Prelims

John T. Fleming (Ideas & Design Group, USA)
Lauren Lawley Head (Lawley Head Media, USA)

Ultimate Gig

ISBN: 978-1-83982-861-4, eISBN: 978-1-83982-860-7

Publication date: 25 March 2021

Citation

Fleming, J.T. and Head, L.L. (2021), "Prelims", Ultimate Gig, Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. i-xxix. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-83982-860-720211015

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2021 John T. Fleming. Published under exclusive licence by Emerald Publishing Limited


Half Title Page

Ultimate Gig

Title Page

Ultimate Gig

Flexibility, Freedom, Rewards

by

John T. Fleming

Ideas & Design Group, USA

With

Lauren Lawley Head

Lawley Head Media, USA

United Kingdom – North America – Japan India – Malaysia – China

Copyright Page

Emerald Publishing Limited

Howard House, Wagon Lane, Bingley BD16 1WA, UK

First edition 2021

Copyright © 2021 John T. Fleming

Published under exclusive licence by Emerald Publishing Limited

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British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN: 978-1-83982-861-4 (Print)

ISBN: 978-1-83982-860-7 (Online)

ISBN: 978-1-83982-862-1 (Epub)

Abstract

Author – John T. Fleming

Editor – Lauren Lawley Head

August 27, 2020

Context: The gig economy has become a popular subject in mature markets throughout the world, especially the United States. The words were even used by the United States Congress when recently addressing the different classification of workers impacted by COVID-19. The gig economy has become a new phenomenon attracting record numbers of people to the possibility of part-time work or work that offers flexibility in how and where the work is being done. Some gig workers turn gigs into a preferred way of earning full-time income.

Gigs are not new. Part-time work has always been a possibility for those who sought incremental work opportunities. What is different about the gig economy is its innovative use of technology in connecting gig workers with a source of product, service, or client, and a consumer who is interested in making a purchase. Many gig workers now find technology to be the enabler in turning underutilized assets such as homes, rooms, and cars into income-earning opportunities. The choices in how we work, when we work, and where we work from have never been greater!

Information relative to the gig economy, the definitions and understanding of gig economy, motivations for working a gig, selecting a gig, and working a gig can be difficult to find; therefore, Ultimate Gig can help to eliminate misunderstanding and confusion when seeking to better understand the gig economy.

Ultimate Gig Title Description
Dedication Gig workers
Acknowledgments Those who make this book possible
Preface What the book is all about
Chapter 1 Welcome Defining the gig economy and types of gigs
Chapter 2 Academic Perspective Making sense of the gig economy
Chapter 3 Motivations Why people from all walks of life work gigs
Chapter 4 Gigs Redefine Entrepreneurship Gigs make microentrepreneurship easily available
Chapter 5 How Technology Is Shaping Gigs The gig economy leverages technology effectively
Chapter 6 Direct Selling – The First Gig The 100-year-plus channel of distribution is a gig
Chapter 7 Women and the Future of Gigs We explain why women appear to be the future of gigs
Chapter 8 Defining the Ultimate Gig Leverage your strengths and passions – your ultimate gig
Chapter 9 Maximizing the Potential of a Gig The guidance all gig workers need
Chapter 10 A Perspective on Challenges Identification of the obvious, solutions, resolutions
Chapter 11 Research Findings and Insights The most current research and insights on gig economy
Chapter 12 Game Changers Companies and individuals who are changing the game
Epilogue Glimpse of the Future A summary of the book, our experiences, future of work

This book is about better understanding the gig economy conversation. It is also about understanding one of the most significant labor revolutions in the past 100 years as to how work can be done. Ultimate Gig is about the value of microentrepreneurship and putting entrepreneurship tools into the hands of the masses, the crowd. This book will inspire, inform, and educate. It will help gig workers and potential gig workers better understand the incredible value of new choices that allow anyone – regardless of age or walk of life and irrespective of experience or inexperience – opportunities to leverage time and convert hours into meaningful and fulfilling work in a flexible manner.

