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The Mesh: Why the Future of Business Is Sharing
"The Mesh is reshaping how we go to market, who we partner with, and how we invite participation and engage new customers. . . . If you embrace the Mesh you'll discover how your business can inspire customers in a world where access trumps ownership."
- Lisa Gansky
Traditional businesses follow a simple create a product or service, sell it, collect money. But in the last few years a fundamentally different model has taken root-one in which consumers have more choices, more tools, more information, and more peer-to-peer power. Pioneering entrepreneur Lisa Gansky calls it the Mesh and reveals why it will soon dominate the future of business.
Mesh companies use social media, wireless networks, and data crunched from every available source to provide people with goods and services at the exact moment they need them, without the burden and expense of owning them outright. Gansky reveals how there is real money to be made and trusted brands and strong communities to be built in helping your customers buy less but use more.
Consider the explosive growth of Zipcar. By exploiting the latest technology and making it easy and affordable to have a car whenever you need one, this young company is helping to redefine personal transportation. And deeply worrying established competitors.
Gansky shows how the same pattern is playing out with less famous Mesh companies that are reinventing an enormous range of
* thredUP enables mail-in kids'-clothing swaps. One year after launching, it has 10,000 members exchanging more than 14,000 items per month.
* Kickstarter connects artists who need funding with small donors who want to support them. The firm has helped hundreds of projects raise as much as $200,000 without the usual angst of fundraising.
* Groupon harnesses collective buying power to offer daily discounts to its 5 million subscribers. Sixteen months after inception, it has raised over $170 million in venture capital.
In the tradition of The Long Tail , The Mesh illustrates a huge new opportunity that's already driving new businesses and renewing old ones. It's your essential guide to the new wave of information-enabled commerce that's also improving our communities and our planet.
- Lisa Gansky
Traditional businesses follow a simple create a product or service, sell it, collect money. But in the last few years a fundamentally different model has taken root-one in which consumers have more choices, more tools, more information, and more peer-to-peer power. Pioneering entrepreneur Lisa Gansky calls it the Mesh and reveals why it will soon dominate the future of business.
Mesh companies use social media, wireless networks, and data crunched from every available source to provide people with goods and services at the exact moment they need them, without the burden and expense of owning them outright. Gansky reveals how there is real money to be made and trusted brands and strong communities to be built in helping your customers buy less but use more.
Consider the explosive growth of Zipcar. By exploiting the latest technology and making it easy and affordable to have a car whenever you need one, this young company is helping to redefine personal transportation. And deeply worrying established competitors.
Gansky shows how the same pattern is playing out with less famous Mesh companies that are reinventing an enormous range of
* thredUP enables mail-in kids'-clothing swaps. One year after launching, it has 10,000 members exchanging more than 14,000 items per month.
* Kickstarter connects artists who need funding with small donors who want to support them. The firm has helped hundreds of projects raise as much as $200,000 without the usual angst of fundraising.
* Groupon harnesses collective buying power to offer daily discounts to its 5 million subscribers. Sixteen months after inception, it has raised over $170 million in venture capital.
In the tradition of The Long Tail , The Mesh illustrates a huge new opportunity that's already driving new businesses and renewing old ones. It's your essential guide to the new wave of information-enabled commerce that's also improving our communities and our planet.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
March 26, 2012
It is a shame this book was so painful to read, because there is some good stuff here, hidden amongst the repetitive, unnecessary business jargon and other distracting tactics. If I could put the book in a pot and boil it down to its valuable essence, we would reduce page count by 80% or a bit more, and eliminate my irritation level entirely. We get it: there are a set of conditions that enable a business to identify itself as a new economy "mesh" business, and because of recent social and economic trends, a business that focuses on sharing rather than owning has hope for viability and longevity. By citing ZipCars and early in the book as examples of great mesh businesses, I felt deflated on the value of mesh as these companies are not profitable (or flailing, depending on what you read and when you read it).
By the second chapter, I was worn out by the lack of structure (what did I just read? What was the point? How was that related to anything else I've read?). But still, I pressed on, and finally cried, "Uncle!" after the author's hundredth desperate attempt to ingrain "mesh" into my business vocab. Do I need to figure out the subtle differences between "big mesh" and "full mesh"? Does "mesh network" need to be compounded into "meshwork" for my personal benefit? If I want my business to be more relevant in this changing landscape, do I really need to make it "meshier", or can I just follow some simple steps to build a stronger business?
What is good? The 4 characteristics of mesh businesses; the 7 keys to building trust in the mesh; 3 ways a mesh ecosystem mimics a natural one. There is some valuable background and argument. The rest is one big meshache.
By the second chapter, I was worn out by the lack of structure (what did I just read? What was the point? How was that related to anything else I've read?). But still, I pressed on, and finally cried, "Uncle!" after the author's hundredth desperate attempt to ingrain "mesh" into my business vocab. Do I need to figure out the subtle differences between "big mesh" and "full mesh"? Does "mesh network" need to be compounded into "meshwork" for my personal benefit? If I want my business to be more relevant in this changing landscape, do I really need to make it "meshier", or can I just follow some simple steps to build a stronger business?
What is good? The 4 characteristics of mesh businesses; the 7 keys to building trust in the mesh; 3 ways a mesh ecosystem mimics a natural one. There is some valuable background and argument. The rest is one big meshache.
March 18, 2015
When I saw this book, the subtitle "Why the future of business is sharing" intrigued me. And since it was very heavily discounted, I decided to pick it up.
Basically, The Mesh introduces the concept of, well, the mesh. A "mesh" is basically a business/ecosystem that uses the internet and data to share high-value but (perhaps not very frequently used) things with others. For example, you won't be sharing your old toothbrushes (too low value, too frequently used). But, you may want to swap an old book for a new one (Fairly high value, compared to the toothbrush, at least, and unless you're a serial rereader, you don't read it that many times either). The book introduces the reader to the concept of the Mesh, its advantages, and how businesses can implement it.
About 20% of the book is a "Mesh Directory", which was a bit surprising (I was not expecting the book to end so fast). The value of the directory, for me, was in the little explanations about how you can use the concept of the mesh for different industries.
While the book is interesting, it's published in 2010 and a bit dated. For example, Kickstarter is described as this new and exciting thing, while it's not - I'd actually like more detail on whether it stuck to its mesh roots, or if it deviated. Singapore is mentioned as being a test-bed for Electronic Vehicles, but I don't see them making up a significant proportion of vehicles in 2015 (Google tells me that the first phase of testing is over, but without the infrastructure, they're just going to be doing phase two of testing. So, not really rolled out to consumers yet?)
But, the concept of this book is very alluring. I like the idea of a future where we share things - instead of buying a car, which costs so much in both Japan and Singapore (actually more in Singapore, what with our COE and all), you rent it for the few hours you need, in a location convenient to you. I've been with my seniors when they tried it with Hertz in Japan, but to get to the car was rather inconvenient, in my opinion. Still, I can see how it's useful. And as a bookworm, the idea of swapping books is interesting, though I've had exactly one experience releasing books in BookCrossing, and none finding a book.
