Marcin Zgola is an Entrepreneur with 20 years of IT experience and founder of the Wage marketplace, which bridges the gap for solopreneurs.
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That headline alone begs the question, “What is an on-demand job or service?” It’s best explained with two familiar and ultra-reliable services many of us regularly use: Instacart shoppers and Uber drivers. They work when called upon and, when available, have tossed the notion of a 9-to-5 job aside and enjoy a different routine every day.
However, today’s jobs and services on-demand categories go beyond Instacart shoppers and Uber drivers. In 2021, a substantial workforce has emerged that is gravitating toward these jobs, and there is an active process of redefining what it means to achieve work-life balance. Moreover, the jobs this workforce fills are flexible, offer a variety from day-to-day and provide the foundation for owning your own business.
Jobs and services on-demand now include:
• Home Services: Landscapers, lawn care, handypersons, home organizers and house cleaners.
• Personal Services: Personal assistants, babysitters, makeup artists and hairdressers.
• Computer Services, Business and Remote Works: Computer repair and computer training.
• Animal Care: Dog walkers, dog trainers and pet sitters.
• Events and Entertainment: Party/wedding planners, photographers, videographers and entertainers.
• Automotive: Car detailers, accessories and general car repair.
• General Labor: Painting, drywall, tiling and movers.
Newly-rising categories are primarily responsible for driving the jobs and services on-demand industry to new levels, breaking through the barriers of an industry defined exclusively by car service and grocery delivery just a short time ago. Often referred to as the “gig economy,” current stats show a seismic shift in people preferring work independent of a boss and employers seeking independent contractors instead of part or full-time workers. The flexibility offered on both sides is welcomed.
Today, 36% of workers are part of the on-demand workforce and 86% of them are optimistic for an even brighter future ahead for their new career path. In addition, one in six traditional job workers aspires to become independent workers, demonstrating the potential for an even larger on-demand workforce.
For the communities in which they live and serve, on-demand job and service providers offer customers an entirely new option for how and who they call for immediate help. For example, while a costly repairman needed on a Sunday once meant Googling the closest business and waiting, people now have the option of utilizing an online platform to find a quick and more affordable alternative. Likewise, for the disappointing lawn service that tends to show up on their schedule, the online marketplace now makes it easy to replace that company with someone more invested in providing quality service.
These eager workers — called solopreneurs — are out there in large numbers, ready to assist individuals or small businesses in need, but how do you find them?
Along with the rise in solopreneurs has been the rise of online platforms and mobile apps to find and secure services. These include Uber, Lyft, Instacart, Shipt, Postmates, Grubhub, DoorDash and others (like my own company) and have become the go-to resources.
Lyft drivers serviced 21.2 million drivers in the first quarter of 2020, up from just 14 million in the first quarter of 2018. In addition, Postmates workers now deliver goods to 10 million monthly users, while Instacart has grown from a monthly loss of $25 million in 2019 to now exceeding its 2022 goals by mid-2021.
Launching my company’s platform has shown how quickly an on-demand jobs and services marketplace can take off. People are short on time these days to get things accomplished, but we’re fortunate to be living in a tech-enabled world where valuable, on-demand resources can be easily found. This exploding industry is all about offering trusted services for the community around you.
Some platforms are focused on the rise of solopreneurs and their specific offerings. They can find an audience with small and mid-sized entrepreneurs needing additional help to grow their young businesses and value in being able to post their immediate needs without the prolonged process of hiring temporary or part-time workers and developing their businesses in a cost-efficient manner.
On-demand workers mean a small or mid-sized employer isn’t obligated to provide sick pay or offer benefits and has complete control over the budget and hours worked. They’re also able to source the best fit for a specific job, with an entire pool of candidates who are eager to fill their next day or week with work. If the hired worker turns out to not be the right fit, there’s no obligation to rehire.
For solopreneurs, the new online opportunities to find and secure jobs and services on-demand and grow a network of customers means they can eventually be in a position to launch their own small business. Whether a lawn service with a growing clientele that requires a larger workforce or a photographer who finds themselves overwhelmed with upcoming weddings, solopreneurs leveraging online job platforms can find themselves formalizing their own small business in a relatively short amount of time.
Gone are the days of Instacart shoppers and Uber drivers being among the only jobs and services on-demand options out there. Due in part to the Covid-19 pandemic, a significant number of individuals who lost their jobs got creative in terms of income opportunities related to their skills and talents. Well over a year later, we now find ourselves with numerous jobs and services on-demand categories that are here to stay and a growing number of people who intend to build a flexible and rewarding career this way instead of going back to an office.
If 2020 taught us one thing, it’s that individuals who want to work differently have plenty of opportunities to do so. Moreover, those with the motivation and drive to sell their services and perform exceptional work successfully will have a solid position in this fast-growing on-demand marketplace.
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