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Gig – Sharing – Youpreneur – [Ec]onomy by @SBSLEducSoltns

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by SJ Barakony | Featured Contributor 

 

‘Lean in … it’s growing daily.’

 

As this blog goes live, we find ourselves on a chronological cusp; it’s not just A New Year’s Eve/Day:  it marks an entirely new decade!

The 2020’s will bring us untold innovation which’ll make us do double-takes; one trend, though, that we can better understand since it’s been growing since ~ 2008 ?

 

A > It has multiple monikers:  Gig / Sharing / Youpreneur. 

 

All = synonyms for an independent workforce which’ll continue to improve day to day life, so long as we don’t stoke fear, assume, become too comfortable, or let corporate entities dictate the narrative.

Here’s a fundamental Q:

 

How can we entrepreneurs be trailblazers for our peer generation, those older, and, yes, younger, for this economic paradigm?

 

Gigs are Great

We’ve likely heard, or know someone who’s a ‘side’ hustler; this person’s also a side ‘gigger’.  She’s pursuing gig economy income, driven not by trading units of time for currency/dollars & cents; rather, via representing a product/s, service/s, &/or sharing her specialized knowledge in/to the marketplace, earning $$ in return.

This infographic offers a flyover, showing how many ‘gigs’ are available, just via smartphone apps.

Yet, there is far more at ‘work’ here: Entire new business models have, and will continue to be formed. One recent example?  Click here.

The back to back [ ‘blue’ & ‘white’ collar ] industrial ages shall continue to be supplanted by gigs, although it will necessitate re framing, challenging 20th century assumptions, & being willing to exchange calculated risk for more time & financial flexibility.

 

For it matters not, how much we own, the cars . . . the house . . . the cash. What matters is how we live and love and how we spend our dash.

 

― Diane Mulcahy, The Gig Economy: The Complete Guide to Getting Better Work, Taking More Time Off, and Financing the Life You Want .”

 

Sharing = Collaborative = Interdependent   

‘Share & share alike ..’ – weren’t we told this by a doting parent(s), or maybe a primary school teacher at some point?

However, as we aged into adulthood, and started our business(es), we might’ve forgotten this sage advice. We either learned how to be dependent ( ‘employ’[ee] – to be used (utilized)) , and/or that we had to be a cowgirl, & do entrepreneurship all by ourselves, as an in-dependent.

Not so fast!  Sharing economic models enable us to rebuild trust with our peers, be inter-dependent, and find/leverage ways to collaborate & partner with others.

This visual is worth many words.

 

Multisided Platforms / ‘Matchmaker’ Economics

This new economic era is restoring and flat out creating new sparks of creativity that were lost in the very linear, centralized, & hierarchical industrial ages preceding it.

This terrific post will make you think; next time you grab your smartphone & search for an AirBnB, you’ll look at this research in a fresh way.

Matchmaker (‘ing) is worth trillions – it squeezes inefficiencies out of conventional producer/seller→ consumer/buyer bilateral relationships & builds bridges. It is beyond intriguing & sits squarely in this new [ec]-onomy.

 

What’s a “You” Preneur, anyway?!  

YOU ‘re worth far more than a rigid, pre-defined wage, salary, or compensation package. Shouldn’t your pay be aligned with the absolute value you deliver to your clientele, & not based on the usage of space & time ( = occupar / occupation ) ?

Most, if not all, entrepreneurial minded people reading this would say ‘absolutely!’

Thus, we’ve 2 words fused together, creating a combo which richly reflects the spirit, heart, & mindset of this new economic model:  YOU + [entre] preneur.

 

Overcoming …   

There are 5 (‘for the hand’) root issues which stand in the way of ‘giggers’ & ‘youpreneurs’ ‘sharing’ more & building a stronger entrepreneurial edifice in the 2020’s:

 

  • Our 125+ year old schooling ( not truly education ) tracks, ‘K-12’
  • Fear ( cynicism, unhealthy skepticism, & negativity )
  • A completely broken political system
  • The incumbent hierarchies

&

  • Comfort/familiarity

 

We can hurdle over the first by focusing on self-directing our education & loosening the grip of credentialed degree signaling ( esp if we have staff ); next, we can win out over fear by being faithful & focused; thirdly, how about turning towards local elections to drive grassroots transformation upwards to state/provincial &/or national/federal offices?