I think that this book is due for an update. There's been articles in the papers (Singapore papers, anyway) about the rise of swapping sites. I'd like to know how mesh networks are doing four years on. For example, I searched for the author's company, Ofoto, but didn't find much. In fact, I've only heard of Flickr and 500px, and Google+ for photos. Ofoto? Not so much.
If I'd read this book when it came out, I'd probably be raving over it. As it is, I like the idea of the book, but quite a few examples feel dated. If the author had an updated edition though, I'd be very interested in reading that.
This review was first posted at Inside the mind of a Bibliophile
Basically, The Mesh introduces the concept of, well, the mesh. A "mesh" is basically a business/ecosystem that uses the internet and data to share high-value but (perhaps not very frequently used) things with others. For example, you won't be sharing your old toothbrushes (too low value, too frequently used). But, you may want to swap an old book for a new one (Fairly high value, compared to the toothbrush, at least, and unless you're a serial rereader, you don't read it that many times either). The book introduces the reader to the concept of the Mesh, its advantages, and how businesses can implement it.
About 20% of the book is a "Mesh Directory", which was a bit surprising (I was not expecting the book to end so fast). The value of the directory, for me, was in the little explanations about how you can use the concept of the mesh for different industries.
While the book is interesting, it's published in 2010 and a bit dated. For example, Kickstarter is described as this new and exciting thing, while it's not - I'd actually like more detail on whether it stuck to its mesh roots, or if it deviated. Singapore is mentioned as being a test-bed for Electronic Vehicles, but I don't see them making up a significant proportion of vehicles in 2015 (Google tells me that the first phase of testing is over, but without the infrastructure, they're just going to be doing phase two of testing. So, not really rolled out to consumers yet?)
But, the concept of this book is very alluring. I like the idea of a future where we share things - instead of buying a car, which costs so much in both Japan and Singapore (actually more in Singapore, what with our COE and all), you rent it for the few hours you need, in a location convenient to you. I've been with my seniors when they tried it with Hertz in Japan, but to get to the car was rather inconvenient, in my opinion. Still, I can see how it's useful. And as a bookworm, the idea of swapping books is interesting, though I've had exactly one experience releasing books in BookCrossing, and none finding a book.
I think that this book is due for an update. There's been articles in the papers (Singapore papers, anyway) about the rise of swapping sites. I'd like to know how mesh networks are doing four years on. For example, I searched for the author's company, Ofoto, but didn't find much. In fact, I've only heard of Flickr and 500px, and Google+ for photos. Ofoto? Not so much.
If I'd read this book when it came out, I'd probably be raving over it. As it is, I like the idea of the book, but quite a few examples feel dated. If the author had an updated edition though, I'd be very interested in reading that.
This review was first posted at Inside the mind of a Bibliophile
January 3, 2011
If you’re interested in the shifts in consumerism and business, then I recommend reading Lisa Gansky’s The Mesh: Why the Future of Business is Sharing. Gansky unveils a shift from the traditional “buyer-seller” model to a “sharer-networker” model. And the network is “the Mesh”.
The sharing concept isn’t brand new. Hotel and rental cars are based on consumers “sharing” products for specific amounts of time. What’s new is the role that information about the consumer plays. Companies are now able to collect and analyze consumers’ habits in real-time, and make instant changes to their offerings. In fact, many of the companies Gansky profiles consider themselves information companies who provide a product or service.
Gansky also explains how this trend is being used by community groups to develop and share resources. Through the use of the internet and social media, people are able to organize effectively and efficiently. And communities are expanded beyond physical proximity to shared interests and passions.
Included in the book is “The Mesh Directory” – a listing of Mesh ventures in a wide range of categories – Accessories and Gifts, Arts and Crafts, Books and Writing, etc. You can also browse the list online at www.meshing.it.
The sharing concept isn’t brand new. Hotel and rental cars are based on consumers “sharing” products for specific amounts of time. What’s new is the role that information about the consumer plays. Companies are now able to collect and analyze consumers’ habits in real-time, and make instant changes to their offerings. In fact, many of the companies Gansky profiles consider themselves information companies who provide a product or service.
Gansky also explains how this trend is being used by community groups to develop and share resources. Through the use of the internet and social media, people are able to organize effectively and efficiently. And communities are expanded beyond physical proximity to shared interests and passions.
Included in the book is “The Mesh Directory” – a listing of Mesh ventures in a wide range of categories – Accessories and Gifts, Arts and Crafts, Books and Writing, etc. You can also browse the list online at www.meshing.it.
September 30, 2013
This industry standard book is a fantastic introduction to the Sharing Economy, collaborative consumption, or the Mesh (depending on what you'd like to call it). Recommended for those just beginning their path towards a more shared economy - from a business-person's perspective primarily.
For experts, much of this will be too basic, but it's always good to ensure you've covered your bases by reading it cover to cover.
For experts, much of this will be too basic, but it's always good to ensure you've covered your bases by reading it cover to cover.
December 28, 2011
Etukäteen olin kuullut kirjasta seuraavan arvion: "The Mesh on vähän kuin samaan aikaan ilmestynyt Rachel Botsmanin ja Roo Rogersin 'What's Mine is Yours: The Rise of Collaborative Consumption'. Arvio piti kutinsa varsin hyvin. Ganskyn kirjoitustyyli ei ole yhtä letkeä ja vetävä, eikä hänen lähestymistapansa ole yhtä analyyttinen kuin Botsmanilla ja Rogersilla. Koska kirjat ilmestyivät niin samaan aikaan ja kuvaavat niin samaa ilmiötä, toista ei - Ganskyn epäonneksi - voi mainita ilman toista.
Collaborative consumption / sharing economy / the mesh / yhteisöllinen kuluttaminen / jakamistalous / mikä lieneekään on ilmiönä merkittävä, ja on hienoa että siitä kirjoitetaan, mutta Gansky ei saa ilmiöstä otetta. Hän listaa ilmiöön kuuluviksi palveluita kuten LinkedIn ja Groupon, joilla on enää hyvin vähän tekemistä ilmiölle keskeisten asioiden, kuten ihmisten resurssien yhteisöllisen jakamisen ja kestävän kehityksen kanssa. Groupon päin vastoin kannustaa ihmisiä entistä enemmän Botsmanin ja Rogersin kirjassaan kritisoimaan "hyperkulutukseen", jonka vastakohta uusi yhteisöllisempi kuluttamisen muoto on. Ylipäänsä The Mesh pelkistyy lähinnä listaukseksi erilaisia tapoja, joilla verkkoteknologiat ja yhteisöllisyys ovat muuttaneet maailmaa. Moni "case studyista" on itsessään mielenkiintoisia, ja kirja oikeuttaa olemassaolonsa jo niillä, mutta yhtenäiseksi kokonaisuudeksi ne eivät oikein veny.