Dedication

Today, people of all ages and from all walks of life find it possible to work in a new way. They are independent contractors using various labels to describe their approach to working when they wish and, often, from wherever they choose. These are not contractors filling typical job functions. We are referring to a new breed of workers.

Ultimate Gig is about the millions of people (approximately 60 million in the United States alone) who have embraced a new way of working. Perhaps more so than any other type of worker, gig workers have decided to bet on themselves. Gig workers understand that their success will depend on the quality of the service and products they provide to others.

We dedicate this book to the gig-providing companies and their founders who envisioned work differently, and to the new army of microentrepreneurs who bring positive change to their personal lives and the lives of those they serve.

List of Figures and Tables

Figure 1.1. Key Facts of the Gig Economy.
Figure 3.1. Wage Increases in the US Rise to the Top Earners.
Figure 3.2. Employment-cost Index for US Civilian Workers.
Figure 3.3. US Household Debt as a Percent of Disposable Income.
Figure 3.4. Total Student Loan Debt Held by the US Consumers.
Figure 3.5. Average Monthly Earnings of Gig Workers.
Figure 3.6. US Personal Savings Rate Over Time.
Figure 3.7. How US Adults Would Pay for a $400 Emergency Expense.
Figure 3.8. The Compounding Effects of Increased Monthly Savings.
Figure 4.1. Satisfaction of Gig Workers.
Figure 5.1. Types of Analytics.
Figure 6.1. Checklist for Direct Selling Components.
Figure 8.1. Ultimate Gig Checklist.
Figure 9.1. Median Savings Account Balances by Age.
Figure 9.2. The Compounding Effects of Increased Monthly Savings.
Figure 9.3. Checklist for Planning a Gig.
Figure 9.4. Daily Checklist for Transportation, Service, and Leasing Gig Workers.
Figure 9.5. Daily Checklist for Selling Gig Workers.
Figure 9.6. Diagram of Digital Communication Tools.
Figure 9.7. Architecting Your Life.
Figure 11.1. Highlights from the Ultimate Gig Survey.
Figure 11.2. Motivations for Starting a Gig.
Figure 11.3. Primary Uses for Gig Earnings.
Table 12.1. Overview of Etsy and Shopify.
Table 12.2. YouTube Creator Awards Levels.
Table 12.3. Profiles of Companies Changing the Game in the Gig Economy.

About the Author

John T. Fleming has always embraced a belief that being the first to do something different is always a choice. His parents, both educators, encouraged a belief that you accomplish what you think you can. This belief is foundational to everything John has accomplished from high school to engineering school, to working in the office of Mies Van der Rohe – the German architect recognized as being one of the “masters” of modern architecture, to direct selling entrepreneur, to an officer in one of the world’s largest and most notable direct selling company’s brands, to publisher and editor of a trade publication, to founder of Ideas & Design Group, LLC, to consultant, speaker, writer, student, researcher, advocate of microenterprise, and now author of this book.

John is also the author of The One Course, a course written to stress the importance of personal development beyond what is offered in our traditional educational system and served as a co-author with New York Times best-selling author Robert Kiyosaki (Rich Dad Poor Dad) on the book, The Business of the 21st Century.

John remains one of our country’s strongest advocates for the selling profession, the gig economy, and the independent contractors who benefit from what gig-providing companies make possible. He consistently speaks and writes about “work” being redefined and the new choices which enable people from all walks of life, regardless of age, past experience or inexperience, the opportunity to learn basic skills associated with selling and/or serving customers, and the opportunity to engage in the free enterprise system. His recognition includes Direct Selling Association Hall of Fame, Direct Selling Education Foundation Circle of Honor and Direct Selling News Lifetime Achiever.

About the Editor

Lauren Lawley Head became intrigued by the power of storytelling at an early age and has spent her career immersed in the craft.

She earned two degrees from the University of Missouri-Columbia, one in journalism and one in economics. After graduation, she combined the two in her work as a business reporter, covering retail, technology, and health care. She worked her way up through multiple newsrooms, developing a passion for interviewing entrepreneurs and sharing stories that inspire others to embrace innovation and positive change.

