THE CEO DRIVEHER

DELIVERIES IN THE GIG ECONOMY CAN BE A CASH COW & GRANT YOU HUMILITY SIMULTANEOUSLY

the wins….

The delivery aspect of the gig economy I believe is overlooked and underrated. Maybe because of our culture viewing the proverbial “delivery boy” as the low income high schooler side job, no real effort required or needed, just go from point A to point B, easy enough; right? Well I will show you in short how much monies are left on the table because of pride. In this era, in this day academia accomplishments and status still reigns, but at what costs? So many people are choosing jobs/careers/work for status and not essential living, not quality of life, not even money, but reverence from family and peers. Success is cloaked in an illusionary tale and the gig economy has aided in my ability to see what true success is.

I must be honest, I am writing this from both perspectives, I was that judgemental person that thought of these gigs as worthless having no ability to add to the development of an individual’s professional career. Now, do not be mistaken you must, you must, you must ultimately see how to use the gig economy to leverage and develop in your profession of choice; allow its intricate paths to be a guide towards your success. If your only fulfillment in the gig economy is money it will be short lived and not as profitable as you’d like for it to be.

It took me awhile to see the endless possibilities in the gig economy. Once I got over my bitterness, depression, and lack of worth due to my layoff of my job of 15 years, I was truly transitioning as a person in so many ways. It has been 2 years and 6 months roughly since my layoff and I am still learning aspects of myself as an entrepreneur, leader, employee, and individual. I have learned more in this period of my life than any other. I have compounded information, data, and experiences that I would’ve never obtained if not for the gig economy, and I am grateful for that. I thought as an officer dealing with the general public and criminals (usually in crisis) granted me a wealth of knowledge, and it did, but it was one-sided. In law-enforcement I had lost hope, compassion, and patience for people, for society, for government. The gig economy cultivated my ability to care again, to have some patience, and most of all to serve others.

You are probably asking “what the hell does this have to do with the gig economy being a “cash cow”” well I will tell you. I say it’s a cash cow when you see the benefits in it that helps develop you as an individual, you begin to see the fault lines of opportunity so you perfect your craft to be profitable. I have met and watch on YouTube many drivers that for some reason or another make decent/mediocre money doing gigs, but they are unfulfilled as individuals primarily because they lack from my observation, mastery of the gig economy and personal development. They are so fixated on being their own boss that it clouds their ability to be a servant to their craft. They appear to believe they’re owed something, when in fact their entitlement mentality keeps them in a loop of despair and unprofitable. Whether you like it or not, whether you agree of not the gig economy primarily is a gig that requires you to serve others. The good thing about this is the ability to generate more tips for the great service you grant to others. Tips generate $400 – $500 extra to my monthly earnings. My positive attitude, smiling, and common courtesy I attribute to this.

Another aspect of the “cash cow” ability is knowing how to sign up on as many platforms as possible and developing in each one as much as possible; that is in accordance to your market. This takes skills. You must know when it is best to work each. You develop a six sense on these platforms, effortlessly you’ll be able to earn.

I see myself as a professional! I don’t think less of myself or anyone else for that matter for earning a honorable wage, but as a professional we must be and maintain humility, serving in this capacity does exactly this for me. The earning aspect is high and easy when you simply consider the following:

Serving. I assure you you will not like everyone and you will come in contact with some disgruntle individuals, but sometimes those were my best tippers. I have come to learned that most of the time it isn’t personal they are dealing with their own stuff and realize their actions.
Skillset. This takes skills, trial and error, and discipline. The market changes constantly and you must be able to discern the contents tempos.
Goal Setting. This should be done weekly and mini ones set daily. Shoot for numbers. Body counts are my favorite. I know on average every trip averages out for me $10 a ride; 20 rides/deliveries can equal $200.
Time. You must commit the time daily on days of choice. Factor in at least on peak hours slot of the day and work it for at least 2-3 hours. Learn to meed demands at these times in accordance to your market.
Multiple Platforms. You must serve on at least 3-5 delivery platforms in my opinion. Again the demands changes and you don’t want to box yourself in with just one platform.

ARE WE TRULY TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE GIG ECONOMY?

