Week of June 14, 2021

The term "Gig Economy" encompasses approximately 60 million workers in the US alone ranging from Uber drivers to interim executives. The vast majority of media and research is focused on lighter skillset gig workers often through a lens of what it means for the hiring companies.

This weekly newsletter is different for two reasons... First, it focuses on higher skillset independent workers defined as 15+ years career experience with target earnings of at least $80,000 per year. Second (and most important) it focuses on the WORKER'S perspective.

It is my firm belief that as we move into the "Future of Work" more and more control moves to the talent's side of the ledger vs. the employer or intermediate parties. I seek to empower you, the worker, with the tools, knowledge, frameworks and ideas to THRIVE in your careers as independent professionals.

Welcome to the Independent Professional Weekly!

Market News

Each week I will share relevant articles and my thoughts on why they are important for independent professionals.

The freelancers' guide to freelancing (click for article)

Thoughts:?This article is great in helping readers understand some of the not-so-talked about situations new freelancers find themselves in when starting out.?Like anything new, one must learn how to personally navigate each aspect of a new process, experience, way of making a living.?I think it is important to do some self-reflection to understand our unique strengths so when we are faced with a challenge, we can solve it in a manner that best suites our personality and working strengths.?For example, if we know we do not find joy in the administration side of being an independent consultant, we can outsource that process to a tech platform or an intermediary so we can focus on the delivering amazing work and doing other things that bring joy.?Return On Investment is not always tangible value so getting rid of tasks and situations that bring negative joy to your independent consulting career and loading up on those with bring positive joy will help lift your career fulfillment to new levels.

Freelancer marketplace Toptal sues Andela and ex-employees, alleging theft of trade secrets (click for article)

Thoughts:?Oh yes, the joys of competition…?I am sure everyone has heard a story like this one in their space, but I would like to focus on the higher-level threads from an independent consultant's perspective.?It is clear tech platforms like Toptal, Fiver, Andela, etc are going to serve more and more of the market as companies get more comfortable with sourcing talent online.?I often talk about how more commoditized skillsets are easier to load onto platforms since trust hurdles are not as high to overcome.?More commoditized skillsets tend to have lower margins for intermediaries (i.e. tech platforms, staffing firms, etc), so in order to meet profitability requirements in what can be a race to the bottom environment, putting up barriers for competition via employment contracts and lawsuits is not uncommon.?I hardly know the details of this lawsuit, but I am hopeful the former Toptal employees honor the commitments they made to their former employer and Toptal is not overreaching in their lawsuit.?Chances are both parties are going to be distracted through this process, perhaps losing focus on their core business which opens the door for another tech platform to innovate and gain market share in the long term.

Business Development Tip of the Week

The biggest fear of independent professionals is finding the?NEXT?gig. In this section I will share a tip of the week to help you find your next gig FASTER.

Transparency is key in a hot market.

Things are heating up out there as the supply of higher level gig talent gets scooped up and it is more than likely you are going to be juggling multiple opportunities through your direct network, referral network and other intermediaries. If you don't have a system for tracking I advise finding one that works for you so nothing falls through the cracks. Could be a specific notebook, an Excel worksheet or a CRM tool, but whatever it is, you need to be ready to tell all of your opportunities where you stand. Some high level buckets to consider: Lead, Phone Interview, In Person/Zoom Interview, Offer. Once a client decides they want to bring you into their process, it is important to keep them in the loop on where you stand. Despite what some think, the more transparent you are through the alignment process, the better it serves your brand in the long run. You are building trust with the market and transparency is a core pillar of building trustworthy relationships.

Fulfilling story of the week

The world needs more positive stories and these have an independent flair...

Country singer sings about World War II veteran “Pee Wee” Martin (click for article)

Thoughts:?I had the good fortune of knowing another 101st Airborne Army Veteran with an identical story to Pee Wee and often think about what a humbling experience it would have been as a 19, 20, 21 year old in the 1940s.?It is very uplifting to see an independent artist in the current generation have empathy to sit in their shoes and translate their story to a new generation of listeners.

See you next week!

Roger Lumpp?spends his working hours hunting opportunities for independent workers in the Chicago market. He is the creator and host of?The Next Pro Gig Podcast?which empowers independent/freelance workers of all disciplines with the tools, frameworks, knowledge and ideas to help them thrive in their careers as independent prof.?He firmly believes WORKERS will gain more and more control over the independent employment conversation as we move into the “future of work” and is fully committed to helping aspiring, new and tenured independents maximize their go to market strategies to find their next gig, FASTER.

Opinions expressed are my own, all rights reserved.