Ganskyn puolustukseksi todettakoon, että luin hänen kirjansa vasta nyt, kun Botsmanin ja Rogersin kirjan sain loppuun jo viime keväänä. Tässä välissä aiheeseen on tullut perehdyttyä sen verran, että vaatimustaso oli varmasti korkeammalla kuin jos kirja olisi ollut ensimmäinen kontaktipintani aiheeseen.
Collaborative consumption / sharing economy / the mesh / yhteisöllinen kuluttaminen / jakamistalous / mikä lieneekään on ilmiönä merkittävä, ja on hienoa että siitä kirjoitetaan, mutta Gansky ei saa ilmiöstä otetta. Hän listaa ilmiöön kuuluviksi palveluita kuten LinkedIn ja Groupon, joilla on enää hyvin vähän tekemistä ilmiölle keskeisten asioiden, kuten ihmisten resurssien yhteisöllisen jakamisen ja kestävän kehityksen kanssa. Groupon päin vastoin kannustaa ihmisiä entistä enemmän Botsmanin ja Rogersin kirjassaan kritisoimaan "hyperkulutukseen", jonka vastakohta uusi yhteisöllisempi kuluttamisen muoto on. Ylipäänsä The Mesh pelkistyy lähinnä listaukseksi erilaisia tapoja, joilla verkkoteknologiat ja yhteisöllisyys ovat muuttaneet maailmaa. Moni "case studyista" on itsessään mielenkiintoisia, ja kirja oikeuttaa olemassaolonsa jo niillä, mutta yhtenäiseksi kokonaisuudeksi ne eivät oikein veny.
Ganskyn puolustukseksi todettakoon, että luin hänen kirjansa vasta nyt, kun Botsmanin ja Rogersin kirjan sain loppuun jo viime keväänä. Tässä välissä aiheeseen on tullut perehdyttyä sen verran, että vaatimustaso oli varmasti korkeammalla kuin jos kirja olisi ollut ensimmäinen kontaktipintani aiheeseen.
September 24, 2011
I picked up this book because it was mentioned in some article - "librarians know The Mesh." It is a helpful description of the popular trend of share-platform businesses (think Netflix and Zipcar) and how to determine a niche and how to get your business venture into the Mesh through social networking. I liked the author's reminders that this new way of doing businesses - providing expensive products for people to use and share - is very green and economical. However, after reading these same points needlessly reiterated in chapter after chapter, I began to skim.
The biggest flaw? No mention of public libraries, even though we invented this platform (but don't do it for a profit) and have been doing it for hundreds of years.
If you're interested in Mesh businesses, skip the book and check out the website instead - http://meshing.it/ - there's a great directory of meshy businesses and other ventures.
The biggest flaw? No mention of public libraries, even though we invented this platform (but don't do it for a profit) and have been doing it for hundreds of years.
If you're interested in Mesh businesses, skip the book and check out the website instead - http://meshing.it/ - there's a great directory of meshy businesses and other ventures.
February 26, 2019
This is a good book, one of the preliminary book that has a concept of "sharing economy" under the "mesh economy" jargon. As a rival of the "sharing economy" book, this book is an unfortunate one, history prove that people prefer "sharing economy" instead of "mesh economy" which basically the same jargon. Maybe one of the mistakes is this book released too early, it includes AirBNB but not include Uber in the case study -both two biggest icons in sharing economy. This book also a reminder that many businesses are just speculation that most of them are not successful. For example, in the Mesh Directory, a lot of this business is already failing or growing but not as what it predicted before, for example, Squidoo and P2PU.
August 12, 2011
This was a quick read 'cause the last 1/4 of the book is a PRINT directory of Mesh businesses/sites like...Goodreads. Which just about sums up the entire Achilles' Heel of this book: It's late, it's in print where it should be an ongoing discussion, and it's mostly just condensing and summarizing what anyone can figure out from looking at, say, Zipcar or Netflix or crowdsourcing.
That said, sometimes it's nice to have a pithy summary that reminds you these businesses did not always exist and doing the thinking for you.
That said, sometimes it's nice to have a pithy summary that reminds you these businesses did not always exist and doing the thinking for you.
February 27, 2012
An interesting concept, well excutied, about how mesh businesses, those that involve lending rather than owning goods, are the wave of the future. The book was quick read, but a thoughtful one. I would recommend that you read rather than listen to it. It's read by the author, a smart woman with a dull, lifeless voice.
September 17, 2018
I read the original version, which feels super outdated. Also the subject matter itself in the book is a bit shallow in my opinion. I would rather suggest people interested in this subject to consider reading Platform Revolution by Geoffrey G. Parker et al instead.
September 25, 2013
At this point, material is outdated.
May 20, 2019
To be honest, I expected more. The book is too general and contains only few examples and many “mesh projects” no longer exist.
November 20, 2022
(The English review is placed beneath the Russian one)
Российское издание: Mesh-модель: Почему будущее бизнеса — в платформах совместного пользования? Издательство: Альпина Паблишер; Год выпуска - 2011
Попытавшись перечитать книгу, я в итоге остановился примерно на том же месте, где и в первый раз, а это было около 8 лет назад. Более того, оказалось, что уже тогда я написал небольшой отзыв, который актуален и сегодня. В дополнении скажу, что спустя 8 лет на данную тему ничего не было написано, что странно. Как я сам отмечал 8 лет назад, тема совместного использования товаров сегодня, т.е. в 2021 году, актуальна даже больше, чем 8 лет назад. Однако в бизнес-литературе на эту тему, как и 8 лет назад, ничего существенного не было написано.
(Это) одна из немногих книг, которая сильно меня разочаровала по причине отличного начала и ужасного продолжения, начавшегося сразу же за первой главой. Автор, как мне казалось на тот момент, решила построить всю книгу на теме совместного использования разных товаров и услуг. Это интересно. Действительно, этот бизнес не сильно распространён в мире, а уж книг, которые бы его описывали, и того меньше. Фактически – ни одной. Так что я ожидал от книги множества примеров и полный анализ теории ведения такого бизнеса. Однако на деле всё оказалось намного хуже. Да, в первой главе автор рассматривает в качестве примера компанию Zip Car и затрагивает теоретические аспекты и пр. Но вот дальше она скатывается в зелёный маркетинг, в дизайн по принципу Папенека и его книги «Дизайн для реального мира», в социальные медиа и т.д. Темы, разумеется, важные и интересные, но я же покупал книгу, чтобы прочитать конкретно о совместном использовании товаров как концепции бизнеса, а не о зелёном маркетинге, социальных сетях (их использование в бизнесе) и пр. и пр. Вот и получилось, что книга написана фактически не о том, о чём заявлено – это как минимум, а как максимум – книга ни о чём. Да, лёгкий язык и небольшой объём подкупают, но всё же, это не может послужить защитой в пользу ненужности книги. Жаль. Жаль, что такую интересную тему так и не смогли развить ни непосредственный автор данной книги, ни кто-либо ещё.
