138: I Don't Wanna Be The Cheesey Boy with Philipp Gude

This week on the AV/IT Amplifier, Ryan continues the conversation with Philipp Gude of GUDE Systems, moving beyond the product conversation and into the people, personality, and philosophy behind the company. The episode starts with the most important technical matter of all: how exactly Americans are supposed to pronounce “Gude,” why “good” works just fine, and how quickly a strong product name can become a full episode worth of puns.From there, Ryan and Philipp get into the energy of InfoComm, what it means to make a traditionally dry category like power management feel engaging, and why smart power is more than just something sitting in the bottom of a rack. Philipp talks about working in a family company, his path through engineering, IT, and sales, the pride and responsibility of having his name on every product, and why his confidence in GUDE comes not just from the engineering team, but from the feedback he hears every day from customers. The conversation also wanders, in the best possible way, through Cologne, German beer, factory tours, grilled salami and gouda sandwiches, the future film Mr. Strom, and the value of creating enough trust that people will tell you the truth.Topics discussedThe difference between saying GUDE in German and saying “good” for English speaking customers.How GUDE’s slogan, “good, great, GUDE,” turns the company name into a natural brand advantage.The danger and delight of making too many power management puns.Why AV and IT people often build big public systems while personally preferring to stay in the background.Philipp’s answer to whether he is an introvert or an extrovert: both, depending on role and day.InfoComm as an exhausting but energizing week for people who thrive on connection.Making power management feel more engaging without losing sight of how serious and important it is.Philipp’s unexpected path into the family business after work in chemical industry, IT, engineering, and technical sales.What it feels like to sell a product that literally carries your family name.Why Philipp says his confidence in GUDE comes from customer feedback as much as from knowing the engineering team.GUDE’s firmware being built from scratch and the value of knowing what is actually inside the product.Cologne, the Cologne Cathedral, German beer, and why ordering “a beer” may be the right move in Germany.The imagined movie of Philipp’s life: Mr. Power, or better, Mr. Strom.The best sandwich question, answered with grilled salami and gouda.The importance of blunt, honest feedback from customers, colleagues, and team members.How assumptions about family businesses can miss the real story of how someone started.Where to connect with Philipp and GUDE Systems.InfoComm booth details and HETMA member show floor tours.Connect with Philipp Gudehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/philipp-gude-pdu/https://gude-systems.comConnect with Ryanhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanagray/[email protected] by Chris DechterHave feedback or guest ideas? Let us know!This show is a production of Higher Ed AV Media. Visit www.HigherEdAV.com for fresh content every day!