Taking care of customers, employees, and the environment
When it comes to corporate rhetoric, sustainability, and culture get thrown around more than they should. There are a few organizations, like Just Add Power (J+P) that sincerely put these phrases into action. Bringing in a group of journalists to show off exactly how much they believed in those concepts was a step in proving they practice what they preach.
Recently I jumped on a plane and headed to Tampa, Florida. After a quick ride, Seminole was home base for a few days. Upon arriving at the new J+P headquarters we were met with examples of the companies AV-over-IP (AVoIP) technology in the lobby with their Warp Engine showing off.
From IBM to AVoIP
Ed Qualls, the man behind the curtain at J+P, began the day by giving us a deep dive into his, and the company’s, origin story. Ed came from product development at IBM. Not a bad pedigree. In the early 90’s, Ed and his team began Just Add Power and set about to make the lives of schools, houses of worship, and others easier. You “just have to add power” and it works.
Eventually, Ed unveiled the first-ever HDMI over IP at CEDIA in 2008. From that very start, the idea of sustainability came into play. This idea is not just about reusable packaging or the type of materials the company uses. J+P designs their systems to NOT go obsolete. Every device is given new innovations and technology through firmware updates. The same J+P box you installed in 2010 has the same capabilities as the one delivered last month. That is their idea of a sustainable model.
Employee Care
Throughout the company’s new 30,000 square-foot facility there are monuments to the individuality of the employees and an overall sense of a fun company culture. Ed’s office, for example, has a replica of the Batman TV series secret button hidden in a bust of Shakespeare. That button reveals a hidden room for Qualls to think, problem-solve, or just vibe. The hallways are lined with movie posters. These are not random or Oscar winners. Each employee is tasked with naming their favorite movie. Shortly after, that movie’s poster is installed on the wall along with that employee’s name.
Qualls was blessed with the ability to further his education while at IBM. That spirit lives on through J+P’s employee education program. For those working in the Florida office, there is also a gym to work out in before, during, or after work. My personal favorite was the Cigar Bar at the back of the facility. It’s a place where the employees can relax on Fridays after a long week of supporting customers.
AV over IP and beyond
The team at J+P showed off their technology through a latency demonstration. Connecting a PS 5 into multiple monitors with one of them being their AVoIP system, it was hard to tell which monitor was direct and which flowed through their system.
People do business with people. This trip to sunny Florida was worth the time to get to know the people behind the AVoIP technology of Just Add Power. Watch out for them to come to CEDIA Expo 2023 time. They’ll be showing off a combination Warp Engine and Tiler in their booth. And, if you haven’t done so, consider connecting with J+P. They are a group that cares about their employees, their customers, and leaving a sustainable planet. Good people.
