Shawn Blades says he fell into the audio-visual business in 1989, right out of high school. He says he started installing church sound systems all across the United States. In 2005 he decided it was time to start his own business, and formed Blades Audio Video Security as a full-service audio and video security provider for installation, design and maintenance.
“I had one customer at the time, Hamilton Southeastern Schools, and there were some really good people over there who convinced me to start out on my own,” Blades says. “They were my only customer for about two years.”
After those first two years, he realized he had outgrown his current office – his garage. He relocated the office to Endeavor Dr. in Noblesville and increased his clientele. He says meeting Jeff Bragg took his business to the next level.
“Jeff was the director of operations for Noblesville Schools when they became a client of mine,” Blades says. “We picked up other school districts here and there along the way, but that relationship with Jeff stayed intact. In 2017 I somehow convinced him to come on, and he brought with him the experience of how school systems worked. From then on, we have grown tremendously.”
The family business includes Blades’ wife, Myrletta, and two sons, Wyatt and Clayton. Blades says the company provides services for around 60 school districts, government entities and corporations. The company will celebrate its 20th anniversary in January 2025. He reflects on the incredible growth the company has experienced over the last 20 years, and says this steady growth is a testament to stability and potential for future success, instilling confidence in clients and partners.
“We have a tremendous staff of 24 people with 10 out in the field doing the installs,” Blades says. “We’ve taken over more and more spots within our building to accommodate our growth. Our team works so hard and they love what they do.”
According to Blades and Bragg, building relationships is a key component to the success and growth of the business. The company’s tagline is, “We’re not here to sell communication; we’re here to embody communication.” They say they work hard to build and maintain those relationships.
“We don’t chase jobs and we don’t chase the dollars,” Bragg says. “I think we’ve grown organically by helping people when needed and caring for our clients. We all need people to help us in certain areas of our life, and we’ve figured that out for customers.”
Blades isn’t a fan of pushy sales tactics. He emphasizes that his team’s first step in meeting with a customer is a needs analysis. From there, they strive to effectively and affordably meet that need without overcomplicating it, all in the pursuit of helping people communicate better. He says this commitment to understanding and meeting customer needs is at the core of his business, making his clients feel valued and understood.
“We both are strong in our faith and try to carry that into our day-to-day lives,” Bragg says. “Sometimes we just get calls from people wanting advice, and we want to serve people even in that aspect. We just think if we continue to pour into the community, they pour into us, fostering a sense of belonging and connection.”
