A WORD FROM OUR PUBLISHER

“A woman with a voice is by definition a strong woman. But the search to find that voice can be remarkably difficult.”

– Melinda Gates

I like this quote by Melinda Gates. I ask — why in our industry does it need to be difficult for women to find a voice? Can we start to change this? I believe we can and have started to see changes. 

The Dealerscope October issue is one of my favorites, as it showcases “Powerful Women in Consumer Technology.” Here we honor the achievements of smart, accomplished women within our industry. This year, our honorees are an amazing group, and I want to personally congratulate each one.

I recently went to the Nationwide PrimeTime event, where they hosted a luncheon for their “Women in Nationwide” members and allies. The presentation was given by John Boyd, vice president of retail business at GE Appliances, a Haier company, as well as Mary Moulton Putman, vice president of marketing & brand at GE, on how to support the industry through mentorship as well as diversity and inclusion.  

This was an informative session on how we can support women. I learned a lot and was reminded how great women had been important mentors in my own career. These are the sessions and events our industry needs — not the old, traditional “look at me” events. Congratulations to Nationwide Marketing Group on taking the lead in this initiative.  

Our October issue also includes our annual “Retail Excellence” awards. This year we honor four great retailers. They are Audiotronics, Conn’s HomePlus, RC Willey and Wilshire Media Systems. They all have rich histories, and we invite you to please read about them within our pages. We also have coverage on Fall accessories, short-throw projectors, HD audio, digital signage, and more.   

Our new contributing editor, Brittany Mier Y Teran, has written a feature on cryptocurrency, a topic that I am very excited to read about. We also feature a Distributor Roundup, with insights compiled by Nancy Klosek, and our Car Electronics Roundtable, handled by Steve Silver. Both provide an outlook on what’s happening now, and what is to come. I also want to call your attention to our look at the category of data in the industry; we kick it off in our October issue feature labeled “Gaming Tech.”

Please note, if you have not been getting our newsletters, I would like to know. We changed our software, so I want to make sure the industry’s most important news is hitting your mailbox. Please contact me at tmonteleone@ctlab.media 

Best always and have a wonderful Halloween!

Tony Monteleone,
Group Publisher of CT Lab Global Media

A WORD FROM OUR EDITOR IN CHIEF

Fall for inspiring stories in this month’s issue

Here in the South, the fall season is synonymous with the long-awaited cooldown in the weather, the busyness of school and business travel and football, of course. While the Dealerscope staff are traveling around the country and globe covering stories on consumer tech, it’s easy to forget that this change in the seasons is just as predictable as ever, and just as welcome — unlike the challenging changes in our supply chain, our businesses and sometimes, throughout the world. 

But, like with the changing seasons, we all know that change in our industry can be quite good. Women in the technology industry were largely under-represented up until recent years. My mom is an example of how this happens: as a young engineer back in the 80’s, she found out the less-than-qualified man she was training was being paid more than her. When she spoke up, she was let go. Fortunately, her story ends well, with her finding another company that supported her and even offered her higher education in her 60’s to advance her career. Today, we are seeing more of these happy endings because of the changing industry.

That’s why this month we are proud to present our 2022 Powerful Women in Consumer Tech Honorees, which consists of women who have inspired and encouraged others in the industry. The goal of this award is not only to recognize these individuals, but also to encourage more diversity in the industry and in the workforce in general. Reading through their responses, I was encouraged by how many said their employers and co-workers rallied with them to support their careers, even if they were the only woman there. That’s excellent change!

We have several other inspiring stories in this issue, including our features on the Retail Excellence Award winners and an incredible story from contributor Brittany Mier y Terán on how women are working in the cryptocurrency world. Hear about the successes of distributors and how they’ve reset programs and priorities in sync with dealers’ needs and wants. And in case you missed our Digital IFA post-show issue (you can subscribe online for it still!) check out our coverage of the show and all of its inspiring programming.

Thank you for reading Dealerscope magazine.

CE RETAIL TECHNOLOGY

IFA NEWS

The international CE trade show is back
and more vibrant than ever

Compiled by Alec Paige

The 2022 IFA convention, where brands, retailers, press and enthusiasts of consumer and home technology come together for the latest developments in the industry, recently took place from Sept. 2-6 in Berlin. This year, a record number of products from world-renowned electronics brands were announced for the first time to the public. IFA takes place throughout over 30 display halls on the Berlin Exhibition Grounds, with focuses on many subindustries in consumer technology such as Home & Entertainment, Audio, Fitness & Digital Health and more. Another large part of IFA is the summits, keynotes and hubs concerning issues that the consumer technology industry faces today.

Though tickets are only available in advance — there are no in-person ticket sales — keynote livestreams are available on IFA Virtual on demand for those who couldn’t attend in person. This includes IFA highlights like the IFA+ Summit, the SHIFT Mobility conference, IFA NEXT Innovation Engine and more. Not only does IFA Virtual serve as a remote viewing service, however, but also as a means to connect trade visitors and exhibitors for networking purposes. 

IFA took place from Sept. 2-6 with some events taking place in the days leading up to the convention. There were various highlighted events taking place throughout the week. One of those was the SHIFT Mobility event, which consists of two parts. The first part was a two-day B2B conference made up of high-profile speakers, masterclasses and more. The second part is a six-day “Exhibition & Experience” area, where new products were showcased and demonstrated. The IFA website states that SHIFT Mobility, “aims to be THE conference on trends at the interface of mobility, sustainability and technology.” The key topics of this conference range from sustainable mobility and circular economy to renewable energy.

Meanwhile the IFA+ Summit focuses on the discussion of the future of globalization and trade concerning the consumer and home technology industry. Specifically, the Summit touched on the uncertain future of globalization against the backdrop of many issues that both industry and world presently face; climate change, social issues, supply chains and the war in Ukraine are a few of those issues. The IFA+ Summit gathered guest speakers and panels of experts to discuss these problems, among them Prof. Marcel Fratzcher, Ph.D., president of DIW Berlin, Prof. Yanis Varoufakis, an economist and former finance minister of Greece, Dutch philosopher Peter Sloterdijk and Jürgen Trittin, former minister of the environment and member of the German Bundestag. 

One of the other highlights that must be mentioned is IFA NEXT, the show’s forward-looking and sustainability-focused innovation hub that took place in Hall 20. Startups, experts, associations, institutes and grounds across the consumer electronics, home appliance and smart home industries presented strategies and innovations for a more sustainable future. There was a focus in carbon-neutral and resource-friendly methods of production as well as product repairability and recycling. Just like the IFA+ Summit, IFA NEXT featured lectures and panels but will also include pitches from startups. On Monday, Sept. 5, any attending IFA were able to visit the IFA NEXT Innovation Engine stage, where speakers in science, politics and the electronics industry shared their thoughts on the future. Also featured at IFA NEXT were solutions and presentations on interconnected home devices highlighting the social, healthy, sustainable and efficient aspects of the growing industry. 