The problem within the gig economy is the quick money that is seemingly easily accessible at times. We get caught up in the false narrative that we are our own boss and have complete control over our day to day affairs when in fact many of us lack the ability to be disciplined in self and financial management. It’s like a never-ending dog race in the gig economy at times. This race will have you wishing and hoping to go back to a traditional job if not careful. I hear people in the gig economy saying how they’re going back to a “real job” when in fact that’s an illusion. What they need to say is they’re going back to a boss, someone who knows how to govern, manage, and direct their lives since they failed to do it for themselves. Now this is not to bash the traditional labor force, no! I wouldn’t be who I am if not for my years of employment and leadership in various sectors of work. I actually believe traditional workforce can be a solid training ground for the entrepreneur / freelancer. It helps you to gain skill-sets you would have not possibly acquired.

Let’s be honest traditionally jobs are structured controlled environments that grant you a form of absolutes and dependability. It grants you a false sense of security.

I dare to ask; are jobs even real, of course we get up, we “work” but in essence is it providing what we have been taught, or is it just an augmented state of mind we’ve been conditioned to give in to?

I believe for anyone daring to work within the gig economy they have to figuratively hang up the job hard hat and cultivate a new employee mindset. They must see themselves the CFO, CEO, manager, supervisor, but most of all the employee. Yes the very thing you once were you now have to curiate into something new. You must be the visionary, you must be your own boss in such a way that no employer nor job can dare to be worthy of your work capability. Unfortunately many of us are hitting a learning curve so tough, so hard, so unpredictable, that we barely can come up for air to meet ends meet. I think a lot of us go back to a “job” because just maybe we just weren’t a good enough employee for ourselves.

So how do we do gigs? How do we take advantage of this weird pseudo space we live in as giggers, freelancers, entrepreneurs working uncoventionally, often times at a disadvantage? I tell you! We must see take on as many tasks as possible that have the ability to draft us an income. The majority of the individuals I speak to that go back to the traditional world of work all have the same reason why they left “I just wasn’t making enough money.”. I’d hear I love working for myself, I love the flexibility in my schedule, but loath not having healthcare or a consistent decent wage. To me these are easy fixes with careful planning and execution. I right now have about 11 streams/means of legit income. Each have their cap; while some the cap can be blown off at any moment because of its potential as a business. Gigs must be looked at from first it’s highest potential then migrate backwards. Compartmentalize each of your gigs and their financial potential and be realistic in how they can contribute to your income on a monthly basis. If one gig grants you $200.00 a month, then that’s awesome, work that gig so that you get that almost effortlessly and continually. Now imagine having 8-11 gigs that all had the potential to generate $100 – $200 a month effortlessly. Are you doing the math in your head? Do you see the possible income potential? Stop looking for the big payouts and learn to “spread yourself thin” as I like to say in the gig economy. Of course these gigs and their income can fluctuate, but you ultimately stay in control of the money you make, and no longer will you feel like a slave to just a few gigs.

WHEN DELIVERIES TRUMP UBER & LYFT

Hello my fellow giggers! This write-up will be brief, but highly informative in hopes to get you to consider taking advantage of ALL aspects of the gig economy. So many times we become so fixated on one-or-two gigs which forces us by default to become complacent granting a false sense of security within a gig. I believe a major contributor to the whole burn-out factor in the rideshare community is heavily due to being “stuck” in one aspect of the gig. There’s nothing there to break up the redunantcy, at least for most of the drivers I’ve come across. There’s just limiting reward and motivation outside of making a quick buck. Rideshare is like a race dog at a dog track, the shot goes off and the rabbit on a stick hangs out leading the race dogs along the track at a speed that they’ll never quite catch up to. So how do we combat this? How do we stay motivated to fund our dreams? How do we get continued value outside of just a quick buck? Here’s how… diversity! Yes we hear diversify in many aspects of life, but for us entrepreneurs, creators, giggers, freelancers, etc. we are a unique blend of workers, we like variety, we love not having to invest in the same ole same ole day to day work-life and that can be a blessing and a curse. Why not make your world more colorful with work options. See the real problem is we do not like the feeling of being trapped and committed to one way of income outside of our passions and own business endeavors.

This form of mental fatigue and boredom is the absolute worse, it kills your drive and creativity exponentially simply because we fear and feel the subtle creeping of JOB. So I have yet come to a position within my own business to live off so I must still “drive to fund my dreams” and survive. For me to work I must be vested and have a sincere form of enjoyment to optimally perform, it’s part of my work ethic deeply ingrained into me. I made a promise to myself that I will not work unhappy, the value I grant must be matched on some level and I cannot compromise myself for a dollar if the work becomes a major stressor. The gig economy is volatile, a rollercoaster ride with no seat belts so you must be willing to move and adapt to it’s rapid changes or you’ll have a mental shitstorm that will cause you to live in a panic.

