Introducing Martin Thurnn, CEO at TK Luxury Trading LLC, Platinum Partner of TOMKERN Luxury Smart Homes. With over two decades of expertise in several fields, Martin is creating high-end smart home experiences for his clients. At TOMKERN, Martin and his team combine comfort, entertainment, health and wellbeing, security and safety, and sustainability to offer the best experiences for the users.
In this insightful session, Martin Thurnn shares about the advent of his journey, filling the market gaps, offering extensive smart home solutions, and how home automation can be accessed by all.
The Advent of Martin’s Professional Journey
We started the interview by asking, “Can you describe a pivotal moment in your entrepreneurial journey that fundamentally changed the trajectory of your business?”
Martin Thurnn responded, “I cannot tell you a specific moment; rather, I think there are many pivotal moments in the first phase when you are starting a business. With the knowledge you have, which is mandatory, you need to find your plan on how to approach the field of business you want to enter. You have to make your strategy which you think is best for reaching your goals. In the beginning, and since you learn more every day, I would say that there are many of those changing moments. Even when the company is settled on a healthy basis this does not come to an end.
Entrepreneurs have to make many decisions on their journey day by day. Not all of them affect the business fundamentally and change the trajectory of the whole company but some do. These are the crucial deciding moments that make entrepreneurs successful or not. Numbers, strategy, and a bit of intuition about where the market will go make the successful decision wisely. Hence, you have to be on the market and keep your eyes and ears open.”
Evolving Priorities of Business
Businesses often tend to adapt their business goals to the latest market developments. To learn how Martin Thurnn’s business priorities have changed over the years, we asked, “How have your initial visions for the company evolved in response to unforeseen challenges or opportunities?”
Martin Thurnn shared, “A plan or a vision needs to be there in the first place and you should follow and observe it by always asking yourself if you are on the right track. On the way, it is normal that you find unforeseen obstacles to overcome and also good chances to be taken which can change your initial vision as well.
It is your duty as an entrepreneur to take on the upcoming challenges and rethink your decisions after some time. And if you conclude that an adjustment in direction must be done, do not hesitate to carry it out.”
Staying Ahead of The Curve
Eager to learn how Martin Thurnn ensures that his business stays updated with all the latest trends and developments, we asked, “What strategies do you employ to stay updated with industry trends and emerging technologies?”
Martin Thurnn shared, “It is always important to keep up with the state of the art. There are many ways to do that. Keep yourself informed by participating in symposiums and exhibitions, reading professional journals, etc. Do not forget to watch what your competitors do and which way they are going. Listen to the users and customers who bought your product or service and operate it every day. Take their advice for improvement.”
Filling Market Gaps
To learn how Martin Thurnn’s business is working towards meeting the market requirements, we inquired, “What unmet need or gap in the market did you identify that led you to start your venture?”
“In the ‘Smart Home’ World, we see that the business is pretty much based on devices more than on the real experience for the end users and is not that smart in terms of functionality, etc. Normally there is one device for the AC, one for the shading, one for the lighting, etc. We from TOMKERN see that in a completely holistic way for the whole property and we are sure that this will be the future of ‘Smart Homes’.
When we talk about experience we mean 5 points to be looked at:
- Comfort
- Entertainment
- Health and Wellbeing
- Security and Safety
- Sustainability
All those points need to be integrated into a smart home to make it a great experience for the owner or user and take daily headaches away from them.” Martin Thurnn shared.
Nurturing Top Talents
Having the right talents in the team is paramount for its success. So, we asked Martin Thurnn, “What strategies have you employed to ensure that your company attracts and also nurtures and grows top talent?”
Martin Thurnn replied, “In my opinion, it is very important to take them with you on this journey. Make them understand the purpose of the company and the company philosophy behind it. Do not hide information, explain, give them their responsibilities, and guide them. Be reachable to them in case they have questions. Let them make mistakes and learn. Constructively criticize them and motivate them to do better next time. Also, compliment them in case they did a good job.
All in all, it is very important to be transparent and a role model for them yourself. Stick to agreements and expect them to do the same. Let them know what they can expect from you and do not change that. Be strict on the job but a human when something happens and the employee is not at 100%.”
Assessing the Right Strategy
We further asked, “In the face of rapid industry shifts, how do you decide when to pivot your business strategy versus staying the course?”
Martin Thurnn continued, “Decisions for changes like this are never easy since you had a plan you worked hard on, and at that time you thought it was the best way to go. But, as mentioned before, you have to watch your surroundings. If you notice changes in the customer’s demand or changes from your suppliers’ side, you have to act. Maybe there is a new successful competitor who is offering something new to the market. In these cases, you have to dig deeper and understand their USP and the differences to your own company.
The most alarming sign I would say is when numbers are going down and you notice cash flow is decreasing. That’s the alarm where you should start investigating in order to find out the reason and try to solve the problem as quickly as possible.”
Setting TOMKERN Apart
In this competitive space, it is crucial to offer unique services and experiences to ensure a strong brand presence. We asked, “What type of services do you provide considering the competitive landscape in this industry?”
Martin Thurnn shared, “As I said before. We from TOMKERN are making the lives of our customers easier and more convenient by taking daily headaches away from them by integrating additional intelligent solutions into our smart homes. Life can be complicated. We aim to create environments that promote e.g. comfort and convenience in terms of temperature, humidity, and general air quality. The right light at the right time strongly contributes to the perception of comfort.
Home entertainment technology can significantly enhance social gatherings by creating immersive, interactive, and personalized experiences that lead to memorable moments with family and friends. High-end entertainment technology makes the time spent with family and friends even more enjoyable.”
Martin Thurnn added, “For example, indoor and outdoor movie nights, karaoke, watching sports events, gaming as well as watching a good concert. To realize these experiences for our customers we have partnerships with some high-end equipment manufacturers in this field. In terms of Health and Wellbeing, we control the CO2 concentration in the house and adjust humidity levels. We integrate Human Centric Lighting (HCL) technologies to support natural biorhythm, recovery, and stress relief.
At TOMKERN, we use the latest technology to ensure security and create a safe environment for you. Our wide range of cameras and sensors detect external threats and dangerous situations within the home. Smart locks and access controls offer keyless entry and remote locking. We also prioritize energy efficiency with smart home solutions that adjust heating, cooling, and lighting based on occupancy, time, and weather conditions, leading to energy and cost savings.”
Home Automation – A Space For Everyone
Lastly, we asked, “As you look to the future, how are you preparing your business to navigate and thrive amidst uncertainties in the business landscape?”’’
Martin Thurnn concluded, “We are constantly working on improving ourselves and trying to create new solutions for our customers to make their lives better and more convenient. In the smart home business, the rough forecast says that the turnover will be tripling in the next 6-8 years worldwide.
That shows me that the future has arrived and home automation is no longer only something for the wealthy but all homeowners. I also expect positive development and growth in the luxury segment of home automation and hence also growth for TOMKERN in the next years while always having our eyes and ears on the market.”
Follow Martin Thurnn on LinkedIn.
Find TOMKERN on LinkedIn and visit their website https://tomkern.art
Also Read
The Credentials of new Ambassadors to Riyadh are Given to the Saudi crown Prince.
A Partner In International Tax Journey And Financial Goals: Hervé Israel & Parnassah