But those are just a few of the highlights and events from the show. There were IFA keynotes on Sept. 2-3, the Berlin Photo Week event from Sept. 2-4, daily programs throughout the week and the IFA Global Markets events from Sept. 4-6. There was also the Berlin Reception, which is designed as a sort of meetup event combining music, media and tech on Sept. 5.

Every year the fall season is a busy time for the consumer and home technology industry, and IFA is one of the largest contributors to breaking news and stunning reveals of new products. Whether you were able to attend in person this year or not, IFA will have reaching implications on the industry. 

MOBILITY

Experts weigh in on what’s happening
in the car tech market today

By Steven Silver

When it comes to car technology in 2022, there’s a lot going on. 

On the electric vehicle front, the federal government has moved to encourage electric vehicle adoption, including funding for $7.5 billion worth of EV charging stations. 

In August, California finalized a rule that will phase out sales of gas-powered cars in the state by 2035 — the first time any government in the world has issued such a mandate, although the governor of Washington State announced his intention to follow suit just days later. Most of the major car manufacturers are in some phase of transitioning to electric cars, seeking to cut into Tesla’s dominance of the market. 

Meanwhile, the auto industry — and Silicon Valley along with it — is still trying to crack self-driving cars. They’re not nearly as ubiquitous as some predicted they would be by now, as Apple had aimed to launch by 2020, and Tesla has made numerous promises over the years about timing. But the tech does have some practical applications — especially when it comes to deliveries — with everyone from Walmart to Domino’s Pizza on board. There’s also innovation going on when it comes to software, with a new version of Apple’s CarPlay expected this fall. 

Hanging over all of that are gas prices, which hit record highs earlier this year, and have served to keep less motorists in the car than usual. Average gas prices have continued to drop to below the $4-per-gallon market by mid-August, but they remain higher than is typically the case. 

As for the auto aftermarket picture, NPD Group reported back in March that the average selling prices for the overall auto aftermarket jumped 14 percent in 2021, with prices for consumer replacement tires, specifically, increased 13 percent. 

“The tire industry, like many others, is experiencing the effects of a shift in overall consumer behavior as it relates to pricing and demand,” Nathan Shipley, automotive industry analyst for NPD, said in the spring announcement. “Driving behavior has changed over the past two years, but the needs are still there. Consumers are currently focused on getting what they want, while they can, with what is available to them at retail stores.”

What are the major stories when it comes to car tech this year? Dealerscope asked some industry experts, including Thomas Healey, the COO of Seattle-based CarToys; Han Farouk, Operations-Management of Car Stereo Warehouse in Charlotte; and Bobby Gummadi, the Dover store manager of the Mid-Atlantic-based Sound of Tri-State. 

Dealerscope: What technology trends are you seeing in cars today?

Healey: “There are greatly improved driver’s safety/self-driving capabilities through the integration of sensors and cameras with vehicle controls and displays. Much more information is now available to the driver visually through vivid screens, providing clear, precise information as opposed to analog gauges. Car Play/Android Auto software has literally brought everything available on your mobile phone into your vehicle. The latest version of Car Play to be made available with iOS16 this fall will expand on this information to include speedometer and tachometer, along with a host of onboard diagnostic information chosen to be displayed by the driver. The quality of car entertainment has also greatly improved. From bigger, better screens to louder, clearer and more immersive audio, this trend will certainly continue culminating in highly immersive environments as vehicles become capable of self-driving.”

Farouk: “The technology trends tend to shift every one to three years for different fads in the market. Currently the most popular trend is integrating Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in vehicles today. In the process, an additional must-have is a backup camera. The second trend starting to pick up are dash cams. People want to protect themselves from those drivers that don’t follow safety protocols and defensive driving. Part of this trend comes down to the markets’ need for convenience, quick and simple integration and safety from the unknown. LED light kits are a huge trend for turning heads. From underbody, to wheel lights, the rocklights, interior million color lighting, headlights, taillights, dome lights, accent lights and door lights, any light needs a custom touch to it to stand out. You can never have enough lights.”

Gummadi: “We’re seeing wireless integration, including Apple Carplay, Android Auto, Bluetooth streaming and wireless charging.”

Dealerscope:  Where is networking going next in cars?

Healey: “Vehicle networks – CAN bus systems – have grown rapidly in sophistication the past few years with the advent of EVs, which are requiring advanced charging systems and the integration of numerous sensors into driver’s safety/self-driving capabilities. Further, the development of telematics capabilities have expanded the ability of CAN bus systems to communicate vehicle performance information externally. Future networks will continue to expand in processing power as well as the ability to integrate with external communications from technologies such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Ethernet and ZigBee (IoT devices), allowing for a more comprehensive integration of the vehicle with its surroundings. As in-dash displays further integrate with the vehicle network, more information can be made available to both vehicle occupants as well as those outside the vehicle through telematics. Essentially, vehicles are becoming more c’onnected’ every day.”

Farouk: “Safety must be the first; therefore, technology evolution has no limits, from Aux/USB to Bluetooth, from Bluetooth to Apple Car play. The industry will always be integrating our day-to-day life into our cars schematics, which leaves the networking around the corner. Already Yelp has made its way into the industry via Weblink/ mirror link app.”

Gummadi: “I think it will go in the same direction that it’s already going as far as a seamless and wireless system, just a better version in the future.”

Dealerscope: What new tech is currently being developed for self-driving cars, and what challenges still remain?

Healey: “Tesla is clearly leading the way here, as their vehicles are nearly already capable of self-driving. Every EV maker is jumping into this space along with software companies such as Apple and Google along with chip companies such as Nvidia. The overwhelming challenge is safety. Road infrastructure – lane boundaries, traffic signs, crosswalks and numerous other features will need to provide better cues and more vehicles will need to be equipped with vehicle-to-vehicle communications capability before self-driving is a reality. As CAN bus processing power increases and AI technology advances, self-driving cars are an inevitability. The final hurdle will be overwhelming evidence that such vehicles are safe.”

Farouk: “Our specialty revolves around the 12V aftermarket industry. The newer cars have become more difficult to work on and integrate due to new features of the OEM components that can come off the dealers lot. For [example], ANC for Bluetooth creates feedback in subwoofers, which can lead to new parts.”

