Top Three Learnings

The top 3 things that I learned from this course are:

1. There are new economic drivers in place that are rapidly transforming the traditional business landscape into a platform driven economy that reduces humankind's impact on the environment by increasing utilization of resources. Legal and tax infrastructure are struggling to keep pace with these transformations but all things evolve - eventually.

2. The peer-to-peer economy is creating many opportunities for peers to:

• Reduce living expenses by shedding unnecessary assets and purchasing access to these assets only when needed 
• Turn primarily unused assets into sources of income generation
• Live more meaningful lives by living for experiences instead of possessions

3.  People are "more good than not". This is the fundamental principle the P2P/access/sharing economy is built upon. Too many times it becomes easy to get wrapped up in the latest terrorist attack, local robbery, or jerk in the next car. When we know others are watching us and grading our behavior, people are generally more good than not. Over the course of our field work time in San Francisco, we have come into contact with many people who have entrusted us with their time and assets and likewise we have depended on them to deliver on their promises. In every case for me personally, the peers on the other side of the transaction delivered reinforcing principle.