World Famous Comics: Free Agent Nation: The Future of Working for Yourself
Free Agent Nation: The Future of Working for Yourself
By: Daniel H. Pink Publisher: Business Plus Average Rating: Binding: Paperback Label: Business Plus Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 384 Publication Date: May 01, 2002
Product Description: If you’re having a baby, you read What To Expect When You’re Expecting. If you’re considering law school, you read One L. And if you’re thinking about working for yourself, you read Free Agent Nation—Daniel Pink’s contemporary classic about leaving the corporate rat race.
Widely acclaimed for its engaging style and provocative perspective,Free Agent Nation has helped thousands transform their working lives. Now the paperback edition of this business bestseller features an all-new section: a comprehensive 30-page resource guide that explains the basics of working for yourself (how to get started, where to find health insurance, how to market yourself) and includes 101 Free Agent Survival Tips culled from successful solo workers nationwide. Hip and hopeful, Free Agent Nation will change and your thinking – and maybe even change your life. Read it today to free yourself tomorrow.
Interesting.....not compelling...... At a macro level Dan Pinks view of the "free agent nation" is interesting. The information is well presented and opens a vault of thought and consideration for taking a closer look at micro business. I was looking for more case studies. A peek into a few more examples of how individuals were making sustainable transitions away from the main stream. I looked to this title for inspiration and it didn't deliver to my expectations. A good read, but not compelling enough to re-visit.
Enlightening and Motivational I found this book inspirational in the sense that before the four-minute mile barrier for running was broken, people felt it couldn't be achieved. However, once the record was broken, others were inspired to strive for their own sub-four-minute records. As Dan Pink presents the stories and lessons in Free Agent Nation which he gleaned from interviews with numerous "free agents" I felt my pace quicken in the self-employed race I run daily. It is motivational to run with the knowledge that I'm not running solo but part of a growing number of free agents striving for our own four-minute miles. And the summary of free agent guidelines at the end of the book gave me the confidence that I'm on the right track.
The Optimistic Jew By varying accounts there are 25-30 million free agents at present in the United States. Most of these work from home. Add millions of micro-businesses and one comes to the conclusion that the 20th century will be known as the first and last century in which most working people were salaried. Up until the 20th century most working people were small farmers, merchants and independent professionals. If present trends continue - and there is every reason to believe they will - then by the middle of the 21st century most working people will be self-employed in one form or another. This will have revolutionary impact on politics, tax and social policy and the economic balance of power. Cultural attitudes that encourage innovation and risk-taking will have tremendous advantages in this emerging reality. This is why I claim that: "No people on earth (referring to the Jews) are better prepared by virtue of education, temperament and historical adaptability to embrace the challenges of the 21st century". This book provided me with much of the information that enabled me to open my own book "The Optimistic Jew" with the above lines.
SOCIAL COMMENTARY DISGUISED AS A HOW-TO GUIDE Free Agent Nation by Daniel H. Pink is not entirely what it seems.
Daniel Pink is a former speech writer for Al Gore. He wrote for him when Al Gore was serving as Vice President, but not during the campaign for president.
When Mr Pink left the White House and became, as it were, a Free Agent, he was surprised at the number of people who earned income from running their own small business. It became apparent to him that if the Republican Party was the party of big business and the Democratic Party was the party of labor unions, then the growing demographic of the self employed had no real representation.
Therefore, Mr Pink explored who these people were, what they were doing, and what they needed. Of course, Mr. Pink is no economist or statistician. Therefore, his analysis seems a bit heavy on the anecdotal. Likewise, this is not a how to book that will tell you step by step what needs to be done to start up your own business.
Regardless, this is an interesting book that explores a growing social phenomenon of the post-industrial world.
Wonderful I go solo after reading this book. It's a new life! I definitely recommend it!
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