The Mesh
Why the Future of Business Is Sharing
By: Lisa Gansky
Published: September 23, 2010
Format: Hardcover, 256 pages
ISBN-10: 1591843715
ISBN-13: 978-1591843719
Publisher: Portfolio/Penguin
"The fact is our commerce, not to mention our social lives, has always depended on sharing", writes founder and CEO of multiple internet companies Lisa Gansky,in her revolutionary and worldview changing book The Mesh: Why the Future of Business Is Sharing. The author describes how the traditional business model is giving way to one of social media and to one of sourcing goods and services without actually owning them.
Lisa Gansky presents the concept of the sharing economy, that while innovative in the sense of a business system, it is also an idea upon which much of what is everyday life is built. The sharing aspect, that is part of modern society, ranging from hotels, airlines, taxis, telephone lines, to the internet is already familiar to everyone. Lisa Gansky takes the sharing principle much farther, and includes products and services that were once considered only as purchases. Ownership involves costs, including maintenance and depreciation. By offering goods and services at the very moment when they are required, the cost of owning the items is removed from the share based customer.
Lisa Gansky (photo left) points out that there are unlimited opportunities to build brands and a reputation for service through the principle of shared services. Because of the empowerment of consumers, resulting from the internet and social media, this just in time economy offers entrepreneurs business options that will disrupt the established business models in almost any market. To create a mesh business, the business model will have the following characteristics:
* Offering is something that can be shared within the community
* Advanced web and mobile data networks track goods and aggregate usage
* Focus is on sharable physical goods including materials and local delivery
* Referrals and recommendations are through word of mouth and via social media
For me, the power of the book is how Lisa Gansky demonstrates not only the desirability of a new shared mesh business model, but also describes how the concept is creates many viable companies. The author combines the theory of the mesh business with practical techniques for putting the shared model of business into practice. The author shows the entrepreneur how to locate a good target industry for a mesh company, and then how to establish the mesh business while building a brand loyal customer base. To show that the mesh concept has proven real world applications, Lisa Gansky includes case studies ranging from children's clothing exchanges to group buying power to automobiles. The book and its concepts are in the best tradition of disruptive innovation, providing a viable alternative to established companies in mature markets. The mesh option disrupts these industries and provides consumer choice to unserved markets of those who don't require or even want ownership of goods and services.
I highly recommend the groundbreaking and business creating book The Mesh: Why the Future of Business Is Sharing by Lisa Gansky, to any entrepreneurs who are seeking an alternative business plan to the traditional make and sell system. One of the most intriguing aspects of the mesh concept is that it is much more than a business model. It also has powerful implications for building stronger local communities through the sharing and recommending of goods and services. The sharing principle is also environmentally friendly as each item gets more usage than similar goods owned by an individual, saving resources and lowering waste levels.
Read the visionary book and community transformational book The Mesh: Why the Future of Business Is Sharing by Lisa Gansky, and put the strength of an entire mesh based community to work for you and your business. Whether you are in an established company or industry, there is room for a mesh form of the business. For entrepreneurs, the mesh ecosystem generates profits while building closer more viable communities and protecting the environment. The mesh model is a win-win type system that builds a better future for all people and their local communities.
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