The 'New' Retirement Shows How to Profit from Gig Economy

In an era when so few people believe they'll be able to retire comfortably (or at all) - and the statistics bear that out - author Winton Churchill argues in his just-released book, The "New" Retirement: The Rise of the Gig Economy and How You Can Profit From It, that retirees can, in fact, wield more control over their situations than most realize.

"Lots of people believe they will simply have to take the retirement the world hands them (if they get one at all). But that's nonsense," says Churchill. "Baby boomers and GenXers have more online earning options right now than most realize.

"Most people point to what they've done in their careers as what they 'know how to do.'" Churchill says. "But that's a myopic way to look at a skillset. In truth, people have more abilities, knowledge, experience and wisdom than they realize.

"By earning a few hours a day (or a week) on your own terms - doing something you already know how to do, from the comfort of your home - you could fund a retirement that allows you to live 'life first.'"

Churchill argues in his book that retirees, with the technology available today, can use those strengths to earn a side income freelancing online from home and fund a comfortable, portable lifestyle that includes more fun than they thought possible.

From a retired teacher offering proofreading services, to a retired receptionist answering phones remotely a few hours a day, to a retired attorney giving business advice, the book is full of stories that show the varied ways people have taken what they know how to do and turned it into portable online income in retirement.

And older folks, Churchill argues, actually have an advantage earning as freelancers on the many job-and-project platforms available online today, platforms like Upwork, VIPKid, Cambly or Arise, for instance.

"Boomers are seasoned," he explains. "They come to freelancing after a lifetime of earning in other ways. They have practice completing work on time and meeting project goals. They communicate effectively in both writing and speaking. They have a depth of knowledge and life experience that they can bring to their subject areas. These attributes make them valuable freelancers."

In his new book, Churchill introduces the reader to the world of freelance opportunities online, explains how to identify skills that are marketable, breaks down the keys to getting started fast, and explores the insider tricks for turning one-off assignments into regular, lucrative gigs.

The book is packed with useful resources and guidance for getting the most out of a portable income, showing readers the best ways to design a portable life, which can provide the freedom and flexibility to travel (and even live) abroad for extended periods.

"When you earn like this, you're better able to blend and prioritize your interests, your family and your passions," Churchill says. "You can control your free time in a way that's almost impossible to do in a 9-to-5 world where you 'work for the man.'"

The "New" Retirement: The Rise of the Gig Economy and How You Can Profit From It includes:

• Twenty-two questions to answer that will expose the income-earning skills a reader has, but may not realize are monetizable and available to them.

• Twenty-three one-click online resources most people have never heard of where, at the simple click of a mouse, they can source paying clients looking to pay people to do all sorts of things.

• Four essential apps that make a portable income simple to manage so freelancers always have what they need at their fingertips. These apps will keep track of projects, and make it possible to earn from anywhere - no high-tech skills required.

• Three "portable-income enablers" - free tools to parlay a go-anywhere income into a go-anywhere life and earn with ease on the road.

• The vacation rental strategy that makes it easier to book the right place at the right price - with special consideration for older travelers.

• Eight free resources that connect freelancers around the world.

• Revealing, real world examples that show readers exactly how a bunch of people from different backgrounds took their careers and translated their skills and experiences online.

• How (specifically and step-by-step) it's possible to find clients today.

Churchill is the founder of the Churchill Method, an international training and consulting company.

"By taking charge of their earning power, rather than waiting for governments, financial institutions, and employers to 'right themselves,' the baby boomer generation now has the power and access to put their skills and abilities on the global market regardless of where they live or work," says Churchill, who was asked by The Good Life how the current pandemic affects the opportunities descibed in his book.

"The lockdown demonstrated to many senior managers and business owners that they could, in fact, get work done with people working outside the office," he responded. "This is combined with the idea that as the economy restarts, many businesses and organizations will need more flexible ways to get work done that will include a more balanced mix of employees and freelancers."

He explained that the pandemic is causing almost every major business to go through a major retooling all at once.

"New compliance with new health and safety regulations, retargeting their marketing, retail business changing their business model, adapting to social distancing, etc. means demand for mountains of new processes, procedures, PowerPoints, retraining of workers, customers, new kinds of customer service, lots of new activity," he said.

"Most businesses, non-profits, government agencies do not have the skills internally to redo all this stuff at once, hence the requirement to turn to specialists to do this work (freelancers) and/or turn to their internal specialist for this new work but shed the specialist workload to freelance employees. All this speaks to an explosion of new freelance work.

"Additionally, baby boomers tend to have deep career experience dealing with the unknown path forward – the 2008 financial collapse, 9/11, Y2K, various economic crises in the '80s and '90s, fuel crisis in '70s, etc." he continued. "Those lessons learned give them a better perspective than those who have not lived through such a crisis (or series of them).

"Finally, I think the reaction to this virus will stimulate many breakthroughs in science and the health of boomers. The COVID virus impacts them harder than most members of the population and will be the point of much study and progress. Never before have we had as many scientific minds uncovering answers, treatments and insights with the advanced technology we have today all focused on the same issue, COVID.

"This will give us all, but particularly boomers, a much safer world to confidently enjoy their leisure in new ways."