Women are jumping at the chance to be their own boss

• Women often see a big advantage to doing independent work instead of having a permanent job.
• A survey from the freelance platform Fiverr found women prize flexibility and working from home.
• Strong demand for work involving AI could provide an opportunity for women, a Fiverr exec said.

Women often see a clear advantage to independent work over traditional permanent employment.

That's according to a recent report from Fiverr, the freelance-service marketplace.

Women are more likely than men to have taken up independent work because they want more flexibility in their schedule (39% compared with 22% of men), prefer to work from home (41% compared with 31% of men), and want to avoid an unpleasant or toxic work environment (26% compared with 15% of men).

"The freelance economy brings many opportunities for women. By the nature of freelancing, it provides a wide range of flexibility and autonomy — from managing their own hours, setting their own rates, and being their own boss," Gali Amon, Fiverr's chief marketing officer, told Insider in an email. 

"Women who enter the freelance lifestyle can lead more sustainable and secure livelihoods as opposed to being under a single employer," Amon said.  

The freelance market is growing, Insider has reported. In fact, 39% of the US workforce took on freelance jobs in 2022 and, this year, searches across marketing, social media, and consulting are trending on Fiverr, a representative from the platform said.

Fiverr's survey, released in April, found that despite economic uncertainty, the independent workforce saw a continued increase in revenue. Around 48% made more money from their independent work in 2022, up from 40% reporting an increase in 2021. 

Professional services, whether they be legal, accounting, or consulting, make up a significant portion of the independent professional workforce in the US, Amon said. The survey found women are more likely to provide professional services (58% compared with 43% of men) and creative services (24% compared with 18% of men), but less likely to provide technical services (19% compared with 39% of men).

Amon said women who start companies can "leverage their own experiences to create businesses that tap into new and diverse markets or develop creative enterprises that can serve the needs of overlooked communities." 

A 34-year-old woman from Alabama quoted in the survey said steering her own ship helps put her at ease. 

"I don't have to endure toxic coworkers and management. I don't have to work 60 hours a week and feel unappreciated," she said.

Emerging opportunities in areas such as AI

Fiverr has seen an "exponential increase in supply and demand for AI services," Amon said, and with the rise of generative artificial intelligence and tools like ChatGPT, she added, " I hope that women take hold of this opportunity and begin cultivating AI skills and businesses around AI services."

The survey found that participants providing technical services were the most likely to feel financially secure working independently. 

Of course, starting a business can be tricky, and Amon noted the top three roadblocks women run into when starting companies are inequitable access, opportunity, and compensation. 

"Women still bear the brunt of hurdles throughout their professional development," Amon said. And "self-empowerment through freelancing can expand their horizons and take full control of their own professional lives."

Overall, the freelance community is thriving, with nearly three in four independent workers continuing to be highly satisfied — giving a six or seven rating on a seven-point scale — with their work, and the work-life balance that comes with being their own boss, the survey found. 

Amon said that by 2028, half of the US workforce could be freelancing. "Women will only continue to drive that exponential growth in the coming years, with more and more accomplished professionals opting into independent work instead of the traditional 9-5," she said.

To gather its findings, Fiverr worked with Rockbridge Associates to analyze tens of millions of tax returns from annual US census data to explore the size, growth, and skills of independent professionals across more than two dozen of the largest metropolitan areas for freelance, knowledge-based work. The report included responses from 738 completed surveys from an online research panel in March and focused on three industries: creative services, skilled technical services, and skilled professional services. 

A 60-year-old woman in Virginia quoted in the survey saw independent work as a way to achieve freedom and bring in more money. 

"I have more flexibility in scheduling the hours I work. I have more satisfaction in completing my goals. I can give myself a raise each year," she said.