The Vergecast How to save a smart home company
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Aug 12, 2025 Ken Fairbanks, CEO of Insteon Technologies, shares how he revived the smart lighting company after its bankruptcy, highlighting customer loyalty and the pitfalls of industry tariffs. His journey sheds light on what it takes to keep a company afloat in the evolving smart home space. Smart home expert Richard Gunther joins to answer listener questions about smart lighting, from moving setups to selecting the right devices. The duo explores the balance between traditional and modern smart home technologies, making the case for community-driven solutions.
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Dual‑Band Design Boosts Reliability
- Ken Fairbanks explains Insteon's dual-band design uses powerline and radio simultaneously for robustness.
- Devices hear and repeat synchronized signals, giving two chances for commands to arrive.
Bought The Company And Restored Service
- Ken Fairbanks bought Insteon during the bankruptcy process and urgently restored service while paperwork finished.
- He turned the hubs back on so customers' devices started working again and social media erupted.
A Customer Mailed A $2,000 Thank You
- A grateful Insteon user mailed Ken Fairbanks a handwritten letter and a $2,000 check after service returned.
- Ken kept the check as a powerful signal of customer loyalty and support.