CAFFEINE HEADLINES . some alarming

BEST + WORST OF TIMES
Monday . December 6, 2021 

yesterday . JANUARY 2020

Even though a frosty 6 degrees deterred a few of the 100+ who registered for Micro Networking – more than 70 braved winter winds to attend what turned out to be Joule's last in person event. Two weeks later the WHO declared a Public Health Emergency of International concern. 
Who knew.  

It was the best of times...
Shaking hands – being introduced to someone new. Having lunch – getting to know a few. Meeting everyone in the room – sharing what we do. Catching up – with familiar faces too.
Who knew. 

It was the worst of times...
Headlines just 4 days later – confirmed the first case of Covid in the United States. 
Who knew.

Where were you...
Finalizing plans to stream our live March eBook + Self Publishing event – canceled moments before.
Who knew.

today . December 2021

Thankful for my broadcast background, although being in front rather than behind the camera took some getting used to – along with learning new things like zoom – rescheduling the March event to a virtual venue – and many more after that. Shifting my micro for the third time to be what it's always been meant to be.

It's all about working at home instead of from home...
Discovering a different life and livelihood – sans traffic and travel or corporate colleagues. A global morphing to microness. Learning to laugh amidst annoyance or anger. Creating something from nothing you ever imagined. 

Will today be our past or our future...
Cyber Monday on November 30, 2020 was the biggest online shopping day in U.S. history with a total of $10.7 billion in online spending.

tomorrow . January 2022

Freelancers...
A revolution not a resignation. Remote work has empowered those in their 20s and early 30s—the first generation where half of kids had two parents working full-time—to imagine the real possibility of work-life balance – especially millennials – 74% did not want to return full-time to offices, the highest of any age group in a 2020 Gallup pole..

Founders....
With more businesses formed this year than ever—yes, ever—the question most asked is "Why?" Many wonder why so many are taking the risk. Those becoming micros say it has to do with need. 22 million suddenly became unemployed. 35 million struggled to pay their rent or were barely able to afford childcare. Many needed to provide income, not just supplement it.  It's also about having a way to bootstrap. The cost of starting something has never been cheaper and the cash to do it more available.

Do the Math...
There are many opportunities — accommodation and food services (75% increase from 2019) – construction – drivers – transportation – warehousing – products (retail is up 62%). So yes, there are millions and millions of micros. Many don't want to be or have an employee. They want to count on themselves as a force of one.
.
Data: Census Bureau. Salesforce. Guardian. Gallup.