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The Future of Work Is Here and We Need to Deal With It
March 6, 2015
Huffington Post
It is time for an infrastructure that helps these independents pay their taxes, and provides them access to benefits. We need better systems and processes to educate, calculate and ensure that the fully burdened costs of self-employment are integrated into independent work arrangements.
Further, consumers of independent contractor services must pay for the fully burdened costs. This will allow solo business owners to operate responsibly. The risks of misclassification, class actions, and tax penalties can also be greatly reduced if not avoided.
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Succeed As A Solopreneur
February 24, 2015
Auctiva
If this strikes you as a new concept, it's not. Millions of people have been doing this for a long time. These industrious individuals might have been regarded as "independent business persons," "business soloists" or "one-man shows." However labeled, the trend toward "solopreneurship" is on the upward track.
An October 2014 survey conducted by consultancy MBO Partners concludes there are about 17.9 million self-defined solopreneurs working in America today and that number is expected to continue to rise, but why?
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New Year Brings Increased Department of Labor Scrutiny on Wage-and-Hour Violations
February 3, 2015
Main St
U.S employers with at least ten employees have a 12.5% chance of having an employment liability charge filed against it, according to a recent Hiscox study.
“The continued rise of the independent workforce as well as the on-demand economy have sharpened the focus on the entire work landscape,” said Gene Zaino, president and CEO with MBO Partners. “Any company with employees should be aware of and adherent to the rules and regulations governing all types of work arrangements, including independent workers.”
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21 Management Experts Share the Biggest Mistake Companies Make When Managing Multiple Contractors and Consultants
January 27, 2015
Zintro
For growing companies, sometimes one of the best business decisions it can make is to leverage the help of experienced independent contractors and consultants. The top benefits of working with contractors is saved time, which would otherwise be spent screening and training new full-time hires, and increased control over business costs and project growth, since contractors and consultants are more apt to stick to a very strictly defined project scope.
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The State of Independence in America — What’s Happening in Today’s Freelance Economy
January 8, 2015
International Freelancer's Academy
Ed Gandia interviews Gene Zaino: Ever since having MBO Partner's Gene Zaino on the show to discuss the new emerging models of freelance/client engagement, I've been meaning to have a separate discussion with him about the freelance economy — and specifically what his firm has uncovered via these comprehensive studies.
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MBO Partners Recognized as Largest Provider of U.S. Independent Contractor Compliance and Engagement Services for Second Consecutive Year
December 16, 2014
Market Wired
In a multi-billion dollar market, MBO Partners leads the industry in the U.S., affirming the need for a strong, credible infrastructure to support engaging independent contractor talent.
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The Difference Between a Solopreneur and a Side-Gigger
November 9, 2014
Entrepreneur
There are 30 million Americans working as freelancers or independent workers. But, there are huge differences within this independent, entrepreneurial cohort.
One big divide: the solopreneurs and the side-giggers. 17.9 million "solopreneurs" work more than 15 hours a week independently, according to MBO Partners' annual State of Independence in America report. Meanwhile, side-giggers take independent side jobs, working an average of 11 hours a week. -
A Handshake and a Drink in a Digital World
October 24, 2014
Huffington Post
If you are in business in the 21st century, you've heard from multiple sources that you need to have an optimized digital presence if you hope to succeed. This message may ring a little louder if you are an independent worker. But what does an "optimized digital presence" even mean?
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MBO Partners’ Gene Zaino on the Rise of the Independent Worker (Part 2)
October 15, 2014
Spend Matters
Spend Matters recently interviewed Gene Zaino, president and CEO of MBO Partners, on his firm’s recent study looking at the rise of independent workers in America. In Part 1 of the interview, Gene began to share his thoughts on key takeaways from the MBO survey, surprise findings from the report and what it means for government and tax policy. Today, we continue our discussion with Gene.
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Old-Fashioned Word-of-Mouth Still Rules for Freelancers
October 10, 2014
Inc.
Online marketplaces have a long way to go before they make a significant dent in how most freelancers find work, according to a new report. -
Study: Indie-workers pushing US economy
October 7, 2014
BizReport
New numbers out from MBO Partners indicates not only are more people freelancing, but that freelancers, entrepreneurs and 'solo'preneurs are helping to push the US economy.