After a 20+ year career in journalism, Lauren took the entrepreneurial plunge herself, founding Lawley Head Media, LLC to help organizations, authors, and entrepreneurs use the power of their stories to create and launch new products, streamline content development, and implement effective marketing practices.

She is a former Senior Vice President of SUCCESS magazine, Publisher and Editor in Chief of Direct Selling News, and Editor for American City Business Journals’ Dallas Business Journal and Pittsburgh Business Times.

Preface

Ultimate Gig is about helping people better understand what the gig economy is all about. Our research and thoughts have always been focused on why gigs fuel new values, such as the desire for more flexibility and freedom in how we work. There are solid reasons why a diverse population gravitates toward work that focuses more on flexibility and freedom and the potential rewards that can be achieved.

Traditional companies embraced the idea of flextime many years ago. Once considered a risky experiment, human resource professionals found ways to bolster their company culture by offering flexible work opportunities. The idea is no longer an experiment. A growing percentage of job applicants will not be interested in traditional nine-to-five working hours. Many employees now complete part of their job during set hours in the office and the remainder when and where they choose. In some cases, employees do not work in a fixed facility at all. This type of flexible work and those who perform it are often defined as “the alternative workforce.”

COVID-19 increased the value of flexibility in how work is done. With states and countries enforcing stay-at-home orders, many businesses were forced to close their physical locations and adapt to find ways to allow people to work from their homes. The value of gig work increased as the unemployment rate soared very quickly from an all-time low to an all-time high in the United States. Some organizations even began to abandon an office-centric work environment altogether, as they found that the benefits of virtual working outweighed the disadvantages.

While the gig economy is considered a new phenomenon, the concept of gig work has been around for more than 100 years. Direct selling companies, which utilize independent contractors to handle the primary responsibility of acquiring, selling, and serving customers, offer one of the first forms of gig work. In the traditional nine-to-five work culture, the direct selling opportunities created by such trailblazing brands as Amway, Avon, Mary Kay, and Tupperware stood out. When these companies began, they offered unique opportunities for people to earn money with immense flexibility and freedom in how they completed the work. These characteristics made direct selling very attractive to women, representing approximately 75% of direct selling participants.

Today, the growing number of gigs produces even more work choices and more flexibility. The opportunity to work following personal preferences has never been more numerous. Being limited to a single source of income no longer exists. An individual's ability to increase his or her income potential is only limited by the person's objectives and the number of hours available to embrace a new activity.

There are many types of gig opportunities, and nearly as many names used to describe them. You will learn about each as you continue to read. The gig economy has provided all ages and backgrounds with opportunities that are not linked to the qualifications you would typically find on a résumé.

This book will take you on a journey, one that is easy-to-read at times, and more academic in approach at other times. We tell a story based on personal and collective perspectives gained from many years of working as an independent contractor and in support of independent contractors. Our work began with natural curiosity, study, and ultimately the formal research we just completed.

This story is about the revolution taking place in how work is performed and the diverse motivations that have attracted more people to part-time work than perhaps any other time in history. We are focused on making sense out of the gig economy to benefit those who seek gigs and provide gigs. We think you will find the information we share to be very valuable to the objectives that caused you to acquire a book such as this one.

This book will inform, inspire, and motivate. It may serve to answer questions, and it may help confirm decisions that gig-providing companies are evaluating. It will provide insights and guidance to those working or seeking a gig. Parts of this book may serve as a teaching tool or a means to confirm your decision about engaging in a gig opportunity.

This book is about understanding the conversation and understanding one of the most significant revolutions in the past 100 years as to how work can be done. It is about the value of microentrepreneurship and putting entrepreneurial tools into the hands of the masses. It may trigger discussions that need to be scheduled, and it may trigger the reexamination of strategic plans. This book will help gig workers better understand the incredible value of new choices that allow anyone – regardless of age or walk of life and irrespective of experience or inexperience – to leverage time and convert hours into meaningful and fulfilling work.

