Farewell to We: What's next for WeWork?
Below are some notes I scribbled ahead of a media interview. Sharing here for those interested. Check out my upcoming book [https://www.rethinking.re/] on technology's impact on real estate! Where to next for the shared workspace firm? Time to say goodbye to “We”, the company that
It’s Not We, It’s You: A Lesson That Landlords Must Learn
Whether WeWork succeeds or fails, landlords are facing an immense challenge that everyone seems eager to ignore. Remember Napster? It was a precursor to what we now call the sharing economy. Instead of buying a record from the record companies, Napster allowed people to share storage space with one another
Can ‘We’ Work? Perspectives on WeWork’s IPO
WeWork combines an impressive trajectory with significant risk. Other public companies offer valuable insights about its business model, liabilities, governance, and valuation. Welcome to the desert of the real. Jean Baudrillard coined the term in 1981 to describe a world in which reality is a derivative of its representation — a
Is Starbucks is a Coworking & Toilet Operator?
The coffee giant is struggling with non-customers who only want to sit at a table and use the bathrooms. It should embrace them, for a fee. A few weeks ago, Starbucks was berated on social media for calling the police after one of its store managers was not able to
No Rent: Real Estate’s New Business Models
Emerging technologies will enable operators to monetize physical space in new and creative ways. Every day, each of us visits dozens of web sites and apps to access information and use various tools for work, communication, and fun. Most of these sites and apps are free. Online business models allow
Artificial Intelligence: Real Estate's Data Revolution?
The ability to capture, analyze, and act on large amounts of data will turn property development into a never-ending process.
Do Landlords Dream of Electric Sheep?
The book behind “Blade Runner” offers important lessons about what humans want from their cities. And it isn’t flying cars.
Can Blockchain Revolutionize Real Estate?
Once the speculative dust settles, the technology behind Bitcoin can change the way property is financed, sold, and operated.
Sharing Won’t Change Real Estate
Coworking and coliving are all the rage, but focusing on customers’ needs points to a much larger opportunity.
Can housing become a service?
It takes 3 clicks to secure an apartment on AirBnB. It takes 3 weeks to secure an apartment using standard leasing procedures. Terms and fees vary but the underlying asset — an apartment — is the same. The boundary between travel and daily life is blurring. Why should the user experience be