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For Digital Temps, A Safety Net Emerges
July 29, 2014
The Wall Street Journal
Companies such as TaskRabbit Inc., which matches freelance helpers with odd jobs, boast they are transforming the world of work, giving people the freedom to do what they like when they like.
Yet that flexibility comes at a cost: such work typically lacks the safety net of benefits, wage protections or job security that are afforded to those with more permanent arrangements.
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America’s Independent Workforce: Small Business, Big Growth
July 18, 2014
Fit Small Business
America and independence go together like Mom, apple pie, and baseball – it’s just something you think of when you think “ America.” The growing number of Americans who identify themselves as independent workers continues to rise. The third annual MBO Partners State of Independence report, published in 2013, indicates that more and more people are choosing to work independently.
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INDEPENDENTS’ DAY
July 7, 2014
Live Agendas
Casey Marshall is part of a growing sect of workers without a home — tinkerers, thinkers, developers, designers and storytellers who are shunning the ever-elusive gold watches and hefty retirement packages of corporate employment and riding the wave of the recession from cubicles to coworking spaces and coffee shops.
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Connecting With the Independent Worker
June 1, 2014
Successful Meetings
According to consulting firm Accenture, between 20 and 33 percent of the U.S. workforce is now composed of freelancers, contractors, and temporary workers, up from 6 percent in 1989. MBO Partners, a firm that services independent contractors and the corporations that employ them, predicts that number will grow to 50 percent by 2020.
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The Latest Cheerleader to Sue a Football Team Says She Made $2 an Hour
May 21, 2014
Bloomberg Businessweek
In a suit filed in U.S. District Court in Florida this week, Manouchcar Pierre-Val says that the team paid $100 for every game she worked. She had to spend up to 15 hours a week at unpaid mandatory practices and dozens of hours at corporate and charity events for which she received little or no pay, according to the complaint. In all, Pierre-Val was paid less than $2 an hour, her lawyer told the Tampa Bay Times.
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Future of work: how the freelance revolution is changing the meaning of a ‘day job’
May 8, 2014
Business Review Weekly
Across Australia many employers have realised that developing and promoting an appealing working environment is an effective way to both attract and retain staff.
But even these efforts are proving insufficient in gaining the services of an increasing number of Australians, who are cashing in job security for a more flexible working lifestyle.
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7 Tips For Freelancers To Stay Organized
April 10, 2014
Business Insider
Many freelancers work from home, have multiple bosses, and have to juggle multiple projects at once.
That makes staying on top of everything especially challenging. Here are seven field-tested tips for freelancers to stay organized.
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Six Booming Freelance Jobs For A New Life Direction
March 24, 2014
ValueWalk
Are you stuck between jobs, frustrated by what opportunities are out there and longing to start something of your own? You are not alone.
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WORKING: Good Buddies, Good Business Partners?
March 21, 2014
GPB News
A study last fall from the consultants at MBO Partners found nearly 18 million independent workers nationwide. No doubt some of those people are running businesses with their friends, even though that can be fraught with challenges.
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Where Are All the Self-Employed Workers?
February 7, 2014
Harvard Business Review
Along with a bunch of other, more headline-grabbing numbers, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported this morning that 14.4 million Americans were self-employed in January. Of those, 9.2 million were unincorporated self-employed workers and another 5.2 million were incorporated.
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Is going solo the new career track for parents in PR?
February 6, 2014
PR Daily
Perhaps because of my own experience and network, it seems public relations has become a viable career that many former corporate practitioners have successfully carved out as independent workers. In other words, our career tracks haven’t been derailed and our families see us a lot more.
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How to Make Money Writing Online by Becoming a Freelance Writer: Interview with Ben Gran
February 1, 2014
Sixty & Me
In this episode of the Sixty and Me Show, I speak with Ben Gran, a successful freelance writer, about how to start a writing business while still working or considering retirement.
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MBO Partners Recognized as Keystone Platform for the Future of Work
January 27, 2014
Yahoo Finance
As work preferences and arrangements continue to dramatically evolve, traditional engagement methods appear unsuited to meet the needs of workers and organizations. Andrew Karpie, Chief Analyst at the Research Platform and the foremost industry expert on online staffing and new workforce models, describes MBO as uniquely positioned to be the leader in establishing a 21st century engagement enablement platform that meets the needs for organizations and the rising independent professional class in a new report on the sector.
