A while ago I came to my father with a business idea. I cannot remember what it was is exactly. I think it was fashion related. Anyway this was my father reaction.
You can do beyond this. Don’t just sell a product, you need to sell an idea. You cannot work for money because you will end up doing it your entire life. Start a market for people, and they will work for you their entire lives. Focus on what you are good at.
I really did not realize that by focusing on doing small things, I did not see the big picture. For example, most apps in Apple store are not from Apple. Apple created a market for developers to sell their apps, and it takes 30% of sale revenue. Facebook does not charge users subscription fee to use the social network. But it makes a big amount of money from advertising. It started a market for people to promote their brands. This is somewhat complicated to understand and every few people can success. Selling an idea is very hard, but if you success you can make a lot of money. Because when you can convince people that your market is the right place, you don’t have to worry much and can collect money in your sleep.
If you want to make money, sell a product. If you want to make a lot of money, start a market.
Yesterday I went to pre-launch party of Uber, a location based car service. You know I rarely write review. I just don’t find review posts are timeless enough. I am not the typical Torontonian blogger who would write a post like this “I have partied here, the company gave me some perks and that is why they are awesome.” Free food and drink are not a good enough reason for me to write a post, I can afford them.
Why would I write about these guys?
- I heard about Uber months ago on Robert Scoble’s Google+ . The tech celebrity’s wallet was stolen and Uber saved the day. I have wanted to check out the start-up since December. When Lucas from Uber invited me the pre-launch, even it was fashion week, I did not want to miss it.
- I had a interesting talk with a member from Uber team. It was not the brilliant co-founders or the smart adorable Community Manager Lucas. I talked to a driver. Nobody can be a better brand ambassador than its own people. He really convinced to write this post. Alexander, my driver told me why he loves being partner with Uber. He told me that the company gave him the power to control his time. Whenever he wants to work, he just need to press a button on his iPhone. Uber gives him a lot more freedom than previous companies he worked for.
I realized Uber is more than just a car service. It is a bridge connecting drivers and consumers. They did not just start a service, they started a market. They make on-demand private car service so simple. The app connects consumers with suppliers within a few clicks. A driver who has a car that meets the company standard can become a partner easily. Uber can expand their service into new city easily because both supply and demand are there already. I like when I learn a lesson from a party.
Not only like the business idea, the service is very neat too. When I visit my father in Vietnam, I was so used to have personal driver. Every day, in the morning I would text the driver. He would pick me up and drive me around the city. I did not have to worry about parking [ it is a nightmare in Asia] nor paying anything. I miss being spoiled. Taxi is just not the same as having a personal driver [ I used to take cab so much. I used to call taxi driver directly like my personal driver.] Uber made me felt like I just got my personal driver back.
The service is great because it is
- Safe – It feels much safer than taxi because I know who the driver is. There are name, a picture and phone number that I can call. Most of time, I don’t feel the same way with taxi’s driver especially at night. Also if you forget something in the car, it is very to track.
- Simple – You can order a car with a few clicks. You can track the location of the cars from your smartphone. If you don’t have a smartphone, you can still order a car with SMS. If you get lost and have no idea where you are, it won’t be a problem. The driver will know where to pick you up with the help of GPS. The app is very simple to use, even my 5 years old sister can use it. After the ride, Uber will automatically charge your credit card.
- Luxurious - The car looks very clean. The driver dresses very neat. It looks much more presentable than a cab. What is better than arriving a red carpet event with a person driver who will open your door? Best part, it costs less than a limo.
However there are a few problems:
- The GPS is not 100% accurate. I don’t think it is Uber’s fault. I have never had good experience with GPS. You might need to move the pin around to get exact address. You can always call your driver if you entered the wrong address like I did.
- It is so easy to pocket dial and order a car. Because it is so easy to use the app, you can easily order it by accident. And if you have small children, it might be a little dangerous. To solve this problem, I locked my app. If I want to use the service, I will have to enter a password.
- It is not available everywhere. For now you can only use the service in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Paris, San Francisco, Seattle, Toronto and Washington, D.C.
I really like the service because it makes me feel like I am home. If Uber comes up with an on-demand maid service, I will love them forever.
