There’s no denying the growth of the smart home with experts predicting that it will become a $107.4 billion dollar industry by 2023. Typically, the technology industry is male driven both in terms of industry and consumption. In some ways, that stereotype holds true in the smart home world, and in some ways, it doesn’t. The smart home niche is a technology sector that is blessed with a few good women, so to speak, with five women leading the charge.
1. Stacey Higginbotham
After a departure from the tech site Gigaom, Stacey Higginbotham branched out on her own and found a nice in the world of IoT. With 18 years of experience writing for sites like Fortune, PCMag, and MIT Tech Review, Stacey has a wealth of knowledge and she’s whip-smart. Her Podcast has thousands of weekly listeners where she caters not only to end-users but also industry leaders and analysts.
If you are looking to start your own smart home company or grow your existing company, Stacey is the influencer for you. You can find her at staceyoniot.com.
2. Julie Jacobson
Julie Jacobson is well-known by home technology integrators. As the co-founder of CE Pro, she focuses her writing on major integrators like Control4, Savant, and Creston, but she also provides insightful commentary and keeps everyone calm when the general media tries to blow things out of proportion. You know, like that time that they swore Amazon was launching a home security system.
If you want someone to install and connect your smart home for you, Julie’s work can help guide you through the process. You can find her at cepro.com.
3. Megan Wollerton
While it may be tougher to trust the opinion of a large site like CNET, it’s not hard to trust Megan Wollerton. Megan is a Senior Associate Editor for CNET, and she often covers smart home products and the occasional washing machine.
I reviewed another Speed Queen washer. It didn’t go well. https://t.co/sDQBv9ZOLx
— Megan Wollerton (@meganwollerton) June 19, 2018
If you want to up your general smart home product knowledge, Megan is the influencer for you. You can follow Megan’s reviews here.
4. Rose Thibodeaux
The majority of people who buy smart home products want products that focus on security, and that’s where Rose fits into the puzzle. While the smart home itself is a specialty, Rose takes it even further focusing on smart home security. She’s been covering the space well before it was cool, and her hands-on reviews cover everything from monitored security systems to self-monitored security systems and even cameras. In fact, her comparison of Arlo Q, Cloud Cam, and Nest Cam helped in my decision to purchase a security camera.
I Reviewed 6 Wyze Cam Accessories: You Should Buy 4 of Them https://t.co/trxjnKGked pic.twitter.com/uUFxoIHk44
— Rose Thibodeaux (@Rose_Thibodeaux) June 23, 2018
If you want security focused smart home devices, Rose is the influencer for you. You can connect with her on Twitter where she shares news, videos, and articles.
5. Vanessa Stanley
In my search for a home security camera, I also ran across the work of Vanessa Stanley, a no nonsense reporter who covers home security cameras and baby monitors.
Vanessa tells it like it is, only covers cameras she’s paid for herself, and has reviewed over 50 smart home cameras. She’s also Johnny-on-the-spot when it comes to answering reader questions.
If you want to buy a home security camera, Vanessa is the influencer for you. You can follow her work at at asecurecam.com.