{"id":47588,"date":"2025-11-17T10:44:44","date_gmt":"2025-11-17T09:44:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.freelancermap.com\/blog\/?p=47588"},"modified":"2025-11-17T10:44:45","modified_gmt":"2025-11-17T09:44:45","slug":"podcast-episode-10-matthew-dowling","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.freelancermap.com\/blog\/podcast-episode-10-matthew-dowling\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Companies Must Rethink How They Work with Freelancers &#8211; Episode 10 with Matthew Dowling"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">Freelancers have always been part of the workforce \u2014 but what\u2019s happening now is different. We are entering a new era shaped by agility, global talent, AI, and the ability for individuals to build careers outside traditional employment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">In this evolving landscape, few voices are as influential as\u00a0<strong>Matthew Dowling<\/strong>, Founder of\u00a0<strong>Freelancer Club<\/strong>, leader of the\u00a0<strong>#NoFreeWork movement<\/strong>, and architect of initiatives to empower one million freelancers by 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">In our conversation on\u00a0<em>The Independent Workforce<\/em>, Matthew opened up about his accidental journey into freelancing, the systemic problems he\u2019s spent a decade solving, and what companies\u00a0<em>must<\/em>\u00a0understand if they want to thrive in a blended workforce future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio is-content-justification-center is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-4 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-background\" style=\"background-color:#f5f5f5\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-video is-provider-spotify wp-block-embed-spotify wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Spotify Embed: \ud83d\udcaa Why Freelancers Are The New Competitive Advantage | The Independent Workforce | Matthew Dowling\" style=\"border-radius: 12px\" width=\"624\" height=\"351\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen allow=\"autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture\" data-src=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/embed\/episode\/2BtPEntB5j13jJ4wzEypHs\/video?utm_source=oembed\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" data-load-mode=\"1\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>Enjoyed this episode?<br><\/strong>Subscribe now on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@freelancermapinternational6860\">YouTube<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/creators.spotify.com\/pod\/profile\/freelancermap\/\">Spotify<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/the-independent-workforce\/id1840173073\">Apple Podcast<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.freelancermap.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/The-Independent-Workforce-podcast-episode-10-Matthew-Dowling.pdf\">\ud83d\udce9 Download the full transcript \ud83d\udce9<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">From Accidental Freelancer to Reluctant Advocate<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">Like many who eventually dedicate their lives to a mission, Matthew didn\u2019t choose freelancing \u2014 freelancing chose him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><strong>I fell out of university and straight into freelancing by accident. I had no clue what I was doing. I stumbled around in the dark for two years.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">His photography work picked up unexpectedly \u2014 but so did the risks. The turning point came when a company he worked with for a year suddenly stopped paying him. After months of silence, Matthew finally walked into their office\u2026 and found they had gone bankrupt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">No <a href=\"https:\/\/www.freelancermap.com\/blog\/5-must-have-clauses-for-any-freelancer-contract\/\">contract<\/a>. No rights. No payment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">A journalist heard the story, and suddenly it was national press. Embarrassing \u2014 yes. But it became the seed of Matthew&#8217;s life\u2019s work: making sure this never happens to another freelancer again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">This moment became the origin story of\u00a0<strong>Freelancer Club<\/strong>, a platform now supporting over\u00a0<strong>300,000 freelancers<\/strong>\u00a0with education, training, and community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">Fighting for Fairness: How #NoFreeWork Changed the Conversation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">When Freelancer Club launched, Matthew made a decision that would define their identity: <strong>No unpaid work. Ever.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">He started the\u00a0<strong>#NoFreeWork<\/strong>\u00a0hashtag \u2014 and it exploded: <strong>\u201cWe trended number one on Twitter more than once. It became clear freelancers were pissed off \u2014 exploitation through unpaid work was everywhere.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">The campaign led Matthew directly into advocacy, including long-term collaborations with the UK government and eventually his current leadership role as Chairman of the Good Work Review Working Group for Self-Employed Creators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">And for the first time in UK history, a \u201cFreelance Champion\u201d role is being established in government.<br>A decade of relentless work \u2014 finally paying off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">Why Freelancer Education Needs a Complete Rethink<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">Universities prepare students to become full-time employees \u2014 not business owners. But freelancers\u00a0<em>are<\/em>\u00a0business owners. That\u2019s where the education gap begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><strong>You can be top of your class in your craft, but without business essentials, mindset, and core skills, freelancing becomes unsustainable.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">Matthew\u2019s training programs help students learn everything traditional education misses:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>How to price work<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How to negotiate<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How to manage client relationships<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How to run a brand<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How to protect IP<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How to build confidence<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How to create a long-term freelance career<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s not just skill-building \u2014 it\u2019s identity-building.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Where Companies Get It Wrong (And Freelancers Feel It)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Matthew sees both sides: freelancers struggling to navigate corporate systems, and companies struggling to adapt to modern talent models.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The issues usually start early:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Bad briefs and mystery budgets &#8211; \u201cI showed a group three real job posts. They guessed budgets from \u00a3150 to \u00a36,000. For the same job. That\u2019s the problem.\u201d<\/strong> Companies underestimate how damaging vague job descriptions can be.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Delegating hiring to the wrong people<\/strong> &#8211;  Often, an intern or assistant ends up hiring a highly skilled freelancer. <strong>\u201cYou wouldn\u2019t hire a full-time senior person that way \u2014 so why treat freelancers with less care?\u201d<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Isolation inside the company<\/strong> &#8211; Freelancers are brought in to contribute, yet feel like outsiders.<strong>\u201cIf you want to know who the freelancer is, look in the corner \u2014 the one alone with a laptop.\u201d<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.freelancermap.com\/blog\/how-to-deal-with-late-payments-as-a-freelancer\/\">Late payments<\/a> (sometimes 90+ days!)<\/strong> &#8211; This one hurts the most.<strong>\u201cCompanies think it\u2019s just a few thousand. For freelancers, that\u2019s survival money.\u201d<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>\u00a0Scope creep without conversation<\/strong> &#8211; Freelancers fear pushing back because companies have more power. Result: burnout, resentment, and mistrust.