After trying to reread the book, I ended up stopping at about the same place as the first time, which was about 8 years ago. Moreover, it turned out that I had already written a short review back then, which is still relevant today. In addition, I will say that 8 years later nothing has been written on the subject, which is strange. As I pointed out 8 years ago, the topic of product sharing is even more relevant today, i.e. in 2021, than it was 8 years ago. However, nothing substantial has been written on this topic in business literature, just like 8 years ago.
(This is) one of the few books that greatly disappointed me because of the great beginning and the terrible follow-up that started right after the first chapter. The author, it seemed to me at the time, decided to build the entire book around the theme of sharing various goods and services. It's interesting. Indeed, this business is not very common in the world, and there are even fewer books describing it. In fact, there are none. So I expected from the book a lot of examples and a comprehensive analysis of the theory of business. However, in reality, it turned out to be much worse. Yes, in the first chapter the author considers the company Zip Car as an example and touches on theoretical aspects, etc. But then she goes into green marketing, design by Papenek and his book "Design for the Real World: Human Ecology and Social Change", social media, etc. Of course, the topics are important and interesting, but I bought the book to read specifically about product sharing as a business concept, not about green marketing, social media (their use in business), etc. So it turns out that the book is not actually written about what it is stated to be about - that's the minimum and the maximum - the book is about nothing. Yes, the easy language and small volume are appealing, but still, it can't be a defense for the book's uselessness. Pity. It is a pity that such an interesting topic could not be developed either by the author of this book or by anyone else.
Российское издание: Mesh-модель: Почему будущее бизнеса — в платформах совместного пользования? Издательство: Альпина Паблишер; Год выпуска - 2011
Попытавшись перечитать книгу, я в итоге остановился примерно на том же месте, где и в первый раз, а это было около 8 лет назад. Более того, оказалось, что уже тогда я написал небольшой отзыв, который актуален и сегодня. В дополнении скажу, что спустя 8 лет на данную тему ничего не было написано, что странно. Как я сам отмечал 8 лет назад, тема совместного использования товаров сегодня, т.е. в 2021 году, актуальна даже больше, чем 8 лет назад. Однако в бизнес-литературе на эту тему, как и 8 лет назад, ничего существенного не было написано.
(Это) одна из немногих книг, которая сильно меня разочаровала по причине отличного начала и ужасного продолжения, начавшегося сразу же за первой главой. Автор, как мне казалось на тот момент, решила построить всю книгу на теме совместного использования разных товаров и услуг. Это интересно. Действительно, этот бизнес не сильно распространён в мире, а уж книг, которые бы его описывали, и того меньше. Фактически – ни одной. Так что я ожидал от книги множества примеров и полный анализ теории ведения такого бизнеса. Однако на деле всё оказалось намного хуже. Да, в первой главе автор рассматривает в качестве примера компанию Zip Car и затрагивает теоретические аспекты и пр. Но вот дальше она скатывается в зелёный маркетинг, в дизайн по принципу Папенека и его книги «Дизайн для реального мира», в социальные медиа и т.д. Темы, разумеется, важные и интересные, но я же покупал книгу, чтобы прочитать конкретно о совместном использовании товаров как концепции бизнеса, а не о зелёном маркетинге, социальных сетях (их использование в бизнесе) и пр. и пр. Вот и получилось, что книга написана фактически не о том, о чём заявлено – это как минимум, а как максимум – книга ни о чём. Да, лёгкий язык и небольшой объём подкупают, но всё же, это не может послужить защитой в пользу ненужности книги. Жаль. Жаль, что такую интересную тему так и не смогли развить ни непосредственный автор данной книги, ни кто-либо ещё.
After trying to reread the book, I ended up stopping at about the same place as the first time, which was about 8 years ago. Moreover, it turned out that I had already written a short review back then, which is still relevant today. In addition, I will say that 8 years later nothing has been written on the subject, which is strange. As I pointed out 8 years ago, the topic of product sharing is even more relevant today, i.e. in 2021, than it was 8 years ago. However, nothing substantial has been written on this topic in business literature, just like 8 years ago.
(This is) one of the few books that greatly disappointed me because of the great beginning and the terrible follow-up that started right after the first chapter. The author, it seemed to me at the time, decided to build the entire book around the theme of sharing various goods and services. It's interesting. Indeed, this business is not very common in the world, and there are even fewer books describing it. In fact, there are none. So I expected from the book a lot of examples and a comprehensive analysis of the theory of business. However, in reality, it turned out to be much worse. Yes, in the first chapter the author considers the company Zip Car as an example and touches on theoretical aspects, etc. But then she goes into green marketing, design by Papenek and his book "Design for the Real World: Human Ecology and Social Change", social media, etc. Of course, the topics are important and interesting, but I bought the book to read specifically about product sharing as a business concept, not about green marketing, social media (their use in business), etc. So it turns out that the book is not actually written about what it is stated to be about - that's the minimum and the maximum - the book is about nothing. Yes, the easy language and small volume are appealing, but still, it can't be a defense for the book's uselessness. Pity. It is a pity that such an interesting topic could not be developed either by the author of this book or by anyone else.
March 31, 2013
Every now and then, you pick up a book which offer such a compelling new idea that you simply cannot put down. The Mesh: Why the Future of Business is Sharing by Lisa Gansky is one such title.
In an increasingly crowded, economically uncertain, and enviromentally damaged world, people are becoming increasingly wary about the financial and personal burden of buying and owning stuff. Aided by social media, wireless networks and data crunched from every available source, people are moving towards sharing goods and services at the point of need.
The rule of thumb? Ownership is out. Access is in.
These form the precepts behind the futuristic sounding principles of "The Mesh", which is characterised by:
1) Having a core offering that can be shared within a community, market or value chain. These include products, services or raw materials.
2) Using advanced web and mobile data networks to track goods, aggregate usage, customer and product information, and strengthen customer intelligence.
3) Sharing physical goods (including materials used and services procured), which focuses on the local and efficient delivery of services and products.
4) Having offers, news, and recommendations transmitted primarily through the power of Word of Mouth, augmented by social networking services.
With a background in entrepreneurship and investment in social ventures, Gansky obviously knows her stuff. This is evident in the book's narrative which intersperses numerous case studies, personal anecdotes and prevailing trends to support it's main thesis.
Some of these examples include Roomorama, a peer-to-peer platform for making one's home a short-stay time-share, and Netflix, an innovative social network based business of sharing and listening to one's customers that overcame video giant Blockbuster.
A central premise in the book is the concept of making products more resilient so that they could last longer after multiple uses by different members or users. By collecting customer data and preferences, "Mesh" entrepreneurs can also "define, refine, and scale" their businesses accordingly, improving each step of the way. This approach allows users to embrace the "Mesh ecosystem" - an interconnected web linking suppliers, partners and distributors of Mesh products and services. These intermediaries can now leverage on the collective wisdom of the social network and its ability to offer real-time user intelligence.
