The Human Cloud Podcast

Leaders, Michael Morris has been a pioneer in the freelance economy, especially when it comes to software development. In 2002, he started TopCoder, the crowdsourcing software development platform that led to groundbreaking innovations from NASA and countless other companies. Michael now leads Torc, a global software development freelance platform. In his words, Torc is a talent marketplace that brings the most productive freelance developers to the enterprise through an AI, security, and culture-first platform approach. A couple of things to listen for in this episode: How a talent network needs community and culture to unlock productivity Why trust and aligning incentives are integral for a strong talent and client experience Why LATAM...hint, the time zone alignment, language proficiency, cultural alignment, and cost How freelance talent unlocks speed to code The role of automation in the freelance economy

Leaders, marketing can be tough. While we all know we need it, and while freelance marketing is nothing new, marketing is one of those areas that is tough to measure, tough to validate success, and the industry as a whole has undergone massive transformation. According to Ryan, a key problem is that the industry has undergone so much change thanks to technology, that it’s no longer enough to put the responsibility on a good CMO. Instead, good marketing is the result of having multiple experts, working on and testing multiple different channels and strategies until they’ve found what works. Which is why Ryan, and his team’s growth studio Legion, acquired the marketing freelance platform Growth Collective in 2021. Expert marketers themselves, Ryan and Legion know how to grow companies through digital marketing, and they had grown their own companies and agencies with freelance marketers in the past, thus Growth Collective was an extension of their expertise. As Growth Collective grew, they started to get more companies asking for full teams that could help find and scale the right channels so they created Growth Assembly for Bespoke Growth Teams. In this episode we’ll get deep into what they’ve learned and how every leader can embrace freelance models to grow their brand. Key takeaways: The value of marketing today is knowing why and where growth comes from Successful marketing leads to successful product launches, new markets, and new channels Today's online marketing technology created a chasm where hiring generalists, or a good CMO, isn’t enough Good marketing requires an elastic network of experts approach rather than a default full time approach Existing large, horizontal marketplaces can’t provide the level of vetting to ensure an elastic network of growth marketing experts Now is the perfect time to embrace freelance and fractional work due to the challenges in raising capital and the cost of debt

Leaders, Paul Falcone is a bestselling author, experienced HR Leader across several large companies including Time Warner, Nickelodeon, and NBCUniversal. Paul provides key insights on how independent contractors and the freelance economy can help address talent shortages. He also stresses the importance of collaborating with HR, highlighting their responsibilities around compliance, data privacy, and more. Crucially, Paul emphasizes that providing visibility through regular communication is key to enabling HR to be an effective partner. We explore how the role of HR has evolved into a strategic driver of business performance and some of the key challenges HR leaders face today, including talent scarcity, compliance, and managing uncertainty. Some Key Takeaways: HR has become a strategic business partner, evolving beyond its administrative roots. Trust and empathy are now critical pillars. Talent scarcity is the #1 priority for HR leaders today. Leveraging fractional talent and the freelance workforce can help fill urgent gaps. HR owns compliance, data privacy, and ensuring a positive worker experience. Involving them early when engaging external talent is essential. With continuous disruption and change, uncertainty is top of mind for HR. Providing clarity through open communication is vital. HR seeks to empower and develop talent. With a spirit of partnership, HR can become a true ally in mobilizing your workforce. Find Paul’s bestselling human resources books for effective hiring, performance management, and leadership development - https://www.harpercollinsleadership.com/catalog/paul-falcone/

Karina Rehavia, Founder & CEO of Ollo, is an accomplished entrepreneur and business leader with over 20 years of experience and a proven track record of launching innovative service offerings. She has led several business development and large-scale projects for prominent global organizations. Karina joins us today to discuss the freelance economy and the growth of human cloud platforms like Ollo. She shares the story of launching Ollo and the challenges she faced in building a platform that emphasizes flexibility, high-touch client service, and human intuition in matching clients with creative freelance talent. She highlights Ollo's success in acquiring top clients by providing a full concierge experience beyond just a talent marketplace. Karina also discusses the future of the freelance economy and Ollo's plans for continued expansion, including a new initiative around influencer marketing.

Jason Posel, CEO of Greenlight.ai, is a recognized leader in the Future of Work. He is an expert in managing contingent workforce payroll programs and associated contractor classification, tax, and labor law issues. This conversation explores the topic of worker classification and its impact on the freelance economy and provides timely insights into the potential impact of the recent updates by the U.S. Department of Labor on worker classification. Risk of misclassification is by far one of the leading blockers for freelance adoption, at scale, due to the massive implications of not getting this right. Jason emphasizes the need for a robust process to evaluate and engage contractors and helps companies adapt to these changes, ensuring compliance and fostering a fair and transparent work environment.  Takeaways Having a robust process to evaluate and engage contractors is crucial for larger enterprises. Recent changes in classification legislation have made it harder for businesses to classify workers as independent contractors. Companies have traditionally used internal processes, employer of record services, or staffing companies to manage classification. The rise of freelance work has introduced new challenges in classification, particularly in terms of compliance and risk management. Companies should pay attention to this issue and implement programs to mitigate risks.

