We have entered a new age -- the Age of the Platform. Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google (a.k.a. the 'Gang of Four') have done nothing less than pioneer a fundamentally new way of doing business. By engaging users, consumers, and partners in entirely new ways -- and by continually reinventing themselves -- they influence billions of humans on the planet, every minute of every day. That's the power of the platform.

So, how can you build a platform for your business? Here are some tips: