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TED Business

Do you have what it takes to freelance?

TED Business

TED

Business, Modupe Akinola, Ted Business Podcast, Business Leadership Podcast, Ted Talks Business, Ted Modupe, Ted Talks

41.2K Ratings

🗓️ 21 November 2022

⏱️ 11 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

A 2016 survey of freelancers in six countries found that those who freelance by choice– 70% of respondents– were happier than people in traditional jobs, specifically when it came to things like independence and flexibility in terms of where and when they work. So what does it take to be a successful freelancer? Explore the benefits and drawbacks of the gig economy. This was originally an animated TED-Ed lesson.

It was directed by Christoph Sarow, AIM Creative Studios, narrated by George Zaidan and the music is by André Aires. After the lesson, our host Modupe shares more things to consider before plunging into freelance work.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Ted Audio Collective

0:07.0

Over the past decade, many people I know have become freelancers.

0:12.6

These are folks who work for themselves full-time, like my friend who does voiceover work,

0:18.2

or some business school classmates who left corporate America to start small consulting

0:22.8

practices.

0:24.9

These are also people who have added a bit of freelancing to their money-making plates,

0:30.4

like my friend who does interior design on the side, or my fellow academics who have side

0:35.8

gigs providing advisory services in their area of expertise.

0:41.2

We all know the obvious benefits of freelancing, but what about the downsides?

0:47.6

If you're someone who feels stuck in their 9-5, freelancing may seem glamorous.

0:54.3

You get to make your own schedule, you have multiple streams of income, you get to be

0:58.8

the boss.

1:00.3

But the reality is, each person's journey can look very different, even in the same industry

1:06.3

or field.

1:07.8

So what does it take to be a successful freelancer, and how do you figure out if it's something

1:13.6

that's right for you?

1:20.2

I'm Madu back in Ola, this is Ted Business.

1:24.0

Today, you'll hear a talk from Ted Ed, a Ted initiative full of ideas in research intended

1:30.2

to spark the curiosity of learners everywhere.

1:33.9

In this talk, you'll learn about the origins of freelancing, the steps required to become

1:39.2

a freelancer, and the benefits and drawbacks of the gig economy.

1:44.0

Then after the talk, I'll share a few more things to consider for those pursuing self-employment.

...

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