Fourth, be wise to what the ‘status quo’ says, and especially does. Often times, they’ll attempt to buy influence through the deeply flawed politics of today. Don’t let them; put your trust in your own small business & those of your peers. Lastly, don’t rest on your laurels or read your own press clippings. Always strive to sit in a learning zone.

 

Future = Free: IF we Choose

Many step up to ‘be their own boss’ ; yet, the promises heralded in transition tend to be lost in the haze of working harder, not smarter.

Freedom is such an overused word; for the purposes of this post, let’s frame it this way: It’s having many conscious choices always available to match with our  most irreplaceable asset, time.

The ultra flex & portability available in the gig/sharing economy is there for the taking. Lean into it!

 

Twitter ‘To-Do’s 

Youpreneur

Sharing Economy

Future Workforce

VisualCap

Suitcasepreneur

 

Let’s ‘future’ proof …

… your business(es).

Be unique & willing to unlearn what you were taught in a conventional classroom about economics & entrepreneurship.

 

A dozen things I’ve learned about …

6 Ghosts of Fear

 

… Multisided Markets

The Matchmakers 

 

Mutual Aid Societies & the Gig Economy

Rise of the Youpreneur

 

Read to Lead

25 Ideas …

 

Summing up … 

  • A major milestone is upon us!
  • A fundamental question …
  • Multiple monikers
  • Multisided & matchmaker
  • 5 challenges
  • “Free”dom
  • ‘Future’ proofing

 

Thank YOU for reading!

____________________________________________

The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Freedom by @LyndseyOBM

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by Lyndsey Gilchrist
The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Freedom

Find a job you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.” -Confucius

That’s all very well, Confucius, and I do wholeheartedly agree with you, but I think it’s crucial to have an element of entrepreneurial freedom too.

No matter how much you love your business, or how much it doesn’t feel like ‘real’ work, it’s important to get the right work/life balance.

And entrepreneurial freedom isn’t something that comes easily.

Quite often, outsiders mistake entrepreneurial freedom for a ‘lucky break’. This is hardly ever the case though. How many seriously successful entrepreneurs do you know? How many of them do you really think are an overnight success? How many of them have a string of failed businesses behind them? Exactly – lucky breaks aren’t all they’re cracked up to be.

Entrepreneurial freedom needs careful planning, attention and consideration. And whether you’re just starting out in business or you’re looking to ramp things up a serious notch, here are a few ideas to help you pave your way.

Change your mindset…

Firstly, remember you’re not an employee anymore so don’t think like one. Change your mindset and think like an entrepreneur. Before making any big decisions, get out of your ‘little old me’ syndrome and think like a savvy successful entrepreneur. Having the guts to take risks and embrace opportunities takes a special kind of spirit, and that’s why entrepreneurship is a vocation. Don’t stay shackled in the employee mindset or you’ll create your own boundaries and never reach your potential.

Find financial freedom…

It’s easy when you start your entrepreneurial journey to undervalue yourself but try to avoid this if you can. Just because you’re new on the block, it doesn’t mean that your past 20 years in the industry doesn’t count. If you’re confident in your skills and experience, you can charge a higher fee and avoid competing with the lower priced companies. Start as you mean to go on and you’ll never have to put a ceiling on your earning potential. Quantity is more important than quantity so think about whether you’d rather work for 10 clients a month and charge them £100 each or 2 clients at £500. It’s your business, it’s your call.

Create a business that revolves around YOUR needs…

This is your business, your life and your dream so make sure you remember this when you’re sorting out the nuts and bolts of your business. You don’t need to cater for each and every client whim and you don’t need to accommodate every request (you have to learn to say no sometimes). Make sure your business revolves around your needs, your family, your lifestyle and everything else will slot into place.

Discover your dream team…

Your business will soar once you have your dream team in place. Take time out to research and find the right freelance specialists and start taking serious steps towards your entrepreneurial freedom. Having the right Online Business Manager, Virtual Assistant, Graphic Designer, Copywriter, Web Specialist and PR people to call on means you’re going to be unstoppable. Not only will they free up your time and energy but they can also be your golden ticket into the six-figure income club.

Don’t underestimate your entrepreneurial skills and don’t stay in a blinkered mindset otherwise your earning potential, your success and your dreams of independence will never become a reality.

If you’re looking for your dream team, then let’s have a chat. My Online Business Manager services and my team of virtual experts can help you find that all-important freedom sooner than you think.

