Get Beaconized: The Emerging Beacon Technology

As technology becomes more advanced and sophisticated, doing chores and everyday tasks also gets simpler and easier. In telecommunications, for example, innovations made since the invention of mobile phones have been countless. For the past several years, tech companies and developers have been cultivating newer ways to make communication even much easier.

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The beacon technology has been around for some time now but only recently did developers start innovating further. A beacon is a tiny wireless device that transmits a radio signal, giving its location and ID in the process. It works by using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and is placed in strategic locations like hallways, lobbies, and common indoor public areas. It is a low-cost hardware that can be mounted on the wall or any safe surface. BLE is battery-friendly, and the use of it makes instant messaging faster and easier since it transmits directly to smartphones and tablets. When the mobile phone detects the beacon signal through Bluetooth, it reads the beacon’s identification number, calculates distance and location, and then identifies nearby beacon mobile app users, allowing them to communicate within the range of the signal.

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A lot of industries today are welcoming the use of beacon technology. It is now popular in the retail industry where it creates newly improved in-store interactions between customers and retailers. It allows retailers to know preferences of its customers based on their in-store actions. On the other hand, it enables customers to receive personalized retail suggestions based on their preferences. More establishments such as hotels, airports, sports venues and public transports, are now using this simple and effective beacon innovation.

I'm Taihwa Terry Ho, capital investor and technophile. I see promise in developing things people will use every day. Please follow me on Twitter.

Cultivating Good Relationships With Investors

An investment is like marriage. Without trust and commitment, the alliance between the investor and the company will fail entirely or may never reach its full potential.

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Throughout my career, I have witnessed many instances of friction and conflict between investors and business owners. And sadly, a little misunderstanding can actually have a large impact on the business.

To guide you, here are some strategies to help you manage your relationship with your investors:

Interact and communicate. Take the opportunity to know them. Treat them like friends and recognize their value beyond finances. Never select an investor just based on funding. Acknowledge your relationship and like a true friend, always listen.

Set clear expectations. To avoid disappointments and frustrations, do not promise over what you can deliver. Instead, have a shared vision, scale of growth, and potential exit strategies.

Show authenticity and respect. Though you may not feel like it sometimes, interact with your investor on a personal level. Grow together and be real in all aspects of the relationship. Help and support each other as challenges arise.

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Good relationships add value to any kind of venture. In investments, the best results arise when there is trust and commitment—for better and for worse.

Hi! Taihwa Terry Ho here. I am a capital investor by trade and I frequently invest in app development, a field where I see plenty of promise. Follow me onGoogle+ for more of my insights on business and finance.