In any disruption there are winners and losers. The internet has been the enabler to disrupt many businesses in the last 20 years. Some examples:
Music. Downloadable compressed audio enables ripping/pirating. Losers have been the record labels. Winners have been iTunes and small artists who want to get their name out there especially using YouTube and other sites.
Books. It’s nice to be in a bookstore, but it’s nicer to see reviews, recommendations all while in your pajamas. Winners have been Amazon and the small artists who want to self-publish. Losers have been book stores like Barnes & Noble and Borders.
Taxis. It’s been regulated for decades and become stable. However, location based phone apps have disrupted the entire sector. Winners like Uber and Lyft are displacing regular taxis.
Hotels. Winners like AirBnB come directly at the expense of hotels. Similar to taxis, the regulators are caught on their heels and don’t know what to do.
Travel. This got disrupted a long time ago, but the modern travel agent is an anachronism. This is still being disrupted as airlines and destination sites are all trying to become the hub for travel arrangements.
It’s happening all over the place. Job Seeking/Recruiting, Graphic Design, Engineering, Financial Advice and more. Disruption is a part of our lives now.
The question is: Will you be a loser or a winner when your sector is disrupted?
Whatya think?