Gummadi: “Fully autonomous driving, and ride sharing with driverless cars. For example, Waymo is getting larger on the West Coast and could spread over the U.S. very quickly. As far as challenges, I think the infrastructure that’s out for wireless charging isn’t enough to keep up with the demand that we’re going to be seeing in the future.”

Dealerscope: What is your favorite car electronics product today?

Healey: “As a music lover my favorite products are the digital signal processing devices that allow a vehicle to be precisely tuned to its unique acoustic environment. Along with high quality aftermarket speakers, amps and subs one can experience a concert hall level sound as a soundtrack to the world whizzing by as you drive. This long-time customer value proposition is greatly enhanced by hi-res music, DSP and the much-improved audio components available today. It will be even more enhanced as advanced digital audio technologies like Dolby Atmos can be enjoyed in cars.”

Farouk: “Apple CarPlay, blind spot detection and radar detectors helps with day-to-day practicality of life.

Gummadi: “Personally, I think wireless Carplay/Android Auto is the most useful product that we offer.”

Dealerscope: Where do you think car tech is going next?

Healey: “In general, vehicle onboard networks are gaining speed, processing power and the ability to sense and communicate with their external environment. These enhanced capabilities will inevitably lead to self-driving cars; in the meantime, they will provide an increasing immersive, information rich and connected environment for drivers and their passengers.”

Farouk: “Car tech advancements are above and beyond our imagination.”

Gummadi: “With prices of new vehicles going up, I think the demand for aftermarket products that integrate modern features in older vehicles will grow.”

2022 RETAIL EXCELLENCE AWARD

Dealerscope is honored to present the inspiring stories of the 2022 Retail Excellence Award honorees. This award recognizes a select few independent retailers who demonstrated exceptional business performance and are leaders among their peers. Our spotlighted honorees have navigated significant challenges over the years and have shown incredible endurance and innovation in spite of these tumultuous times. They have shared with us here some of their secrets to success, from ensuring their customer service is top notch to investing in employee knowledge and development. 

With a primary, highly visible retail operation in Roanoke, Va., and an additional location in Blacksburg, Va., Audiotronics, Inc. has cemented its position as a destination store for seekers of CE retail and custom services in its region. 

“As our name implies, we began life in the go-go hi-fi golden age in the 1970s,” said Alan Guyes, co-owner and A/V buyer, who has been with the enterprise, which is gearing up to celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2025, for 42 years. 

Guyes had been on a career trajectory heading into law practice but opted instead in 1980 to enter the A/V retailing arena by partnering with fellow college undergraduate John Ferguson, who has since retired; he is currently a partner with Audiotronics’ president and co-owner, Matt Hartberger. “It’s been quite a fascinating and totally unexpected ride — video, security, electrical, automation, lighting, shades, streaming and much, much more — the changes to our industry have been profound,” he said.

The pandemic’s influence on business, Guyes added, “sped up trends that were already in play,” — one being consumers’ proclivity for buying larger-ticket items from the Internet instead of visiting stores. “I don’t consider this to be a negative, as it has forced those that remain in the physical space to up their game,” he says. The roller coaster nature of COVID, too, had its effect — as it did for all retailers. “We saw business drop precipitously and there was a concern we were looking at retail Armageddon. A month or two later, we were struggling to keep up with demand.” He noteed, however, that “we were lucky to be an industry that was very much needed.” Deemed an essential business in Virginia, Audiotronics remained open to service customers during the pandemic, while it “pruned as well as expanded our areas of concentration to retain relevancy to our customers.” 

Audiotronics counts the lighting, shading and electrical categories among its wide array of offerings. Having added full-time electricians to its staff, Guyes said, “gives us the opportunity to work at a much earlier stage with the customer and the home builder. If we do our job correctly, we can instill confidence and then talk about other goods/services we can bring to the project.” The impetus for moving into electrical came from Hartberger, who is also an electrician and whose father is a master electrician. 

Reinforcing Audiotronics’ online presence has been its creation of online videos, product reviews and product-use tutorials, which, with a refresh of the company website, is a “work-in-progress, long-term project,” Guyes said. Online chat has also been adopted as an invaluable tool in its customer communications arsenal. And while the company had always set its store by solely tasking its sales staff with end-to-end handling of customer meetings, proposal creation, project design and installation, that is changing, he said. “Frankly, this served us well for many years. With increasing workloads and project complexity, we are following the lead of many in our industry and creating job roles to assign different parts of the job to different staff members. It’s difficult to change the culture of 45-plus years, but it needs to be and is being done.”

High-End Audio, 12-Volt & Service

Specialty retailing’s bread-and-butter categories — high-end audio and mobile electronics — endure as important product areas for Audiotronics, with upper mid-fi audio goods experiencing “strong demand at retail” and 12-volt remaining “a significant driver of our business,” he said. 

“Clearly, many customers seeking [higher-end audio] want to experience them in a retail environment versus ordering boxes over the Internet.” As for 12-volt, he continued, “we remain extremely busy, be it a car radio replacement, car radio repair or integration of newer technology to an older vehicle… I chuckle, as the death notice for the 12-volt industry has been announced too many times for me to count, but our industry, much like the home A/V industry, continues to innovate to remain relevant. We’ve got great car installers; they’re really quite talented computer technicians.”

The company has also bolstered its service side — a crucial component of its ongoing after-sale relationships with its customers. He recalls “going to CES eight or 10 years ago when the theme was ‘own the network, own the home.’” It was plastered on all the buses and signage and halls. It kind of makes me think of the dog that caught the car. Now what happens? When the Internet or the phones don’t work, you’re the face to the consumer. They don’t have a contact in the electrical or Internet company; they know you. So you pretty much take ownership of the entire project. It’s a problem, but an opportunity, too. 

“The need for service is always going to be there,” Guyes added. “If anything, it will be beefed up, because systems are becoming more complex and there are more opportunities for them to fail. You need a process in place. Systems lock up, and if you don’t make service top, then you won’t stay in business.”

It’s clear that Audiotronics, for its part, has found a winning formula, as it continues on with a well-established presence and reputation anchored by skill sets that are enduring and relevant — and that have made it the success that it is. 

2022 RETAIL EXCELLENCE AWARD

This past year has had its ups and downs for retailers across the globe, with both product supply and consumer demand issues, and for electronics and furniture retailer RC Willey it’s been no different. RC Willey, which is celebrating its 90th year of business this year, offers plenty of high-end electronics, with options in 4K and 8K televisions, home audio setups, gaming options, smart home products and much more. But the retailer also extends into home furnishings and appliances, creating an expansive and multi-faceted storefront where customers can test out plenty of demo products around the store. With fourteen locations across Utah, California, Nevada and Idaho, the company has a solid physical location spread across the western United States, and of course also offers online shopping options. 