On the issue of customer relationship, Gansky advises that businesses should win back the trust that customers have lost in big business - an unfortunate aftermath of the great financial crisis. To do so, they should embrace the following:
1) Say what they do - manage expectations and revisit them frequently
2) Use trials
3) Do what they say
4) Perpetually delight customers
5) Embrace social networks and go deep
6) Value transparency, but protect privacy
7) Deal with negative publicity and feedback promptly and skillfully
So what should entrepreneurs do if they're keen to tap on the opportunities available in "the Mesh". Gansky proposes five ways to forge a competitive advantage in this arena, namely:
1) Providing services or platforms that enable and encourage Mesh businesses, eg Amazon Web Services, PayPal, FedEx, iTunes, LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.
2) Leveraging physical assets, both products and materials, as share platforms.
3) Engaging partners by mutually sharing resources and information - including customer feedback and preference - so that products and services could be better designed, more timely and more relevant.
4) Integrating the supply chain both forwards and reverse. Key examples here are Walmart, which has introduced a "reverse supply chain" for the recycling and upcycling of products, and Patagonia, a green oriented supplier of outdoor gear.
5) Extending the Mesh ecosystem to include related products and services. Hotels can work with car and bike sharing services, wguke childcare services can be integrated with clothing exchanges and enrichment programmes. An example is Zipcar (a car sharing service) partnering with Kimpton Hotels and Six Flags amusement parks to reach common markets.
To show that there are numerous possibilities out there, the book includes a very useful Mesh Directory (also found here) which showcases a whole range of Mesh businesses. These hail from industries as diverse as books, writing, energy, home exchange, entertainment, travel, kids stuff, home appliances and much more. From the obvious to the obscure, they range from Groupon to Get Satisfaction, thredUP to TechForward and more.
If you're keen to find out what the future of consumption and business beholds, The Mesh may just provide a glimpse into that elusive crystal ball. Highly recommended for entrepreneurs, intrapreneurs, and anybody with a desire to change the world for the better, with a better way to utilise our fast diminishing resources.
In an increasingly crowded, economically uncertain, and enviromentally damaged world, people are becoming increasingly wary about the financial and personal burden of buying and owning stuff. Aided by social media, wireless networks and data crunched from every available source, people are moving towards sharing goods and services at the point of need.
The rule of thumb? Ownership is out. Access is in.
These form the precepts behind the futuristic sounding principles of "The Mesh", which is characterised by:
1) Having a core offering that can be shared within a community, market or value chain. These include products, services or raw materials.
2) Using advanced web and mobile data networks to track goods, aggregate usage, customer and product information, and strengthen customer intelligence.
3) Sharing physical goods (including materials used and services procured), which focuses on the local and efficient delivery of services and products.
4) Having offers, news, and recommendations transmitted primarily through the power of Word of Mouth, augmented by social networking services.
With a background in entrepreneurship and investment in social ventures, Gansky obviously knows her stuff. This is evident in the book's narrative which intersperses numerous case studies, personal anecdotes and prevailing trends to support it's main thesis.
Some of these examples include Roomorama, a peer-to-peer platform for making one's home a short-stay time-share, and Netflix, an innovative social network based business of sharing and listening to one's customers that overcame video giant Blockbuster.
A central premise in the book is the concept of making products more resilient so that they could last longer after multiple uses by different members or users. By collecting customer data and preferences, "Mesh" entrepreneurs can also "define, refine, and scale" their businesses accordingly, improving each step of the way. This approach allows users to embrace the "Mesh ecosystem" - an interconnected web linking suppliers, partners and distributors of Mesh products and services. These intermediaries can now leverage on the collective wisdom of the social network and its ability to offer real-time user intelligence.
On the issue of customer relationship, Gansky advises that businesses should win back the trust that customers have lost in big business - an unfortunate aftermath of the great financial crisis. To do so, they should embrace the following:
1) Say what they do - manage expectations and revisit them frequently
2) Use trials
3) Do what they say
4) Perpetually delight customers
5) Embrace social networks and go deep
6) Value transparency, but protect privacy
7) Deal with negative publicity and feedback promptly and skillfully
So what should entrepreneurs do if they're keen to tap on the opportunities available in "the Mesh". Gansky proposes five ways to forge a competitive advantage in this arena, namely:
1) Providing services or platforms that enable and encourage Mesh businesses, eg Amazon Web Services, PayPal, FedEx, iTunes, LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.
2) Leveraging physical assets, both products and materials, as share platforms.
3) Engaging partners by mutually sharing resources and information - including customer feedback and preference - so that products and services could be better designed, more timely and more relevant.
4) Integrating the supply chain both forwards and reverse. Key examples here are Walmart, which has introduced a "reverse supply chain" for the recycling and upcycling of products, and Patagonia, a green oriented supplier of outdoor gear.
5) Extending the Mesh ecosystem to include related products and services. Hotels can work with car and bike sharing services, wguke childcare services can be integrated with clothing exchanges and enrichment programmes. An example is Zipcar (a car sharing service) partnering with Kimpton Hotels and Six Flags amusement parks to reach common markets.
To show that there are numerous possibilities out there, the book includes a very useful Mesh Directory (also found here) which showcases a whole range of Mesh businesses. These hail from industries as diverse as books, writing, energy, home exchange, entertainment, travel, kids stuff, home appliances and much more. From the obvious to the obscure, they range from Groupon to Get Satisfaction, thredUP to TechForward and more.
If you're keen to find out what the future of consumption and business beholds, The Mesh may just provide a glimpse into that elusive crystal ball. Highly recommended for entrepreneurs, intrapreneurs, and anybody with a desire to change the world for the better, with a better way to utilise our fast diminishing resources.
July 16, 2019
Nice book to read. Nice book to read. Nice book to read. Nice book to read. Nice book to read. Nice book to read. Nice book to read. Nice book to read. Nice book to read. Nice book to read. Nice book to read. Nice book to read. Nice book to read. Nice book to read. Nice book to read.
January 13, 2020
This book, as well as "the mesh" itself has changed how I think about our interconnectedness since the onset of the internet and the digital revolution.
July 17, 2021
Not really enjoying this book...
January 31, 2022
Jag hade hoppats på en lite mer djupgående hållbarhetsanalys och lite mindre vinstmaximering, men det var ändå ett intressant koncept!
February 19, 2017
The book discusses the increasingly recurring themes of openness and platform that have been discussed in other books like Open Leadership by Charlene Li and Where Good Ideas Come From by Steven Johnson.
The core premise of Mesh businesses is: "When information about goods is shared, the value of those goods increases, for the business, for individuals, and for the community."
The author says that, "fundamentally, the Mesh is based on network-enabled sharing--on access rather than ownership. The central strategy is, in effect, to "sell" the same product multiple times. Multiple sales multiply profits, and customer contact. Multiple contact multiply opportunity--for additional sales, for strengthening a brand, for improving a competitive service, and for deepening and extending the relation with customers."
The book also references a recent study, which concluded that, "a recommendation from a "trusted source" like a friend or family members was fifty times more likely to persuade someone to buy a product or try a new brand. The same study reported that word of mouth is the "primary factor" behind between 20 and 50 percent of purchases, and emphasized the expanded role of information networks in driving this development."