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Is The Tech Industry Going Independent?
January 2, 2014
The Syber Group
The tech industry is undergoing a shift toward a more independent, contingent IT workforce. And while that trend might not be cause for alarm for retiring baby boomer IT professionals, it could mean younger and mid-career workers need to prepare to make a living solo.
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Tech Industry Sees A Shift Towards Independent Workers
December 24, 2013
The Guru Review
The tech industry is undergoing a shift toward a more independent, contingent IT workforce. And while that trend might not be cause for alarm for retiring baby boomer IT professionals, it could mean younger and mid-career workers need to prepare to make a living solo.
Conitnue reading here.
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Top 3 Workforce Predictions 2014
December 19, 2013
Competing in a Shrinking World
These predictions from MBO Partners are supported by the research of my soon to release book BOOMERVILLE: Getting off the Corporate Merry-Go-Round. How strong these pivots will be is unknown, but the rise of the blended workforce and the Gig Economy is apparent.
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Reimagining Where and How We Work: Local 64 provides the ability to ask questions, exchange ideas and share a common workplace
December 18, 2013
Montpelier Bridge
In the past 20 years, the amount of change in every aspect of our lives has been staggering. How we work is no exception. MBO Partners (MyBizOffice), a company that supports independent consultants, recently published its annual “State of Independence in America” report, revealing that currently 40 percent of workers have worked or are working as an independent.
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Moving for Movies
December 10, 2013
GeNYU
Working in film often means constantly searching for the next job; when one movie or TV show completes, or gets cancelled, they are unemployed again. Paszkiewicz is a freelancer, one of 43 million workers today, according to the Freelancer Union. The numbers are growing at such a rapid pace that by 2020 there will be more freelance workers than regular employees.
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Latin America: The Rise of the Millennials
December 3, 2013
Formar Hub
Across the globe, a new generation is coming of age – a generation irrevocably shaped by the collaborative nature of the internet and the pervasive influence of social media. Known as “ Generation Y” – or, more often, simply “Millennials” – this generation, made up of young people born between 1983 and 2000, is already beginning to make its mark.
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You Might be Surprised at the Current State of Independent Workers
November 8, 2013
Call them freelancers, self-employed or independent – people who work for themselves have been the subject of much debate since the Great Recession hit five years ago. Are today’s independent workers entrepreneurs, or just people who can’t get jobs and are forced to fend for themselves?
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The Top 6 Reasons Independent Work is Here to Stay
September 18, 2013
U.S. News & World Report
While the news about the growth of the independent workforce continues to hit the blogosphere and traditional media outlets, some job seekers still haven't embraced the opportunity to actively focus on sustainable, independent work. Gene Zaino, CEO of MBO Partners, a business platform to help independent professionals succeed, says he believes that independent work is here to stay.
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In The Future Will We Be Working For An Algorithm?
September 12, 2013
Forbes
One of the best panels I attended at last month’s SXSW V2V was titled the “Future of Work: Evolve or go Extinct”. SXSW did a fantastic job and assembled an outstanding panel, and there were some really awesome quotes which I’ve shared below, along with some of my thoughts.
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MBO Partners and Work Market Announce Online Staffing Partnership
September 11, 2013
Staffing Industry Analysts
MBO Partners and Work Market announced today a partnership signaling significant change in the online staffing segment. The partnership creates MBO Work Market, a new managed contractor cloud solution that combines MBO’s engagement platform with Work Market’s technology platform.
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Affordable Care Act Penalizes Businesses For Misclassifying Workers
March 3, 2015
The Times Herald
“When an independent contractor files a claim for benefits, state-required paperwork that asks about other income can uncover an independent contractor arrangement, which leads to more questions,” said Gene Zaino, president and CEO of MBO Partners. “This can have a ripple effect if the worker is found to have been misclassified and a more detailed investigation may lead to the reclassification of other similarly situated workers.”
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How to Get Around Difficult Co-Workers on the Job and Win
February 3, 2015
Main St
“The continued rise of the independent workforce or the on-demand economy have sharpened the focus on the entire work landscape,” said Gene Zaino, president and CEO with MBO Partners, a Herndon, Va.-based company that helps independent professionals launch their own consulting firm.