But just like the rest of the industry, RC Willey struggled through the complications brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic and has had to overcome a number of challenges in the hectic and confused post-vaccine retail world. Last year brought record-breaking sales to the company, but general inflation and shipping costs have added to other issues, leading to a more confused, inconsistent and uncertain purchasing phase for consumers in 2022. And according to Todd Booth, vice president of merchandising for RC Willey, there’s been an adjustment period in advertising and sales going from 2021 to 2022 for the company, demonstrating how much difference a single year can make in retail.

“This last year has been amazing and challenging at the same time. We had record sales in 2021 but in 2022 retail patterns have not been too consistent due to shipping costs and fuel prices, which have inflated the price of goods,” Booth said about the struggles RC Willey has faced this year. He went on to partially attribute COVID-era government assistance money to a purchasing boom in 2021 that is hard to make up for in 2022. RC Willey has had to make a number of adaptations to changes this year, and one of those changes was in its messaging, with Booth saying, “we have had to adjust our advertising to focus more on helping customers solve their problems with our products and services instead of price and item ads.” 

Concerning RC Willey’s partnerships through this hectic time, Booth said, “In the last year, our relationships with vendors have been more important than ever.” The uncertain time has solidified and strengthened business bonds between RC Willey and its retailers, and it has even shifted to including its vendors in its advertising. In email newsletters, RC Willey has begun to include highlights of its top vendors, discussing the companies’ histories as well as products and product quality. And it seems that this approach has been very successful. “The open rate on these emails have been record breaking,” Booth said about this unique and relationship-driven approach to marketing. “We learned that there is more than price and item advertising.”

Throughout Booth’s responses, it became evident that the customer experience is heavily valued at RC Willey. The retailer strongly focuses on customer service, educating customers on the best electronics available and creating as hassle-free of a shopping and installation experience as it possibly can. 

Concerning RC Willey’s partnerships through this hectic time, Booth said, “In the last year, our relationships with vendors have been more important than ever.” The uncertain time has solidified and strengthened business bonds between RC Willey and its retailers, and it has even shifted to including its vendors in its advertising. In email newsletters, RC Willey has begun to include highlights of its top vendors, discussing the companies’ histories as well as products and product quality. And it seems that this approach has been very successful. “The open rate on these emails have been record breaking,” Booth said about this unique and relationship-driven approach to marketing. “We learned that there is more than price and item advertising.”

Throughout Booth’s responses, it became evident that the customer experience is heavily valued at RC Willey. The retailer strongly focuses on customer service, educating customers on the best electronics available and creating as hassle-free of a shopping and installation experience as it possibly can. 

“Good customer service can really make you stand out these days and we have focused on improving that experience for our customers,” Booth said. RC Willey has boosted its demo focus in recent months as well, upgrading demos to better educate customers on products before they choose to invest. Displays have been refreshed too, and there are plans to host more in-store events to boost store traffic and create further opportunities for customer education. He credits his team with much of the retailer’s success on the customer relations and education front, saying, “We are lucky that we have a strong sales force that knows how to add on the right products to the sale and make the customer satisfied with their purchase. I am fortunate to work with a great leadership and buying team who really care about our customers and the store experience. It takes a lot of people to keep this company going.”

Presented with a myriad of issues in 2022’s tumultuous and uncertain retail world, RC Willey had a number of adaptations that needed to be made in order to succeed. Under solid leadership and with a dedicated team, the retailer has made those changes and more to stand out in the competitive retail space. But if the last few years have shown us anything, it’s that we are now in an ever-changing world, though RC Willey is ready to adapt.

“RC Willey is committed to improving our services and adapting to any changes that may come around,” said Booth. He went on to hammer home that the customer experience will always be the most important aspect of the business. “Retail will stay strong for the companies that will take care of their customers from start to finish.”

2022 RETAIL EXCELLENCE AWARD

Mike McMaster, owner and president of Westlake Village, Calif.’s Wilshire Media Systems, plies his consumer technology trade at a level of success that is anchored in an ability to adjust his business model adroitly to keep in tune with shifting market conditions.

He is the steward of a company he took the helm of in 2014, but that was founded in L.A. in 1954 as Wilshire TV & Radio. Wilshire entered the custom realm in 1997 and moved out of its facility in Thousand Oaks, Calif., in 2018 to a 5,000-sq.-ft. space in a high-visibility commercial building, becoming a destination/by-appointment business that also entertains walk-ins.

“I still believe in demonstrating technology,” he said, “so we made a significant investment in our latest space — it’s a beautiful showroom,” with categories showcased including audio, video, control, cameras, networking, lighting and shades. There are three stereo rooms of audio and three theater setups within a room that’s primed for demo. A good selection of TV models is on display, and there is a studio in the back that is “like a 20-by-20-foot trade show booth where we show displays and technologies.” He says that when clients see it, they frequently express relief at not having to go to big-box wholesalers and deal with dozens of TVs on shelves. Besides their expertise in CE, Wilshire personnel are also highly trained in presenting energy management and lighting fixture solutions.

McMaster said that Wilshire is “80 to 90 percent focused on our top vendors. Focus is really important in these times with vendors, so you can be really important to them.” He offers clients good–better–best choices within a vendor brand, but “we won’t give them three vendors and nine choices,” to sidestep introducing confusion into the process. 

Wilshire subscribes to a policy of customer qualification “up front, after we understand what their goals are — with the products in the back. You see maybe three TVs in little vignettes. It’s woven in; it’s not in-your-face. At our location, the choices are presented; you don’t walk in and see a wall of speakers or TVs, which can be paralyzing for a lot of people.” 

Prioritizing Customer Interaction

McMaster emphasizes his deep investment in staff training on both the installation and sales fronts. Staff members are instructed on customer interaction and the overall workflow. It is a stepped process that he has dubbed ‘crescendo.’ 

“When we hand over a system, we tell the customer, ‘Here’s how to use it, here’s the training on it, here’s how to contact us for support;’ we give them a gift and thank them for their business. Especially on bigger systems, training them on using the system properly is the proper way to end a job,” he said.

Some other enhancements that have served to fill the bill for a completely satisfying customer experience have included a partnership begun three years ago with a company that allows him to use chat at the front end of the client’s interaction with his website, and also the addition of the services of a 24/7 after-sale support company.

He further cited his showroom setup as a “differentiator” — a way to effectively present what can seem like complex technologies in a palatable, inviting way. “The consumer wants simple, they want easy, and they also want everything — which doesn’t always go with simple. So we navigate those waters.  We’ve seen people with a bad taste in their mouth for technology because it’s confusing. But with what control companies offer, what’s great about it, I say to them, is that I can get it all down to one button.

