As workers struggle to find new jobs, some are starting their own businesses or becoming independent contractors. Estimates put the number of workers working for themselves around 16 million, with numbers increasing. Changes in technology have made it easier for people to set up their own businesses and market their skills effectively. Some experts say that by the end of the decade, around 50% of workers will be free agents. Others say that they do not expect that number to be so large, and that while workers want flexibility and freedom, they also want security.
See "Indie workers: Is self-employment the new norm?", Margaret Price, The Christian Science Monitor, June 25, 2012