"Why I left Mumbai excited about the future of premium AV," by Mike Beaty

"I’ve been involved in the AV industry for more than 35 years, and during that time I’ve travelled extensively, visited countless trade shows and met some incredible people along the way," writes Mike Beatty, Owner of Directly AV.

"But before arriving in Mumbai for the recent Smart Home Expo, I’ll be honest, I had preconceived ideas about what I was going to experience - and I couldn’t have been more wrong.

From the moment I arrived, I was genuinely impressed.

The quality of the stand builds, the professionalism of the presentations, and the overall atmosphere throughout the exhibition were exceptional. Even the convention centre itself felt more like a luxury hotel than somewhere hosting a technology exhibition.

But what stayed with me most wasn’t actually the event itself. It was the people.

Over the course of the trip, I spent time with integrators, manufacturers and industry professionals from across India, and almost every conversation left me feeling increasingly optimistic about where this market is heading.

There was a genuine willingness to learn. A hunger to improve. An openness to new ideas. And a genuine desire to ask questions about how they could continue to develop both themselves and their businesses.

That stood out to me.

Sometimes in more mature markets, people can become slightly fixed in how they operate. Comfortable with existing ways of doing business. India felt very different.

The people I met were incredibly welcoming, collaborative and refreshingly open-minded. There was far less ego than I expected and far more curiosity.

That combination is powerful.

Many of the people I spoke to were already using, or at least aware of, The Cinema Designer and the excitement around some of the improvements and developments currently being worked on was clear to see.

The conversations were no longer just about products.

They were about design. Engineering. Workflow. Standards.Education.And delivering better overall experiences for clients.

For me, that says a lot about where the Indian market is heading.

I also spent quite a bit of time discussing the DirectlyAV platform and explaining how we’re looking to work closely with a select group of India’s finest companies, whilst introducing carefully selected premium brands directly into the region.

Again, the enthusiasm genuinely surprised me.

Many integrators openly expressed a desire for access to innovative products without unnecessary layers where that support structure simply isn’t needed. They want the ability to buy certain products directly at the very best pricing, allowing them to remain competitive whilst still delivering excellent value and service to their customers.

Importantly, though, these conversations didn’t feel driven by price alone.

What I sensed was a market looking for better ways of working: Closer relationships with manufacturers. Better access to innovation.
Better education. And higher standards overall.

That’s very different.

One of the biggest things I took away from Mumbai was the feeling that India isn’t simply growing, it’s evolving. And it’s evolving quickly.

What also stayed with me was how many people have continued to stay in touch since I returned home. The conversations didn’t end after the exhibition halls closed. In many ways, they’ve only just started.

There’s clear excitement around collaboration and around what the future could look like.

I should also mention the support from Wendy Griffiths and Sanket Sawant from CEDIA throughout the trip. It was obvious how much work is being done behind the scenes to support both integrators and brands seeking to grow responsibly in India.

That support network matters enormously as the market continues to mature. Personally, I left Mumbai convinced that India will become a major force within the premium AV industry over the coming years.

Not just because of the scale of the opportunity, but because of the mindset of the people driving it forward.

The willingness to learn.

The openness to collaboration.

The desire to improve.

And the enthusiasm to embrace new ideas whilst continuing to raise standards.

For The Cinema Designer, for the brands we’ll soon be introducing into the region and for the wider industry as a whole, I genuinely believe this is only the beginning.

And personally, I can’t wait to return."