Here we go again… The power shift. The pendulum swing. The force of hand.  Just when the dust was starting to settle in this new post-pandemic era, someone comes along to rain on our parade all over again. Just when you thought you were finally in control, the rug is swept from right underneath you. The new buzzword, “Contract-for-hire,” is the culprit.  And it’s very clever. Perhaps a little sneaky. Hey, maybe downright manipulative.

Freelancers, a recession is coming! When we hear the word 'recession' our immediate tendency is to panic and start preparing for the worst. Cut back on spending, batten down the hatches, and hunker down until it's all over. It's a perfectly logical position to take. Every newspaper, blog article, Tweet and media outlet constantly reminding us of it's devastating impact. Whilst this is true (minus the hyperbola) for so many businesses and employees who will sadly feel the effects of an economic downturn, for freelancers it's an entirely different story.

As we enter a new year, we dust off the old crystal ball and take a look at how trends, tech, and economic predictions could help freelancers prepare for 2023. 

There’s a new beauty trend taking hold of the internet. Long gone are the days of using make-up to conceal your blotchy face in the bathroom at work, now the make-up artists of Tik-Tok have made tears fashionable. 

The Freelancer Club is delighted to announce a new partnership with Ninety One Living Room, a vibrant creative space located in the heart of Brick Lane, Shoreditch. Ninety One represents our first Club House location in Shoreditch, London. As a Freelancer Club member, you’ll be able to enjoy super-fast Wi-Fi, plenty of comfortable spots to work from both in and outdoors and major discounts on food, drink and even their spacious private meeting rooms for hire.

After the last few years of pandemic restrictions, it’s understandable that people are feeling a little disconnected from each other. This separation can often have an impact on our creativity, and stifle the growth of our businesses, whether as a freelancer or a client. While some may think that hiring a freelancer is all about matching their skills to a particular task, it’s equally important to determine the kinds of personalities that you enjoy working with. Cultivating strong, long-term relationships with compatible freelancers will always produce better results for your business.

On the 1st of May, Freelancer Club is launching its first international location in New York City. We’re starting small, focusing on photographers, models and hair/makeup artists within the Brooklyn area, before gradually branching out to the rest of the city and beyond. We decided to start in Brooklyn thanks to its vibrant creative scene, full of exceptional creative individuals who are feeling disconnected and undervalued. Those we spoke to highlighted the need for a community platform such as the Freelancer Club to help them facilitate connections in a more meaningful way.

Whilst the numbers of female freelancers have been steadily rising since 2008, they still make up less than half of the UK’s freelance workforce. But it’s not enough to simply have more women in the workplace. Over 46% of women found that freelancing proved to be more of a challenge than they expected - with the figures showing a pattern of unique issues plaguing the female entrepreneurs attempting to advance their freelance careers. What are these issues and why are there still so many?