Billboard Insider interviewed Link Media Outdoor President and CEO Scott LaFoy, who justed celebrated 40 years in the out of home industry.

What’s the biggest out of home industry change which you’ve seen in the past 40 years?

No doubt the biggest change was digital. Going from static single message displays to the dynamic flexibility of digital has been a game changer. Numerous other technological advances, too many to count, have helped the industry become modern and efficient. Another big change was going from hand-painted bulletins to vinyls.

What’s one thing you know now that you wish you knew when you started in the business?

I fell in love with the business at a very young age and I never dreamed it would evolve into the only job I ever had after college. If I would have known that 40 years would fly by so fast I might have tried to pace a little slower, but most people who know me know that’s impossible. I know now that what I didn’t know then was not a barrier to building a career, and with persistence, determination, timing and a little luck – anything is possible.

What’s the biggest challenge that the industry must address in the next few years?

Measurement – and I will call it an opportunity rather than a challenge. Modernizing our measurement systems and processes will help our industry compete for dollars on a much larger scale with many new advertisers coming over to OOH. Another opportunity is AI. We are already seeing ways AI can help reduce time and effort in sales call preparation and creative development, and there are numerous administrative applications that will change the way business is run.

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