“We’re saying, ‘It’s your money, and we want you to have a choice about what you value. We just want to let you know what’s possible.’ That’s very empowering for a lot of clients.”

The company uses targeted methods of raising its profile among customers who would be a natural fit for the white-glove services Wilshire offers. These include attendance at networking occasions where affluent clients congregate – namely, at charitable events or other gatherings attracting that demographic. “That has been good for us,” McMaster said.

But getting in front of potential clients of all stripes, not merely the well-heeled, in a pro-active manner is a prime directive at Wilshire. 

“My belief is that as long as consumers have confusion about technology, we have a business. I believe that that is a sustainable model — educating clients in how to navigate technology and make informed decisions on what’s available. You talk to them, and lead with information. Whatever technologies you choose to carry, know them well, give people options and explain in layman’s terms why things cost what they do and why certain products are better than others. It’s about helping guide people to choices.”

APPLIANCES

American kitchens are changing as consumers appreciate the benefits of induction technology – and municipalities look to eliminate natural gas

By John R. Quain

It’s not just cars that are going electric. Cooking is running out of gas, too. Natural gas.

Consumers are learning that gas stoves are a significant source of indoor pollution, for example, and so they are becoming more receptive to electric induction cooktops, which are safer, more efficient, more convenient and easier to use.

“The transition to induction cooking has been gaining momentum as consumers have become increasingly aware and knowledgeable about its benefits relative to both electric and gas alternatives,” said Serena Williams, senior vice president of sales and marketing at Meyer Corporation. Meyer, whose brands include popular cookware names such as Circulon, Farberware, KitchenAid and Rachael Ray, sees it as an inevitable trend.

Indeed, according to a recent survey of designers, dealers and manufacturers, induction stovetops now account for 44 percent of orders. That’s still behind gas ranges, which account for 47 percent, but analysts say induction models are gaining ground on gas. And according to the non-profit National Kitchen & Bath Association’s report, induction is already rapidly replacing traditional electric stovetops. 

Many consumers are being introduced to induction cooking not via new range purchases but via inexpensive portable burners. The single element Hamilton Beach Induction Portable Cooktop, for example, retails for just $75 and plugs into a regular 110-volt outlet.

Sustainable and Safer 

Concerns about climate change have spurred some municipalities to nudge the needle in favor of induction by banning gas. New York City has already banned the use of gas stoves and heaters in new construction starting in 2023, in part because gas stoves emit methane, a major contributor to global warming. And it’s a significant move, according to the non-profit environmental coalition New York Communities for Change, because New York City accounts for 5 percent of all gas consumed in buildings nationwide. 

Other cities have also been part of the movement, including Berkeley and San Francisco in California. Meanwhile some states, such as Alabama, Oklahoma, and Tennessee, have passed so-called pre-emption laws that prohibit the institution of such bans. However, consumer preference is clearly moving away from gas, say appliance companies, no matter what the laws say.

Health is one reason. Varying amounts of gas leak from all home stoves, and as such represent a threat to consumers. A recent study of 69 homes in Boston by researchers from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found that unburned indoor natural gas contained 21 toxins, including pollutants such as benzene that cause cancer and birth defects.  

“More people are using electric induction versus gas due to safety concerns,” said Paula Pennington, senior product manager for Hamilton Beach Brands, “and it’s more energy efficient.”

Induction technology is more efficient because 90 percent of the energy it uses is transferred to heating the food, versus just 74 percent for traditional electric stovetops and a meager 40 percent for gas. That means less heat escapes into the kitchen, which in turn reduces the need for expensive air conditioning. 

The primary reason induction is more efficient is due to the way it heats up pots and pans. A traditional electric burner first has to heat up the surface of the stove, which then in turn heats a pan, which then heats the food in the pan. Induction is inherently more efficient. It uses a coil under the cooktop’s ceramic surface to create a magnetic field that doesn’t heat the cooking surface but instead directly heats the pot on top by inducing an electric current in the pot’s metal. So the stove top stays cool while the pot gets hot.

Even if an induction element is accidentally turned on, without a pot or pan on the burner to complete the electromagnetic circuit, it won’t get hot, Williams pointed out. And when a pan is removed, the cooktop remains cool (aside from the warmth that was created by the pan). So induction stovetops can’t cause a fire the way an open gas flame or traditional electrical element can, making induction safer and more family friendly because tiny hands won’t get scorched.

Keeping cool also means less mess. If a pot boils over or spills, food will not get burnt into the surface like it can on traditional electric and gas stovetops. So it makes cleanups easy and more convenient.

Lastly, induction elements heat up food much more quickly than the competition. Boiling water, for example, takes about half the time it takes a standard electric stovetop to accomplish the same task. 

Costs Coming Down

While luxury brands like Fisher & Paykel have been offering top-of-the-line induction cooktops for years, 

induction is now available in all the mainstream consumer brands — and prices have come down accordingly. Still, shoppers will notice there can be price premium for ranges with induction cooktops. A Frigidaire Gallery stainless steel range, for example, retails for $1,298 compared to a similarly sized Frigidaire electric range in stainless steel that can be had for $898. However, some of the price difference is due to other, more sophisticated features in the induction model (such as built-in air fryer).

If a consumer is switching from a standard electric range to an induction model, aside from the cost of the appliance, there aren’t any associated installation expenses: both types typically use a 240-volt electrical outlet. However, if a buyer is switching from gas to induction, a call to an electrician will likely be in order.

However, Hamilton Beach’s Pennington points out that many consumers are being introduced to induction cooking not via new range purchases but via inexpensive portable burners. The single element Hamilton Beach Induction Portable Cooktop, for example, retails for just $75 and plugs into a regular 110-volt outlet.

“Portable induction and fifth burner cooktops were up 44 percent in 2021 vs. 2020,” said Pennington. Pre-pandemic customs like hosting large family gatherings are back, Pennington notes, and “consumers are using induction cooktops as an extension of their kitchen.”

Aside from some consumer culinary adjustments, induction cooktops also require particular types of cookware. Thankfully, most manufacturers have already made the move and offer complete lines of “induction compatible” pot and pans.

In order to use the magnetic field it generates to create an electrical current and heat a pot, induction burners require cookware that has contains some iron content. So iron
skillets, enamel iron dutch ovens and stainless steel pieces all work well. Copper and aluminum pots do not. (Rule of thumb: if a magnet sticks to the bottom of a pot,
it will work on an induction burner.)

Many manufacturers have anticipated the induction trend and have found ways to add stainless steel layers to their kitchenware — including non-stick models — so that most product lines now are induction ready. We tested out Anolon’s Accolade cookware as an example of the trend of ready for anything — gas, electric or induction — cookware. 

