians. I create their work orders, do the previous day’s invoices, answer customer emails, and check for late tests and activity logs. This is all done before 7:30 a.m. Our technicians get to the office around 8 a.m. and start their day. When I have the time, I bench test the equipment for the field technicians. I do most of the quoting for the company, so I am often out of the office during the day. This means that I must find time to do vendor reconciliations, payroll and other financial and operational paperwork throughout my week.

What do you enjoy most about working in the security industry?
I enjoy the fact that I create a safe, secure environment for homeowners and business owners. Family, pets, staff, guests, customers, and the public all deserve to have a sense of security… no matter where they are. It is an uncomfortable feeling to not be safe at home or at work. We at Alarmtech understand the need for safe spaces and our mission is to enable every space to be a safe space.

What are your career goals for the future and how do you plan to achieve them?
Since I own my company already, I will talk about my company goals. I am looking for 40-60 per cent year-over-year growth, training my lead technician to come inside to be my operations manager, and recruit more dedicated, trustworthy people into the alarm and security industry. It is my vision to create a company that empowers its staff to have the autonomy to make decisions that impact day-to-day operations to create the best possible customer experience.

What have you learned about the security industry during your career and what advice would you pass on to newcomers?
First, I would say to anyone wanting to enter the security industry, they should do so with an open mind. While we may not be as glamorous as you might see on TV, we are an industry that is always looking for that hidden talent, that bright individual who can excel in our field. Learning a company from the ground up is the best way to succeed in our industry. I have learned to always ask questions; knowledge is power, and the more knowledge you possess will put you that much further ahead.