Many of us have lived through times when, regardless of our experience or educational background, we could not leverage more hours into more possibilities because we could not find the flexibility we needed. Perhaps you have experienced a time when predefined work schedules did not fit within your life's constraints or conflicted with your chosen values, such as how you wished to care for your family. You may have experienced times when a flexible work arrangement would have served as a bridge between the last job and the next long-term opportunity you were pursuing. You may have determined you needed to work again after formally retiring because your retirement plan did not work as you had envisioned. Or you may have been looking for an entrepreneurial opportunity that offered minimal risk.

Today's gig-providing companies have created what past generations hoped to find: flexible work opportunities that can be engaged by the masses. The dreams of yesteryear have become today's realities and possibilities. This book is about the gig economy. We hope you enjoy the journey.

Acknowledgments

We might readily agree that ideas fuel the evolution of wisdom and knowledge. This book is the result of ideas shared by a multitude of others who, perhaps, never realized the meaning to me of the thoughts they shared.

Capturing and recording ideas is hard work. As an architectural student, I learned quickly that every idea could not be transformed into real design and real plans that lead to the construction of actual structures. Therefore, writing a book on the gig economy phenomena was both a big and scary idea.

When I shared the idea with a couple of close friends, Kate Gardner and Alan Luce, they said, “Let's do this!” Alan Luce is a principal of Strategic Choice Partners and an attorney with many years of experience working within and in support of the direct selling model. He is a dear friend who I first met when he was chief legal officer at Tupperware Brands. Over the years, I have had many conversations with Alan relative to independent contractors and how best to support their efforts. Alan shared much insight into the topic and contributed specifically to the thoughts and insights shared in Chapter 6. Kate Gardner, principal of GardnerCo, LLC, is another exceptional friend. Kate was enthusiastic about this project from the beginning and facilitated the capturing of many of the testimonials sprinkled throughout the book. Kate also helped open many doors, introducing us to many others who became supportive of what we were doing.

Next, I knew I would need the input of a few academics. I called my friend, Dr. Greg Marshall, the Charles Harwood Professor of Marketing and Strategy at Rollins College's Crummer Graduate School of Business in Winter Park, Florida. I shared the idea of writing a book on the gig economy phenomenon and its impact on redefining work and the composition of the labor force. I asked Greg if he would be interested. When he also said, “Let's do this!” I knew that we were on to something that could be meaningful to everyone seeking to make sense of the gig economy, its impact on the marketplace, and, most importantly, the labor force. Greg wrote Chapter 2.

When Lauren Lawley Head, principal of Lawley Head Media, became interested in the role of Ultimate Gig Project Manager, I knew we had a core team that could do the work. Lauren is the ultimate project manager. She brings the poise, experience, and a very organized approach to the reporting and storytelling associated with this project. We were fortunate that Lauren, also a dear friend, was available to assume the role of editor and project leader. Lauren has read and reread every word of every chapter. The fine-tuning only ended when the manuscript was submitted to our publisher.

We are also very proud of the core team, including two graduate students, Christian Panier and Christina Schreiber of Rollins College's Crummer Graduate School of Business, who contributed to this work. Lauren worked with the graduate students weekly to ensure their experience with the project was a gratifying learning experience. There are so many details to be covered when writing a book and so many questions. Christian and Christina helped a lot, and we are grateful for their contributions and to Dr. Deborah Crown, Dean of the Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins College, for considering work on our project worthy of the time invested by two outstanding graduate students.

Our publisher, Emerald Publishing Limited, United Kingdom, is precisely the type of publisher we sought. I was introduced to Emerald Publishing and Senior Publisher Andrew Pert over a dinner suggested by Dr. Marshall. Emerald is a global publisher known for its focus on research. Emerald CEO Vicky Williams shares in a statement on the Emerald website: “At Emerald we're all guided by one thing which is to find and share research which challenges, disrupts and changes the world – little by little – for the better.” I knew we had a story to tell from a unique perspective. The possibility of being in the Emerald community of outstanding writers and researchers kept us awake for a few nights. We are proud to be in the Emerald community.