An Anolon Accolade Cookware 10-piece set is $350. It features an extra thick base for even heating and a magnetized stainless-steel layer making it ideal for induction cooktops. The Accolade set also has a hard-anodized, non-stick (PFOA-free) coating that is typically more durable than, say, that found on ceramic cookware. The Accolade line is dishwasher safe and can be used with metal utensils — although we recommend consumers avoid both.

One thing they don’t have to avoid, however, are gas burners. We tested the Accolade set, which includes two covered saucepans (1.75 and 2.5 quart), a covered stockpot (7.5 quart), and a covered saute pan (10-in.), on a gas stovetop without a problem. Even with an uneven direct flames, the cookware didn’t produce unwanted hot spots. Conversely, we found the Accolade pieces were relatively quick to heat up on a traditional electric burner. 

As one might expect, the Anolon cookware worked extremely well with induction cooktops. We could easily and quickly control the 

heat, and the pots and pans were very responsive, particularly with regard to reducing the temperature. So when things got overheated, it meant we could correct our cooking misjudgments quickly. Compare that to iron skillets, which retain the heat long after the burner is lowered or turned off. 

The Anolon Accolade set is definitely attractive enough to entice consumers making the switch to induction to also upgrade their cookware. And while the transition to induction cooktops will take time, Serena Williams says Meyer is already seeing an effect on sales. Induction cookware grew by 3.1 percent in 2021, for example, and is projected to grow another 4.2 percent over the next two years. In other words, induction is making cookware hot.

MOST POWERFUL WOMAN IN CE TECH AWARDS 2022

This annual program acknowledges the contributions of women to the betterment of the consumer tech business. Despite challenging times in supply chain disruptions and labor shortages, these women have shown that they have what it takes to lead, rally and mentor others within their business and inside of their network. This group helps move the consumer tech industry forward with a diversity of ideas and perspectives.

From all of us at Dealerscope, congratulations to all of the 2022 honorees. 

We asked each honoree three questions:

DATA

An immersive data study shows what’s popular
and what’s not in this ever-growing category

Desktop computers impressions were down 30 percent during the time reviewed. Possible reasons were that desktops are most commonly used in an office environment. During the final questers of 2021, the majority of workers were still working remotely. In addition, industrial output of new products slowed down post lockdown. During the lockdown, new product development was pushed back as manufacturers struggled with both the market and reduced production. 

Digital writing systems impressions were down 29 percent. This category includes digital note pads, presentation systems and noting systems. As in desktop computers, these categories are most often used in group meetings, of which there were few in the later quarters of 2021. 

Methodology:  More than 443 million impressions were reviewed to determine trends. GfK records image impressions from a large group of channel partners made up of resellers, distributors, government and corporate users of GfK product catalogs. The channel partners are primarily in North America and include most but not all of GfK’s network. GfK records an image impression when a third user requests a product page (PDP) that contains the primary image of a product. Rules are applied to prevent the same user’s shopping journey from being counted more than one. From image impressions, GfK can determine the product identification, category, city, country and other differentiating data. 

CONNECTED HOME

How an evolving concept can change
the future of connected living

By Jeff Unterreiner, president of U.S. Connected Living at Assurant

What if you could walk into a customer’s home, test the configuration of their disparate network of connected products, identify devices and appliances that are out of date or about to fail and then offer solutions to optimize and ensure their network keeps running smoothly? And you could do this all without causing the customer any disruption or inconvenience?

“Digital twin” is a concept that has promising implications for a wide range of industries, including consumer electronics. It refers to technology that can create a virtual environment that mirrors the real world in order to conduct simulations in a non-invasive way and predict performances and outcomes. It has the potential to shape the future of connected living and enable a more sustainable future. 

 NASA was one of the originators of this idea back in analog times, when it built physical mockups of space capsules on the ground to help reproduce and solve problems in their vehicles in orbit. Today’s engineers use virtual representations of actual spacecraft to do the same thing. 

A digital twin can be built based on data from connected products, sensors, cameras and other IoT equipment and modeled using AI, machine learning, virtual reality and other approaches to replicate the ever-changing real world in real time. As more products become connected, adding to the data flow and complexity of networks, creating such an accurate and dynamic duplicate of a changing environment is essential to testing and calculating the impact of ‘what if’ scenarios.

A Better Connected Home Experience

For retailers, there is the potential to deliver a richer consumer experience from the mix of smart appliances and devices within the connected home. This could include round-the-clock support and protection to ensure the network works continuously and efficiently as new products are added. 

A digital twin of the home could be built by tapping into and utilizing the operational data and configuration of connected products, providing a holistic view for testing, remote monitoring and management. Based on the performance and efficiency of devices and appliances, the digital twin could monitor and alert the consumer if servicing or replacing is recommended. For example, once an air conditioning unit, Wi-Fi camera system or washing machine has reached a certain threshold of run time, the digital twin could notify the retailer or manufacturer and the consumer simultaneously and automatically arrange an appointment for maintenance and service or to discuss an upgrade or replacement if needed.

Having a digital replica of a house or an apartment also could enable people to make smarter decisions when renting or purchasing a property. For instance, a digital twin could provide the consumer with a 360-degree view of the premises, including the condition and age of existing appliances and devices, the length of time they’ve been operating, service history, energy consumption and so on. Once a person moves in, appliance and device manufacturers could get notified, enabling them to proactively reach out to offer services and maintenance for the onsite products. 

A More Sustainable Future

In addition to providing a better user experience, digital twin technology has the potential to help create a more sustainable environment by optimizing trade-in and upgrade programs for a wide range of connected home devices and appliances. Knowing the age, usage and performance of a connected product, retailers and other electronics providers could proactively provide the customer with a trade-in offer to upgrade to newer models. This would promote new sales and incentivize consumers to return their used devices, which can be refurbished and resold in the secondary market, extending their life and feeding the circular economy. 

I can tell you firsthand as part of Assurant, which has repurposed more than 125 million devices, that such efforts have a significant impact on keeping e-waste out of landfills and improving connectivity for many who could not otherwise afford it through access to affordable pre-owned technology.   

Current Use Cases

Digital twins are already being utilized in several industries, including manufacturing, automotive, logistics and healthcare. Applications include new product development, facility configuration and performance, autonomous vehicle testing, process optimization and predictive maintenance.   

While there are examples like Sofi Stadium, home to the LA Rams and LA Chargers, which has its own digital twin to help manage, maintain and operate the building, most current use cases can be found among energy plants and industrial operations. An aluminum smelting factory in China has created a digital twin in which they model and test operational processes and worker/machine configuration and interaction. Complex modeling has led to solutions that have resulted in a 90 million kW/hour reduction in power usage, roughly equivalent to the energy consumption of 13,000 residents in New York City. 