---
WHAT IS THE MESH
The 4 Characteristics of a Mesh Business as listed in the book are:
Sharing a high code, frequently used goods
Advanced Web and Mobile Information Networks
Focus on Physical Goods and Materials
Engage with Customers Through Social Networks
"The Mesh model is based on a series of transactions, on sharing something over and over. Creating a share platform is the first, necessary-but-not-sufficient building block of the Mesh. The second is to create information infrastructure that takes advantage of mobile, Web, and social networks. Then each interaction, and transaction, becomes an opportunity to gather and exchange information with a customer."
The 7 Keys to Building Trust in the Mesh:
Say What You do
Use Trials
Do What You Say
Perpetually Delight Customers
Embrace Social Networks and Go Deep
Value transparency, but protect privacy
Deal with negative publicity and feedback promptly and skillfully
WHY THE MESH
Tomorrow's business leaders recognize that trust in a business's environmental and social practices increasingly drives informed consumers' decisions. Successful Mesh businesses harness information from customers, combine it with data from physical products and social networks, and then use that information to satisfy customers, and their friends, in ways never before dreamed of. Good Mesh businesses are smart about combining more frequent customer contact with enhanced information sources to create and refine superior experiences, partnerships, products, and offers.
MESH COMPANIES HIGHLIGHTS
Zipcar is one of the companies profiled in the book. The author says that, "The robust information platform and focus on building the brand distinguished Zipcar from early car-sharing companies that were merely long on good intentions, many of which failed. In fact, Zipcar is primarily an information business that happens to share cars."
So if you're in the information business, you are a Mesh business whether you realize it or not.
TCHO, a chocolate company in SF, produces "beta editions" of its dark chocolate. "Based on customer feedback and continuous flavor development, new versions of the chocolate emerge as often as every thirty-six hours. Version 1.0 went through 1,026 iterations in a year."
Why did Netflix slaughter Blockbuster? Blockbuster was late in acknowledging customer resentments, and late in understanding the spreading power of social networks to shape brand perception. They created a share platform, but neglected other elements that make Mesh businesses so competitive.
This is an excellent book that could help realign the business perspective on how to succeed in the future. Embracing openness, sharing and focusing on customer satisfaction are some of the key practices that could catapult your business from mediocre to stellar now and in the future.
The core premise of Mesh businesses is: "When information about goods is shared, the value of those goods increases, for the business, for individuals, and for the community."
The author says that, "fundamentally, the Mesh is based on network-enabled sharing--on access rather than ownership. The central strategy is, in effect, to "sell" the same product multiple times. Multiple sales multiply profits, and customer contact. Multiple contact multiply opportunity--for additional sales, for strengthening a brand, for improving a competitive service, and for deepening and extending the relation with customers."
The book also references a recent study, which concluded that, "a recommendation from a "trusted source" like a friend or family members was fifty times more likely to persuade someone to buy a product or try a new brand. The same study reported that word of mouth is the "primary factor" behind between 20 and 50 percent of purchases, and emphasized the expanded role of information networks in driving this development."
---
WHAT IS THE MESH
The 4 Characteristics of a Mesh Business as listed in the book are:
Sharing a high code, frequently used goods
Advanced Web and Mobile Information Networks
Focus on Physical Goods and Materials
Engage with Customers Through Social Networks
"The Mesh model is based on a series of transactions, on sharing something over and over. Creating a share platform is the first, necessary-but-not-sufficient building block of the Mesh. The second is to create information infrastructure that takes advantage of mobile, Web, and social networks. Then each interaction, and transaction, becomes an opportunity to gather and exchange information with a customer."
The 7 Keys to Building Trust in the Mesh:
Say What You do
Use Trials
Do What You Say
Perpetually Delight Customers
Embrace Social Networks and Go Deep
Value transparency, but protect privacy
Deal with negative publicity and feedback promptly and skillfully
WHY THE MESH
Tomorrow's business leaders recognize that trust in a business's environmental and social practices increasingly drives informed consumers' decisions. Successful Mesh businesses harness information from customers, combine it with data from physical products and social networks, and then use that information to satisfy customers, and their friends, in ways never before dreamed of. Good Mesh businesses are smart about combining more frequent customer contact with enhanced information sources to create and refine superior experiences, partnerships, products, and offers.
MESH COMPANIES HIGHLIGHTS
Zipcar is one of the companies profiled in the book. The author says that, "The robust information platform and focus on building the brand distinguished Zipcar from early car-sharing companies that were merely long on good intentions, many of which failed. In fact, Zipcar is primarily an information business that happens to share cars."
So if you're in the information business, you are a Mesh business whether you realize it or not.
TCHO, a chocolate company in SF, produces "beta editions" of its dark chocolate. "Based on customer feedback and continuous flavor development, new versions of the chocolate emerge as often as every thirty-six hours. Version 1.0 went through 1,026 iterations in a year."
Why did Netflix slaughter Blockbuster? Blockbuster was late in acknowledging customer resentments, and late in understanding the spreading power of social networks to shape brand perception. They created a share platform, but neglected other elements that make Mesh businesses so competitive.
This is an excellent book that could help realign the business perspective on how to succeed in the future. Embracing openness, sharing and focusing on customer satisfaction are some of the key practices that could catapult your business from mediocre to stellar now and in the future.
April 2, 2015
I’m currently working for an advertising agency in Brick Lane. They’ve got a great stack of books lying about (the product of a rarely mentioned book-swapping culture) so I decided to pick up a book with a fancy cover for my latest read: The Mesh by Lisa Gansky.
The basic premise behind the book is there’s a new business movement around “sharing”. We’ve got to the point where materialism only gets us so far; when we acquire things cost of ownership is high and we don’t necessarily take our full advantage of them, they then depreciate rapidly. Enter the concept of sharing – you use something for as long as you need when you need it and pay only for that use.
That’s the concept right there. I like it. Pretty straightforward and very logical.
There are plenty of good examples cited (such as car sharing) and the author puts together a list of business which encapsulate this approach.
Reading the book I couldn’t help thinking that the points could easily be covered within a blog article, or a sequence of blog articles rather than a full-on hardcover book. Also, the premise seems to be peddled as if it’s some kind of revolutionary concept when really it’s been around for years. The idea of labelling it as ‘meshing’ or business being ‘mesh businesses’ sounds a little cheesy.
The most value I found from the book is the author’s recounting of the recent history of web commerce. She writes of how the first wave of internet companies focused on sharing information between parties i.e. selling an email service. The next wave involved companies figuring out ways of making money by selling specific information to 3rd parties. An example given is Google selling a search terms i.e. the term ‘deadbolt’ being sold to an online hardware store that offers locks. The wave after that involved social networking empowering customers to become more active in shaping products and services. Businesses not pushing stocks of inventory but rather offering goods and services in the time, place and manner that they want.
One thing I particularly liked was the author’s condemnation of the throwaway culture, by specifying that Mesh design is Durable (products that last longer), Flexible (Products that can cover more than just one function), Reparable (standardized parts and transparent design), Sustainable (Reusing materials and reduces waste).
