Videopro CEO Cameron Douglas’ rise to the top of the Brisbane audiotech firm

From a small shop selling VHS players, a Brisbane company has expanded as its boss rose from the front counter to the top job.

More than four decades since they opened their doors Videopro has evolved along with the technology is sells.

The Brisbane-based company was one of the first in Brisbane to sell VHS players and recorders and had one of Queensland’s first video libraries at its store in George St in the CBD.

Videopro Group continues to embrace new technology and is a leading dealer of cutting edge audiovisual equipment and computers with an increasingly important AV solutions business — or rather the design, development, and installation of a range of audiovisual equipment for consumers and businesses.

Videopro Group chief executive Cameron Douglas at the company’s Newstead store. Picture: Tertius Pickard

Like most audiovisual technology businesses the Covid-19 pandemic has presented challenges and also opportunities.

Cameron Douglas, who in May became the company’s chief executive, believes the Covid-19 era has emphasised two issues — the ability for people to do their work and the fact that people are “chasing joy”.

“AV has become the social infrastructure for how we live our lives — how we work and how we live now has an audio and visual component to it,” he said.

“We’’re the only AV company in Australia that provides the full spectrum from entry level consumer through to high end professional equipment, two spaces that continue to blur together.

““In addition to meetings and home entertainment, Videopro has been an integral partner with organisations (by providing applications from) remote learning and court hearings to streamed events and religious services.

“We even streamed a surgery across the globe. Video and all the technology around it has really shined through the pandemic, keeping people connected, and that’s what we do really well.”

Videopro's home threat despiay

Mr Douglas, 36, who started with Videopro on the sales floor 15 years ago after graduating from QUT, said the company has grown “a bit” since the start of the Covid pandemic with an annual turnover of around $65m.

Crucially, they have kept staff numbers at around 100 with growth driven by e-commerce — which grew 70 per cent year-on-year — and retail with home theatre take up growing significantly.

“Growth has really been really driven by e-commerce and retail in the same way it has been with Harvey Norman and JB Hi Fi has during Covid,” he said.

“Home theatre has grown significantly through the pandemic, fuelled by cinema closures and streaming services offering premium content like Black Widow on Disney Plus

“Audio and video technology has been an unsung hero of the pandemic for many people, allowing them to ... be literally transported out of their homes.

“However, the pro-side (AV commercial integration) of the business has been flatter because there has been a lot of uncertainty out there in universities with overseas student numbers and in the corporate field with the staff going back to the office.”

A Videopro AV integrated meeting room in Brisbane.

Videopro was established in 1980 by Shane Leaney, as one of the original video equipment specialist in Queensland delivering video, HIFI and cameras to both commercial and domestic markets as well as having a servicing divisions.

The company’s headquarters are currently in Eagle Farm and it has stores in Newstead, Helensvale and Carindale. Its stores at the airport and North Lakes were closed for underperformance.

Mr Leaney remains a part owner and non-executive director of the business along with Mr Douglas, Jason Derry who is the executive director, and former chief executive Ian Wright who is the current chief operating officer. They all own 25 per cent of the business

Mr Douglas, who has an MBA and became a co-owner of Videopro in 2014, said they had plans in place to expand Videopro interstate and were in the very late stages of an acquisition of a AV commercial integration focused company in Sydney.

“While Covid brings uncertainty, we feel that the pro side of the business will keep growing and we want to expand our pro side of the business in which we currently have about 35 staff installing AVs around the country,” he said.

“This new acquisition will give us staff and a stronger presence in Sydney.”

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Mr Douglas said there has not been a more exciting time for the technology industry and understanding the need to “think outside the box” when at helping consumers and business with the AV needs.

“We’ve done a lot of innovating over the years and there’s been a lot of first Videopro has been responsible for,” he said.

“We are very much driven by customer service. Videopro has a unique ability to connect with younger people where currently they are under-service by the ageing bigger players.

“People trust us with very high end high value digital projects and that lends credibility to what we do whether selling a TV, installing a home theatre or pro AV integration side of the business in corporate offices.”