Actors and Actions: more of micropreneurship in the sharing economy
Many of us have had the distinct feeling of emptiness when we have to go and do the same thing every day, hoping one of those days something happens and our paths would be corrected to time freedom and wealth. Don’t get me wrong: many people actually love what they do on a daily basis, and wealth is not only about money, but could also be about health, happiness and spirituality. My point is many of us do want to get where we want to be every day, and actually do a little bit everyday to make that a reality. But usually it take long time and relentlessness.
I strongly believe the sharing economy is giving us the chance to make this happen quicker and on the side of our regular activities, or even better, as a full time income making machine.
After we realise that our daily activities are collaborating in such a small portion to our wellbeing goals, we are ready to take some first steps to look for new horizons.
Freelancing is a good starting point. There are literally thousands of websites that have something needed to be done, and chance are your skills, whatever they may be, are suitable to fulfill that necessity. It can start on the side, and if you are organised and a little bit of a manager for your own gig, you will end up doing it as a living.
Freelancing is an early form of open market in the digital era. It is now well established and known around the net for quite a while. It comprises all characteristics of sharing marketplaces, only lacking the ubiquitous nature of today’s market. This obstacle is overcomes now tho. Freelancing was the first approaches to rating systems and portfolio building proven a success, helping providers and consumers to trust online systems and online actors alike.
This same notion of skilfulness can be very well transferred to the sharing economy trend. We have discussed this before: have time or assets being idle, just get them to good use in any of the hundreds of marketplaces there are around. Sell things in eBay, drive your car in Uber, rent your spare rooms in Airbnb, do some tasks in Airtasker, etc. It is up to you to take the leap.
The interesting part of this deal is that anyone can do it.
If you are young and ambitious, then strength is your ally to make something meaningful with your the extra time.
If you are older and have had many battles fought, it may be time to put your spoils of war to make some side money for you.
It is amazing the amount of over 50s doing sharing economy gigs, or having any kind of presence in sharing economy markets. Not only the assumption of having a paid for house and empty nest syndrome to rent some rooms out in Airbnb, but many other gig apps allows them to stay sharp and at the service of others. Furthermore, if you have worked all your life and want a little extra for a more comfortable day by day, quick jobs are the way to go: managing your own time and effort, not depending 100% on the money made then.
There are plenty of opportunity and options out there to get where you want to be in life. Most of us are eager to be our better versions. Probably having time to help around, travel the world or just indulge ourselves. No matter what our last aim is, the new ways of economics are enabling easy access to part time and full time money, for everybody.
