Gig Economy: How Technology Is Helping Giggers Build Companies

By J. Navarra | Apr 02, 2016 08:07 AM EDT

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According to Paul Krugman, an economist, the future will see computers handling everything. Robots are going to take over the world - so to speak. Menial tasks in manufacturing and hardware will replace people. However, there are jobs that can only be done by humans like plumbing and gardening. Which is why Mike Montgomery, a Forbes writer, says that a higher value will be placed on jobs that a computer can't do.

But starting that path is not easy. Entrepreneurs of today, in those fileds, are finding it difficult to find customers. Freelancing skilled laborers spend more time marketing themselves than getting work. Building a business from the ground up, including inventories, invoicing, and even payroll takes time. Which is why the gig economy, or the personal enterprise economy, will soon be valued.

And it's already starting. A company like Thumbtack connects these giggers with customers. Platforms like Thumbtack are rising which will enable these giggers to build on their companies. They are incredibly important as the economy continues to evolve and change. Bigger companies would rather outsource than hire a full-time worker. Giggers are acquiring skills and certifications that makes them even more marketable than in-house employees. The Gig Economy is building itself today and these entrepreneurs are benefiting from it.

Currently, Thumbtack represents house painters, piano teachers, massage therapists and many others. According to the company, a Thumbtack professional, who has only a high school education, earns $20,000 more per year.

This is the new face of the gig economy. Montgomery writes that, "If platforms like Uber, Airbnb and TaskRabbit got consumers comfortable with the concept, sites like Thumbtack (and Etsy, Mechanical Turk and Upwork) are helping people build full-time jobs around what they love to do and what they're best at doing."

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