It’s still early days. The potential of digital twins to enable enterprises to improve efficiency and performance, to transform homes and connected lifestyles and to promote greater environmental sustainability is just starting to come into focus. However, the promise is there for utilizing the technology to help businesses and consumers alike thrive in a connected world.     

• A digital twin mirrors the real world in order to conduct simulations
  in a non-invasive way and predict outcomes.
• This concept could help create a more sustainable environment
  by optimizing trade-in and upgrade programs.
• A digital twin of a smart home could monitor and alert the consumer
  if servicing or replacing is recommended.

GAMING

College students rely on superior gaming electronics for engagement, connectivity and content creation

By Fred Towns, President, New Age Electronics

One positive outcome of the digital shift brought on by the pandemic is the adoption of high-quality electronics to complement new ways of working and learning. We know this is evident in hybrid workplaces, but it is just as prevalent in colleges and universities. Students are especially savvy consumers of gaming electronics, and it’s important for them to feel connected with others. Having the right accessories, like a microphone with crystal clear audio and a stable and reliable keyboard can make all the difference in a gaming experience that complements online classes as well.

Computer microphones promote dynamic communication in any recording situation

 College campuses are ripe for digital engagement, especially when it comes to gaming and e-sports. Even though many universities have reverted to in-person learning, many aspects of digital learning are either here to stay, or students have carried over the capabilities into their free time as an extension of their social lives. Retailers should be prepared to offer a range of products to fit collegiate consumers’ needs.

Microphones play a huge role in promoting digital engagement, especially those that can withstand the rumbles of daily life and help mitigate background nose. When friends get together for a round of e-sports, high quality mics like the HyperX QuadCast S offer optimal sound quality that reduces echo and other disruptive effects for a better gaming experience.

We’ve seen a wave of young content creators on college campuses with the rising popularity of podcasts. Being able to create an engaging platform where students can dive into a topic that interests them is a great way to explore the medium, and having a microphone that is portable and durable while also achieving professional broadcast quality is a gamechanger.

The stunning RGB lighting and dynamic effects of the HyperX QuadCast S adds style to any stream or setup and is customizable via HyperX NGENUITY software. This all-inclusive mic features an anti-vibration shock mount and built-in pop filter to help muffle plosive sounds. 

Keyboards that are both reliable and durable can also be stylish and tactile

Gaming keyboards across the market have a number of components that enhance user experience. While opinions differ on what features are most important, there are a few that stand out as must-haves. Wired keyboards are essential, especially for gamers who want a competitive edge. Wired keyboards are 80 milliseconds faster than wireless ones, which, for serious gamers, makes a considerable difference. A USB portal allows for easy plug-and-play into the student’s computer and doesn’t require charging, since the power feeds into the keyboard from the computer. Durability is also key. College campuses are not always calm and still, especially when groups of people are gaming in the same room.  Retailers should be able to offer keyboards that are designed for stability and reliability, spill-resistant and built to last. For students looking to enhance their keyboard’s style and performance without breaking the bank, HyperX Alloy Core RGBTM is ideal.

The HyperX Alloy Core RGBTM boasts its signature radiant light bar and smooth, dynamic lighting effects. Balancing both brilliance and budget, the dedicated media controls and quick access buttons place control right at your fingertips. It’s stylish, nicely featured, and durable – making it a great all-around multimedia keyboard for gamers.

Lighting Features Aren’t Just for Style

While many consumers love how the visual effects look, the backlit keyboards also help gamers see the keys more clearly. Tactile keys that are anti-ghosting are a must-have. Soft-touch keys that give the gamer some tactile feedback is helpful and satisfying but also quiet, which roommates would likely appreciate, especially if the user is going to use the keyboard for both gaming and homework.

100 percent anti-ghosting is also critical. In the heat of a competition, being able to tap as many keys as you can in little time is required to stay competitive.

Emerging from the pandemic, college campuses are mirroring many workplaces in their approach to in-person versus digital interaction. The good news is that they now have the flexibility to pick and choose what works best, resulting in hybrid solutions that are adaptable.

Retailers should not only be well-stocked with electronics that support the gaming industry, but also be prepared to advise consumers on the array of options that fit their needs, factoring in mobility, versatility, style, comfort and durability.

Aside from some consumer culinary adjustments, induction cooktops also require particular types of cookware. Thankfully, most manufacturers have already made the move and offer complete lines of “induction compatible” pot and pans.

In order to use the magnetic field it generates to create an electrical current and heat a pot, induction burners require cookware that has contains some iron content. So iron
skillets, enamel iron dutch ovens and stainless steel pieces all work well. Copper and aluminum pots do not. (Rule of thumb: if a magnet sticks to the bottom of a pot,
it will work on an induction burner.)

Many manufacturers have anticipated the induction trend and have found ways to add stainless steel layers to their kitchenware — including non-stick models — so that most product lines now are induction ready. We tested out Anolon’s Accolade cookware as an example of the trend of ready for anything — gas, electric or induction — cookware. 

An Anolon Accolade Cookware 10-piece set is $350. It features an extra thick base for even heating and a magnetized stainless-steel layer making it ideal for induction cooktops. The Accolade set also has a hard-anodized, non-stick (PFOA-free) coating that is typically more durable than, say, that found on ceramic cookware. The Accolade line is dishwasher safe and can be used with metal utensils — although we recommend consumers avoid both.

One thing they don’t have to avoid, however, are gas burners. We tested the Accolade set, which includes two covered saucepans (1.75 and 2.5 quart), a covered stockpot (7.5 quart), and a covered saute pan (10-in.), on a gas stovetop without a problem. Even with an uneven direct flames, the cookware didn’t produce unwanted hot spots. Conversely, we found the Accolade pieces were relatively quick to heat up on a traditional electric burner. 

As one might expect, the Anolon cookware worked extremely well with induction cooktops. We could easily and quickly control the 

heat, and the pots and pans were very responsive, particularly with regard to reducing the temperature. So when things got overheated, it meant we could correct our cooking misjudgments quickly. Compare that to iron skillets, which retain the heat long after the burner is lowered or turned off. 

The Anolon Accolade set is definitely attractive enough to entice consumers making the switch to induction to also upgrade their cookware. And while the transition to induction cooktops will take time, Serena Williams says Meyer is already seeing an effect on sales. Induction cookware grew by 3.1 percent in 2021, for example, and is projected to grow another 4.2 percent over the next two years. In other words, induction is making cookware hot.

