After three years of local on-demand research, including a year’s work launching Gig Economy Group, I’m making some changes to The Notebook.
First, as noted, I am now writing from the position of a co-founder of a funded on-demand economy company. As such, I’ll be sharing the GEG team’s ongoing assessment of local on-demand opportunities for individuals, small business, and brands. In addition to the team’s views, my excerpts of useful news and research will continue to appear here.
Second, it is time to put an end to coverage of the baby steps phase of the on-demand/gig/sharing economy. There is very little value in tracking Uber’s almost daily embarrassments arising from its brosterous startup days. When Uber does something new, it will get coverage here. So too all the other companies and individuals contributing to the development of the next economy. It’s 1995 all over again, and the industry is growing up. We’ll focus on the maturing of on-demand here.
Third, it is time to focus more on people. People in local markets seeking to integrate their business with the world’s evolving supply chain to sell and service curated products and customer engagement are poised to transform their Main Streets into personalized markets. People are working to orchestrate and deliver great branded experience with intensely personal touches. People are working in on-demand companies to make the world a better place, often in the face of determined opposition. People are seeking to understand the world we’ve built and lead it to productive socioeconomic outcomes.
Watch this space for new features, too. Happy 2018, all.