Frictionless: Why the Future of Everything Will Be Fast, Fluid, and Made Just for You

Description

Serial entrepreneur Christiane Lemieux describes the new rules of entrepreneurship and business, arguing that visionary startups leverage the concept of "frictionless" to beat their competitors. Based on interviews with dozens of startup founders, experts and scholars on entrepreneurship, Frictionless provides readers with a wide-ranging education in starting companies that thrive in the world of frictionless commerce-made possible by new technologies, a new mindset, and new demands from Millennial consumers. Working with bestselling author and journalist Duff McDonald, Lemieux also shares her own story-lessons learned, failures absorbed-at the helm of DwellStudio (which was acquired by Wayfair) and her latest venture, The Inside. Some founders profiled in the book are reducing friction in their own business models, others reduce friction through improved customer experiences, and still others are revolutionizing their operations to create frictionless organizations. Readers will glean lessons from the founders of well-known companies such as Instant Pot, Bonobos, Hims, and Halo Top-as well as upstarts Billie, Dame Products, and Convene. Frictionless outlines the groundwork necessary for getting a company up-and-running and explains how companies make and market products and services while meeting the demands of their customers and employees today. Frictionless is the essential handbook for creating tomorrow's mind set and competitive advantage.

Christiane Lemieux is a design entrepreneur. Currently, she is Founder and CEO of The Inside a new direct-to-consumer Home Furnishings Brand. Christiane is extending her lifestyle brand LEMIEUX et CIE at Maison & Object in January 2018. She is also the Co-Founder of Cloth & Company. Prior to starting her new companies, Christiane was the Founder of DwellStudio. Wayfair, the world's largest online home furnishings retailer, purchased DwellStudio in 2013. Christiane also served as Creative Director at Wayfair until late 2015. Christiane is a frequent contributor to Architectural Digest, Apartment Therapy and other design outlets. Lemieux authored her first book to critical acclaim in 2011, titled Undecorate. Random House/Clarkson Potter published Christiane's second book titled "the Finer Things" in 2016. Recently, Christiane entered the television space as Co-Host and judge on "Ellen's Design Challenge" - a furniture design competition show on HGTV. Lemieux was selected as one of Fortune's 2012 'Most Powerful Women Entrepreneurs.' Christiane is a graduate of Parsons School of Design and Queen's University in Canada.

"With more nonprofits looking to other sectors for best practices in engaging and mobilizing constituents, particularly through the use of available and new technologies, there is no book more timely or relevant than Frictionless. Christiane has gathered opinions from some of the best thinkers, from whom we all could learn a lesson or two on dissolving the barriers between people and their passions." - Christy Turlington Burns, founder of Every Mother Counts "In the world of fashion and retail, the more we reduce the friction from every aspect of our business, the easier it becomes to delight and engage our customers. Anyone looking to advance business, disrupt incumbents, or reshape industries should read Christiane's book. She has helped me by gathering the opinions of other entrepreneurs and experts." - Clare Vivier, founder of Clare V "Frictionless is a creative user's manual for the postvirus world, a way forward that is smarter, faster, and more nimble. Christiane Lemieux is a wayfinder, and this book may show the direction for the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs." - Michael Cannell, author of A Brotherhood Betrayed: The Man Behind the Rise and Fall of Murder, Inc. "Anyone looking to advance their business, disrupt incumbents, or reshape industries should read Christiane's book. She has gathered the opinions of an erudite cohort doing just that." - Anjali Kumar, founding general counsel and head of Social Innovation at Warby Parker