Groove CEO Lance Platt on Lessons from 2025 and What’s Next in 2026
In this article, we sit down with Groove President and CEO Lance Platt to reflect on what the past year brought for Groove Technology Solutions and the property technology industry as a whole. Lance shares his perspective on the milestones, challenges, and lessons that shaped Groove and the team behind it, and looks ahead to what’s next – offering insight into the opportunities, priorities, and vision guiding us forward in the year ahead.
At the start of 2025, what goals did you set for Groove? Which ones did you hit, and where did reality push you in a different direction?
The primary goal we set for Groove last year was to expand our capabilities to support the broadest level of technology system implementations in the industries we serve. We started at the top by bringing in Ryan Friesenhan as our new CTO. Ryan has been very instrumental in developing our technology team, and under his leadership, we have developed what I believe is the industry’s most capable and competent technology teams.
However, it doesn’t mean we always get it right. When we are dealing with technology and people, something is bound to go wrong – but it’s how you handle the problems that sets you apart. At the end of the day, there is no other group I would rather bet on to make things right than our technology team.
Looking back on 2025, what accomplishment are you most proud of, and why did it matter for Groove?
Without question, I am most proud of our team. 2025 was a challenging year for our company, and it will forever be remembered as the year we stretched ourselves well outside of any comfort zones that might have existed before. I am incredibly proud of the way our employees rose to the occasion in elevating themselves and others. Change is always hard, and last year we embraced the kind of changes that will leave a lasting impact on our employees, our company, and our industry.
What was a moment last year that didn’t go as planned, and how did it change the way you or the company approached things moving forward?
A better question might be ‘what was the moment last year that things did go as planned?’ 2025 was a year filled with surprises and challenges. There were constant changes in the economy, some customer rollouts faced unforeseen hiccups, we absorbed significant costs from unexpected tariffs, and rising costs across the board affected our ability to deliver on budget.
There were many lessons we learned last year, which ultimately resulted in significant organizational and operational changes designed to make us more efficient and adaptable in the future.
Groove earned multiple workplace and growth awards in 2025. What do those recognitions say about the team and the culture you’re building?
Despite the challenges we have faced in recent years with an ever expanding business, it is incredible to reflect on the recognition we have received from Utah Business Magazine Best Companies to Work For (7 times), Salt Lake Tribune Top Workplaces (6 times), Great Place to Work (4 times), and MountainWest Capital Network Fastest Growing Companies in Utah (2 times).
While many of the programs were intentionally designed to create a strong workplace culture, it’s inspiring to see how this has grown well beyond my reach. I love the way our team has embraced our culture and continues to make Groove a great place to work in the way they elevate others. We are really fortunate to have such an amazing team.
Was there a specific project, initiative, or customer outcome in 2025 that best represents who Groove is today?
Absolutely. The last several years have been dedicated to expanding our capabilities as a master systems integrator, and we are now starting to see this initiative come to fruition in many of the new construction projects we are working on. Customers want and need simplicity and control when it comes to technology; therefore, having them all under one roof is a huge benefit to our customers.
We had many new construction projects last year that are great representations of who Groove is today, a property technology partner with a full suite of integrated solutions, eliminating the need to manage multiple technology vendors. We delivered solutions that encompass low voltage structured cabling, internet and Wi-Fi, televisions and television service, phone systems, digital signage, distributed antenna systems (cellular amplification), access control, video surveillance systems, entryphone intercoms, unit entry smart locks, lighting systems, leak detection, parcel lockers, EV chargers and advanced smart building solutions.
How did customer needs evolve across senior living, multifamily, hospitality, and government/commercial properties in 2025? How is that shaping Groove’s focus for 2026?
One of the beauties of being in the technology industry is that technology is ever evolving. It never stays stagnant. Each industry experienced meaningful advancements in prop tech solutions last year, and here are the top three most significant:
1 – In 2025, Groove delivered the industry’s first IPTV/streaming solution that was purpose-built for the senior living industry, with features like DVR, Catch Up TV, OTT content, etc.
2 – We have also seen senior living and multifamily embrace managed Wi-Fi designed to support IoT applications.
3 – Lastly, Groove’s partnership with Della has helped us advance the smart building movement in multifamily and student housing in ways that will continue to shape the industry going forward.
As you look ahead to 2026, where do you see the biggest shifts happening in property technology systems?
I see the biggest advancements continuing to focus on two areas: Networking and IoT.
Managed networks are foundational to all the future technologies that will ultimately layer onto these systems. These networks need to be adaptable, scalable and easy to manage onboarding/offboarding in the case of multi-dwelling unit properties.
IoT solutions, especially smart building solutions, continue to evolve, and I believe 2026 will be the year we see the tipping point for these technologies, where the early majority embraces these solutions for the benefit of their residents and operators alike.
What leadership lesson from 2025 will most influence how you lead Groove in 2026?
2025 was the year it became clear to me that I cannot continue to rely on the same leadership style and approach that got us to this point. For nearly two decades, I have used a model that has been instrumental to our growth; However, last year I realized that our future growth depends on my ability to grow, change and adapt as a leader. I am spending more time than I ever have in the past on my own personal development as a leader to help me adapt to the changing environment around us.
What did you stop doing in 2025 that made Groove better?
One of the biggest challenges facing many companies in the past few years has been how to manage the flexible work environment that has developed since COVID. Like many others, we made the hard decision to bring our employees back to the office, and it had tremendous results. We are always better when we work together, and it has been great to see the energy return to the office again.
What advice would you give other leaders navigating growth in uncertain markets?
When things go wrong, and they inevitably will, especially in uncertain markets, it’s natural and easy to point the finger at others. The advice I would give other leaders is to spend time with self-assessment and to develop a willingness to recognize when it’s time to reassess and pivot. As leaders, we need to continue to develop ourselves and adapt to the changing times.
What excites you most about where Groove will be this time next year?
Groove has some ambitious goals for 2026, and they are very intentionally leading to who we will become as a business in the near future. I am most looking forward to showing ourselves what we are capable of when we reflect back this time next year on the course we set.
On a personal note, as an avid traveller, what adventures do you have planned for 2026?
2025 was a busy year filled with many memorable travel experiences. My wife Robyn and I were fortunate to travel to 17 different countries last year, highlighted by our recent overnight experience on the Acetenango volcano in Guatemala, skiing down the Matterhorn, and hiking to base camp at Mt. Everest. On a side note, I also finished playing all 100 Golf Digest Courses You Can Play in the U.S.
There are a lot of amazing experiences in front of us, and we have a few exciting things up our sleeves in 2026…we will have to wait to see how they unfold!
