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Paul Amelio is Co-founder, Inventor and Chairman of N2 Global Solutions, Inc., a New York City-based technology company that has developed “the first integrated wireless network” of its kind—an Internal ‘Super Grid’ that consists of modules that retrofit into a building’s existing electrical junction boxes, that communicate remotely with an existing Building’s Management Systems (BMS), and support today’s new construction Net Zero initiatives and formidably aid in documentation and compliance with the US Green Building Council (USGBC) Well Building Standards.
City where you’re from:
Now in New York City, Originally from Calabria Italy
Hobbies:
I love art… marketing, design, painting, studying art all fascinate me. I also am into health and sports.
Favorite quote:
“Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish.” and “The future is not something that you go into, it’s something you create.”
Twitter: N2SuperGrid
Why did you decide to become an entrepreneur?
I have always had ambition to do more and a regular job was never regular as it always cut into my personal time– constantly working overtime didn’t satisfy me.
Who were your biggest influences? Was there a defining moment in your life?
When I was in 7th grade, my English teacher handed me a book from the collection of books that she retrieved from donations. Anyone in the class was welcome to take a book and didn’t need to worry about returning it… the book was called ROCKY, but what fascinated me more about the book was what the author Sylvester Stallone went through to make it a movie.
Now
What are you working on?
The SuperGrid; The architecture to the platform of the Internet of Things (IoT). A major change in managing and optimizing the way we use electricity, demand response, identifying atmospheric issues.
How did you come up with this idea?
I couldn’t help but notice that the face-plate on a wall outlet had similar characteristics as a smart phone while watching a documentary that pitted Nicola Tesla vs Thomas Edison. I thought about whether anyone ever thought about putting smart-phone technology into the electrical infrastructure.
How is your product/service different and unique?
My technology is made up of learning, technically savvy (computerized) wall sockets, switches and light fixtures that are modular, each with an array of sensors that detect and detail harmonics, voltage, moisture, acoustic analytics, and so much more. They communicate from one component to the other creating a mesh network from sub-basement to rooftop of a building.
What has been your favorite moment with it?
It’s been a challenge… I have started businesses before but never have I ever introduced a product into the marketplace. Although every moment of this ride has been exciting, there is no better place to be than where we are now—preparing for commercialization and manufacturing.
What’s the vision?
To reinvigorate the economic and environmental climates.
What untapped marketing channels do you take advantage of?
Viral; YouTube, Social Media outlets to share information, Guerilla marketing, and mass mailings, etc.
Did you experience failure along the way?
Yes, you can’t learn without failure…
What did you learn from it?
There is nothing more satisfying than succeeding and succeeding another failure, it’s just a part of the process.
Value-add questions
Give the readers the best entrepreneurship advice you have.
Listen only to your gut and your heart and not the voice inside your head. Naysayers are everywhere; they could be best friends or family that are accompanied by lack of sleep. To succeed, you need to believe in yourself… and don’t give up, DON’T EVER GIVE UP!
Teach us something about {internet marketing, social media ads, fundraising, sales funnels or another topic} Can you recommend any favorite websites to learn that topic?
Your resources are based on your invention. Many have used crowd funding to raise capital. Since my product is marketed first for commercial, I couldn’t use crowd funding. Your best bet is to start raising funds through friends and family. They say that you will know who your true friends are and which family member will actually go out of their way to support your dream. However, I highly recommend exposure. Credibility comes from visibility… showcase your product at conferences and trade shows. Become a great presenter and learn your elevator pitch — you will be surprised with the results. Talk about elevation—some of my elevator pitches were done traveling on an airplane!
While working on your project, have you come across any interesting bit of knowledge that you’d like to share? (i.e. any new research finding, any new platforms, some novel management technique, etc)
There is too much to share in one paragraph. However, working and dealing with municipalities, understanding people… body language and knowing when to pivot becomes instinctive as you go through the process. Beware of the person who offers you his shirt but doesn’t have one to give.
What daily habits do you have that allow you to perform at your peak?
Ambition… although, it’s not a daily habit, it is a way of life for me. If sleeping is important to you, don’t become an entrepreneur. I am constantly on my toes, ready for anyone to listen to my pitch. Other than that, being an entrepreneur can be exhausting. I read a lot and I love to learn and although I like to catch up on the latest news, I am mostly eager to learn of news within my space. I recommend a sanctuary such as a gym where you can leave your phone behind and pay attention to you. I’m constantly on the go but I wouldn’t say that my habits are the best, so I wouldn’t be a good role model when it comes to nutrition and sleep. I get a rush from succeeding at what I do best and I am a tireless worker bee when it comes to success but I always think twice before I act.
What should an entrepreneur focus on?
Expediting the minimum viable product… get into the marketplace and pivot as necessary.
Walk us step-by-step through the process that you had to go through to get from the early stages to where you are today.
It took 8.5 years for me to get where we are today because our vision on a new technology was ahead of it’s time. For example, once we finally took the graphic design aspect of our technology and added engineering, we realized that the components that made up all of the wants that we anticipated were much larger than we had anticipated. Relays were the size of alarm clocks and sensors were the size of a human fist… so we were at a loss as we began to pivot. So we took a modular design approach that made things better but not where we wanted them to be. But with some divine intervention, smaller and new products were introduced into the market place. Relays came down in size considerably and so did the sensors. Building machines that communicate is a lot more difficult than creating an application, however, nothing is easy and time is always of essence.
What are some of your favorite books?
There are several books that I like a lot in the business arena. My favorite is ‘Swim with the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive‘ by Harvey Mackey. Although times have changed since the book was written there are real life experiences included that are sobering and influential. Also I recommend Steve Jobs; The Man Who Thought Different because it takes you through the development of a true entrepreneur whose success is unlike any other with potential insights on how to grow your business.
Where do you see yourself and your product in a couple years?
Helping children and people with disabling conditions with the use of technology.
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