Many business writers are noting that as we emerge from the coronavirus pandemic shut-down, budget-minded business owners have more cost-effective services when it comes to the range of solutions available now thanks to the rise of freelance gig sites, new apps and online marketplaces.
Scott Steinberg declared recently on CNBC.com that “the gig economy’s moment has arrived, and all those pennies now flowing to nontraditional sources are quickly adding up to create many more opportunities for businesses as well as everyday working professionals, especially those seeking a new side hustle.”
This growing business attraction with the gig market isn’t limited to the United States, either. Even in Switzerland, a country long as cool to freelancers as its temperature, social distancing measures adopted during the pandemic have brought unexpected benefits to certain gig economy sectors. For example, Luisa Elster of Uber Eats Switzerland notes that they’ve had to expand their business throughout the country – its number of restaurant partners has doubled in Zurich alone, and its delivery area has expanded by more than five-times so far this year.
Of the 328 million Americans, 57 million of them freelanced last year according to the Freelancers Union. In a separate economic impact report from Fiverr.com, six out of 10 freelancers still expect to earn as much or more in 2020 compared to last year – representing $150 billion in earnings.
So, if you’ve been waiting for the right time to launch your freelance or ‘side hustle,’ this may be the optimal time to strike.
Just as more employers are being introduced to the benefits of virtual work as a necessity due to COVID-19, business owners are now more comfortable and receptive to collaborate and connect virtually with freelancers and other off-site service providers as they pivot to compete in this new environment.
Or, as noted recently by Andrew Krause, the founder of marketing communications firm AKA, “during the pandemic, it’s provided an easy way for many clients, including Fortune 500 firms, to fill in creative gaps and source specific film footage that would otherwise be tough to produce while under stay-at-home orders.”
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