Overseeing the security of a handful of Austin’s most iconic businesses and restaurants, along with area households, John Dyess founder of Dyezz Surveillance & Security, Inc. has become quite the Austin man himself. He says, “Dyezz was selected as the name because an employee told him to change the two ‘s’ to two ‘z.’ It throws a spin on it and words with a ‘z’ tend to be more powerful words.”
Powerful is one descriptor of Dyess. Savvy, thoughtful, focused, and driven are others. Having started his business with only two cameras and $400, Dyess has built his success on emphasizing the customer. The business which installs video surveillance equipment, provides technical support, and gives full attention to the customer has, after all, been successful for nearly ten years.
Dyess’ philosophy: “I consider my business like a five star restaurant. Every time I read an email I’m concerned about what my customer is going to say about me, my business and our business practices.”
September 11, 2001 was the inspiration for Dyezz Surveillance. That particular day, he was scheduled for an employee review and realized, more than ever, security would be becoming an integral part of people’s interest. With a familiarity with cameras, he had the foundation to progress his idea, now a decade-proven success.
Surveillance was a natural choice for Dyess who has a background in both surveillance and cameras at his former employer, Custom Sounds. Though, he says, “Our product offering is moving into biometrics, fingerprinting and retinal scans.” And he says, surveillance trends are on the rise, “Currently, about 10% of the homes in Austin have camera surveillance equipment. In about three to four years, this percentage will rise to more than 30 percent”
Dyess relocated to Austin at 22 and admittedly fell in love. Arriving from El Paso he recalls, “I saw a variety of people. On 6th Street the first guy I saw was the guy who wears a crown and plays the guitar.”
He adds, “I’m very lucky to be in a place where the economy is rocking.”
On that note, his children are also rock stars to him. And it only makes sense that rocking is a common thread in Dyess’ love of Austin.
Dyess is, in fact, a family man. Maintaining a work life balance alongside his business approach of customer nourishment, he and his wife strive to live and teach the value of family, tradition, and hard work. Dyess says, “A new arrangement I’ve designed is every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday nights are dinner nights with the kids no matter what. It is important to have vacation and relaxing [time] with the family.”
Traveling is another family value he and his wife are passing along. Recalling a quote from a welleducated dentist in Capri, he reminisces, “The best education you can get when you’re a kid is a lot of travel.”
He tells some of his own travel tales alongside the children, “We take the children out to White Sands near El Paso and chat about why the sand is white. We take them to an Air Force base and introduce to aeronautics – as they may wish to fly planes in the Air Force one day. It takes them away from playing video games all day.”
Dyess has established a respected reputation in Austin and Houston, representing well-known clients like business partners Jason Carrier and Brad and Chad Womack and their respective businesses, among them: Dogwood and Kung Fu Saloon in Austin and Dogwood’s newest location in Houston.
His 12-year-old son is proud of him, Dyess says with a smile. And clearly his business clients are, too. With an exponentially growing business, numbers (99 percent, to be exact) of satisfied customers – both commercial and residential – a happy family, designated time for family, and valuing the importance of travel and experience, one can see exactly how Dyess began his enterprise…and his life.
And it can be assumed that Dyezz Surveillance will continue to flourish through his bloodline, as his goal is to become a family business. Dyess intends for his children to be both well-educated and experience work in his warehouse for a holistic perspective of the business.
Presumably, Dyess’ client base will continue to grow, and it’s quite likely that as the surveillance installation numbers also grow, Dyezz Surveillance will be a promising local choice–representing dedication and Austin values.
This article appeared in the September 21st 2012 edition of InFluential Magazine written by Ashley M. Halligan, photos by Adam Moroz of Adam Moroz Photography