SUBSCRIBE & LEARN AT THE CEO DRIVEHER

So deliveries, these modes of freelance/contracted work are just as lucrative and grant 20-times the options due to the various platforms available for you to work. With rideshare it almost a monopoly being the only major players are Uber and Lyft. If you’ve been on these platforms you may need anxiety medication for all the shit it puts you through as a driver. The degree of deception and uncertainty creates a hostile work environment and so much left unknown especially due to the few options of rideshare platforms, but when you venture into the delivery aspects your options become grander and you feel less like an indentured servant, you again are in control and with pun intended “in the drivers seat” of your ability to make money optimally.

How does app delivery services trump rideshare? Let’s review:

More to work in comparison of the two rideshare giants Uber and Lyft. I alone am signed up on eight forms of delivery services.
Versatility, these delivery services are massive granting an abundance of options compared to the only option with rideshare companies is picking up riders.
Underestimated, people have yet to vastly see the financial ability in this area of gig work.
Guaranteed work in certain markets whereas you can lock yourself in on the platform.
Can work multiple apps at one time unlike with rideshare.
Less stressful! This is a big one for me, though I am a communicator dealing with humans especially rude ones forces you to a must needed break.
More time and flexibility. I literally take client calls, listen to audible books, answer phone calls while working, not being locked into the “job” like with rideshare. Sometimes to make a substantial amount of money you must stay plugged in on the platform which limits your ability to do other things.
Platforms do get saturated, but nowhere near as saturated as rideshare platforms.

I can go on and on, the data is substantial that affims deliveries to rideshare are better hands-down. Now if your preference is rideshare and you take up no issues with it, by all means keep doing what you do, just know to have at least five other means of generating income, at least sitting on the backburner ready for you to execute at any moment. I see drivers get wrongfully deactivated off rideshare platforms or come into car issues that prevent them to work temporarily, both of these situations happen to me and I am please to say I was able to not stop a beat from working to fund my dreams.

MONDAYS ARE THE BEST DAYS

SUBSCRIBE TO MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL

If you ever wanted a great reason to restart anything or to get a fresh start on what you’ve already been doing, then Monday should be a great reason for you too. Mondays are filled with possibilities, you get to from scratch map, plan, set, and visualize your goals and intentions. Monday starts the countdown of a seven day plumb-line (a measuring instrument), it allows you to measure short-term and long-term goals.

Monday – Write out your plans, map your week, itemize your goals from greatest to least. Write out what is of most importance and how much time you need to commit to it for completion. You also want to set a budget! What needs to be paid, what are you planning to invest in, figure out how much money do you need to make this week. As a gigger, freelancer, entrepreneur we have an income that has many variables, so this is key. You do not want to be playing catch-up on anything. If there are bills that need to be paid, go ahead and pay them! If you have to cut back on expenses and you clearly see this, DO IT! Don’t assume the money is coming in, this creates a more stressful environment on yourself mentally.

Tuesday – Execute hard! Go full throttle on you mapped out goals, go as hard as you can, work that day like you have 1-hour to turn in your last assignment which is the biggest grade of the semester. This is a method I use because I notice it gets me way ahead of the curve ball later in the week, plus it sets the tone for good momentum.

Wednesday – REPEAT Tuesday. Review your Monday Mapping plan and see where you are on the plan, are you making progress, are you behind. Read over it daily so you’re reminded of what needs to be done and you don’t risk forgetting.

Thursday – Calculate what percentage of your goals have been completed. See what needs to be dropped and can be reassigned. This happens, don’t worry focus on what can be done and completed. Until you get good at setting measurable goals you often will have to tweak them. Again don’t feel like a failure, we tend to over stretch over reach on our goals, that’s okay; over time you’ll get better and know instinctively what needs to be niched down so that you’re successful accomplishing your mapped out goals/plans.

Friday – Reflect, reflect, reflect. Be real with yourself, ask yourself if you’ve given your best to your goals, have you stuck to landig? Now, while reflecting you’re still working, but working with full intention of completing tasks. Seeing where you can add more umph and drive to what it is you’re doing. Are you gassed up or all gassed out? Calibrate yourself and again be realistic, but know how and when to push yourself more. This degree of self-awareness and mental calibration breeds self-honesty plus you see areas in which you may need to outsource. We cannot do it all, but initially as business owners it is not a must it is vital to the success of our business(es).

