The Weekly Independent: February 8, 2016

Being a successful independent contractor or a client of choice isn’t just about doing the best work or having the best perks. It also means staying one step ahead of the curve. That’s why each week we bring you The Weekly Independent, a quick-hit digest of news of note from around the web.

• The New York Times has an interesting take on the trend, or, as they say, the “Temptation” of Co-Working Spaces where they explore various trendy work spots in major cities across the country. As independence continues to become a viable option for many workers, the need for these social-meets-work spaces will continue to grow. On that same note, do these 10 things effectively if you want to work from home.
• New research from Intuit weighs in on the five faces of the on-demand economy, segmenting out “the side giggers” from “the career freelancers.” Which category do you fall into?
• The DOL last week announced its intention to revive a survey of the contingent workforce and lots of heavy hitters are weighing in. We gave our thoughts to The Huffington Post and CNN. Politicians had words too – Senator Mark Warner (D-Va.) wrote to Secretary of Labor Tom Perez asking if he would consider including questions specific to the on-demand economy in the survey. We expect to see the issue of worker classification remain a key topic on the 2016 campaign trail.
• Many independents want to become “thought leaders” in their industry but don’t know how to take the next step. Two good starting places: this article from Entrepreneur on the value of LinkedIn, and registering for our March 24^th webinar highlighting 7 things independents need to know to become a thought leader.
• Harvard Business Review has thoughts on managing on-demand talent.

It’s been a big week for independents in the news –. Check out the best links, below:

Should you have any questions, we’re always here for you.

Of course, we’d love to talk virtually as well. Share your thoughts with us at MBO Partners on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, and we’ll see you again next week!