In this special episode of The AV Life, host Tim Van Woeart is joined by Tim Albright (AVNation) and Tim Neviska (HETMA) for a wide-ranging conversation about leadership, professional growth, and the state of the AV industry. Tim Albright discusses the inspiration behind his new book, Building on Ashes, sharing lessons about resilience, failure, and the importance of developing a personal operating system while continually passing knowledge to others.
The conversation then turns to InfoComm 2026, where the group reflects on attendance trends, higher-quality conversations, changing trade show dynamics, and the value of discovering innovative products through guided tours. Tim Neviska shares his transition into retirement, remaining active through HETMA while exploring new opportunities. The episode wraps up with a lighthearted discussion about the popularity of the name "Tim," mentorship, welcoming new AV professionals into the industry, and the importance of always continuing to learn and share knowledge.

Topics Discussed:

• Tim Albright's new book Building on Ashes
• Learning from failure and developing resilience
• Building a personal operating system for career growth
• Sharing knowledge and mentorship in the AV industry
• Reflections on InfoComm 2026 attendance and engagement
• Quality vs. quantity of trade show attendees
• Value of guided booth tours and discovering new technology
• HETMA's role in supporting higher education AV professionals
• Tim Neviska's retirement and next career chapter
• Bringing new professionals into higher education AV
• Industry trends and professional development
• The story behind three AV professionals all named Tim

The AV Life is a Higher Ed AV Media production. More at higheredav.com.

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X (Formerly Twitter): https://www.x.com/TVanWoeart

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