Saturday – Coast on out! Ride the wave accept what you’ve done and begin to polish up and close out all tasks left or completion.

Sunday – Rest & Reflect. While going into reboot mode, at this point you’ve slowed down, you’ve accepted your projections, you’ve accepted what you’ve completed or not completed, and you are game planning mentally of what you can do better next week.

In closing I know this may seem like a lot, but in fact what I am asking of you may require only 10-15 minutes of your day exempting Monday which may require 60-minutes and that’s okay. You committing 60-minutes to the rest of your week on a Monday can save you hours of your time and money. Don’t sell yourself short by skipping this weekly ritual. Many businesses, corporations, and government entities use Mondays as a means to power-up and motivate their staff. I worked in government and we always set agendas, quotas, plans of execution so that we all could work optimally. If you’re going to be in business for yourself you must begin to do this immediately! Go in God’s speed, be motivated my fellow entrepreneurs!

IS YOUR CAR AN ASSET? WELL DEPENDS HOW YOU USE IT.

I believe in this emergence of the gig economy our vehicles and homes, but in this text we’re focusing on our cars, can be liken to the modern day mule. It’s a valuable work-beast if you allow it to be. I am constantly met with an unjust argument that me, you, others are fools for using a car rental service or our own personal vehicles for the gig economy. I often see on my YouTube channel Kimberly CEO DriveHer these statements “what about the wear and tear on you vehicle” “don’t your car depreciates?” “you’re making less money due to wear and tear and fuel costs” the comments are endless and moronic if you ask me. I believe the only ones that see it that way are those that simply have lacked being profitable in the gig economy and rideshare. Newsflash people, every piece of property you buy, own, rental depreciates on some level, even your bodies people. Now this blog will be not be loaded with statistical data and facts, I don’t have analytical numbers and charts to prove my point, but what I do have is common-sense and perspective. I plan to quickly help alter your perception and mind in how you can and ought to use your vehicle in such a way that you make it more of an asset than what it already is. This is opinion based, but opinions based upon facts for certain. So hear me out and hopefully you can begin to yield a greater return on your investment, that being your vehicle a tangible asset.

CHECKOUT MY YOUTUBE & SUBSCRIBE

Let us begin with the word “asset” asset is defined in Merriam Webster dictionary as a: an item of value owned; which I believe best sums it up! Whether you are renting, leasing, financing, or own your car in this day to make a valuable return on it, you must use it optimally. Cars and meant to be driven. They produce new vehicles and the production of many of them are low quality and cheap, they are not built to last so you may as well work that mule to the death. Yes take care of your car, yes keep up with the maintenance, yes use it wisely, but for goodness sake USE IT! The argument of wear and tear to justify not doing rideshare is just ridiculous. Now if you have a vehicle on it’s last leg maybe you need to stick to primarily deliveries and not rideshare. Be smart, use your vehicle wisely. If you have a beat-up pickup truck maybe gigs like Byrd, LIme, and Roadie are best suited considering the caliber of jobs and heavy loading.

In the rideshare gig community I believe some people tend to overthink this process, you don’t utilize what they have appropriating it properly. Don’t go out purchasing a new vehicle stay on middle ground, remember things will happen. Newer vehicles cost more insurance wise, that’s risky. Your vehicle in the gig economy is an instrument, an investment, keep all costs low in reference to it so that it yields a higher return financially.

I currently use the Uber rental program and really like the option of not have to pay car insurance, nothing is in my name, and that is one less loan on my credit. As a minimalist to some degree this option works best for me. I use the rental for many of my gigs not just Uber. I maintain the vehicle, keep it clean, get it serviced regularly (at no cost to me on the servicing), and keep it damaged free. The entire cost for me to rent it monthly is $980, but if I complete 75-90 rides I get an extra $120 or $195 weekly bonus. If you subtract that I am actually paying less than $400 a month for the rental! Now, it still requires you to work a bit to get all those rides, but the trade off is sweet overall. I get unlimited miles, can take it anywhere I want, work where I want, and use it to do my other gigs!