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Lyndsey GilchristLyndsey Gilchrist is an online business manager (OBM) based in Glasgow, Scotland. She has a vast amount of entrepreneurial experience, which she uses to support all kinds of different businesses. She likes nothing more than helping clients to move their business forward and help them to increase productivity.

How to Be Free

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Written by Christine Kane

How To Be Free

I remember my first taste of real-life personal freedom.

It was about a year after I quit my cubicle job. I was ruthlessly determined to live life on my own terms – so I had done some radical things to earn this delicious moment.

I had sold my car (the one with the monthly payment) and bought an old beat-up car for cash.

I had found the most perfect low-rent apartment on the outskirts of town, near the railroad tracks and fully equipped with both a bedroom AND a studio.  (Ideal for the scrappy start-up mode I was in.)

I was 100% self-employed, and doing exactly what I wanted to be doing with my time.

I’ve since roamed in and out of deeper levels of what it means to be personally free.  I’ve Upleveled my life and business many times.

I now own a building space in my city – affectionately known as Uplevel Headquarters.  I lead a team. I coach and teach clients and students.  Freedom now expands to contain new elements and actions – but it still remains steadfast, provided I take time to realign and reconnect with my vision.

Some would say I am blessed to live at a time and in a country where my choices are virtually limitless.  This is true.

And yet – many people with the same circumstances aren’t free at all.  Many people talk of freedom, boast about Americans being free – but these very people will tell me they feel trapped. Or they complain that they have no options.

So what’s it take to be free?

I mean REALLY free.  Not bullshit free.  Not “Just Another Word for Nothing Left to Lose” free.

But really soulfully, entrepreneurially, and deliciously free.

Well, this is definitely something we could talk about til the wee hours of the dawn. (And someday, we might just do that!)

But for now, here are five words that had (and have) a major impact on my own sense of personal freedom.

 

1 – Define

Everything starts with your clear intention and definition.

What does freedom look like for you?   Define it.

And remember that intention requires faith. You need to believe that it is possible, and let yourself be fully alive and awake in your definition of freedom.

 

2 – Assess

Once you have defined personal freedom – then take stock of what holds you back or ties you down.

Do you hold on to limiting beliefs?  Do you make choices based in fear?  Does your current lifestyle weigh you down – fully equipped with too much overhead, too much stuff and not enough space?

Write it all down. Don’t criticize yourself. Just know that this is the stuff that’s in the way!

 

3 – Release

Big changes start with little steps.  Start by releasing some of the excess that holds you back. You’d be amazed at how much freedom this will deliver.

A few ideas:  draining friends, time commitments, clutter, lackluster employees, non-ideal clients.  Sometimes, one simple change can bring about a dramatic sense of freedom. It just takes the decision to release!

 

4 – Discipline

If you’re anything like me, you just cringed a little at the word “discipline.”  It still comes fully equipped with a ruler, a habit and a name like Sister John Mary.

So look at discipline this way:

Discipline paves the path to freedom.

Discipline means you take action based on your definition of true freedom. Your actions become “disciples” of your intentions.

Most people aren’t free because they take action based on their emotional reaction in the moment. Discipline means that you begin to create your life, rather than react it.  This leads to a deeper relationship with true freedom.

 

5 – Engage

“Screw it. I just want to sit around on a beach while hot men in shorts serve me umbrella drinks. That’s freedom.”

Does this sound like you?

Well, I’ll grant you the space to make such a claim. But we both know better.

Eventually, the beach will get boring.  You will realize that the hot men haven’t read a book in their entire 22 years, and that umbrella drinks can only repress your desires for so long.

Right now, here’s the problem.

You associate freedom with disengagement.

That usually happens when someone has been engaging with too much that drains her:  non-ideal clients, negative relationships, sporadic income.

It also happens when we’ve checked out of our lives so much that we can’t create the solutions for the items that drain us.  We already ARE disengaged.

Freedom requires engagement and presence.  It is not about checking out.  It is about stepping up.  In many ways, freedom brings with it a higher level of responsibility.

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So, what about you?  Are you free?  What does freedom look like for you?  And what would you tell the other readers in our Uplevel community about how to experience freedom?

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Christine KaneChristine Kane is the Mentor to People Who are Changing the World. She helps women and men Uplevel their lives, their businesses and their success. Her weekly Uplevel You eZine goes out to over 20,000 subscribers. If you are ready to take your life and your world to the next level, you can sign up for a FREE subscription at http://christinekane.com.