In the past, most people were self-employed. They owned and worked on farms or had their own small businesses. This changed in the 19th century, when the Industrial Revolution created massive factories and offices manned by wage slaves. Now, the process is reversing itself. Indeed, the growth in the number of the self-employed has been dubbed the “Industrial Revolution of our time.” Some of the factors that make being self-employed better than ever before include: •More work. It’s common today for businesses of all sizes to hire independent contractors. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated this trend for many businesses. •The Internet. The Internet makes it much easier and cheaper for self-employed people to market their services, exchange information, and communicate with clients and customers. Many self-employed people find work through online freelance hiring platforms like Upwork, Freelancer, TaskRabbit, and Guru. •The Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). The advent of Obamacare made it possible for every self-employed person to obtain health insurance coverage, even those with preexisting conditions. This freed millions of people from “job lock”: the inability to leave a job because it provides health insurance. •Solo support industry. A substantial solo worker support industry has developed. This includes unions and other organizations for the self-employed (such as the Freelancers’ Union), and inexpensive or free software and applications freelancers can use for bookkeeping, invoicing, project tracking, contact creation, and tax preparation. CAUTION This book is not intended for businesses that sell goods, such as someone who owns a clothing store or restaurant or sells jewelry on Etsy. In these cases, other Nolo business books might be appropriate, such as Peri Pakroo’s Small Business Start-Up Kit. Six Things You May Not Know About the Self-Employed Welcome to the world of self-employment! You’re in good company. Here are some things you may not know about the self-employed: •There are lots of them. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 10.6 million independent contractors work in the United States, representing 6.9% of total employment. In fact, four out of ten adult Americans are either currently working or have worked as independent contractors sometime during their careers. More than $1.2 trillion in total income is generated by the self-employed each year. •Rich people are more likely to work for themselves. Self-employed people account for two-thirds of all American millionaires. •They tend to be older. According to a recent survey, 44% of self-employed people are 50 years of age or older. Only 20% are younger than 33. •They tend to be happy. A recent survey found that almost two-thirds of self-employed people were highly satisfied with their situation. Only 9% expressed dissatisfaction with their work situation. •They work more hours. Nearly half of all self-employed Americans work more than 44 hours in a typical workweek, compared to 39% of American workers overall, 38% in government and @huutruongyandex.ru (foxlegends)