F*CK Layoffs - Building a purposeful life doing what you love
A love letter for those in despair over the workforce change and layoffs. Hang on little tomato …
REALITY CHECK
With all the recent layoff news from the tech world, one cannot stop but wonder if these are all deliberated on the part of the tech companies. “Don’t they have just a sh*tload of money? Are they just using Twitter layoffs as an excuse to adjust their hiring pool? Is this JUST another attempt by our capitalist overlords to keep the working people in check?”
Take Ada, who had been working at one of these tech companies for 3 years, super excited about the prospect of the high-profile job right out of school. She doesn’t know anything else except for the team and the culture that she had been a part of. Sure, she had long to explore the outside world beyond the tech giants, but the comfort of a steady paycheck (and a high one at that!) always prevent her from leaping. We’ve all been there. “We’ve all had to do things we don’t want to” is the excuse we often tell ourselves.
Then suddenly, Ada got the news that her team has been downsized. Imposter syndrome creeps in. “Is there something that I did wrong? If I would only have been a little bit more proactive, a little bit more hard work, stayed a little longer at work, voice my opinions a little less…” Just a little less is what we expect from a full-time job these days in exchange for the security that it brings.
We live in a world where the demands of our corporates suck the soul out of good, meaningful work. Why else would we see the rise of Quiet Quitting and the Great Resignation? Some blame it on the “entitlement of this generation”, namely Gen-Z, but if we are being honest with ourselves, Gen-Z isn’t the only generation affected by the recent workforce migration, and they are not that different from us Millennials from the so-called “entitlement claims.” We can attribute the change to the recent COVID-pandemic, but again let’s be honest, this nagging feeling of “I don’t want to go to work to selling another *** thing that no one need” has been there for a long time.
It’s important to recognize that the resigning trend at the end of a year in the US is not strange or new. However, what we experienced in vivid detail over 2 years of lockdown is that our options of “other ways of working” have become much more visible and accessible. The pandemic has given us a glimpse into what it is like to live and work in our comfortable and chosen environment. It also gives us an assurance that Yes, we can be away from other humans and survive until we choose to engage. Suddenly, the thing that we look forward to the most in an office setting (that time when Kit dropped by our desk to gift us with a dinosaur poo fossil from his own Hawaiian adventure) becomes tolerable to do without. And above all, work and value alignment become just ever more prevalent and existential as our environment and society are at a division and crisis tipping points that if we don’t do anything about it, this generation will be the truly F*CKED one.
When all is said and done and the exits are final whether by choice or by force, where do all these people go?
A CHANGE HAS GOT TO COME
Now I am not a critic of full-timers. I understand the benefits and have benefited from this structure whether directly or indirectly. I have worked at the best ad agencies in the world, consultancies such as BCG and PwC, late-round startups like Casper, early seed startups within the Techstars and Startup Leadership Program systems to name a few, non-profits, and not to mention up and down the line of Fortune 500 companies such as American Express, Samsung, Barclays, etc. I’ve founded 2 startups and taken our current freelancer-focused startup TAILORU to profit after a short two years. Anywhere you’ve thought about working, I’ve been there. If you’re just starting in your career, being a part of these teams gives you the structure, mentorship, and stability to learn at someone’s else dime. Heck, I may still go for full-time in the future if life and opportunities arise. I get it, the pull is attractive as hell.
However, my recent experience working with new groups of individuals and companies who chose to build their businesses around freelancers had painted an alternative picture of what can be. I’ve come to accept that stability as a full-time employee at a multi-billion-dollar corporation where you can “rest-and-vest” is a very hard proposition to accomplish. We are not our predecessors who can work at the same job for 20 years. And these days, it seems that corporations are not giving us that much of a choice either with all these recent layoffs.
Instead, more people are seeking a future of financial independence and freedom of movement: work anywhere, any time, on anything, with anyone.
“One of the main benefits is the ability to have more control over your work and schedule. As a freelancer, you have the freedom to choose the projects you work on and set your own hours, which can be especially appealing to those who value flexibility and autonomy. Additionally, being a creative freelancer allows you to pursue your passions and share your creative talents with others, which can be deeply fulfilling and rewarding. Being your own boss also means you have the opportunity to build your own brand and reputation in your field, which can lead to greater financial stability and success in the long run. Overall, becoming a creative freelancer can be a fulfilling and empowering career choice for those who are driven, self-motivated, and passionate about their work.”
