5 Reasons Why Shared Economy Is The Next Big Thing

When you look at the rising startups of the moment, they have one thing in common: They connect private people to fulfill each other’s needs. AirBnB and Wimdu let people use their spare rooms and provide hereby accomodation for millions and millions of travelers worldwide and Uber allows car owners to make a decent side income by providing their driving services to paying customers.
One of the main reasons why these new companies are so promising is that they focus on either what everyone needs or what everyone has. Especially in times of uncertainty and instability, the principle of a shared economy gets a whole new meaning.

While most companies who follow that principle focus on people’s assets, others rather focus on their personal needs. Or the needs of their loved ones. Julien Muller for example connects pet owners with pet sitters to take care of their dogs while they are on vacation. His platform holidog.com now operates successfully in 13 countries with a rapidly growing userbase.

„We as human beings tend to think mostly about material things when it comes to making a business out of something, but there’s also a huge market that involves taking care of people’s loved ones. Pet owners can find the perfect place to send their dog to during their absence and pet lovers can find the perfect side gig by taking care of their favourite animals. Lots of new users are signing up every day which proves that there definitely is a huge demand for an online pet sitting service on an international level”, states Julien Muller,  founder of holidog.com.

If you are thinking about starting a new venture that could be the next big thing it definitely won’t be a bad idea to hop on the shared economy wagon because in the end sharing is caring. Plus, check out these 5 reasons why the pinciples of a shared economy are a good idea.

#1 Everyone can participate.

If you like the cause of it, you are able to contribute without too many specific requirements. There is an opportunity for almost everyone to establish a side business simply by using what is already there.

#2 Opportunity for some extra cash.

We are all looking for it in one way or another: the opportunity to make some extra bucks without doing the hard work. In a shared economy this can be easliy possible – if you have that extra room you never really use – why not just rent it?

#3 It’s hyper scalable.

If you focus on everybody’s needs you are likely to get everyone as a customer. Of course the competition is also on the rise, but for example the market for private rentals will always grow since everyone needs a place to stay.

#4 Things become more affordable.

All of a sudden you can visit exotic places if you don’t have to pay for a high class hotel and you can ride a limo to a big night out on a very affordable level. Also everyone is in the same boat which can easily turn friends into customers.

#5 Consumption with a cause.

Last but not least, it matters where and how you buy. If you want to make a difference you can do that in a shared economy where everyone kind of helps each other and ressources are used much more responsible. It is possible to make a business out of something while still being caring about using ressources and making a difference in business and in life.

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