Note From Matthew

Predicting the future is always tricky, but one thing is certain about the future of work: freelancers and the companies embracing freelance are leading the way.

In this newsletter, we’ll show you data that proves there’s no such thing as a permanent workforce. Instead of a default full time workforce, recent data makes it clear that companies that win have a clear strategy for accessing, attracting, and growing their freelance workforce.

Overall, freelance demand is picking up. It’s not like 2022. 80-90% of platforms are seeing lower revenue, poor client acquisition, and an overall poor economy. But freelance leader confidence is maintaining between 85-90%, and a slew of acquisitions and company interest seeks to make 2025 a good year (probably not as good as 2022, but better than Q3 of 2023 to Q2 of 2024.

Before I hop, we want to hear from you! What content, or insights do you need? What guests do you want to see on the podcast? You know we’re always an email away!

– Matthew Mottola , CEO

What’s In This Edition

• 🇩🇪 Malt‘s Freelance Forward – 150+ German Executives ready to embrace freelance
• 💡  The Future Is Freelance – MBO’s State of Independence makes it clear that the independent workforce is here to stay
• 💸  Business Case – It’s budget season…how are you unlocking $500k for a freelance program?
• 🥳  Dictionary Famous – Human Cloud makes it in the dictionary
• 🍻 Cheers From Ireland – Indie List Joins The Pod

🇩🇪 Learnings From 150+ German Executives 🇩🇪

Our CEO Matthew Mottola recently keynoted to over 150 German Executives and led two panels for Malt’s Freelance Forward Summit in Berlin and Munich.

Matthew’s Key Takeaway: Companies are eager to be strategic, but they must embrace education and invest in freelance as a strategic growth driver. This means Companies must approach freelance with a “white piece of paper” rather than relying on existing frameworks, tools, and traditional talent solutions and strategies (I’m talking to you contingent talent programs).

Over the next couple of months we’ll share our learnings and how companies can be on the forefront of work.

>> Download the Presentation >>

 

💡 The Future Is Freelance, And We Have The Data To Prove It 💡

MBO Partners just released their State of Independence in America Report for 2024, a 14 year running study that’s been the backbone of charting the rise in the independent workforce.

What The Report Shows: Clear proof that the independent workforce isn’t a fad, but a seismic shift in how individuals choose to work. Here’s our favorite chart showing the doubling of full time independent’s since 2020.

What’s most impressive to us is the continuous growth amongst an economic climate of layoffs, inflation, and overall uncertainty. If freelance were a fad, this number would decrease. Instead, individuals opting for full time independence increased for three reasons – independents are happier, healthier, and wealthier.

1. Happier: 84% say they are happier working independently
2. Healthier: 79% say it’s better for their health to work for themself
3. Wealthier: 65% say they feel more secure working independently, and the number of independents making over $100,000 grew 2% to 4.7 million in 2024.

What Companies Need To Know:Along with an abundant talent pool, independents are also embracing AI. 65% of Independents are using Gen AI today, up from 37% in 2023, and 95% say it makes them more competitive. We’re willing to bet this openness and rate of upskilling is higher than your full time workforce.

Want to learn more? We had Miles on the podcast to break down the data. Check it out!

💸 Unlocking $500k For Your Freelance Program 💸

It’s budget and 2025 planning season – are you sending the right memo’s and proposals to unlock budget for freelance? We’ve been really excited to see our slides and data used across corporate investment and strategy memo’s. Here’s what we’ve seen work.

Most Popular: Three Horizon Framework

Runner Up’s

What is Freelance? Just technologies answer for work.

Why Freelance? Platforms have immediate speed, efficiency, and quality.

What if you don’t? You’re inability to ship on time will get you disrupted.

 

🥳 Human Cloud Is Dictionary Famous 🥳

Matthew Mottola’s article on self employment is used as an example in the dictionary!

 

Ireland’s Leading Marketing Platform Joins The Pod

Úna Herlihy and Peter McPartlin , both industry vets, started The Indie List , Ireland’s leading marketing platform 4 years ago. Since then they’ve been a case study for how to build a thriving freelance platform. They’ve been equal parts innovative and relationship driven as they do more than just provide a marketplace, they provide an end to end white glove experience for the best in business marketing experience.

One Last Thing…

• Add your company to Human Cloud’s Industry Landscape. Or make sure your information is accurate, we’re tracking 297 companies and averaging 5 new companies a week.
• Check our Presentation Hubto rock your next keynote, leadership meeting, or board meeting.
• Apply to be a guest or sponsor the #1 global podcast on the freelance economy.

About Human Cloud

Human Cloud is the global advisory firm at the intersection of technology and work. Fueled with over a decade of experience scaling digital first models across various environments, Human Cloud bridges the gap between technology promise and commercial realization for digital first work models that will become the global default by 2030.

Human Cloud helps three major segments of the global economy. (1) Human Cloud helps large, Fortune 500 enterprises integrate digital first work models within their talent strategy so they can scale digital first workforces. (2) Human Cloud helps industry solutions like talent platforms, talent providers, and talent applications adapt to enterprise needs, connect with industry peers, and access market intelligence so they can grow sustainable businesses. (3) Human Cloud helps governments and investment firms make strategic decisions into how their portfolios and initiatives should embrace freelance solutions.