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Starting a Business on the Side? Don't Do These Things If You Want to Keep Your Day Job
February 2, 2015
Aol Jobs
You're starting a business on the side while working full time? Join the club. You're in good company. MBO Partners research shows "30 million Americans (are) already...self-employed -- either as a main source of work (17.9 million solopreneurs) or by using self-employment as a way to augment other income (12.1 million side-giggers)."
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Thriving or Surviving in the Freelance Economy
January 14, 2015
AAUW
An online survey of 2,017 people by MBO Partners found that while women and men continue to pursue freelance work in equal numbers, they do it for different reasons. Seventy-one percent of women said flexibility is more important than making the most money, versus 58 percent of men. (The survey numbers reflect those who chose to work for themselves and those forced into the freelance life.)
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2015: The Year an Easier and Safer Self-Employed Workforce Comes Into Focus
December 22, 2014
Yahoo Finance
MBO Partners -- the first to forecast a future independent majority in the U.S. workforce -- draws on four years of national research to predict that 2015 will be the year that Americans accept and adapt to the rapidly growing independent workforce and focus on ways to make it an easier and safer work arrangement. -
Self-employed find it's not easy to get a mortgage
December 4, 2014
Los Angeles Times
Despite often earning higher incomes, self-employed borrowers have a harder time getting a mortgage than their salaried peers, according to a new study out Thursday. And as the ranks of the self-employed grow, that's hindering the housing recovery.
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Is The Future Of Work All About Freelance And Independent Workers?
November 6, 2014
Forbes
According to a recent SAP and Oxford Economics report, 83% of executives say their companies are increasing their use of contingent workers. Intuit reported that by 2020 40% of American Workers will be freelancers. Another recent report from MBO Partners found that today there are approximately 30 million independent workers and that by 2019 this number will grow to 40 million. Clearly there is something going on here with millions of people in America and around the world shifting towards this new model of working.
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State of Independence in America
October 21, 2014
The Future of Work
The future of work is here and it is 30 million strong and growing. The latest data counts 17.9 million as full-time solopreneurs, with an additional 12.1 million part-time “side-giggers.” Together, they are contributing more than $1 trillion to the American economy and changing the work landscape.
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MBO Partners Gene Zaino on the Rise of the Independent Worker: Men, Women and Surprise Findings
October 13, 2014
Spend Matters
I recently had the chance to ask Gene Zaino, president and CEO of MBO Partners, to share his comments and thoughts on his firm’s 2014 State of Independence in America workforce study. In this two part-series on Spend Matters, we feature Gene’s perspective on the topic.
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The Freelance Workforce and Services Procurement: What is Your Share of $1 Trillion in Spending?
October 10, 2014
Spend Matters
MBO Partners just released its 2014 State of Independence in America workforce study. The report should be a wake up call for procurement teams and leaders to factor in this growing group of professionals into their overall services procurement strategies.
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Start-ups fueling the ‘freelance economy’
August 14, 2014
CNBC
A number of start-ups want to help potential employers leverage the skills of some of the 90 million Americans that are "out of the workforce."
New technology platforms are connecting Americans with freelance work and fueling a growing part of the economy that accounts for $1.2 trillion in annual income, according to MBO Partners, a consultancy firm that focuses on what it calls "independent workers."
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Study: 1 In 2 Professionals Will Be Independent Contractors By 2020
July 24, 2014
AOL Jobs
MBO Partners projects that 1 in 2 American workers will either move to independent work, or spend at least part of their working hours as self-employed professionals by 2020. The study showed some very good reasons why more of us might want to ditch being employees and embrace becoming businesses-of-one. Here are a few...
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The Circle of Life: Applying Zen to the Project Economy
July 16, 2014
The Huffington Post
Bloggers and reporters alike are responding to post-recession America with a similar refrain: the traditional 9-5 job is dead. If you listen, you can hear the bagpipes playing an accompaniment to the doom and gloom future painted for the j-o-b.
Should we be running for our bomb shelters and setting fire to our resumes?
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The Self-Employment Surge and How Professionals Can Best Prepare
June 23, 2014
Brandpoint
One in two American workers are projected to be self-employed by 2020, according to MBO Partners. While the shifting economy has surely pushed some people into independent work, many have chosen it. Career goals for contemporary professionals are changing and given how quickly this trend is taking hold in the United States, today's employees who aspire to be tomorrow's contract workers need to prepare now to navigate this changing landscape.