The biggest benefit of reading the book was the effect it had on me; it created an impetus for thinking more creatively about my own business venture that’s getting off the ground. Probably not so much the book content but the passion the author instilled in me.
The basic premise behind the book is there’s a new business movement around “sharing”. We’ve got to the point where materialism only gets us so far; when we acquire things cost of ownership is high and we don’t necessarily take our full advantage of them, they then depreciate rapidly. Enter the concept of sharing – you use something for as long as you need when you need it and pay only for that use.
That’s the concept right there. I like it. Pretty straightforward and very logical.
There are plenty of good examples cited (such as car sharing) and the author puts together a list of business which encapsulate this approach.
Reading the book I couldn’t help thinking that the points could easily be covered within a blog article, or a sequence of blog articles rather than a full-on hardcover book. Also, the premise seems to be peddled as if it’s some kind of revolutionary concept when really it’s been around for years. The idea of labelling it as ‘meshing’ or business being ‘mesh businesses’ sounds a little cheesy.
The most value I found from the book is the author’s recounting of the recent history of web commerce. She writes of how the first wave of internet companies focused on sharing information between parties i.e. selling an email service. The next wave involved companies figuring out ways of making money by selling specific information to 3rd parties. An example given is Google selling a search terms i.e. the term ‘deadbolt’ being sold to an online hardware store that offers locks. The wave after that involved social networking empowering customers to become more active in shaping products and services. Businesses not pushing stocks of inventory but rather offering goods and services in the time, place and manner that they want.
One thing I particularly liked was the author’s condemnation of the throwaway culture, by specifying that Mesh design is Durable (products that last longer), Flexible (Products that can cover more than just one function), Reparable (standardized parts and transparent design), Sustainable (Reusing materials and reduces waste).
The biggest benefit of reading the book was the effect it had on me; it created an impetus for thinking more creatively about my own business venture that’s getting off the ground. Probably not so much the book content but the passion the author instilled in me.
February 27, 2011
OK, this is what I'm talking about. Progressive, thought- and innovation-provoking, useful.
Gansky outlines the ramifications of network-enabled sharing of assets, both tangible and intangible (i.e., goods, like Zipcar and ideas/information of a million ilks, new models for banking, ownership, collaboration). She peppers the book with hundreds of examples of this new model in action, across markets, disciplines and geographies. She clearly illustrates how companies beholden to old-school, proprietary, outbound, cutthroat traditions of doing business will be left in the dust in a new world of transparency, sharing and sustainable models.
These ideas are newly re-enabled and revamped in the internet age, but they're old ideas. They're how humans operated up until recently, in a lot of ways. It's village life, helping thy neighbor, thrift, making things to last and fixing them when they break. It's looking even beyond cradle to cradle.
I do think this is the way the economy is going — at least the smart players in it. It's inevitable and it is good. It is hopeful.
I worry about the conservatism of the US though (not even in the political sense, but more generally). America is terrified of sharing. We think it makes us socialists. Or worse, communists. We think that any deviation from pure capitalism is blasphemy. But the world can no longer support pure capitalism as we have known it. We need more sustainable models, and they involve sharing. But look at countries without the fundamental fear of crossing the borders of -isms... they have healthcare for all. Some have affordable higher education for all. These aren't kibbutzim, this is, like, Scandinavia. But I digress. Point being, I do think that America's past 50 years of hyper-consumerism and worship of capitalism will serve us badly as the early adopters of sharing-based business and community models speed ahead.
At any rate, I found this book extremely timely, dense with concrete examples and things to check out online. It's written as a business book — explaining the characteristics of a "mesh" business, presumably so you can create one yourself. However, I think it's an instructive reader for non-entrepreneurial observers of our culture and economy as well.
PS: Gansky's book covers the same territory as I've heard Rachel Botsman speak about, though she's not mentioned, as far as I remember in "The Mesh". Very eager to read Botsman's book as well.
Gansky outlines the ramifications of network-enabled sharing of assets, both tangible and intangible (i.e., goods, like Zipcar and ideas/information of a million ilks, new models for banking, ownership, collaboration). She peppers the book with hundreds of examples of this new model in action, across markets, disciplines and geographies. She clearly illustrates how companies beholden to old-school, proprietary, outbound, cutthroat traditions of doing business will be left in the dust in a new world of transparency, sharing and sustainable models.
These ideas are newly re-enabled and revamped in the internet age, but they're old ideas. They're how humans operated up until recently, in a lot of ways. It's village life, helping thy neighbor, thrift, making things to last and fixing them when they break. It's looking even beyond cradle to cradle.
I do think this is the way the economy is going — at least the smart players in it. It's inevitable and it is good. It is hopeful.
I worry about the conservatism of the US though (not even in the political sense, but more generally). America is terrified of sharing. We think it makes us socialists. Or worse, communists. We think that any deviation from pure capitalism is blasphemy. But the world can no longer support pure capitalism as we have known it. We need more sustainable models, and they involve sharing. But look at countries without the fundamental fear of crossing the borders of -isms... they have healthcare for all. Some have affordable higher education for all. These aren't kibbutzim, this is, like, Scandinavia. But I digress. Point being, I do think that America's past 50 years of hyper-consumerism and worship of capitalism will serve us badly as the early adopters of sharing-based business and community models speed ahead.
At any rate, I found this book extremely timely, dense with concrete examples and things to check out online. It's written as a business book — explaining the characteristics of a "mesh" business, presumably so you can create one yourself. However, I think it's an instructive reader for non-entrepreneurial observers of our culture and economy as well.
PS: Gansky's book covers the same territory as I've heard Rachel Botsman speak about, though she's not mentioned, as far as I remember in "The Mesh". Very eager to read Botsman's book as well.
October 21, 2010
The Internet is a wonderful thing. In the 20-odd years since we have gotten used to email, websites, instant messaging and spam, the world has taken to the idea of being connected wholesale. I cannot imagine a facet of life nowadays that doesn’t have an online presence. Even my Mum shops online now!
It is this world that Lisa Gansky has written her new book ‘Mesh’, to demonstrate that there is still a world of development and progress that we can make in the virtual world. Whereas, Web 1.0 gave us the ability to connect across continental distances, so Web 2.0, and soon Web 3.0 will give us all a space in a digital world that connects us in a way humans never have up until now.
‘Mesh’ takes the idea of total connectivity and aligns it with a business model that attaches customers not only to the online service or product that they are initially wanting, but two secondary and even tertiary products and services that maybe of use. It’s silver lining are the many case studies littered throughout the book that highlight the many different types of crowdsourced / sharing businesses that can be built using the new Web.
Collaboration in business is nothing new, but the difference this time is that this can now be done for minimal cost over the web. An example given is car-sharing service Zipcar. Why own a car when you can rent a vehicle for the time that you actually need it, freeing up your garage for its true purpose – storing household boxes of ‘stuff’.
The way that the internet is organised allows the car rental place to ally with a payment service (a la Paypal), and a Geo-Locating site to optimise the need of transport with the availability of vehicles. It is this sort of collaboration that will typify the future of online transactions as consumers become more fixed about the sort of trade they’re willing to make.
