Strategy in TECH...
Cleverly Home, a custom home builder in Japan, has come up with a way to generate additional revenue from its model homes, while also opening up a new way for prospective homeowners to experience its designs. A reporter for the Nikkei in Japan was quite taken by the concept as the homebuilder will allow the model homes to be rented out as private lodgings on dates when no homebuyer showings are scheduled.
Many in the industry were stunned to learn Thursday afternoon that popular custom integration editor and reviewer Robert “Bob” Archer was released from his prominent role at CEPro by owner Emerald Expositions. It was an inauspicious conclusion to a long, illustrious career at one of the top industry trade publications, where Archer’s insightful product reviews could make a real impact on the success of a product in the market.
Azione Unlimited, a leading North American buying group of upscale custom integrators, announced on Wednesday that it has formed the Azione Collective, a group of women drawn from all walks of the greater Azione ecosystem who have come together to “empower connection, mentorship, and growth.”
Ferrari NV (NYSE: RACE), manufacturer of the leading luxury sports car embraced by many wealthy car enthusiasts, had its scariest ride ever on Wall Street last week, when its stock value had the single largest daily drop in the company’s history. In just one day, the value of RACE shares closed down by 15%. Does this mean trouble for the Luxury market?
In a new survey released today (Thursday), homeowners expressed pessimism and uncertainty about both the economy in general and the housing market specifically. They are also stressing over personal finances, with nearly half of all homeowners (49%) citing their personal finances as the greatest source of stress they face right now.
Just days after Amazon put on its glitzy annual devices and services showcase for the media in New York City, employees were surprised to learn that a Vice President who helps oversee the devices division is leaving the company. In an internal memo circulated to employees, and viewed by Reuters News Agency, it was announced that Rob Williams, Vice President of Device Software and Services – and part of a small elite group of executives with direct access to CEO Andy Jassy known as the S-team – stepped down from his post…and furthermore, will leave the company entirely at year-end.
Here is a really smart idea: AVPro Global, one of the industry’s fastest-growing manufacturers of a wide range of products designed specifically for the residential and commercial custom integration spaces, is creating an “Expert Advisory Board.” Why is that smart? Because a well-selected advisory board can be a great sounding board (no pun intended) on strategies and tactics, and an almost limitless source of fresh ideas and perspectives for driving above-average growth.
The first expert appointed to this board is well-known industry executive Wally Whinna, formerly of ADI/Snap One, AVAD, Tandem Marketing, and Allnet.
With the final closing of its sale of Sound United to Harman International, Masimo Corporation (Nasdaq: MASI) has now submitted a Form 8-K/A with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which seeks to provide recast financials for its last three years, taking Sound United out of its numbers. Masimo also revealed the impact of some last-minute adjustments, as per its agreement with Harman.
Emerald Expositions, part of Emerald Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: EEX) and owners of CEDIA Expo and CEPro, has reported that final attendance at CEDIA Expo 2025, “the premier event for the custom systems integration industry,” establishes it was yet another year of declining participation. This rather sobering news is consistent with feedback I received from several exhibitors at the event this year – almost all of whom told me that attendance was noticeably off, with several saying it was significantly down from last year.
Now we know with certainty, even with Emerald’s attempt to hide the real attendance figures, that attendance at Expo 2025 was in fact appreciably below attendance at Expo 2024 last year.
The night before CEDIA Expo 2025 opened, CEDIA, the trade association, held a “Town Hall” with members on the subject of partnering with the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA). Actually, the organization’s formal announcement of this event said it was to “debut and discuss brand-new joint research between the two organizations.” But actually, it was setting the membership up for the Association to propose a new relationship between the organizations.
It was a proposal that did not appear to resonate with some in the audience at the Town Hall.