So, if in the gig economy stop focusing on wear and tear and focus on profitability, focus on how you can make this “modern day mule” your ultimate work horse. Here are some rules to recap on:

Don’t go into debt trying to get the nicest pricest vehicle.
Use what you got and until you can afford to upgrade using cash no financing!
Keep costs low. Use fuel points, cash back rewards on fuel, etc.
Keep up with the maintenance but but in a cost effective way.
Use you vehicle for multiple gigs, not just one.
Start to see how your vehicle brings you value on a daily basis.
Consider which gigs are best for you to do in relation to the type of car you have.

UBER COMFORT; TO CANCEL OR NOT TO CANCEL || IS IT WORTH THE WAIT?

Great morning my fellow giggers, freelancers, and rideshare baggers and baguettes; I hope and pray you are being strategic and profitable out here in these streets. Below is a link to my YouTube vlog on the latest and maybe not so greatest rollout by Uber on their new feature Uber Comfort in regards to the infamous change to cancellations. A lot of drivers are up in arms about the matter yet I have not seen one person post an actual issue to the wait time and cancellation fee.

SUBSCRIBE TO MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL AND CLICK THE BELL NOTIFICATION

So on July 12th, 2019 Uber Comfort officially rolled out of BETA mode and was full throttle. We got to see it in it’s full glory and I must say thus far it’s not that big of a deal… yet! I have been part of the beta testing for 2 1/2 months and was actually liking the Uber Comfort option as a driver. I noticed a number of things and came to some conclusions, but I will save that for a later write-up. Today I want to focus on my very first Uber Comfort cancellation with the newly implemented changes.

Now, a lot of drivers loathed the fact of the extended wait time and “preference mode” these are two hot topics that got drivers pissed beyond measure, but before I could come to any conclusions I felt the need of first experiencing it in its full glory. Below you will see a series of screenshots of the process of the cancellation and what I suggest you do if you find yourself in this situation.

I got the request which was maybe a mile away from Meghan, I quickly arrived and submitted a text as I always do advising I have arrived. The problem is Meghan had input the wrong pickup location. I asked her to update the address and I could come to her. She hung up on me and clearly had an attitude. I sat and waited, I was not going to take the hit and cancel on my end, she would have to do that. I did my part and fulfilled my obligations. I extended the olive branch, use all modes of communication available. Offered to go above and beyond, and she did not want to do what was needed on her end. Now someone may say, well you could’ve just driven and found her, but mind you I did not have an accurate address, if so and if in close range I would have went the distance. I really prefer to pick people up. Constantly cancelling does not help me and my pockets. I want to give the rider the benefit of the doubt! Also if you noticed, Meghan never responded to the multiple texts and she clearly had read them all. This is an indicator to me that she was avoiding the matter in all for whatever reason. When I see people choose not to respond that usually means they are hoping you cancel the ride prior to them having to pay the cancellation fee.

So after about waiting for 8 minutes and 5 seconds I proceeded with the cancellation process. I was not going to wait a second longer. Yes Uber extended the wait time and I was prepared for that mentally so I just used that time to sit in the car and answer emails from my clients in my consulting and coaching practice. Once I was cleared to cancel the ride WITH FEE option checked I made sure I had all my screenshots in case Uber tries to pull a fast one. I always text because phone calls are not tracked and doesn’t prove what was said, but a text thread can help you in situations if anything is ever questioned. I bid you to please use the texting option if possible, this sets a standard with you and riders. Communication is everything and you must effectively do that on a consistent basis.

So my conclusion is it was worth the wait, due to the payout. Now if I had traveled a long distance this could’ve been a lost. Ten minutes zero miles, $7.20 was a win for me. We must be compensated for our time and resources. Don’t allow your time to be wasted my fellow giggers! I believe if they are subject to the consequences it will condition them (them being the rider) to be more respectful and attentive when using the rideshare platform. I can however see this being a loss at times, but as an Uber Pro Diamond driver I am able to use a number of factors to weigh the the costs of it entirely. But this is the chance we take, the game we play, and in all 95% of riders do their part, they are prompt and ready to take off. This was a late night full of Atlanta nightlifers so I totally expect their to be issues and problem children.

So in closing I say before complaining please due your own trial study. See if it is actually a lost or gain or if it balances out for you. I am always open to giving anything a try and maintaining a positive perspective before solidifying any conclusions. I still have some testing to do with this, but overall I don’t think it will be a big deal.

