Berlin, June 2026. Two days. One iconic venue. 850 freelancers, contractors, and independent professionals — all asking versions of the same questions: How do I grow in a market that keeps shifting? Where does AI fit in my work without erasing what makes me good at it? And when will the politics finally catch up to how people actually work...
What Companies Get Wrong About Hiring Freelancers – Episode 34 with Elina Jutelyte
Listen now on: YouTube Spotify Apple Podcasts For many companies, hiring freelancers still feels like opening a Pandora’s box. There is excitement in the idea of getting access to external expertise quickly. But there is also hesitation. Can we trust them? Will they deliver? Are they too expensive? Will they understand how we work? Will they...
Why Companies That Ignore Freelancers Fall Behind – Episode 33 with Viki Dowthwaite
Listen now on: YouTube Spotify Apple Podcasts Viki Dowthwaite is the Group Commercial Director at Trinnovo Group, helping companies across the UK, Ireland, DACH, and beyond build modern workforce strategies through contract, consultancy, embedded hiring, and specialist talent solutions. With more than 15 years in recruitment and workforce...
Why the next generation of talent won’t be your employee – Episode 32 with Rich Parker
Listen now on: YouTube Spotify Apple Podcasts Rich Parker’s father worked for the same company for 35 years. That was the expectation. Stability was the social contract, and most people honoured it without question. One generation later, Rich himself worked across four companies. The generation after him entered the workforce during a...
Why Companies Hire Freelancers The Wrong Way – Episode 31 with Gaëtan Vanreusel
Listen now on: YouTube Spotify Apple Podcasts Freelancers are most valuable when companies know what problem they need solved. Gaëtan’s view is clear: independent talent works best when tied to specific outcomes, transformation projects, and business-critical needs. But companies must improve how they define the work, assess fit, and choose...
How to Build High-Performing Teams Without Hiring Full-Time – Episode 30 Úna Herlihy
Most companies think they need more people, but in reality, they need more clarity. In the latest episode of The Independent Workforce Podcast, Úna Herlihy shares why the biggest mistake in hiring freelancers isn’t process, it’s mindset. From defining the real problem to integrating freelancers as true team members, this...
How to Reward Freelancers The Right Way – Episode 29 Anna Orzechowska
What if your company’s biggest bottleneck isn’t a shortage of people, but a shortage of perspective? In the latest episode of The Independent Workforce Podcast, Total Rewards strategist Anna Orzechowska (20+ years of experience) makes a compelling case for rethinking how work actually gets done. Freelancers, she argues...
Why Smart Companies Are Replacing Agencies With Freelancers – Episode 28 Jamie Read
There’s a quiet shift happening in how companies build teams, and it’s easy to miss if you’re not looking for it. In our latest episode of The Independent Workforce Podcast, Jamie Read, founder of BriteBrich Collective, shares why some of the smartest companies are rethinking that model entirely. Freelancers are no longer...
How to Hire Freelancers Without Legal Risk – Episode 27 with Jeff Nugent
The way we work has already changed, but most companies are still operating as if nothing has really happened. In the latest episode of The Independent Workforce Podcast, global workforce strategist Jeff Nugent shares why the real shift isn’t about remote work or freelancing. It’s about rethinking how we measure value, manage...
How Smart Companies Build a Freelance Network – Episode 26 with Matthew Knight
Most freelance engagements start the same way: there’s a gap, a deadline, and a quick search for someone who can help. But what if that approach is exactly the problem? In this episode, we’re joined by Matthew Knight, an award-winning independent strategist and Chief Freelance Officer at The Independency Co., and we unpack why reactive hiring...