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Why freelancers need a code of ethics
May 30, 2014
Fortune
In a business world filled with ambiguity, creating clarity around your ethical or behavioral standards can seem like a quaint notion from a bygone era. Yet freelancers and independent contractors need these “rules of engagement” to establish boundaries and general “rules of the road,” says Sara Horowitz, president of the Freelancers Union.
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Trust Each Other, The Sharing Economy Is Here to Stay
May 16, 2014
Forbes
Airbnb may have won the latest round in its legal battle this week, but it’s clear the backlash against the sharing economy is just beginning...Given the immense popularity and recent negativity, it’s worth taking a step back, examining what the sharing economy is and whether it’s truly helping or hurting us.
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For many Americans, 'temp' work becomes permanent way of life
April 21, 2014
CNBC
For Americans who can't find jobs, the booming demand for temp workers has been a path out of unemployment, but now many fear it's a dead-end route.
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America's under-valued workers
March 26, 2014
Fortune
With the growth of freelancers and contract workers, the government needs to de-emphasize its focus on full-time jobs.
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Do you think start-ups are just for the young?
March 21, 2014
ValueWalk
When you think of famous entrepreneurs, if you’re like most of us, you think of young twenty-somethings who come up with groundbreaking ideas fresh out of college or even while they are still in school. However, when it comes to the statistics, we are wrong.
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The 10 Best Cities For Freelancers
March 6, 2014
Business Insider
NerdWallet recently did a study that determined the best cities for independent workers based on three factors: the percentage of residents with self-employment income (50% of the score), the affordability of the median rent cost (25%), and the affordability of the median health care cost (25%).
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Engaging the 21st Century Independent Professional Workforce: Developing a New Work-Arrangement Intermediation Ecosystem
February 6, 2014
The Research Platform
I recently did a paper on how MBO Partners is positioning itself to address the 21st century requirements for intermediating “work arrangements” between high skilled, highly paid “independent professionals” and the enterprise organizations that will increasingly require their services.
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Why Entrepreneurs Are Among the Happiest People in The World
February 6, 2014
Huffington Post Canada
It is an enormous and important achievement that we are openly discussing mental health and its costs to the economy but what if the investments we are making are not enough because they are based on yesterday's economy rather than the economy of the future?
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5 Career Trends for 2014
January 29, 2014
Talk Business Magazine
As the way we work continues to change, I believe we’ll see the following trends in 2014:
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What Musicians Can Teach Us About the Challenges of Being Your Own Boss
January 17, 2014
Forbes
When you work for yourself, as do musicians and a growing sector of the economy, you bear the responsibility for how your career pans out. And it’s not always an easy burden to bear.
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34 Small-Business Predictions For 2014
December 30, 2013
American Express Open Forum
Most small-business owners eagerly anticipate the arrival of the new year. We’re entrepreneurs—we’re not afraid of the unknown. In fact, we welcome it.
But we also try to gain every advantage we can. To that end, I’v e spoken with 11 experts and entrepreneurs to get their perspectives on 2014 and what lies ahead for your business.
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Your next job, next year, may be self-employment
December 23, 2013
Computer World
The tech industry is seeing a shift toward a more independent, contingent IT workforce. And while that trend might not be bad for retiring baby boomer IT professionals, it could mean younger and mid-career workers need to prepare to make a living solo.
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Work Is No Longer a Place
December 19, 2013
InIt Call Technologies
Technology is rapidly democratizing where and when we work, and even who we work for. To see rapid disruption in our expectations of what employment looks like, you have only to recall the backlash that Yahoo’s work from home ban caused in February 2013. Imagine similar pushback a generation ago over being brought back into an office… it wouldn’t have happened.
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‘Bring your own worker’ and other trends for 2014
December 16, 2013
URLinkedUp
“Bring your own worker,” employers as partners and self-employment are among the top three trends for 2014, predicted by MBO Partners, a provider of business services to independent contractors as well as independent contractor payrolling and compliance services.
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Entrepreneurship: A Timeless, Ageless Passion
December 9, 2013
Forbes
It strikes me, despite our perceptions and preconceived notions of who an entrepreneur is, or what he/she “looks” like, the universal passion for entrepreneurship is not the sole territory of the young.
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Need Help Launching Coworking Office Space?
