Blog

We’ve seen the rise of the Independent Party, Independent Film, Independent Music, and Independent Media, but there seems to be a new movement afoot that just might be more important than all combined, the rise of the Independent Professional.  While the other “Independent” movements impact, or have the potential to impact, our two party system, our entertainment, and our ways of consuming information, none have the potential to affect our economy or our livelihood as much as the Independent Professional movement.  While the magnitude of the movement is still developing, there are many reasons to believe that this “Free Agent Nation” (as Daniel Pink dubs it) is here to stay:

• Loyalty between employees and companies continues to deteriorate
• Increased Labor Specialization is driving companies to seek niche service providers from outside their four walls
• The Networked World is providing ever more opportunities for career development and learning outside of the corporation
• Technologies are arising that enable independents and businesses to engage around projects on an as needed basis, rather than extended contractual based relationships
• Costs for businesses to hire and retain employees continue to rise
• Unique providers are stepping up to fill the benefits and insurance void for independent professionals historically filled by the corporate world

Over the next few weeks I’ll explore each of these in more detail.  If there are other factors that I have left out, either supporting or undermining the rise of the Independent Professional, let me know, and I’ll do my best to incorporate.
 

 

One of the things that the team at Mavenlink is most proud of and vows to protect is the high quality of the Mavens that have joined our charter community. There is no question that the individuals and firms that have signed up to date are impressive both in the depth of there expertise and there ability to deliver valuable services to the small business clients that need there help. As we continue to roll out new features to showcase the talents of our Mavens, you will see us work passionately to maintain the high caliber of professionals that we hope our clients and maven community come to expect from Mavenlink.

Measures in place:

1. Screening of Maven profiles, backgrounds and experience
2. Requiring real names and robust profiles for transparency on the site
3. Linkages to other social and business networks
4. Community Feedback- Ratings provided by peers and Clients relating to quality of services and real work performed on Mavenlink
5. Building a business model that targets quality of service not quantity of providers or bidders
6. Groups for peer to peer development and education

Upcoming Maven Programs:

1. Updates to the find a Maven experience
2. Enhancement of the Maven Profile and Mavenlink promotion and marketing of individual Mavens
3. Training, Skill Development and Career Development to succeed as Mavens in the new economies of work
4. Additional Screens to validate certifications, background
5. Development of a business connections within Mavenlink focused on expanding your trusted personal network for getting work done

Our goals for these initiatives are pretty straightforward. The quality of the Maven community is critical to build Client trust. When deciding whether or not to conduct work within Mavenlink, we know potential Clients are interested in assessing not only the Mavenlink platform but also the resources available to them, often starting their evaluation of the site at Meet our Mavens. The expertise and targeted coverage of our Maven community will continue to be a differentiator for us all. Additionally, we want to develop a level of trust between Mavens, enabling the community to swarm together and collaborate where appropriate to solve complex, multi disciplinary challenges and projects. If we are successful in developing a strong and talented pool of expert providers, there is limitless potential in the work that can be done by the community. If we are successful, Mavenlink will be a site that enhances, not detracts, your personal brand.