The Business of Sharing

The 'sharing economy' is changing the rules of business. Why buy a hedge trimmer that you use twice a year? Why not borrow someone else's? Why leave your driveway empty all day while you're at work? Why not charge someone to park there while you're not using it? And if your business is selling hedge [...]
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The 'sharing economy' is changing the rules of business. Why buy a hedge trimmer that you use twice a year? Why not borrow someone else's? Why leave your driveway empty all day while you're at work? Why not charge someone to park there while you're not using it? And if your business is selling hedge trimmers or parking - or anything else people can share - what do you do about it? Already, the sharing economy or 'collaborative consumption' lets people earn over $15 billion a year by renting and selling what they own: from cars and homes to money and time. And that's almost nothing. According to PwC, the sharing economy will grow into a $335 billion market by 2025. TIME Magazine calls it "One of 10 Ideas that will Change the World." Pulitzer Prize-winner Thomas L Friedman calls it "The real deal". Today, fast-moving tech startups like Airbnb and Uber are disrupting huge sectors of the old economy, mobilising millions of micro-entrepreneurs in the process. As Silicon Valley investors pile cash into sharing economy startups, some of the world's largest companies are watching their backs.How can the 20th century's corporate beasts not only survive but thrive in a new world of peer-to-peer commerce and sharing? Written by one of the business leaders of the movement, The Business of Sharing is an insider's guide to the sharing economy: for anyone thinking of entering the sharing economy and profiting from the upheavals ahead. From the boardroom of Sequoia Capital to 10 Downing Street, Stephany meets the powerbrokers pulling the strings in this new economy. And he meets the ordinary people cashing out. This critically acclaimed new book includes colorful original interviews with entrepreneurs like the founders of Airbnb and Zipcar and the world's top venture capitalists, plus case studies of major brands from around the world. The Business of Sharing is essential reading for anyone looking to get to grips with one of today's must-understand global trends.