Mark Lehman founded Power Access Control in 2019 with no venture capital and no advertising budget, yet the Atlanta-based commercial security firm is now projecting $8 million to $10 million in annual revenue for 2027. The company's growth demonstrates that in an industry often dominated by paid marketing funnels, a reputation for reliability and responsiveness can be a more powerful driver of scale.
Lehman left a secure job at an established security company out of frustration with delayed service calls and indifferent customer care. "In commercial access control, a broken gate or failed entry system isn't just an inconvenience—it's a massive security vulnerability and an operational nightmare for a business," he said. That insight shaped Power Access Control's operating philosophy: answer the phone, show up, and fix the problem. The company deliberately spent zero dollars on advertising, instead relying on over-delivering on every contract to generate referrals.
The strategy proved especially effective in Atlanta's tight-knit general contracting and facility management circles. Word spread that Power Access Control was not just another installer but a problem solver that delivered on time and on budget. That reputation led to the launch of Atlanta Turnstiles, a specialized division focused on complex turnstile security, optical speed gates, biometric access, and perimeter security integration.
Without a single paid ad, the company landed some of the Southeast's most prestigious commercial and industrial accounts. Its client portfolio includes Choate Construction, Tyler Perry Studios, Peachtree-DeKalb Airport (PDK), and Fortune-Johnson. These wins underscore how trust and proven performance can open doors that advertising budgets cannot. For an industry where security failures can have serious operational and safety consequences, the willingness to take ownership of critical issues—rather than putting clients on a two-week queue—becomes a decisive competitive advantage.
Lehman's approach also reflects a broader shift in how service businesses can scale. By staying exclusively focused on the commercial sector and stepping away from residential work, Power Access Control honed expertise in high-security, high-throughput infrastructure. That focus allowed the firm to build deep technical capabilities and a track record that resonates with large enterprises. The company's organic, reputation-driven growth offers a counter-narrative to the belief that market leadership requires heavy ad spend.
As metro Atlanta's commercial landscape continues to boom, Power Access Control's trajectory suggests that operational excellence and customer-first service can be a more sustainable path to scale than paid acquisition. "We proved that you don't need a slick advertising budget to build a multi-million dollar business," Lehman said. "You just need to trust the process, treat every customer like your only customer, and never settle for anything less than excellence." For more information, visit https://poweraccesscontrol.com.
