Meet Brad Kersanske of Buttonwood Communications in Dorchester

Today we’d like to introduce you to Brad Kersanske.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I started in the trades as a Master Electrician’s apprentice. It was working with him that I found a love for low voltage wiring. We’d occasionally do some audio video or telecom jobs and those were my favorite days to go to work. I ended up finding an opportunity with a company that specialized in the high end residential market. That’s where I really got my start in my industry. I worked there for several years on some of the largest houses in New England until I was eventually a lead technician on some of those projects. I moved on from there for a Project Manager and eventually an Operations Manager role at similar companies until I eventually started my own company. Even as an Electrician’s apprentice I had that drive to work for myself. It had always been a goal of mine. Finally, around 2010 the time was right and I took the plunge.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Running a small business is never a smooth road. It’s more like riding a roller coaster. There have been times when we were too busy and didn’t know how we’d keep up with demand. Certainly times when we were too slow and concerned about staying afloat in the early days. Resigning from a salaried job in order to produce your own work is a scary proposition, but you have to take chances if you want to succeed.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Buttonwood Communications story. Tell us more about the business.
We are a full service Systems Contracting company. There’s always a debate in the industry about what to call ourselves (Systems Integrators, A/V Contractors, etc.) Essentially, we’ll take on anything under the low voltage spectrum from Security and Fire Alarms to Home Theaters and complete Home Automation or “Smart Home” systems. I chose the name Buttonwood Communications as a nod to my grandparents. My grandfather was a contractor who worked out of Buttonwood Street in Dorchester. Together with my grandmother, they owned a couple triple-deckers on Buttonwood. Since the day I was born they were essentially self-employed so you can see why I had that itch myself. I have a lot of fond memories of Buttonwood Street so when I was considering what to name my business, it just felt right. I went with “Communications” because I thought was a solid, all-encompassing term for the systems we install.

I’d say we really specialize in being a complete service provider to our clients for anything to do with technology. We discuss what they’re looking to accomplish in their homes and make it happen. A typical project will see us install music throughout a home. We’ll do a surround sound or dedicated home theater room. We’ll install all of the cable and network wiring and configure the Wi-Fi making sure there’s solid signal throughout the house. We’ll install the Security and Fire Alarms as well as Security cameras. We can program lighting and temperature controls. And finally, we’ll take all of those subsystems and integrate them for easy, simple control from one device. Therein lies the Systems Integration or Smart Home technology. Our clients can turn music on throughout their home, adjust the temperature and lighting to set a mood, all from their phone or tablet. If they’re on vacation anywhere in the world, they can tap into their home to check the thermostats or their cameras and make sure everything is safe and sound. And we can automate a lot of the processes to give them piece of mind when they’re away. Some projects will consist of everything we can possibly offer, but we’ll also go into a house and just install one system as well.

One thing that sets us apart from a lot of competitors is we carry the proper licenses and clearances to do the security work. A lot of A/V companies will subcontract that work out, but we keep everything in house. If you hire Buttonwood Communications, we’ll be taking on every aspect of the project we’re hired to do. We’re a small company that can handle large complex projects. All my clients have my cell phone number and can reach me at just about any time of the day. I like to build a close relationship with my clients so that their comfortable even shooting me a text some evening with a quick question. That certainly sets us apart from some of the bigger firms out there.

I’m very proud that I started a company out of thin air and have been able to build a roster of clients and keep myself and other people employed over the last 7 years. As I mentioned, it can be a roller coaster at times, but it’s always been worth it.

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I suppose there’s always a bit of luck in terms of finding new clients. I’d say we’re mostly a referral based business. We’ll do a project and they’ll tell their friends and family about us. Occasionally we’ll have someone find us online and submit an inquiry. I always find that to be lucky when it turns into a good project since we don’t really do any marketing besides occasional social media activity.

I have been lucky enough to have a wife who supported the idea of me starting a business. I’m not sure how many spouses out there will say “Let’s do it” when you tell them you want to quit your job. I consider myself very lucky that she said “yes” when I asked her to marry me. I certainly wouldn’t be in this position without her support.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.buttonwoodinc.com
• Phone: 617-379-1949
• Email: info@buttonwoodinc.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buttonwoodinc/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ButtonwoodCommunications/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/ButtonwoodInc

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