Recruiting Roadmap: Stop Calling It “Spending”

In the security integration industry, there’s a deeply ingrained habit that keeps many companies from reaching the next level – the idea that every dollar leaving the business is a loss until proven otherwise.

Whether it is earmarked for recruiting, marketing, training, or better tools, many integrators still see these areas as “expenses” rather than what they truly are: investments that build capacity, stability, and long-term profit.

The Mindset Problem

Integrators are builders by nature. Many started small, wiring systems out of the back of a van or running projects by themselves. That resourcefulness and lean mentality helped them survive the early years, but it often becomes a limitation once the company grows.

The same mindset that protected the business in the beginning starts to prevent it from scaling. I talk to owners every week who are stuck in this cycle. They say things like:

“We can’t afford to hire a recruiter.”

“We’ll start marketing once things slow down.”

“We’ll look at new software next year.”

Meanwhile, competitors who did make those investments are expanding faster, attracting stronger talent, and running more efficiently.

From Expense to ROI

What separates a $5 million integrator from a $25 million one is rarely just opportunity. It is perspective. A smaller firm asks, “How much will it cost?” A larger firm asks, “What will it return?”

That simple shift changes everything.

Hiring a recruiter is not a $20,000 expense; it is the engine that builds the team responsible for millions in future revenue. Upgrading a CRM or project management system is not a luxury; it is the foundation that helps you prevent costly mistakes, improve client visibility, and retain key staff. Training programs are not overhead; they are insurance against turnover and rework.

Why the Old Approach No Longer Works

Margins are tightening, talent is scarce, and customer expectations are higher than ever. The industry is evolving faster than many leaders realize, and you can’t rely on “doing more with less” forever. The integrators that will lead the next decade are the ones who are willing to invest early and strategically in people, systems, and brand reputation.

Those who delay often end up spending more later, but reactively. They pay to fix problems rather than prevent them. A technician quits, and they scramble to fill the role, losing productivity and client trust in the process. A project fails due to poor coordination, and they spend months rebuilding the relationship. Reactive spending is always more expensive than proactive investing.

The Bottom Line

If your goal is to grow, stop viewing every investment through the lens of “What does it cost?” and start asking “What will it enable?”

Growth takes more than effort. It takes infrastructure, systems, and the courage to invest in them. When you stop calling it spending and start treating it as building, you begin operating like the companies that scale instead of stall.