The business of sharing : making it in the new sharing economy

The 'sharing economy' is changing the rules of business. Why pay a lot to own a hedge trimmer you use twice a year? Why not pay a little to borrow someone else's? Why leave your driveway empty all day while you're at work? Why not charge someone to share it 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? Today, 'collaborative consumption' lets people earn over $15 billion a year by sharing what they already 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.' The world's top technology investors are already backing the sharing economy's entrepreneurs to become the next crop of Internet billionaires. And some of the world's biggest companies are watching their backs.0Written by one of the business leaders of the movement, 'The Business of sharing' is an insider's guide for anyone thinking of entering the sharing economy and looking to profit from the upheavals ahead. 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