Laura Stepanek Articles

Most Popular Brands Among the SDM 100

Which suppliers do the largest security dealers use? This SDM 100 brand-usage report details the manufacturers and distributors that earn their business.

Laura Stepanek

June 3, 2019

The security industry looks to the SDM 100 — a group of the 100 largest security companies ranked by their recurring monthly revenue (RMR) — as a wellspring of industry trends and operational best practices.

Security Marketing

Goal! Sports Sponsorships For the Win

Laura Stepanek

June 3, 2019

I’m a big hockey fan, especially of the American Hockey League, which is comprised of 31 minor league teams that are affiliated with National Hockey League teams.

2019 SDM 100: Above Average

While many security dealers on the SDM 100 Report describe 2018 as an “average” year, the numbers show 5 percent growth in RMR and some peculiar market forces at work that may be shifting generalist dealers to become specialists.

Laura Stepanek

May 9, 2019

SDM 100 security dealers mutually tallied $655 million in RMR on December 31, 2018, on 12.6 million subscribers.

What was the Buzz at ISC West? SDM Editors Find Out

Karyn Hodgson Laura Stepanek

Courtney Wolfe

May 6, 2019

While at ISC West 2019, SDM editors Laura Stepanek, Karyn Hodgson, and Courtney Wolfe asked exhibitors three of the most pressing questions facing the industry today.

SDM 100 Report

Top Security Dealers: What Are Their Issues?

Laura Stepanek

May 6, 2019

This issue presents the annual SDM 100 Report (beginning on page 38), a ranking based on revenue of the largest security installation and monitoring providers.

Editor’s Angle

Project Managers: Why They’re Needed

Laura Stepanek

April 1, 2019

This month’s cover story, “It Takes a Village,” continues SDM’s coverage of the complex issue of cyber security overlaid onto physical electronic security.

Editor’s Angle

The Real Threat of ‘Operating Complexity’

Laura Stepanek

March 5, 2019

How would you rate your ability to operate a security company in a complex environment? The fact is that business-operating complexity may be one reason the security industry is contracting.

SDM 2019 Security Industry Forecast: Channeling Momentum Into Opportunities

Results of SDM’s 2019 Industry Forecast Study show that security integrators grew their total annual revenue by an average of 15 percent last year; they expect that momentum to bring them face-to-face with prosperous opportunities in 2019, as long as the economy stays strong.

Laura Stepanek

January 2, 2019

Security integrators expect their stellar 2018 performance to continue into 2019, according to results of SDM’s 2019 Industry Forecast Study, a report published annually by SDM since 1982. Last year saw double-digit growth in both total annual revenue and recurring monthly revenue (RMR) for integrators and dealers who participated in the study.

Welcome to the "New" SDM!

In addition to the debut of a new design, this issue of SDM features the 37th annual Industry Forecast Study of financial performance of the security industry.

Laura Stepanek

January 2, 2019

We have a new look! This is the first issue introducing the redesign of both SDM and our twice-annual supplement, Monitoring Today.

Surveillance Technology at the 2018 World Cup

Security technology was a playmaker for World Cup 2018; due to its effectiveness, the event occurred largely without incident.

Laura Stepanek

November 1, 2018

In 2018, host country Russia went to great extent to ensure that it provided the tightest security possible surrounding World Cup events; news reports at the time gave us a glimpse into some of the tactics and resources.