12 years ago, the smartphone was in its infancy. Neither Airbnb nor Uber, Lyft or TaskRabbit yet existed. Saying the phrase ‘sharing economy’ usually resulted in raised eyebrows: was that some kind of hippie bartering, or a new take on philanthropy? What’s happened since then is nothing short of extraordinary…

A ‘flux mindset’ can help us navigate the future of work — or a global pandemic — Under normal circumstances, an American citizen on a month-long business trip across several countries in Asia would be no news whatsoever. But the coronavirus chaos is anything but normal, and — I’m beginning to realize — my experiences here are giving me a unique perspective. So far, I’ve been in…

Uber, Lyft & This Fleeting Moment Ten years ago, the word “uber” meant extreme, excessive or superlative. It did not trigger notions of ridehailing, protests or public policy dilemmas. Ten years ago, Lyft did not exist: as a company, a noun or a verb. Ten years ago, in May 2009…

For years, I have tracked “global citizenship” newsfeeds and proactively surfaced the topic in conversation. In recent months there has been an uptick, both unexpected and exciting, in the frequency with which this term is brought up by others. At least a few times a week I’m asked about what…

In less than a decade, the sharing economy has gone from a fringe term to daily headlines worldwide. It has disrupted and even transformed entire sectors: from transportation to hospitality, office space and fashion. Knock-on effects include new insurance solutions and tax conundrums. …

As the après-ski glow fades, snipers descend from hotel rooftops, private airplane landing slots reappear and delegates catch up on sleep, it’s time to not only ask “what really happened?” in Davos last week, but also “what should Davos look like? …

Throughout my extended globetrotting years, many moons ago, I wrote detailed travelogues religiously. I cherished these notes from the road, so much so that I put my travel journals in a safe-deposit box. Never mind jewels: what I learned from these experiences and adventures felt far more valuable. Since swapping…

Citizenship is part lottery ticket to the world, part historical symbol, part cultural artifact, and part political straightjacket. It defines where we can go, work and move, and how we’re seen in the world at large. At least initially, it is independent of what we know and how we contribute…

For as “new” and unprecedented as the new economy may seem— from business models based on our phones to freemiums, disintermediation and the blockchain — it’s not nearly as new as one might believe. When we take a step back and take a genuinely hard look at what’s going on…