RIDESHARE POSTURE

Rideshare posture is simply a more formal way of simply saying “daily goal”. The thing about posture is it is always subject to change, it allows for you to properly gauge the current climate via apps and market demands; from your assessment you adjust your daily goal that makes you profitable. Merriam-Webster defines “posture” as (b) conscience mental or outward behavioral attitude. I love that last part “outward behavioral attitude; making the perspective more personal and customized to your own individual style and desire in accomplishing your daily goal.

ARE YOU POSTURING YOURSELF FOR DAILY SUCCESS?

The problem I have found in those I coach within the rideshare/gig economy is most are using tips and generic solutions by other “giggers” in the community trying to make it applicable to their own markets when in fact that can do more harm than good (not all the time but some). What matters is your developed perspective. It is like fitting a square peg into a circle, sure it’ll fit somewhere just not there in the circle. What I encourage is you find your wave in your market find out what each day can grant you, but the only way to doing this is by trial and error on a daily basis over time.

You cannot set nor achieve consistent feasible goals unless you consistently work these various platforms; this is how “rideshare posture” is developed! When you develop rideshare posture you become extremely confident in being profitable regardless of how/how much the market change which can literally be on a daily basis. We simply adjust and ride the torental waves of this gig economy lifestyle.

Rideshare posture if compulated with a solid goal plan allows me to expand and maximize my profitability as well as my time! In the Youtube Community Board I posted the following things to consider when setting your daily goals:

Set your hours.
Minimize breaks.
Decide what you going to make within those hours.
Do not detour from your desired goals.
Drink tons of water and no sugary drinks, this is for mental clarity and focus.
Create a route mix (see post for details on route mix).
Set number of trips in accordance of hours being worked (see post for more details).

These are some basic, foundational goals, add anything to this list just keep them reasonable and attainable. Sometimes, if you’re anything like me we dream in bright color and “over reach” with dreamed up unrealistic goals (lolz), so let’s stay grounded in our desires. Now, this principle can and should be used in all your gig jobs and freelancing opportunities. If you seek coaching or a consultation please email me at ceodriveher@gmail.com to inquire of my prices and services.

12-HOUR SHIFTS WITH RIDESHARE || YAY OR NAY

So I decided two weeks ago to do a small experiment on implementing shift work in the gig economy seeking to figure out the following. 1. Will it increase earnings. 2. Is it a better method in regards to granting an individual more time on the back end. 3. Can you be just as strategic. At the end of it all my conclusion actually surprised me in the oddest way.

So I began this experiment on a Thursday and it was in my opinion an utter fail from the start. Did I make a lot of money over the course of those 4 days, well yes of course, but I made the same amount just a little more than usual. In short my findings proved that working 12-hour shifts doing one solid platform be-it Uber, Lyft, of Door Dash is pointless unless in odd situations whereas the demand is an all time high, but that is rare. I will maintain my firm belief that strategy out weighs work hours in exchange for higher earned income.

First issue with working 12-hour shift, if there is dead time you’re stuck and left to just wait it out when in fact if you stay to strategic split shifts you in turn can make more of a profit, have more time to expend on what you want, and incorporate a nice mix of other gigs. Second issue with working 12-hour shifts, SLEEP deprived! This by far was exhausting and for someone like me that likes to be mobile and fluid in my day-to-day activity this limited me severely. Sitting in a vehicle just isn’t sustainable and extremely unhealthy. As a holistic wellness coach I notice I got more lazy, I started to swell up, and my eating was off big time. A big factor to consider with rideshare or any gig for that matter, for the most part the demands come in waves. Staying logged on in down-time is literally a waste of time, as a business owner you’re best investing that time in other endeavors and contributing more time to resting up. Third with 12-hour shifts, irritability and lack of mental clarity and sharpness. It seemed as if my days were running in to one big lump. I literally felt like a slave to the road, which defeats the point of doing this gig. I refuse to be an employee to it. I work on my rules, terms, and when I wanna.

The surprising overall effect! So after a day or two of recouping I noticed after a few days I was able to work longer hours effortlessly. Working the 12-hour shifts caused me to become adapted in a new way in regards to how I went about doing rideshare. I use to space out my time hoping off and on and not following through on time when logged in. I seen myself declining fewer rides and trusting the process. When logged in I was committed for the long haul. My work time went from averaging 4-5 hours a day to 7-8 hours a day. I was more targeted and strategic in my earnings. I made more money is less than the time I had when working those 12-hour shifts. In all the greatest thing taken from those twelves is I was able to push myself more seeing what I was capable of doing. Me being uncomfortable those few days was enough to quickly condition me to work more efficiently.

