In a recent episode of the Fractional C-Suite Retreat podcast, host Dave Blanchard sits down with Salvatore D’Auria, the CEO of UBX Systems, to explore how UBX is revolutionizing the commercial building industry. The UBX mission is to save energy, increase comfort, and make these buildings smarter by providing solutions that are not only effective but also incredibly easy to install and manage. D’Auria describes this as a “double green effect”, as it’s good for both the environment and the building owner’s bottom line.
Listen to conversation in its entirety:
A core theme of the conversation is D’Auria’s leadership philosophy and the company’s customer-centric approach to innovation. He emphasizes the importance of hiring great people and fostering a culture where they are empowered to succeed. He also highlights a powerful insight: a business should “listen to customers and what they’re telling you they want, but the other thing is you need to also watch customers to see not only what they tell you but what they actually do.” This principle guides UBX Systems in systematically identifying and eliminating the barriers that have prevented widespread adoption of building automation, such as high costs, complexity, and the need for multiple specialists.
By focusing on these customer frustrations, UBX Systems has developed a unique solution. The company’s wireless and battery-powered systems don’t require complicated programming or integration with a building’s IT network. This makes the installation process dramatically faster, often taking just hours instead of weeks. D’Auria points out that this ease of use is the key to their go-to-market strategy, allowing them to partner with HVAC contractors who are already on the front lines with customers. By making the process “disruptively easy to install,” they’ve created a win-win scenario across the entire ecosystem. Looking to the future, D’Auria is most excited about enabling customers to leverage the vast amount of data their systems collect. He sees this data as a rich source for machine learning and AI, which will provide “actionable insights that our customers will find very valuable.” This data-driven approach enhances customer relationships and solidifies UBX Systems’ value. In wrapping up the interview, D’Auria shares a final piece of advice for other CEOs: “you have to focus on your plan… but you can’t be myopic… focus but maintain peripheral vision.” This philosophy of strategic focus paired with an awareness of the changing market is a driving force behind UBX Systems’ ongoing success.