Overall I found this book to provide a good grounding in future sharing businesses utilising the connectivity of the Web in providing a shared, collaborative vision of the future. Lisa Ganksy has hit a number of nails with her book, and connecting the socialbility of Man with the shared-business opportunities identified show that we are already living in the Mesh.
It is this world that Lisa Gansky has written her new book ‘Mesh’, to demonstrate that there is still a world of development and progress that we can make in the virtual world. Whereas, Web 1.0 gave us the ability to connect across continental distances, so Web 2.0, and soon Web 3.0 will give us all a space in a digital world that connects us in a way humans never have up until now.
‘Mesh’ takes the idea of total connectivity and aligns it with a business model that attaches customers not only to the online service or product that they are initially wanting, but two secondary and even tertiary products and services that maybe of use. It’s silver lining are the many case studies littered throughout the book that highlight the many different types of crowdsourced / sharing businesses that can be built using the new Web.
Collaboration in business is nothing new, but the difference this time is that this can now be done for minimal cost over the web. An example given is car-sharing service Zipcar. Why own a car when you can rent a vehicle for the time that you actually need it, freeing up your garage for its true purpose – storing household boxes of ‘stuff’.
The way that the internet is organised allows the car rental place to ally with a payment service (a la Paypal), and a Geo-Locating site to optimise the need of transport with the availability of vehicles. It is this sort of collaboration that will typify the future of online transactions as consumers become more fixed about the sort of trade they’re willing to make.
Overall I found this book to provide a good grounding in future sharing businesses utilising the connectivity of the Web in providing a shared, collaborative vision of the future. Lisa Ganksy has hit a number of nails with her book, and connecting the socialbility of Man with the shared-business opportunities identified show that we are already living in the Mesh.
February 11, 2011
Book describes the idea of businesses and initiatives based on network and sharing. Shows possibilities of re-using things and resources we have. May be an eye-opener in our times when people focus on having things for their own that in a lot of cases is unnecessary and wasteful. The author tries to prove (in a successful way in my opinion) that creating Meshes allows to achieve better results, better customer satisfaction and easier life with lower costs and in the way more favorable and less painful for our environment. In our reality, with high technology, Internet and other wireless solutions we can create extremely useful networks than ever before. Book worth reading, not only to people who think about starting or expanding their own business but also for customers and members of societies (so for all of us, each of us is a member of a society, like for example his/her neighborhood).
May 1, 2011
A great look at how sharing is changing business. I think this is a must-read for anyone starting a business today, in order to understand how technology and social values are shifting away from the ownership model and more towards temporary use of items. Zipcar and Netflix are the best examples of this so far, but the book discusses a bunch of other smaller companies which are finding successful niches.
My favorite example from the book is ThredUp, which lets parents swap their kids clothes once they grow out of them. It's simple and obvious, and it looks like they're doing really well.
From the standpoint of ideation for new businesses, the book covers why some ideas are suited to be meshed, but others don't do as well. I think it would be hard to read this without having a few ideas for areas that are prime to be meshed, so if you're looking for a great business idea, you could do worse than read this.
My favorite example from the book is ThredUp, which lets parents swap their kids clothes once they grow out of them. It's simple and obvious, and it looks like they're doing really well.
From the standpoint of ideation for new businesses, the book covers why some ideas are suited to be meshed, but others don't do as well. I think it would be hard to read this without having a few ideas for areas that are prime to be meshed, so if you're looking for a great business idea, you could do worse than read this.
August 22, 2011
The Mesh is the new way that people and companies are doing business. Businesses appeal to users (often offering incentives to get their opinions/feedback) and use the information they receive from and about their customers to refine and improve the services they offer. Products are shared, repairable, and/or recyclable. Information is shared between businesses. Initial costs are kept down by using existing infrastructures for payment, shipping, communication etc. Lisa Gansky gives many examples of successful businesses that have made use of these techniques to grow and prosper – Zipcar, Groupon, Netflix, ThredUp, etc. Exciting! You’ll want to go through the resources at the end and make note of sites to bookmark/businesses to check out, and budding entrepreneurs will be fired up about this business model. This came out in 2010, so there are probably even more mesh businesses in existence today.
November 30, 2016
As Seth Godin said this book at Long Tail potential.The idea that we have gone from using the internet to sharing bits to sharing atoms whether that be spare rooms in our house to unused cars sitting in our driveway to charging others for idle hours in our day is very provocative. All of this has become possible through mobile technology, GPS, and social networks. The companies that build these networks increase the number of transactions with customers, learning more and find ways to better serve them. Sharing means a completely different design mentality, one that emphasizes sturdy construction for repeated use and flexibility for varied usage. Gansky doesn't have Chris Anderson's platform but I hope her bringing together these ideas under one roof in The Mesh helps this insight find a wider audience.
October 12, 2010
I thought it was a good business book, and cleverly describes the most obvious trends of the next few decades. I gave it three stars not because of the quality of the content or the nature of the writing (flippant but engaging) but because the layout was such that a two-page spread of special information would be inserted into a chapter, often in the middle of a sentence, which made me flip back and forth a lot to remind myself what the author had been talking about. Worse yet, these asides weren't in the same place in the chapter as the part of the main text that referenced them; they were usually several pages later. Other than that, it was quite an enjoyable read, especially for a book on business.
January 7, 2012
Great ideas about sharing and networking and how it can improve communities and the lives of individuals. There's a nice section at the end of the book with resources organized by interest categories like "art", "travel", "education" etc that is very helpful. This book offers a look at a future of sharing resources and working together to make our lives better. It also illustrates the positive impact the internet can have on the world. If you are trying to start a business, read this book to learn about new types of products and services people are craving and great ideas on how to deliver those goods. If you already have a business, read this book to learn how to adapt your business to meet the changing needs of your customers.
June 24, 2014
Lisa Gansky's brainchild, The Mesh, "has emerged as the best new creative engine for getting more of what we want, exactly when we want it, at less cost to ourselves and the planet." I was thrilled to be mentioned for The Swapaholics alongside our friends at ThredUp and Rent the Runway as major disruptors in the fashion business who are "creating a world where access trumps ownership."
Featured in Required Reading: Self-Reliance, Sewing, Sharing & Swapping on ShoestringMag.com
Featured in Required Reading: Self-Reliance, Sewing, Sharing & Swapping on ShoestringMag.com
September 7, 2015
Considering that I'm reading a 5 year old business book that predicted what companies would succeed in the future, the information is pretty spot on. It was a relatively quick read, but a tad bit dry. As per usual, the book is from an American standpoint, but some Canadian cities were included in examples. Great information and insight into what the world is looking for now. She stated a lot of statistics and studies that I would have liked to see footnoted or referenced. As a science person this is what kept me from giving her 5 stars. You NEED to cite your sources when you are providing the general public with information. Otherwise great read on the future of consumerism, why companies like Zipcar are thriving, and how we can take advantage of this new trend.
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