Leaders, Gali Arnon, Chief Business Officer – Marketplace, at Fiverr explains why human relationships will become even more important in the age of AI and automation. Touching on her 6+ years at Fiverr, her prior experience leading a range of software companies, and the journey of Fiverr from a startup in 2010 to a leading public company today. Gali will show us why the future of work is more human than ever, and how Fiverr’s focus on product and technology has enabled both freelancers and clients to form deeper collaboration. She’ll discuss the practical applications of how Enterprises are scaling their freelance workforces, with examples from Amazon, Monday.com, and Stripe to name a few, and uncover the transformational benefits these companies have had from the creation of custom marketplaces and integrating freelancers into existing business processes. Last, she’ll let us in on Fiverr’s latest product launches. To no surprise…since Fiverr has historically been the leader in product innovation as they’ve both internally developed or acquired future looking products like the acquisition of And.Co, a freelance operating system that’s now Fiverr Workspace, and Stoke Talent, an Enterprise Freelance Management Suite that’s now Fiverr Enterprise. Some key takeaways from this episode: Fiverr has had a significant impact on the freelance economy by productizing the process of hiring freelancers and removing friction and bureaucracy from the talent marketplace. The future of Fiverr and the freelance economy lies in bridging the talent gap and providing personalized, efficient, and trusted solutions for businesses of all sizes. Human talent is irreplaceable and plays a crucial role in creativity, human touch, and uniqueness, even in the age of AI. Creating custom marketplaces for enterprise clients allows businesses to integrate freelancers into their existing processes and leverage their expertise to drive growth and innovation. Follow the link to learn about Fiverr’s latest product release: https://fvrr.co/3SBv9vj

Leaders, Our guest today is Pat Petitti, Co-Founder & CEO of Catalant, the leader in independent management consulting. For over a decade, Pat has pioneered the transformation of traditional consulting into a more responsive, on-demand model. He's been at the forefront of the freelance economy since founding Catalant in 2012. A few key takeaways: Pat will go beyond just using the term "freelance" and explain what a freelance workforce enables The focus is on transformation - specifically transforming traditional consulting into Consulting 2.0 The freelance model provides benefits beyond just speed, cost, and quality It's more than a staffing or contingent talent model - it enables fundamental organizational change

Brett Trainor is a fractional leader and the Founder of the Corporate Escapee Podcast. He is an expert in one of the fastest growing segments of the freelance economy - Fractional. Brett is helping GenX escape the corporate world and take control of their future without sacrificing income.  Some key insights to listen out for in this episode: Fractional work represents executive-level leadership - fractional leaders have the experience and expertise of VPs, directors, etc. Brett provides tactical advice on what works well for fractional engagements based on his experience, such as building out the infrastructure and processes Ideal workflow: Brett breaks down how he operates fractionally - working on hourly, monthly retainer, or outcome-based engagements

Rae Hames is the Co-Founder and CEO of Teamera, a pioneering insights platform revolutionizing how companies build and optimize hybrid teams. With an extensive background that spans 15 years in advertising — including roles as an agency operator, brand-side leader, and freelancer — Rae brings a deep understanding of the operational challenges of managing an increasingly freelance-dominant workforce to the table. Before launching Teamera, she co-founded Work Sandy, a freelance staffing consultancy, where she and her team supported major consumer brands build their flexible team infrastructure to improve hiring speed, reduce recruiting costs, and improve team performance. Rae has an impressive ability to create efficient, data-driven flexible teams, specifically by helping leaders create systems that blend full-time employees, agencies, and freelancers under one cohesive unit. A couple of highlights from within this episode: Why freelancers will never completely replace full-time employees… and why getting the right mix of freelance/full-time talent is critical for businesses today How agencies ended up in a “doom loop” that has impacted their profit margins while improving opportunities for freelancers The practical challenges of planning freelance teams - and how to optimize them over time Rae's advice on how leaders can start building an effective flexible workforce (Hint: all you need is two people - a leader with a strategic vision and a project manager!)

Joy Batra is the founder of Quartz Consulting, a freelance consulting firm that has advised start-ups, venture capital firms, and Fortune 500 companies. Joy is also the author of “The Freelance Mindset” which has been featured in The Washington Post, Fast Company, and Oprah Daily. Joy represents the trajectory of the freelance economy, particularly with regard to the freelancers themselves. At the forefront of this evolution is the growing category of executive-level freelancers. These individuals embody a profile that aligns seamlessly with roles such as directors, vice presidents, and general counsels — Joy herself serves as a prime example in the realm of general counsel. While certain datasets may categorize them as freelancers earning over 100k, this segment signifies an exciting transformation in the freelance landscape, showcasing the capacity of freelancing to unlock expansive and diverse scopes of work. Enjoy!