Justin Berghoff, Senior Director, Business Development & Product Management, Leviton shares his insights on the energy management in the connected home ahead of Parks Associates' CONNECTIONS in-person conference.

As Director of Business Development and Product Management at Leviton, Justin Berghoff is responsible for providing vision, direction, and customer focus in developing new business and market development opportunities for the Residential Business Unit. General responsibilities include continuously evaluating the competitive landscape, identifying product and market needs, developing new business models, and establishing strategic business alliances.

Justin joined Leviton in 2014 from an electronics technology startup in Atlanta, where he built out the team responsible for developing and executing the technology roadmap from the ground up. Prior to that, he spent over 12 years with Siemens in the U.S. and Germany in R&D, Project Management and Product Management capacities focused on electrical power distribution products. Justin has a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and a minor in German from Ohio University and has an M.B.A. from Georgia State.

Justin will be sharing more insights at CONNECTIONS on May 9, 2024 at 1:15 PM in the panel "Unlocking Energy Management in Connected Homes." Join us for the 28th annual event here!

Collaboration is key in driving innovation. Can you discuss some successful partnerships or alliances that have accelerated the adoption of connected home technologies and enhanced consumer engagement?

Interconnectedness is a key part of what makes smart homes desirable. The magic is in the seamless integration, personalized routines, and ease of living. Leviton’s smart products supports Choice of Voice, allowing for connection with Siri, Google, and Alexa. Matter, common communication language between devices and controllers in the smart home, makes it even easier.

What are the biggest challenges facing businesses in the IoT industry, and how can they be overcome to unlock the full potential of connected living? 

The “Cautious Adopter” represents the resistance from consumers to adopt connected living as a lifestyle, as opposed to a one-off technology purchase. Smart home companies must pinpoint the quality of life, environmental, and cost benefits of smart technology to educate homeowners on what it is they’re missing.

Reflecting on your career journey, what has been a standout moment or achievement that you're especially proud of?

About six years ago, we launched the Leviton Load Center (circuit breaker panel).  I was part of the core team that used an innovation process to define, develop, and manufacture something very different in a category that hasn't seen much change in decades.  We truly started with a blank canvas with no preconceived notions about what the solution should be—most importantly, we started development with customer needs, not a product.  Fast forward to today, and it is a high growth product line in the company.   

What advice would you offer to up-and-coming professionals aspiring to make their mark in the connected home and digital living industries, based on your own experiences and insights? 

For me, it was seizing new opportunities, keeping a positive attitude, and maniacally focusing on the customer.  I have seen a ton of change since starting in this industry almost 24 years ago.  Connected home was born out of the security industry and was really only for the wealthy so the available market was small.  Installers were walking around with laptops setting up complex systems that almost always broke.  In the beginning the connected home was a career leap of faith, but when companies started focusing on the CUSTOMER and making products that regular people could afford and set up themselves the industry reached a critical mass.        

What are you excited most about to discuss during CONNECTIONS? 

Energy management has really come to the forefront in recent years and it’s an exciting time to be at a company that is heavily invested in it.  Leviton was making products at the dawn of electrification well over 100 years ago and now we are once again playing a major role.  A big challenge our industry faces is the energy transition and beneficial electrification; Leviton is poised to take these issues head on.  I really enjoy having the opportunity to share with and learn from other thought leaders that are passionate about energy!

Continue the conversation with Justin and other industry leaders during CONNECTIONS: The Premier Smart Home Conference on May 7-9, 2024, in Dallas, TX. Don’t miss insights and business forecasting on the adoption of technology including broadband, smart home, security, connected health, energy, and home automation. Explore the event agenda and register at www.connectionsus.com!