The Weekly Independent: July 5, 2016

Being a successful independent contractor or a client of choice isn’t just about doing the best work or having the best perks. It also means staying one step ahead of the curve. That’s why each week we bring you The Weekly Independent, a quick-hit digest of news of note from around the web.

We hope everyone had a happy Independence Day. While we celebrated America’s independence this weekend, we hope that many of you celebrated your current or future independence as well. We hope this week’s news proves useful, whether you are an independent professional or a company that engages self-employed workers.

• Want to build a six-figure freelance career? Now is your time. CEO Gene Zaino speaks to Forbes about why people are more primed than ever to do this in 2016.
• We’re still talking Brexit and what it might mean for small businesses both here and overseas. Stay tuned for news from MBO Partners UK on this channel later this week.
• If this weekend made you want to test the waters of self-employment, check out this new blog piece on how you can moonlight your way into independent work.
• Grubhub is the latest in a long string of task-oriented companies being sued for misclassification. If you’re in Virginia, you might want to take note – the DOL and the state are cracking down hard.
• Will your next boss be a freelancer? Signs point to yes.
• If you haven’t already read the Department of Commerce’s report on the gig economy, this new piece by JD Supra gives some reasons why you might want to consider making the 27-page report part of your summer reading.
• Speaking of digital matching firms, more and more are getting funded. Spend Matters discusses this issue.
• The gig economy is expanding into increasingly niche markets. Steve King and Emergent Research explain why.
• Take these 23 business books with you to the beach.

Should you have any questions, we’re always here for you.

Of course, we’d love to talk virtually as well. Share your thoughts with us at MBO Partners on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, and we’ll see you again next week!