November 29, 2013
Officing Today
If you look around at the alternative workspace industry one trend is clear: entrepreneurs and mobile workers are flocking to coworking office space around the world. Some business centers have already incorporated the model and others are exploring their options.
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Freelancers Are Getting Pulled Into Worker Misclassification Fights
October 22, 2013
Bloomberg Business Week
America’s 17.7 million independent workers will earn about $1.2 trillion this year, according to a study published last month by MBO Partners. Employers will tell you the rising freelance economy is good for workers, who get to set their own hours and work in their pajamas.
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What You Need to Know About Being Self-Employed
September 13, 2013
Fox Business
Finding a full-time job in the current anemic job market still remains a challenge, so many are creating their own positions and becoming their own boss.
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Why Everybody's Going Freelance
September 12, 2013
Fast Company
More Americans are declaring their independence: as in the 17 million that self-indentified as indepenendent workers--as in freelancers, temps, self-employed consultants and the like--as of May 2013, up 10% from 2011.
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The Staffing Solution That Fills Your Every Need
March 2, 2015
Profit Guide
A large pool of skilled freelancers awaits to fill these roles. Part of the reason is that entrepreneurialism is celebrated as a viable way of life these days, prompting more millennials to consciously pursue it.
MBO Partners, a management service for independent professionals, reports that 29% of generation Y respondents opted to go independent after school. By contrast, a quarter of those surveyed went solo because there were few permanent positions to be had, and some freelancers were forced into contract work by layoffs.
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More Jobs and Lower Wages: 2015 is the Year to Freelance
February 3, 2015
Yahoo Small Business Advisor
As more businesses augment their existing labor pools with flexible contingent talent and contractors, an entire industry is rallying to support the needs of this new workforce. AS MBO Partners learned during the company’s four-year research project to forecast future employment trends, “Innovative technologies, online work marketplaces, back office support platforms and portable healthcare benefits are making the leap to self-employment a more compelling proposition for many. Four years of data analysis from the MBO Partners State of Independence in America report found that more self-employed service providers felt more security in their ‘portfolio income’ approach vs. the traditional ‘single employer’ approach to work. The study also found 26 million American workers who are 21 years and older and not currently working as an independent are now considering a shift to independence in the next 2-3 years.”
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The booming future of collaborative work environments
February 2, 2015
The Week
This is particularly true for small businesses that don't have a traditional brick-and-mortar location. Consider that a recent report from business services firm MBO Partners identified approximately 30 million independent workers in the U.S. — which includes freelancers, contractors, temporary workers, and small business owners with less than four employees — and their forecast is for 40 million by 2019. These individuals and small businesses don't typically require the traditional private office space of a larger company, nor do they have the upfront capital to even make such an investment financially feasible. According to a 2014 survey by Intuit, 64 percent of small business owners start with less than $10,000.
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Getting Organized, Small Business Predictions and More
January 10, 2015
Small Biz Daily
MBO Partners predicts 2015 will be the year Americans accept and adapt to the rapidly growing independent workforce and focuses on ways to make it an easier and safer work arrangement.The prediction is based on four factors...
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A Real Sea Change of Talent Management is Happening. Don’t Miss the Boat.
December 16, 2014
Cerius
In this, my annual message to fellow CEOs, I want to shed more light on the huge cultural and economic shift that is revolutionizing the definition of a “worker” today. I’m also sharing a Podcast, The Independent Contractor Boom, recorded at an event in Virginia we co-sponsored featuring three nationally recognized experts in staffing strategies. -
The Cure for the Common Staffing Ailment
November 21, 2014
Healthcare Business Today
Today 30 million Americans are exercising their freedom to work independently, some choosing to add independence as a side gig, while others use it as their primary source of income. With the increased resource demands on the health care industry these proud, bold independents are a vital link in your staffing strategy.
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Secrets to Getting Word-Of-Mouth Recommendations Without Asking
October 29, 2014
Forbes
If you’re not getting most of your business by word of mouth, you’re leaving money on the table.
Many small business owners have a hard time asking for recommendations. They feel awkward asking clients to promote them, because it seems self serving. If you are shy about doing this, here are some strategies that will make others want to help you grow your business. -
Shifting Structure, Sleepless Nights
October 17, 2014
Oil & Gas Monitor
For many, the shifting work landscape has caused more than a few sleepless evenings. The growth of the contingent workforce has shone light on a myriad of workforce issues that will require thoughtful solutions.