We are also profoundly grateful to those who became sponsors of our efforts. The support of Robert Cavitt, CEO of Jenkon Inc., has been invaluable. His visionary leadership and willingness to participate served to inspire us to take on the project. I have known Robert for close to 20 years. Throughout the tenure of our friendship, I always found Robert to be very interested in sharing his wisdom or, as the expression goes, paying it forward. Robert always wants to make a personal contribution to the welfare of others, the education of others, and the future of others. I know Robert runs a very successful company; however, I never hear him talk that much about his success. He is always more comfortable talking about what the future will be like. His company is a technology company, so it was most fitting for Robert to become the primary contributor to the chapter on technology.

John Parks, of John A Parks Company, Inc. – Insurance Agency, a long-time friend, who has always been innovative in seeking and providing insurance products and services to support independent contractors also contributed to the ideas we explored relative to the new type of safety-net gig workers will need in the future to enhance and encourage participation in the gig economy as a gig worker.

Stephanie McVeigh, Founder, and CEO of Strategic Incentive Solutions, Inc., a travel incentive company based in Canada, brought to us insights relative to the importance of incentives in inspiring human behavior. We were grateful to be introduced to Stephanie by Kate Gardner.

Toward the end of our quest to identify needed support for the project, we were fortunate to meet Paul Beldham, CEO, and Karen Dworaczyk, Chief Revenue Officer, at PayQuicker. Good friend Kelly Thayer made the introduction. Both Karen and Paul have been a joy to work with. Our relationship will yield much more information and data as we continue our work long after publishing this book. Their contribution to the chapter on technology enlightened us to the importance of prompt compensation once work is done, which is also a part of the labor revolution we are experiencing.

In this book, we tell a story. It is based on personal and collective perspectives gained from many years of working as an independent contractor and in support of independent contractors. And it would not have been possible without the dozens of gig workers who were willing to share their personal stories and experiences with us. You will find glimpses of these conversations throughout the book, but the depth and breadth of their contributions are infused throughout our work.

As of this writing, our research is the most current and insightful conducted on the gig economy. In this book, we share highlights. We also acknowledge the importance of the contributions of Dr. Robert A. Peterson for encouraging us to conduct formal research to gain empirical data to support the ultimate gig project, and we did. Dr. Peterson is a professor at The University of Texas at Austin, where he holds the John T. Stuart III Chair in Business Administration. A former vice president of the university, he was recently honored by the government of Portugal when it named the first supercomputer in Portugal after him (“BOB”). Working with Dr. Peterson has been one of the great experiences of this project, and we are grateful for the time he gave us.

Others who contributed their time, insights, helped to arrange conferences, provided interviews, contributed to articles, and helped to connect our dots when we needed, included: Kerry Tassopoulos Esq., The Tassopoulos Law Firm, Yogi Shankar, Founder and CEO Prescriptive Insights, Inc., Vince Han, Founder, CEO Mobile Coach, Lori Bush, Cofounder, CEO of Solvasa Beauty, Inc., Janet Meeks, Author of Gracious Leadership: Lead Like You Have Never Led Before, Maria Locker, Founder, CEO, RevolutionHER, Milind Pant, CEO, Amway Corporation, Sheryl Adkins-Green, CMO, Mary Kay, Kevin Guest, Chairman, CEO, USANA Health Sciences, Cindy Droog, Amway Corporation, and Melissa Fields, USANA Health Sciences and Margaret Jones, Mary Kay. Our conversations with each provided value beyond their actual contributions.

