In this reflective and heartfelt episode of The AV Life, host Tim Van Woeart is joined by crew members Murphy Daley, James King, and Nancy Blanchard for a meaningful conversation with special guest Tammy Fuqua. Together, they explore the idea of discovering and living your “true north”—that internal compass that guides how you lead, grow, and show up for others.
Tammy shares her journey with vulnerability and strength, opening up about the importance of clarity, personal alignment, and staying grounded in your values, even in the face of challenges. The crew brings their own perspectives to the table, making for a rich discussion on empathy, trust, reflection, and purpose in both life and AV. Whether you’re a leader, a teammate, or just trying to figure things out—this episode is an invitation to pause and realign.

• Defining your “true north” and what it looks like in action
• How reflection fuels personal and leadership growth
• Leading with empathy, clarity, and consistency
• Balancing vulnerability with resilience
• Staying aligned to values in fast-moving environments
• What it means to “show up” for others and yourself
• The importance of trust in teams and communities
• Intentionality in leadership and life
• Lessons from career pivots and personal challenges
• Advice for finding clarity when you feel off course

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


Connect with Tim:
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-van-woeart-45416826/
Twitter (X) – https://twitter.com/TVanWoeart

Connect with The AV Life:
Twitter (X) – https://twitter.com/TheAVLifePod
YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@theavlife3337

Recorded June 11-13, 2025, live at the HETMA Booth (4887), InfoComm Orlando.

The AV Life crew returns with a three-part episode recorded live from the show floor at InfoComm 2025. Across Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, host Tim Van Woeart is joined by Nancy Blanchard and Renee Benson to reflect on the energy of the show, highlight key moments at the HETMA booth, and share their own experiences navigating a packed InfoComm schedule. With surprise guests—including a championship belt–wearing Ryan Gray—this live series captures the spirit of community, exhaustion, and excitement that only InfoComm can deliver.

Over the course of these daily recordings, the crew discusses traffic patterns, social events, standout technology, and the evolving presence of HETMA on the show floor. From chaotic booth setups to an Amazing Race–style showdown and the emotional highs of the Higher Ed AV Awards, this episode is an authentic snapshot of the higher ed AV community’s biggest week of the year. Whether you were there in person or watching from afar, this one brings the floor to you.

• Daily booth traffic, attendance trends, and scheduling surprises
• Reflections on the Higher Ed AV Awards and Renee’s back-to-back wins
• Swag strategies and the art of last-day scavenging
• HETMA’s Camp-themed engagement, including the sash-and-pin challenge
• Reactions to major manufacturers pulling out vs. creative partner activations
• Highlights from vendor meetings and product discoveries (Sony, Absen, Newline, Q-SYS, etc.)
• Social events and after-hours meetups including CTI, Midwich, and Universal Studios
• The “Tech Tangle” and “Amazing Race” contests featuring higher ed leaders
• Commentary on tariffs, budget cuts, and their impact on InfoComm attendance
• Behind-the-scenes moments with the AV Life crew reconnecting in person

• Host: Tim Van Woeart
• Co-hosts: Nancy Blanchard, Renee Benson
• Special Guest: Ryan Gray (HETMA, Higher Ed AV Media)

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

Connect with Tim:
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-van-woeart-45416826/
Twitter (X) – https://twitter.com/TVanWoeart

Connect with The AV Life:
Twitter (X) – https://twitter.com/TheAVLifePod
YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@theavlife3337

Recorded June 26, 2025

After a hot and humid week in Orlando, the crew of The AV Life reconnects to swap stories, shout out favorite moments, and wind down from another whirlwind InfoComm. With Tim Van Woeart back at the helm, the team dives into their personal takeaways from the show floor, standout booth designs, and a few philosophical detours about the AV community itself. It’s equal parts reunion, recap, and real talk.

Nancy Blanchard, Renee Benson, and Murphy Daley join Tim for this informal, wide-ranging episode that celebrates what makes InfoComm special beyond the gear: the people. Whether they’re hyping up Canadian karaoke, marveling at logistics, or reflecting on AV’s evolving landscape, the crew brings insight, laughter, and a big dose of post-conference camaraderie.

Topics Discussed

• Favorite booths and product experiences from InfoComm 2025
• AVIXA’s role in growing community and conversation
• Reflections on booth size, presence, and approachability
• Canadian karaoke and after-hours fun
• Cross-border AV representation and the international vibe
• The shift in expectations for trade show content
• Travel logistics, exhaustion, and the “post-con fatigue”
• Building genuine connection through podcasting and presence
• How “family” feels different in AV than in other industries
• Looking ahead to how The AV Life shows up at future events

In this special 4th of July release, The AV Life team gathers for a conversation that connects where the show started with where the AV community is heading.

Host Tim Van Woeargt is joined by Renee Benson, Nancy Blanchard, and James King, and Joe Way.

Joe shares recent updates from HETMA, including growth, outreach, and upcoming initiatives.

The crew also takes a few moments to reflect on the early days of the podcast and the legacy of Corey Moss, one of its original creators. Though Corey isn’t on the mic, his influence on the show and the broader AV community still resonates.

This is an uplifting episode with space for both updates and reflection—something to play while the fireworks go up.

This is an episode made for YouTube!  Tim, Murphy, Nancy and Joe talk about so many conference items that are coming up or just happened. HETMA Virtual Conference, HETMA Toronto Roadshow, Infocomm, HETMA Education Summit! Check out all the fun times!! Head over to YouTube and search for The AV Life! Make sure you like and subscribe while you're there!

Hey everyone! Now this was a great episode! Tim and Renee check in with Nancy and Joe while they are at ISE in Barcelona and the list of people we get on the show is incredible!  AVIXA CEO Dave Labuskes gets pulled right off the floor and straight onto the show, followed by Erin Maher-Moran, Troy Powers, and Britt Yenser! They all give their early impressions on what is shaping up to be a great ISE Show! Sit back and enjoy!

Hey everyone!  This week Tim, Nancy, and Joe discuss what they are most excited for at ISE and Nancy's experience at the HETMA Roadshow in Arizona!  Hope you listen in as you make your travels to ISE or elsewhere and be safe along the journey!

Happy New Year AVTweeps!!  We welcome Joe Way and Murphy to the show to talk about our plans and resolutions for the New Year and about HETMA and their involvement at ISE 2025!  This is a great conversation that you don't want to miss!!

As Joe Way would say: "Boy, do we have a great one for you today!" We welcome George Chacko and Rich Miller to the show as we discuss all the things that they have going on (and spoiler alert: it's a lot!). Listen in as Tim and the crew find out all the fun things they have coming up!

Tim, Renee and Murphy kick things back in gear for the fall here on the podcast! Listen in as we get the ball rolling for this fall! Sit back and enjoy!