Maybe you missed a recital. Maybe you missed a night out with friends. Maybe you were late to dinner with your significant other. Maybe you just can’t conceive of staring at the polyblended-tweed interior of your 9-5 cubicle another day.
Maybe you – or your loved ones – have had enough.
Listen. You’re a marriedpreneur – you know that sacrifices are part and parcel to the territory, right?
You’re likely relegated to being the master-of-all-trades, wearing all the hats and juggling all the plates – and with limited time, energy and resources to get it all done.
But oh, what a time to be alive – and a sole proprietor. Sure, the latter part of that sentence isn’t quite as romantic as the former but if you’re the only employee of your business, you couldn’t have imagined a better time to go it alone.
Because not too long ago – only a few years if you’re counting along at home – the skies opened and the angels sang and a new phenomenon was bestowed unto us: the on-demand economy.
Granted, that exact phrase, on-demand economy, may not sound immediately familiar – but you know what will? Uber. Shipt. Fiverr. Airbnb.
With us now? We thought so. And you’re not alone.
Because according to a Harvard Business Review report, 22.4 million customers are spending $57.6 billion – yes, ‘billion’ with a ‘b’ – per year on these services. And these services are what have helped shape what is now known as the on-demand economy, a sector of the economy composed exclusively of companies that use online platforms to offer their goods and services to consumers on-demand.
And while these goods and services benefit consumers personally, the advent of this new economy has enabled single-employee businesses to thrive.
How?
With no other employees to whom they can delegate, on-demand companies have made any goods or services that can be purchased, hired or ordered through an app or website available to sole proprietors – at their fingertips, at the click of a button. And in our push-button-get-banana society, that kind of instant professional gratification proves priceless.
The on-demand economy’s influence has changed the way individuals work on a day-to-day basis. Where once we all boasted, ‘There’s an app for that,’ we now can blow the doors off traditional business models as sole employees and delegate like no one’s looking – because, well, no one actually is. You’re on your own, remember?
So how, exactly, can these cyber ‘staffers’ occupy all the ‘cubicles’ necessary to successfully run a business?
- Flexibility. The on-demand economy now affords sole proprietors the ability to adapt the patterns of their work life around that of their personal life, and not the other way around. With work-life balance becoming a huge focus, businesses have responded with remote working policies, flexible scheduling, and even unlimited vacation days. And if you’re a lone-wolf employee? You can now choose to work from home -or- enjoy the company of others while working remotely from a cowork commune – and those to whom you delegate can enjoy the same flexibility, too.
And (double) BONUS: They not only provide reliable wifi, but they also give you a professional brick-and-mortar for when you need to meet with clients – or prospective clients – face-to-face.
- Options. It’s basic supply and demand, really. If we demand it, they will supply it. Businesses are being forced to adapt and respond to the changing demands of consumers, clamoring to fill voids that exist in their respective industries. Whatever your need, there’s likely an on-demand service for that. And if there isn’t, you can be sure there will be – and soon. And since competition breeds innovation and superior goods and services, it’s only a matter of time before the cream rises to the top – and you can then delegate to the crème de la crème.
- Independence. Sure, there are those who prefer to work for other people and find opportunities within traditionally structured companies – and that’s great. But if you prefer to play your own drum and march to its beat, the on-demand economy provides you the impossibly fertile landscape to do just that – and the willing-and-able bodies, too. With on-demand virtual service lines, you can delegate tasks like managing your payables and receivables, organizing your schedule, calendar and inbox, and keeping your website -and- its content fresh and up-to-date.
THINK: Ahem. Virtual Assistants. Bookkeepers. Social Media Strategists. Website Specialists.
- Personalization. Most consumers have now had a tempting taste of personalized goods and services – like streaming services that cater to your exact interests according to algorithm – and unsurprisingly, they want more. Such specificity in demand presents infinite opportunities for single-employee businesses that operate in industries where on-demand services haven’t yet been developed or are lacking – leaving the door wide open for someone to do it better, faster and with more personalization.
The on-demand economy shows no signs of slowing as its growth is revolutionizing countless aspects of the American workplace and workforce – and radically reshaping the way we work and delegate.
So pay no attention to that (wo-)man behind the curtain. They’ve got it all covered.
And if you’re ready to have it all covered, BELAY can help with experienced remote team members ready to help your organization climb higher – today.