There are also friends, new and enduring, who impacted our thinking. I remember listening to Dr. Keenan Yo Ho, Crummer Graduate School of Business, Rollins College, speak on innovation and creativity. Dr. Yo Ho helped me to understand real innovation better. That understanding transferred to an even greater appreciation for the innovation gig providing companies bring to the subject of work and how it can be done. Stuart Johnson, Founder and CEO of SUCCESS Partners, a long-time dear friend, keeps me inspired simply through our conversations relative to what inspires others to do what they do. Stuart remains a positive source of information, education, and inspiration available through both the SUCCESS and Direct Selling News brands. Teresa Craighead, Publisher of Social Selling News, is another who serves to keep us informed and inspired through the work that they do. Brett Duncan and his team at Strategic Choice Partners, especially Brooke Hawkins, a talented graphic artist and digital asset builder, and Clark Diemer, Left Hook Videos, stepped up at the very beginning and said, we support you. We are indebted to them for their ongoing support of our website, video, and social media work. Bobbie Wasserman, principal and owner of Wave 2 Alliances, has always been there when I had a question or needed guidance on how to find the answer to a question. Marcia Allen, principal and owner of Marci Designs, helped us launch our first publication, the Ultimate Gig Special Report. It was Marci's very creative and unique approach to design and layout that made the Ultimate Gig Special Report interesting, appealing, and easy-to-read.

I also acknowledge the personal experience gained from being able to work with Cindy and Scott Monroe, founders of Thirty-One Gifts. During what became many years of association, I learned firsthand how owners of a direct selling company approached the founding and management of their business in a manner that always focused on strong principles and values and the people who represented the brand. Through the association with Thirty-One Gifts, I also met two extraordinary people: Janet Meeks, author and former chief executive of a large and well-respected medical complex, and Kerri Anderson, former Chief Financial Officer and Chief Executive Officer at Wendy's International. The working relationship and friendship impacted personal thinking about many things, this book included.

I would like to thank those who invited me to speak on the subject of gig economy when we first started our research: Kate Gardner and Bret Duncan, founders of theJuice networking breakfasts for executives; Al Bala and Landen Fredrick, the CEO and CSO of Mannatech Inc.; Peter Maddox, president of the Canadian Direct Selling Association; Joe Mariano and Melissa Brunton, president and vice president of the U.S. Direct Selling Association. Thanks also to Sonya Cooper Turner, a personal consultant and friend over many years, for your encouraging support. Brian Connolly and Larry Thompson, the conversations always mean more than you know. Larry, your invitations to speak at your Gig Summits provided opportunities to share research and gain the feedback of an audience. Your events definitely impacted my thinking.

Special acknowledgment is extended to family members who often wondered, “What in the world are they doing?” A project such as this requires work beyond traditional working hours. There are long days and some nights that turn into days. The sunrise is most amazing after a long night. Lauren's husband, David, is an invaluable support and creative sounding board. Their two sons, David and Alexander, are growing up alongside the gig economy. Seeing the world's possibilities and optimism through their eyes is inspiring, and getting to enjoy their smiles and laughter makes every day brighter.

Personally, I hope that my family – my wife, Joyce, my son John and his wife Nicole, my daughter Kassandra and her husband Mel, and our grandchildren Kennedy and Hunter – will one day realize their pop-pop gathered together a great group of people who researched and wrote about a subject beginning to change and revolutionize the way we work. My oldest granddaughter Kennedy will graduate from Southern Methodist University with one of her first degrees within a couple of years. I do not expect her to work in a traditional format. The format will be quite different. The youngest granddaughter, Hunter (10 years), is way too smart ever to be confined nine to five! It just will not happen, or at least that is my prediction.

My personal friends also mean a lot to me, more than they will ever know. It is through special friendships and the interaction that thoughts are formed, sometimes cultivated but always encouraging. I am now talking about those friends who I hold in a category far beyond friendship. I love that even though we do not physically see one another often, we always know what we mean to each other. Our conversations inspire me to think differently and always be full of gratitude for so many things that we experience. A few of us go back to first grade; others go back to times when we rode stick horses and played with whatever we could find. Remember marbles??? I doubt that you do. Bobby, Clem, Willie B., Willie D., Charles, Delores, Armenta, Vondell, Ralph, Elaine, Thomas, Jim T. all of these special friends have impacted my life and my way of thinking, and I am grateful. Joanne, my first cousin and retired educator, loves to write poems. They have always inspired me to capture thoughts in words.

My last acknowledgment is extended to everyone I have had to pleasure of interacting. Your stories and experiences helped to shape my experiences and the contributions I have attempted to make. I close with the last paragraph of the poem Desiderata.

And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be. And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

Max Ehrmann © 1927