“Solopreneur” Article Supports My Ideas About Freelance Economy

Old article shows that the Freelance Economy is not a flash in the pan; agrees with me and is therefore correct (in parts).

Several weeks ago, I saw Shane Snow give a short talk at a recent 1 Million Cups – Dallas event, where he provided some insight into how he built Contently.  I looked for some more of his writing and came across this WaPo article from 2012 about “Solopreneurs,” or what I have called the “Freelance Economy.”

Snow provided one anecdote about a former (not voluntarily) news editor who succeeded as a freelancer.  He provided some stats, which were helpful.  If you are a freelancer, you’re not alone even if the government is not tracking you.  However, this seems more like a blessing than a curse unless you believe a career unexamined by the government is not worth working.

There were a few points in the article that supports some of my views of the Freelance Economy.  For example, this is not a temporary phenomena.

“The increase in freelancers isn’t a temporary phase. It’s a systemic change,” says Sara Horowitz, founder of Freelancers Union, an insurance company and advocacy group. “The recession likely sped up a shift that was happening already.”

In addition, Freelance Economy professionals value their independence.

This happens to line up with what much of the labor pool wants, too: flexibility. BLS reports that 90 percent of freelancers prefer independence to being locked in a cubicle.

There will be more in a separate post about where I disagree with the article.