Ep. 174: Miles Everson, CEO of MBO Partners - Free Birds: Authenticity and the New Workforce Revolution

Leaders,

What does it mean to be a "Free Bird" in today's rapidly evolving workforce? In this insightful episode, we sit down with Miles Everson, CEO of MBO Partners and author of the newly released book "Free Birds," to explore how authenticity is driving the independent workforce revolution.

Miles shares his journey from corporate America to championing independent professionals, revealing why he wrote a book about workforce transformation in 2025 and how MBO Partners has evolved from its entrepreneurial roots in 1995 to leading today's independent work revolution.

We explore:

• The fundamental shift in workforce dynamics, from dual-income families to side gigs to full independence, and why this evolution is happening now
• Why authenticity is the cornerstone of successful independent work and how being your true self leads to greater fulfillment
• The six key trends driving workforce transformation, including accelerating change, the fractionalization of everything, and the shift from knowledge stocks to knowledge flows
• Why progress is deflationary and how multiple innovations converging create transformative societal change
• The surprising reason companies shouldn't adopt protectionist strategies in a world where innovations spread faster than ever
• Miles' personal inspiration from his father who taught him "you define yourself, don't let others define you"
• The four pillars for living a fulfilling life: health, wealth, work, and relationships

As corporations face the "year of efficiency" and companies cut everything not directly value-adding, independent professionals who drive outcomes are becoming essential to business success. Miles makes the compelling case for his "30% pledge" - where enterprises commit a significant portion of their spending to independent talent - and presents a vision for a new social contract between workers and companies.

For business leaders wondering whether to embrace or resist this shift, Miles offers this warning: "Doing nothing is actually doing something, which is you've made the decision to get passed by."