Social Roots traces the history of a fundamental economic shift that is underway. The shift is rooted in virtualization, a key innovation factor, but when combined with influence networks the significance becomes transformative. The combined power of these dimensions is forcing a new economic paradigm based on return on collaboration metrics with underpinnings in social capital theory. The genesis of this transformation was social media, which really began in 2003 with launch of MySpace and the acquisition of Blogger by Google. Over the next decade more tools were added to the arsenal of collaborative tools. Platforms like Facebook changed the way we connect with friends and family. Twitter spawned a new communication model. LinkedIn allowed us to capitalize on the power of business networks. Netflix and Hulu changed how we view media. Blooger and WordPress made us all authors and challenged traditional media. Individually these companies created new ways to individuals task, collectively they change they way we do business. And all of this happened in a decade. For some it is hard to believe how much the world has changed in just ten years. But many wise sages will be reminded of Bill Gates axiom 'We always overestimate the change that will occur in the next two years and underestimate the change that will occur in the next ten. Don't let yourself be lulled into inaction.' Social Roots is the story of the near magical transformation, written specifically so we do forgot the importance of this decade of leadership in the influence economy