I love companies that take an item that we are exposed to in our daily lives and rethink it. Nest was one of the more high profile efforts, bringing Apple-esque style to the most mundane of home devices - the thermostat. And it's been hugely successful. I'm currently on the hunt for a new house for our growing family, and it's always nice to run across a Nest thermostat on the wall of a prospective property...it's really a beautifully designed product.
And then there are other companies that are simply tired with the status quo. I've been following Warby Parker for a while now, but when my sunglasses mysteriously disappeared on a snorkling trip in Mexico, I started the hunt for a new pair. Warby Parker has turned the industry upside down, replacing the cost of sales clerks with free shipping costs for an in-home try-on program. I suffer enough anxiety trying on 50 pairs of sunglasses that make me look and feel downright stupid in a public store. Free in-home try-on? Yes please. The only inconvenience is dropping off the package of glasses at a UPS store after the 5-day program is over. And that took all of 2 minutes since the UPS employee I spoke with was actually educated on the program. Amazing.
And then there are those companies that are rethinking entire concepts. Uber has obviously turned the taxi service industry on its head. Another example that I'm enthusiastically rooting for is Cookening. This French startup is expanding the definition of the restaurant by trying to connect locals who are willing to open up their homes and their kitchens to travelers who are looking for the local experiences of a home cooked meal and conversation with area residents. It's actually "leveraging" an existing concept in France but it could potentially help turn our travel vacations into the truly local and unique experiences that many of us desire. It may eventually (and hopefully) open the popup restaurant scene to talented home chefs that want to share their unique brand of cooking to locals and travelers alike. There's a lot of hurdles to get past, and you'll see that Cookening's focus right now is trying to "qualify" both locals and travelers to provide a safe and fun environment for everyone. That should be very doable, though. Just look at what airbnb did to the hotel/b&b industry. I have very little reservation booking a room at an airbnb-listed property that has gotten great reviews and a solid record of being responsive and reliable. Although I haven't tried Cookening's service yet, I'm crossing my fingers that they have similar success.
So what's next? Personalized Cable TV channel bundles? Yup. Affordable and lasting mattresses? I hope so. Improved and inexpensive men's shaving products? Already done and dusted...and the topic of part 2.