So in my humble opinion if your only option is rideshare and you don’t seek to do anything else and don’t mind long dead time then it just may work out for you, but I can guarantee it is not suitable for the long time. If you’re an entrepreneur like myself this is like dying a slow and painful death completely tormenting to the entrepreneurial soul because we seek to be profitable every waking moment. Wasted time is dollars, taking away from us committing time in other avenues.

UBER AIRPORT ALGORITHM

I have found that many people that get in the rideshare game may go through YouTube vlogs and see tons of videos on how to make the most money driving for Uber or LYFT; and one of the biggest tips is ” to do airport rides”. The problem is the airport has now become saturated with what I call airport bums seeking that unicorn trip that will pay big dollars. Well that rarely happens and some drivers may find themselves not generating the income they wish to had.

I have found the following issue with a lot of drivers waiting for rides at the airport the end up implementing bad habits such as: 1. Cherry Picking, calling the rider to see where they are going, or actually accepting the ride then cancelling it once destination is viewed. 2. If forced to take the ride and the distance is short they’re rude to the rider. 3. Have a gross expectation of receiving large tips from rider. 4. Complacency, they get real comfortable just doing airport trips. 5. They saturate the market and like hogs don’t grant opportunity to other drivers to benefit from the occasional airport run. 6. Create fraudulent surges, a disgusting practice. Regardless of your stance with either rideshare company this is criminal and you lack proper business ethics. 7. It sorta allows certain drivers to monopolize the system.

THE ALGORITHM! This is where the game will be changed. What is an algorithm | algorithm | noun: a process of set rules to be followed in calculations or other problem-solving operations, especially by a computer. Basically it is a procedure using numbers to sorta create/identify an equation then solving the problem. The thing about artificial intelligence it often needs tons of data to compute information, identify patterns, and only then the solution is made. Drivers don’t realize that every click of the button in the app, text messages, photos taken, drive time, distances, etc. all contribute to the algorithm setting your own virtual genetic blueprint, displaying your habits. Afterwhile those habits are compared to the habits of others and other things are taken into consideration. These drivers bag habits will facilitate their demise! With these bad practices you are signing your own death warrant in rideshare!

The “digital fingerprinting” which is a calculation of your actions is very real. Just because you have yet to have been caught doesn’t mean you will not be. This is why I encourage those I coach in the gig economy to be creative, in this, you still must work hard and treat what you do like your own personal business. I loath some of the practices of these gig based companies, but you, me, we cannot engage in unethical practices to make a dollar, it just isn’t worth it. I believe Uber particularly due to certain rollouts recently will be revolutionizing the rideshare platform once again and by AI (artificial intelligence). To survive they must change the game and I believe they have the data to do so, it’s now just a waiting game. Look, rideshare is here to stay and though a lot of us may be kicking and screaming at it’s practices I believe it’s best we forged some continuity and together make a better platform. I believe drivers will begin to once again take home 60% – 70% of their earnings due to the fact Uber will be doing a cleansing of their drivers. These unethical ones that believe they are owed so much, yes the pay should be much higher, but unethical practices are not justified.

It is time for the playing field to be leveled and the bad drivers ousted on their caboose so that the drivers that are fair and just can make a good living and riders are no longer being screwed over. Some people actually like the platform and are willing to meet Uber or Lyft half-way, but they will need to give what drivers want most and that is fair earnings.

IT COST TO BE THE BOSS

The greatest trend within this whole gig economy / digital nomad lifestyle I am beginning to see is not a good one. If we want to preserve this new found way of economics and living then we best nip some things in the bud and kill it at its route. A lot of folks are beginning to migrate more and more unto the freelancing platforms, but not for the right reasons. I believe many of them see the schedule flexibility, they see the ability to generate fast income, and they see them having to do the least and thinking they’ll gain the most, but quickly finding out that is far from the truth. Once they see that it is not as easy as they hoped for it to be this bratty, self-entitlement attitude becomes more apparent. This trend I believe is cultivated by and through social media influencers displaying a fraudulent lifestyle and not sharing the grittiness of entrepreneurship in and through the gig economy and freelancing. So I want to quickly set the record straight for those newly entering this digital nomadic world of freelancing and gig jobs.

