Sam Kennedy joins Simon Dudley on Before It Was Obvious to explore three decades of video conferencing, the decisions behind major product bets, and why communication technology ultimately succeeds by connecting people.

From early PictureTel and Polycom systems to Crestron and NetSpeek, Sam reflects on a career shaped by field engineering, customer conversations and changing markets. The discussion covers listening to the voice of the customer, Polycom's ambitious Centro product, the move toward integrated solutions, company culture and building a startup in the AV industry.

Topics include:
• How a sociology degree became an asset in a technology career.
• The human connection behind video collaboration.
• PictureTel, ViewTech, Polycom and the evolution of conferencing.
• Centro, innovation and learning from difficult product bets.
• Customer needs, integrated AV solutions and organizational culture.
• AI, AV management and Sam's work at NetSpeek.
• Career decisions and advice for the next generation.

Full guest page, show notes and transcript:
https://b4obvious.com/interviews/08-sam-kennedy/

Watch the video interview:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1E495WrOO_8

Explore more conversations:
https://b4obvious.com

Hosted by Simon Dudley.

YouTube source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1E495WrOO_8

Conversation topics

• Introduction to Sam Kennedy and His Journey
• From Humble Beginnings to the AV Industry
• The Role of Sociology in Technology
• The Human Connection in Video Conferencing
• The Evolution of Video Conferencing Technology
• The Transition from ViewTech to Polycom
• The Voice of the Customer at Polycom
• Innovations and Challenges at Polycom
• Centro: A Case Study in Innovation and Failure
• The Evolution of Communication Technology
• Innovations in Video Conferencing
• The Shift to Integrated Solutions
• Cultural Differences in Organizations
• Transitioning from Polycom to Crestron
• Building a Startup in the AV Industry
• Advice for Future Generations

About Sam Kennedy

Sam Kennedy is a video collaboration industry veteran with experience at Polycom. At the time of this conversation, he described leading go-to-market work at an AI startup focused on managing AV, unified communications and digital signage. His interview with Simon looks back at decades of industry change and the value of maintaining respect between competitors.

Full guest page, show notes, articles and transcript

• Connect with Sam Kennedy on LinkedIn
• Watch the full interview
• Download show notes (.md)