CRYPTOCURRENCY

An inside look at crypto events
and the women driving the industry

By Brittany Mier y Terán

Fresh off a plane to Mexico, I walked into a house of 26 women who had spent the last 48 hours together, preparing to compete. These weren’t just any women. These women had swam upstream in a man’s world and had no intentions of slowing down. These women were strong, tenacious, confident, friendly and so welcoming to a newcomer like me: a newcomer who wasn’t sure exactly how a hackathon worked. Were we going to break something?

During a hackathon, you “hack,” or innovate, at a marathon pace. Our “hacker house” included women developers at Fortune 500 companies, Ivy League computer science graduates, and directors of blockchain at financial institutions. 

This felt like the culmination of two years of exploration into the cryptocurrency and blockchain world, also known as “web 3.” Through a partnership between Blu3 DAO and Polygon, these 27 women were sponsored to compete for over $150,000 in prizes at ETHGlobal in Mexico City. Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of Ethereum, would even be speaking live in a masterclass on future uses of the protocol.

There are a lot of different niches in web 3; they are similar and different at the same time. It’s similar to the consumer electronics industry, where you find home theater, pro-av, security and retail all sharing many of the same vendors and technologies, with minimal event attendee cross-over. In cryptocurrency, events are either “protocol” based (i.e Bitcoin, Ethereum, Near etc.), or sector based (decentralized finance, NFTs, metaverse, regenerative finance, decentralized autonomous organizations, gaming and more). Many of these events include a hackathon or have many co-located hackathons. At all of these events, you will find developers, founders, venture capitalists, retail investors, Fortune 500 companies, NFT artists, lawyers, accountants, people dressed up in costumes and so much more. The balance of these attendee types relies on the niche of the conference or event, and they each have their space to shine.

ETHGlobal was about innovation on the Ethereum platform, more specifically how we plan to innovate and onboard the next billion users to the Ethereum blockchain. As hackathon participants, we were there to form teams, learn new protocols, build an app, compete for bounties (prize money), tweak, fix, change, pitch, and pitch again, in just 38 hours.

So why was I there? Because I had spent two years doing just about everything to understand this blockchain/cryptocurrency/NFT space that you hear about in the media, and curiosity got the best of me. I had gained early exposure to crypto through college friends, but maintained healthy skepticism and a duffle bag full of misconceptions.

Eventually 2020 came along and we all found ourselves sitting with more down time than we knew what to do with. Alongside endeavors to earn a degree in YouTube gardening, I started exploring the blockchain space. I can attest both interests have withstood the test of time.

My first crypto event was Miami Crypto Experience in 2021. This event was lighthearted, NFT focused, and much like you might imagine a “crypto event.” Luxury cars were raffled, and workshops offered on how to create your very own NFT. Although I ultimately left that event yet to be convinced that the industry knew what it wanted to be when it grew up, it was there that I realized just how welcoming the people in web 3 are. It is truly unbelievable. The night before the conference I unknowingly bumped into NFT/crypto influencers Kenn Bosak, Miss Teen Crypto, Miggy Crypto, and their cohort, who welcomed me into their evening’s adventures and spent the night answering my many, many, questions on what the heck an NFT actually was.

Fast forward to 2022, I found myself walking the venues of ETHDenver. More established than the Miami Crypto Experience, this event touted its very own buffalo unicorn mascot, event currency ($SPORK), adjacent DeadMau5 performance and incredible support from the Colorado government. It was like nothing I’d ever seen before. Something akin to a well-established GenZ science fair sprawling through downtown Denver. A street filled with food trucks fulfilled orders for eager event attendees, and amazingly this food, and the vast offerings inside, were included gratis with attendance (which was actually complimentary upon accepted application). 

Again, I was welcomed warmly by the web 3 community. New and existing friendships with team members of FiO Protocol, KeepKey, ShapeShift DAO, Mandala, and SimpleDeFi, allowed me to roam alongside knowledgeable crypto folk and absorb. Once again I found myself asking many, many, questions. After ETHDenver, I was officially confused about cryptocurrency’s journey as an industry, albeit interested like never before. 

ETHDenver was a momentous stop on my web 3 journey because for the first time, I spied a group of women roaming a crypto conference together. There were actually two groups! I took to Instagram to find out what they were about. I learned that they were the relatively new women’s organizations, H.E.R DAO and Blu3 DAO. DAO is a web 3 term for “decentralized autonomous organization,” i.e an organization run through a common mission statement and coded smart contracts. Their grounds for existence, benefits, risks and future applications are an article of its own. For today we will leave it that: “a DAO is an organization.” I instantly joined both groups on their preferred chat apps, Discord and Telegram.  

Several months later, I found myself riding scooters through the streets of Austin with five friends from ETHDenver. They were riding along to escort me to H.E.R. DAO’s womxn’s event during Consensus, a crypto conference in Texas. Much like being dropped off at an after-school program, they patiently waited at the adjacent restaurant as I timidly walked into a room full of ultra-smart women. I left that event inspired and excited. Upon leaving, I committed to finding a place to participate within web 3’s female world. I wanted to contribute to this mission of making web3 accessible and inviting for all. 

This August, there was an announcement posted by both DAOs. They were opening applications for women to compete in Mexico at ETHGlobal. A moment of imposter syndrome and hesitation passed, and then I filled out the applications. What was the worst that could happen?

Three weeks later I was smiling ear to ear on the ETHMexico stage with Blu3 DAO as we celebrated a slew of awards and prizes amongst the teams. Through a partnership with Polygon, Blu3 DAO flew 27 women from around the world to Mexico city. This was an unprecedented amount of female competitors for any prior event. This accolade can be directly attributed to both Blu3 DAO and H.E.R DAO’s efforts.

Electronics, finance, art, transactions, verifications and so much more will ultimately evolve with the continued innovations of blockchain technology. Buzzwords like “NFT” will be replaced with less provoking words, like “digital certificate,” and mobile validation,” masking the underlying blockchain technology for the end consumer. 

What clearly won’t change? The tenacity of the females in this space that are working nights and weekends to make sure that every single woman and girl has the opportunity to thrive in the blockchain universe.  

DISTRIBUTOR ROUNDUP

As COVID-19’s impact gradually abates, distributors tell how they’ve reset programs and priorities in sync with dealers’ needs and wants.

COMPILED BY NANCY KLOSEK

DEALERSCOPE PODCAST

In the high-strung consumer electronics retail business, it can be hard to take a moment to step back and breathe. The Dealerscope Podcast gives CE retail leaders the chance to kick back, relax and talk shop in a casual setting.

Listen to “Dealerscope” on Spreaker.

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