A summary of things you should know about Free Agent according to Katy Tynan:

Introduction

In this episode Katy Tynan takes a deep dive into her book, Free Agent, where she reveals what it takes to be successful in the business of independent contacting and freelance work.

In her book Tynan provides actionable steps, case studies, and tools you will need to help you transition from a full-time employee to your own independent freelance practice. The goal of the book is to teach you how to become an in-demand resource, understand the business of freelancing, how to get your independent business off the ground, and how to avoid the common pitfalls of freelancing.

This book is perfect for aspiring entrepreneurs who have a special set of skills and are interested in leaving their full-time job in order to start monetizing their skillsets independently.

The Book’s Unique Quality (4:05)

When I approach writing my feeling is that my reader is somebody that wants to be able to get right to the point and find the information they are looking for. And so when I wrote this book I wanted to make sure it was very practical, that it was actionable, and that somebody could pick it up and get exactly what they need out of it. The second thing that I feel is different about this book is it’s directed at people who are looking to get into this as a career path.

The Best Way To Engage (5:58)

If you are an independent professional and you have a problem you can flip right to the chapter you need.

The Reader’s Takeaway (14:08)

What I want for people when they read this book is to be able to say I can do this. If you have a passion, skill, and desire to work this way you can.

A Deep Dive Into The Book (8:17)

I divided the book into three sections and the reason for that is because I feel like from a logical perspective there are three reasons why someone would pick up a book like this. So the very first section is where we talk about the emerging trend of this free agent labor force. Who are the people that are doing this? Why are we talking about the free agent force and where did it come from? It’s fascinating to me how these trends arise and one of the things I talk about is the transition from pension plans. In the first two chapters I dove into that backdrop which I think is important for a lot of people who are wondering how and why this freelancing free agent trend came to be and why we are working the way we are working. And also to talk about the fact that this is a long-term thing. I expect that people are going to continue to work independently for the long term and that it’s a career path that a lot of people can follow.

Section two is very practical for people who want to get started and transition from being an employee to being self-employed. This section includes everything that you can possibly think of for how to set up your business, what you need from a professional team perspective, what you need for a corporate structure, and how you are going to pay your taxes. I think what holds people back from pursuing this as a career path is that feeling that they don’t know what questions to ask, who to call, or what structures and mechanics they need in place. So this section is all about the practical aspects of getting setup as an independent professional. It includes inks, resources, practical information, and case studies and stories of people who have made this transition themselves.

The third section of the book is about strategies for long-term success as an independent professional. Another chapter in this section is probably the most important and it’s about balancing independent work and life.

NOTE: That was just a summary. To get the full deep dive, play the audio clip at 08:17

Notable Quotes From The Book (15:02)

“It’s so hard when you are the one who is responsible for everything and yet it’s so rewarding when you are the one who is responsible for everything.” –Chris Brogan

The Credibility/Inspiration Of The Author (0:35)

I’m an author, speaker, and entrepreneur. I started my career in tech and helping people understand how technology could work for them. But really what I found was that I love people, I love working with people, and I love helping people solve problems and figure things out. So that’s how I got started working independently as I just love going around and meeting people and finding ways that we can work together and solve problems.

The inspiration for me to pursue the path of becoming an independent professional came about six years ago and then what I found is it’s tough to do. We don’t teach people in school how to pursue this career path and so I felt like there needed to be more resources, more conversation, and more opportunity for people to understand what this path looks like.

Other Books Recommended By The Author (16:46)

Drive by Daniel Pink

More Information About This Book and The Author

Buy Free Agent by Katy Tynan on Amazon today
Visit IndieWorking.com to learn more about Katy and her business
Follow Katy Tynan on LinkedIn and Twitter

More Information About This Episode

Download the full transcript here (coming soon)
Listen on iTunes, Stitcher , and SoundCloud

Related books:

The Entrepreneur Mind by Kevin Johnson
Everyday Entrepreneurs by Ken Horn
The Freaks Shall Inherit the Earth by Chris Brogan

Relevant advice and tips:

7 Reasons Why You Should Quit Your Job

What did you like and not like about this episode? Fill out this one minute survey here.

What do you think about Katy’s book, Free Agent? Share your review in the comments below:

Share this

Wade Danielson

Wade is a 4-time serial entrepreneur and is the Founder/Host of The Entrepreneurs Library. With a long time passion for reading books, Wade created an online resource and podcast for entrepreneurs who love to read personal and business development books. His long-term goal in life is to start an entrepreneurial home schooling program for children of business-minded families.