YOU STILL HAVE TO WORK! Look I get it you want more time, but actually I can guarantee you have all the time you need you’re just not managing it right. Thinking that you will have more time to yourself to do whatever it is you want is fallacy. What I notice for myself is actually my work scheduled actually increased in fact! Now, how I was able to manipulate time and work was learning how to become more profitable in less time, which cost me initial a lot of work hours to master. Unless you have a healthy stream of passive income managed well then you like me are subjected to the rollercoaster ride of fluctuating income day to day depending upon the gigs you work.

MAKING A DOLLAR DON’T MEAN YOU HAVE A DOLLAR! This was a hard lesson I had to learn in this entrepreneurial life of mine. See below I was laid-off I ran my businesses with the comfort and security of my full-time job which helped me to not see my loses. I had a steady cash-flow making upwards of $52k to $60k annually. I never properly managed my profits or seen what I was actually bringing in. Whelp that all changed when I started in working gigs and freelancing. I’d make good money, but in time saw the money I made swiftly leave my hands and couldn’t understand why. The issue was I would spend it just as quick as I made it, not to mention unforeseen circumstances that would deplete the little bit of money I’d saved. This goes way beyond budgeting and saving, it’s about creating cash-flow, becoming highly disciplined in spending and allocating monies needed in the foreseen future.

YOU MUST INVEST IN YOUR BRAND | GIGS | RESOURCES! Look I am not saying you must go spend and exorbitant amount of money initially, but you will need to stay up on so many things to run your gigs efficiently. This digital age and digital marketing has changed the speed of things and you best keep up, regardless of what it is you do. You will have to invest in yourself by staying up on training and education i.e. Udemy courses, books and study materials, hours of YouTubing and research, etc. Depending on the gig you may need to invest in equipment too!

YOU MUST BUY INTO YOUR BRAND YOUR GIG YOUR WORK 1ST! It amazes me how people will work various platforms, use them in affiliate marketing, and absolutely not believe in the brand or talk massive $%&* about it. Why would anyone invest in what you yourself aren’t fully committed to? This is bad juju, as they say. Keep a positive attitude at best, sure it’s okay to speak on troublesome issues that you may face in with some of the partnering companies you work for (specifically gig workers on this one), but you must save face or it can come to bit you in the ass later. I refuse to promote or work for anyone or anything that goes against my moral compass, values, or is criminal. There must be a healthy exchange of value for me to do a gig. If you find yourself selling your soul to make a buck or not enjoying what it is you’re doing then you are causing self-inflicted pain and it will show through your work.

YOU ARE NOT OWED A DAMN THING! Ughhhh this one is my biggest pet peeve, the funny thing is I am seeing this more from traditional workers coming into the gig space and not so much from millenials. I believe it is because millennials easily embraced the gig economy because they have yet to have been indoctrinated through the workforce to buy into the un-necessaries of life. The last working generation birthed out of the baby boomers crave or rather fear not have the fraudulent securities a traditional job may grant i.e. retirement, 401K, investment options, health insurance, PTO, paid sick time, unions, upward pay scale, etc. These are lies and though they still exist, they’re becoming more and more non-existent especially retirement! I was born in 1981 the very year of the millennial age. I have a weird mix because I worked from an early age as both an entrepreneur off and on, but worked primarily in the traditional workspace. So I can speak from both sides and must admit it took a lot of mental detoxifications from what I had become comfortable and condition to do as an employee. Once the fear of believing I needed higher education to succeed, that I deserve the best health-care, that I should be grant a loan of sort; I went full throttle! Gig work is not intended to be long-term nor should it be your primary source of income, if so only temporarily. It is not so much gig companies responsibility to invest and provide you with traditional amenities. The game has changed! Buy your own stock, research and purchase healthcare for yourself and family, setup your own retirement plan, have a healthy work-life balance so you can have paid time off or take sick time without having to strain for money because of the time off.

So, all that to say this, gig work will still have you busy and can become costly if you fail to plan appropriately. Look there’s nothing wrong with traditional job/employee space, if it works for you then I encourage you to pursue it, but don’t you dare think you can come into this gig economy and freelancing space with rose colored glasses with the misconception of doing less work. You have to build a strong sense of intestinal fortitude to do this thing right! Either you will love it or you will become angry and bitter believing you’re owed more than what you are receiving. It is still hard work, long hours, sweat, and tears; just colored differently.