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Freelance Still Runs On Word Of Mouth
October 11, 2014
Working Woman Report
Fragment the economy into ever-more efficient units, freelancers who can start and stop assignments on a moment’s notice. Toss in 21st century technology, communication that can pass job assignments around the world in less than a second. And you know that means futuristic ways of connecting people to work. Yet as the number of independent workers continues to expand, the most common way they find assignments and get work is… word of mouth?
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The Freelance Economy Still Runs on Word of Mouth
October 9, 2014
Harvard Business Review
We may well be entering a new age of work, in which tasks can be sliced into bite-sized chunks and allotted online to freelancers all over the planet. But we’re not quite there yet, according to a new survey conducted for MBO Partners, which provides back-office services to independent workers — which it dubs “solopreneurs.”
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Provade and MBO Partners Announce Strategic Partnership
July 31, 2014
PR Web
Provade, Inc., an industry leader in enterprise Vendor Management System (VMS) development for global contingent and SOW workforce management, is pleased to announce a strategic partnership with MBO Partners, the leading provider of management services for independent professionals and the clients that engage them.
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Top 9 Misconceptions of Independent Contractor Engagement
July 21, 2014
Business Tips
Independent contractors can be a viable resource for growing your business, fitting seasonal demands and often adding in-demand or specialized skills. However, it is vital to have a compliant process for engaging independent workers or risk wage and hour violations or tax reclassification. Typical approaches often make faulty assumptions, doing nothing to reduce your risk profile. Below are the top 9 misconceptions about independent contractor engagement.
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Are You Ready To Be A Contract Worker? Now Is The Time To Prepare
July 10, 2014
Forbes
In the next 10 to 15 years, as many as half of American professionals could be contract workers, meaning they earn income from a variety of organizations rather than working full time for one organization. Given how quickly this trend is taking hold in the United States and the fact that only a minority percentage of the American workforce has past or current experience with contract employment, individuals who expect to be gainfully employed through mid-century have a steep learning curve.
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Rise of the 'flex' economy
June 8, 2014
The Christian Science Monitor
The American labor force is undergoing a fundamental shift as more people become freelancers, contract workers, and part-timers – bringing new flexibility but also new insecurities.
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Is A Perfect Storm Fueling the Contingent Workforce?
May 27, 2014
Recruiting Blogs
In 2001, Dan Pink published a bestselling and forward-thinking business book titled Free Agent Nation: The Future of Working for Yourself. By all current reports, that future has arrived.
If the millennial generation will become predominantly free agents, how will this impact recruiting and HR over the next decade?
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Glass Ceiling Smashed By Freelancing Moms
May 9, 2014
Forbes
In a reversal of the age-old gender pay gap, women are making more money than men in part-time jobs. Female part-timers earned $10 more in median weekly salaries than their male counterparts, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Contrast this to full-time work, where men still generated 15% more than women in overall median weekly earnings.
It’s all part of the radically changing nature of work. And working moms are driving the transformation.
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How to Create Long Term Value for Your Clients
April 13, 2014
Yahoo! Voices
Completing projects timely and to the clients expectations should be a given. You want and need to create a long lasting relationship with your clients that sets you apart from every other freelancer out there. If you believe that you are the only person who can fulfill a project, you are already in trouble. So how do you keep your clients coming back?
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For Digital Nomads, Work Is No Longer A Place And Life Is One Big Adventure
March 25, 2014
ValueWalk
Merav Knofer is among a growing number of people who consider themselves “digital nomads,” or professionals who are independent of specific locations, who use a Web-based toolkit of Skype, Google Docs and social media to work and collaborate from wherever, whenever -- be it on a beach in Thailand or, in Knafo’s case, overlooking a rice paddy in Bali.
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Why freelancing is here to stay
March 21, 2014
Keppie Careers
While the news about the growth of the independent workforce continues to hit the blogosphere and traditional media outlets, some job seekers still haven’t embraced the opportunity to actively focus on sustainable, independent work.
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Staffing firms are partnering with online platforms in different ways
February 27, 2014
Staffing Industry Analysts
While some staffing firms have begun making strategic investments in online staffing platform businesses to get a closer look, others are engaging more directly and actively. The following four cases are examples of both approaches.
