Sound Concepts Inc.

There is nothing like working in the world of electronics to keep you on your toes, and the people at Jonesboro’s Sound Concepts Inc. are faster on their feet than most.

“What we’re showing today is, in a year, something that’s an antique,” owner and founder Ryan Heringer said. The business is “constantly changing. … There’s the cutting edge and bleeding edge. We’re on the bleeding edge all of the time.”

Founded after Heringer graduated from the University of Arkansas in 2002, Sound Concepts installs audiovisual equipment in residences and businesses like hospitals, airports and banks.

“If you want the latest and greatest, we’re a go-to company,” Heringer said. “And that’s not just in Arkansas. We’re nationally ranked for a little-bitty old company in Jonesboro.”

Sound Concepts was named Northeast Arkansas Business of the Year in this category at the inaugural event last October. Earlier this month, Heringer had employees working on 92 jobs in four states, which may not be surprising for a company that has grown every year.

“We’re constantly investing back into our business,” Heringer said. “I have a $2.5 million dollar showroom. I guess it was about a year ago we added another 7,500-SF addition, bringing it to a total of 17,500 feet of design center.”

Sound Concepts’ showroom gives customers an experience that catalog-only competitors can’t offer. “We have customers that fly in on their private planes and drive in from Alabama,” Heringer said. “We’ll be the closest design center or showroom that typically has it on display. We’re kind of bucking the national trend on that.”

Last year’s revenue topped $5 million, and Heringer plans to open a 2,000-SF satellite office in Little Rock later this year.