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Ethical Hiring: The Missing Framework<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The concept Matthew pushes forward is simple \u2014 but transformative: <strong>Treat freelancers with the same respect as employees.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Not legally.\u00a0Not contractually.\u00a0But culturally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He calls it\u00a0<strong>ethical hiring<\/strong>, which includes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Clear briefs<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Fair compensation<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Prompt payments<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Inclusion in communication<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Proper onboarding<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Respect for their expertise<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Transparency and trust<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><strong>You\u2019re not hiring hours \u2014 you&#8217;re buying years of experience across industries.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Blended Workforce: Employees + Freelancers + AI<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the most important insights Matthew shared is the framework used by top tech companies today:<br><strong>The three pillars of the future workforce:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Flexible work<\/strong>\u00a0(legacy of the pandemic)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Freelancers \/ agile talent<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>AI agents<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>This combination creates adaptability no traditional team can match: <strong>\u201cThe world is unpredictable. Companies must be able to shift direction fast. Freelancers enable that.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Businesses still relying purely on full-time staff are already facing operational drag.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Companies that embrace freelancers gain:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>access to top expertise they couldn\u2019t afford full-time<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>faster iteration<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>external perspectives<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>innovation at lower risk<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>anti-fragility (as Matthew called it)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Companies that avoid freelancers?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><strong>\u201cThey get slower. More rigid. And they miss opportunities. It\u2019s that simple.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>\u00a0So\u2026 How Should a Company Start?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Matthew\u2019s advice was crystal clear \u2014 and practical:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Give context, not just tasks<\/strong>: Freelancers work better when they see the bigger picture.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Talk to them<\/strong>: \u201cA 10-minute conversation can solve months of future friction.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Build trust early<\/strong>: Freelancers can solve more problems than you assume.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Treat them like humans<\/strong>: Respect is a multiplier of performance.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Pay fairly \u2014 and on time<\/strong>: Freelancers shouldn\u2019t be financing corporate cash-flow cycles.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>As the conversation came to a close, one message stood out:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><strong>The best time to start working with freelancers was yesterday. The next best time is today.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Freelancers aren\u2019t an optional add-on anymore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They\u2019re a strategic advantage.\u00a0They\u2019re a source of speed, innovation, resilience, and agility. And companies that embrace them will shape the next decade of work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.freelancermap.com\/registration?ref=blog-com-podcast-matthew-dowling\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"300\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.freelancermap.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/build-flexible-teams-with-freelancers.png\" alt=\"Build flexible teams with top freelancers. Sign up to freelancermap now\" class=\"wp-image-47322 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.freelancermap.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/build-flexible-teams-with-freelancers.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.freelancermap.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/build-flexible-teams-with-freelancers-300x88.png 300w, https:\/\/www.freelancermap.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/build-flexible-teams-with-freelancers-768x225.png 768w, https:\/\/www.freelancermap.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/build-flexible-teams-with-freelancers-720x211.png 720w, https:\/\/www.freelancermap.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/build-flexible-teams-with-freelancers-580x170.png 580w, https:\/\/www.freelancermap.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/build-flexible-teams-with-freelancers-320x94.png 320w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1024px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1024\/300;\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Freelancers have always been part of the workforce \u2014 but what\u2019s happening now is different. We are entering a new era shaped by agility, global talent, AI, and the ability for individuals to build careers outside traditional employment. In this evolving landscape, few voices are as influential as\u00a0Matthew Dowling, Founder of\u00a0Freelancer Club, leader of the\u00a0#NoFreeWork [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":47590,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4189],"tags":[3856,3771],"class_list":["post-47588","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-podcast","tag-recruiting","tag-working-with-freelancers"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Matthew Dowling on Why We Need Freelancers Now | TIW Podcast<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A conversation with Matthew Dowling on what companies\u00a0must\u00a0understand if they want to thrive in a blended workforce future.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.freelancermap.com\/blog\/podcast-episode-10-matthew-dowling\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Matthew Dowling on Why We Need Freelancers Now | TIW Podcast\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A conversation with Matthew Dowling on what companies\u00a0must\u00a0understand if they want to thrive in a blended workforce future.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.freelancermap.com\/blog\/podcast-episode-10-matthew-dowling\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Freelancer Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/freelancermapInternational\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/freelancermapInternational\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-11-17T09:44:44+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-11-17T09:44:45+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.freelancermap.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Why-Freelancers-Are-The-New-Competitive-Advantage-Matthew-Dowling.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1280\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"720\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Natalia Campana\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@freelancer_INT\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@freelancer_INT\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Natalia Campana\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.freelancermap.com\/blog\/podcast-episode-10-matthew-dowling\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.freelancermap.com\/blog\/podcast-episode-10-matthew-dowling\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Natalia Campana\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.freelancermap.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/1c0c07efea89560f1cf644d58f321eb7\"},\"headline\":\"Why Companies Must Rethink How They Work with Freelancers &#8211; 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