You’ve heard this before. In fact, the advocacy for going freelancing is so trendy these days that I just generated this entire paragraph using the latest and greatest - ChatGPT.
Sure, the thought of it can be intimidating, but it sure sounds exhilarating at the same time! According to a recent Fast Company article on Americans submitted applications to create 5.4 million new businesses, the highest level ever recorded, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, and a 68% increase over the average for the preceding five years. Millions more are turning to freelance work. In fact, within the next several years, as much as half of the American workforce—almost 87 million people—will be freelancing.
But is it enough of a reward to jump through all these hassles of setting up your own business, finding your clients, and taking all these risks (let’s be real - we all have thoughts about why freelancing isn’t a good idea.) Is freelancing just another ways of working more for less for the same companies I mentioned above, who now somehow can avoid providing benefits to freelancers while only engaging you as needed? Is there something more than just making money?
My argument is that the future of work is not only freelancing but purposeful freelancing.
This is where a Collective like TAILORU Collective comes in. TAILORU Collective is a network of creative freelancers who choose to work on equity-driven problems – think sustainability/regenerative, access to healthcare, gender equality, and education.
Yes, we have the expertise and professionalism of an agency, with all its vetted templates, client pipeline, and payment processes. And yes, we are a community with teams, events, and learning + growth opportunities. The difference is that We only take on clients who align with our Collective values: that means clients who are in the equity-driven and humanity-driven space. And I’m not just talking about grass roots startups, companies and agencies are moving into this space either because they have no choice or (better yet!) because it’s the right thing to do. This brings us to the purpose in freelancing.
Purpose means to work on problems that you care deeply about, and with the clients and teams who share your values. It is a privilege position to take, but it allows us to find the clients and the people whom we’d like to collaborate with. We are fortunate to have startup founders and conscious companies who come to us specifically because we stand for the same values. Our philosophy is rooted in the belief that being humanity-centric is not enough, but instead, we need to move to equity-first problems: moving from self to others: equalize access to education, financial opportunities, health care, and creative expressions; and moving from self to nature: move away from a consumption culture into focusing on behavior change in service to the environment, move beyond being sustainable into being regenerative More on our thesis of the type of problems and companies we work with here.
We specialize in helping these equity-first companies to incubate and launch digital platforms and products, from the first step of collecting business & user goals and requirements through research, workshop, ideation, design, and development. As startup founders who are deeply in the trenches with the challenges you face every day: whether it is a lack of time, or resources, we know from personal struggles and experiences that having the right person and team makes all the difference in the world! This is why we match the right Collective member with the evolving needs of the product and your company. This allows our companies to access the right skillset at the right time. Imagine having access to 30+ collective members vs. 1 full-time staff.
The world is now more visible than ever. The crisis of our time calls for value alignment and a better way to work between individual workers and companies. Are you passionate about climate change / regenerative actions? How about neuro-divergence and mental health advocacy? Gender and access equity, anyone?
SO, WHAT CAN YOU DO ABOUT IT?
As shared, TAILORU is a home for passionate and purposeful freelancers who want to build a life of financial independence and purpose for themselves and for companies who recognize that the right team is more than just skillsets but also value alignment. This is blatantly an advertisement to reach out to us whether you’re someone who’s thinking about freelancing, or you’re a startup/company that is looking for the right talents. Let’s get unf*cked together.
If you’re a freelancer, apply to join our team at the TAILORU Collective here.
If you’re a new freelancer or don’t know where to start, we have resources available to help get you started. In fact, there’s an upcoming course on “How to Start Your Own Design Freelancing Business in 30 Days” with a waitlist here.
If you’re a startup, company, or an organization looking for talented, value-aligned collaborators, you can view our work here and feel free to reach out to us here at TAILORU Collective for a complimentary check-in call to understand your problems and what you’re looking to accomplish. We would love to hear from you.
If you’re in that holiday mindset already, simply head over and follow our TAILORU Linkedin.
With that said, I will leave you with my hero Eleanor Roosevelt quote:
“Courage is more exhilarating than fear and in the long run, it is easier. We do not have to become heroes overnight. Just one step at a time, meeting each thing that comes up, seeing it is not as dreadful as it appeared, discovering we have the strength to stare it down.”
May your 2023 be filled with adventures full of purpose and financial independence.