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How to Identify Great Contract Candidates
February 6, 2014
Recruiting Blogs
As contract staffing becomes a long-term business strategy in many organizations, companies are increasingly turning to recruiters to find the best contract candidates. But what does the best contract candidate look like?
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Finding your Zen at work: Rethink full-time
February 5, 2014
CNN Money
We hear much about the jobless, and that those who've found work should simply be grateful. However, Americans aren't happily employed. More than half, 70%, of U.S. employees reported last year that they were actively dis-engaged or not engaged in their work, according to a Gallup Poll.
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Hiring Temporary Workers? 4 Tips to Keep Things Legal
January 28, 2014
UpCounsel
Many business owners need to hire temporary workers for all sorts of short-term projects, and these days there are more qualified workers available than ever. Some are retired, others prefer to be self-employed, still others come to you by way of temporary agencies – all of them have significant skills that can be used to complete a project, solve a problem with highly specialized skills, or fill gaps in your business’ workforce.
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The Work Market-SAP Deal: What Does It Really Mean (for Staffing)?
January 10, 2014
Staffing Industry Analysts
Work Market recently announced a deal with global enterprise software giant SAP. This deal not only indicates that large enterprises are reaching out and engaging with online staffing platforms to access needed talent, it also demonstrates that there are many new ways in which this can be happening (especially as enterprises more and more adopt flexible, extended workforce models).
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The Elevator Pitch
December 30, 2013
Blogging Calwell
I’ve learned a lot about this thing called “independent contracting”. Today, many see this as something they want to do. On an average day, I see a number of elevator pitches from various companies and individuals – many of them I have started to invest in.
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Disrupting Employment: 2014 Career Trends
December 19, 2013
Digital Talent Recruiters
The following was written and published by Gary Swart, CEO at oDesk. We wanted to share the post with you as it contains many outstanding, research-backed insights. Without further ado, we invite you to read Gary’s article with an open mind and in context of your own personal situations.
Conitnue reading here.
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Coherency in contradiction
December 18, 2013
Deloitte University Press
This report examines life in the Big Shift by exploring some of the tensions and intrinsic contradictions arising from the accelerated pace of technology and information flows. We'll examine the conditions that are amplifying these contradictions and suggest ways to find opportunity within them. By reframing contradictions as complementary, rather than mutually exclusive, leaders may discover a greater ability to adapt and innovate in a complex, dyanic world.
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The Two Types of Portfolio Careers
December 12, 2013
Business News & Economy Articles
Theres no doubt the traditional career path of staying with a single company, or a small number of employers, and rising through the ranks until you retire is no longer viable for most people. One option that's becoming increasingly common is the portfolio career.
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Everyone Should Plan for Self-Employment
December 3, 2013
Small Business Labs
The Forbes article Why Everyone Needs a Business Plan covers what we feel is a very, very important topic - that most Americans, at some point, will be self-employed. The reason we see this topic as so very important is we are constantly interviewing people who've lost their jobs, are struggling to find new jobs, but have done no preparation or thinking about how they can earn a living on their own.
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Why Everyone Needs A Business Plan
November 26, 2013
Forbes
If you work in corporate America, you probably spend a lot of time thinking like a chess player. What happens if raises this year are terrible? Should talking to a headhunter be your next move? How will you outmaneuver the merger that just got announced?
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The Next Wave of Remote Workers Are Independents
October 15, 2013
Midsize Insider
According to MBO Partners, from 2011 to 2013 the number of independent workers in the United States grew 10 percent to 17.7 million people earning a total annually of $1.17 trillion. The number of workers is projected to reach 24 million by 2018, a vast pool of talent that is far greater than the local prospective employees within a reasonable commuting distance for a business.
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Independent Work Force on the Rise
September 12, 2013
Business News Daily
The number of Americans choosing to work for themselves rather than someone else is on the rise, new research shows. Nearly 18 million Americans are now spending at least half their time working as a self-employed independent contractor, up 10 percent from 2011, a study by MBO Partners revealed. The result: they're generating $1.2 trillion in total income.
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Counting America’s Freelance, Ahem, 'Self-Employed' Workers
September 11, 2013
Business Week
The rise of the freelance economy gets plenty of attention. Getting a handle on how many U.S. workers fit into this bucket is harder than you’d think.
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