Never short of ideas to make our daily lives easier, American entrepreneurs know how to transform intuitions into flourishing businesses. Here are:
DRYBAR:
No cuts, no dyes, just Blow Dry shampoos. It was on this simple idea that Alli Webb, a former home hairdresser, opened her first Drybar salon in 2010 in Los Angeles. Popular with busy women who want to freshen up before a date or dinner, 66 others have already opened for a cumulative turnover of $70 million last year.
PURPLE : Gas Delivery
No time to fill up? The Purple app geolocates you and, like Uber, sends you a courier who, after filling up at the cheapest station (thanks to optimization software), delivers to you in one hour. Launched in Los Angeles in March 2015 by two... Frenchmen, Purple has garnered 20,000 subscribers in one year.
SWEETGREEN: Fast-food 100% salads
"From farm to table": eco-friendly and local, the salads made from this chain of 43 stores should make the fortune of the three founders, college buddies, who raised $95 million.
NEXTDOOR: Neighborhood social network
Local news, good deals, ads... Everything that neighborhood residents want to share. The site is valued at $1 billion.
ALAMO DRAFTHOUSE: Movie theater chain
No more buckets of popcorn: in the 22 theaters of the Alamo Drafthouse chain, you can eat in front of the screen with small dishes that are "tasty, easy to eat in the dark and quiet." A clever way to capture the revenue from the after-movie dinner: catering represents 50% of the turnover of this theater operator.
DOLLAR SHAVE: Online razor sales
This pioneer in online razor sales has just been bought for $1 billion by Unilever to expand in the United States.
OSCAR: Online Health Insurance
Thanks to geolocation, this app instantly offers the names of available doctors, their rates, their rating, etc.
CLASSPASS: Gym class app
A sort of Netflix of fitness, this pass gives access, for $79 per month, to all gym, dance, yoga classes... From clubs in the same city depending on the remaining available places.
WEWORK: Shared Office Network
Founded in a loft in New York in 2010, this leader in "coworking" spaces is now valued at $10 billion, with 45,000 members renting corner tables or offices from $200 per month in more than 65 buildings. Among the forty new locations to come, a first address in... Paris, rue La Fayette. And currently being tested in Manhattan, a building concept dedicated to shared accommodation: WeLive
INSTANCART: Grocery shopping service
Once your basket is filled online, for $4, an approved "personal shopper" will do the shopping for you at the local food store of your choice and deliver it to you right away.
BONOBOS: Fitting Shops
Sold online, these men's clothes can be tried on in store. Which limits returns.
LAUNDRY LOCKER: Laundry lockers
You drop off your dirty laundry there, which you pick up clean on the date and in the locker chosen on the app.
SAUCEY: Alcohol delivery
Starting in Los Angeles, this home alcohol delivery service via an app is conquering the rest of the United States.