Maureen Perrelli, Chief Revenue Officer at Brivo, speaks to Security Journal Americas about how the company remains at the forefront of cloud-based access control innovation.

Enter access control

An executive with over 25 years of experience, Perrelli joined the Brivo team in 2022 as the Chief Revenue Officer to spearhead the company’s revenue generation and marketing efforts.

Her focus is to develop and execute strategies that drive sales and enhance customer relationships, ensuring that all activities are aligned with the company’s goals.

“Essentially, my job is to make sure we are doing the right things with our partners and customers in the field,” said Perrelli.

So far, she has been doing exactly that.

At Brivo she has helped many businesses in the enterprise and mid-market to embrace cloud-based access control and ensure a safer, more secure environment.

She has also been instrumental in building a stronger ecosystem of partners and advancing the security reseller community – in 2023 alone, Brivo added just under a thousand new partners and expanded the number of partner office sites.

Perrelli is now overseeing an average annual partner-base growth of around 24%.

Core values

Perrelli said that one of the defining factors of the organization is collaboration.

“At Brivo, we interact with respect and integrity, and we take ownership,” Perrelli said. “We work to win as a team.”

She noted that Steve Van Till, the Founder and CEO of Brivo, has created a collaborative culture that gives everyone a seat at the table.

“He’s one of the most inspiring leaders I’ve had the pleasure to work for.”

Innovation is a major force propelling the company forward, with curiosity, exploration and learning crucial to Brivo’s evolution and access control progression.

Perrelli highlighted that the company is guided by elevating the human experience and is inspired by its customers.

“As an example, we hold an Advisory Council board meeting for our customers and partners so that we can continue to gather information and feedback to inform our updates as a company.

“Fostering this collaboration is key when building new software features and functionality.”

The final Brivo principle highlighted is delivery: “Value-based decision making is important for outcomes.

“We need to think about how we protect communities around the world.

“That helps me to leave my job satisfied every day, knowing I’ve played a part in helping someone, somewhere.” 

Staying ahead

Perrelli emphasized that Brivo has been at the forefront of access control for more than 20 years.

“We’ve been relevant that entire time, so I like to say we’re the ‘adults’ in the room,” she said.

While this position doesn’t come without its challenges, Perrelli noted that Brivo has been able to lead the way through the hard work of its people and its investment in technology.

The organization’s reputation and innovation in cloud-based access control has allowed the company to scale, be flexible and provide continuous enhancements to customers.

“Integrating with new technologies and improving functionality is something we pride ourselves on and we have made many partnerships to this end.”

It’s all about enhancing user experience and creating a friendly interface for access control, according to Perrelli.

“I always joke that if I can manage our interface, anyone can!” said Perrelli.

“We offer a unified solution designed for ease of use. We actively ask for feedback in our forums or when we’re out in the market, and that keeps us innovative and agile.”

Brivo cloud-based access control solutions integrate with a wide range of third-party systems, including video surveillance and building management systems to name a few.

Perrelli revealed that this interoperability helps to create a more comprehensive security solution, allowing customers to use what’s best for them.

This makes Brivo a more attractive option for access control customers, as it can build a solution that is tailored to their needs. They’re not stuck in a proprietary system.

The industry shift

Perrelli noted that her previous experiences have allowed her to flourish in her current role.

“I’ve been doing this a long time and creating networks across different platforms and technologies has really helped me to grow.”

Experience implementing complex solutions has been key, according to Perrelli.

“In the IT sector, I’ve worked with intricate, integrated solutions that require a deep knowledge of customer needs and technical specifications – for example, projects in data centers.

“I’ve spent my entire life in the IT space. I’ve developed strategies to help customers solve complex IT problems and ensure they are cybersecure.

“This experience translates well into the physical security realm, as it enables me to understand how to secure spaces, as well as manage incidents and respond appropriately,” Perrelli continued.

“Plus, physical security is in transition – the use of technology such as cloud means it falls more broadly under the IT department’s purview.

“These days, IT is much more involved in how security is being deployed and managed as solutions are interconnected.

“The proliferation of the Internet of Things (IoT) means conversations have moved on from simply what card readers go on the wall.

“Now it’s about how to ensure the resiliency, connectivity and cybersecurity of these physical systems.”

Perrelli also noted that knowing how to build strong customer relationships has been crucial in innovating.

“Understanding the evolving needs of clients and providing tailored solutions is no different whether it’s smaller company or a larger one,” Perrelli remarked.

“Having an appreciation for what the industry needs and what our customers are asking for is vital to continue our work.”

The leading figure

After many successful years in the cybersecurity industry and as a leader in the IT channel, Perrelli now embraces any opportunity to give back.

“To be a good leader, you need to build trust and rapport, both inside your company and with anyone that might work with you in an external position.”

She added that an effective leader also needs the ability to listen, be a team player and encourage a positive working environment.

“If you’re sitting at a table with me, you are there for a reason and I want your input, to foster growth within your team. It is called a team for a reason.”

Perrelli has been recognized as a channel champion who promotes female leaders and women-led businesses in a heavily male-dominated industry.

She has led global sales teams at numerous FTSE 100 companies and has a passion for supporting other women in sales roles across the security and technology industries.

She also revealed that one day she hopes to work for someone who previously worked for her, because that means she did something right with their development.

“There’s nothing better to me than to see people evolve and grow,” she said.

“People have taken a chance on me before and now it’s my turn to cultivate greatness in somebody else. That’s my favorite part of leadership.”

Perrelli said that the key to growing in the industry and taking on more responsibility is to ask for it.

“Unless you reach out and say that you want to grow and expand, people won’t know when to help you.

“The worst thing people can say is no, but you don’t know until you ask. You have to advocate for yourself and speak up.”

A look into the future

The future for Brivo and the access control industry is exciting, according to Perrelli.

“I’m going to make sure that Brivo continues to drive progress in the market and in the future, you’ll be seeing more cloud-based solutions and integrations with emerging technologies from us.”

Plans are in the works to grow geographically and announce more strategic partnerships.

Perrelli highlighted Brivo’s focus on specific industry verticals, with product innovation in certain areas.

This follows exciting news about the organization’s ‘expanded and enriched’ global reseller program in June.

“Overall, we want to bring a unified approach to our customers,” Perrelli said.

“We want them to embrace the opportunity that an open platform brings and have access to the solutions they need.

“To do this, we need to work with partners, which might include our competition, to make everyone’s lives more secure and safe.”

This article was originally published in the September edition of Security Journal Americas. To read your FREE digital edition, click here.