13. • Larger firms building platforms and
ecosystems to attract partners
• Smaller firms and solopreneurs
specializing, finding niches and
developing their own networks and
ecosystems
• Growing ecosystems of companies
and technologies enabling cross firm
collaboration and the use of
expanded supply chains
Platforms, Ecosystems and Networks
14. 0
20
40
60
80
100
Growth in Employer and Single Person Firms
Percentage Change – 1992 to 2012
Single
Person
Less Than
500 Employees
500 to 10,000
Employees
10,000+
Employees
90%
21%
15%
50%
Source: Small Business Administration
Barbell Industrial Structures
15. 21
21.5
22
22.5
23
2001 2011
0
2
4
6
8
1991 2001 2011
Avg. Number of Employees
New Businesses
Avg. Number of Employees
Small Business Sector
Source: BLS Monthly Labor Review March 2012
Small Businesses Also Moving to the
Extended Workforce and the Connected Economy
16. Independent Workers Too
In 2012, U.S. Independent Workers:
• Spent $96 billion hiring the
equivalent of 2.3 million FT
workers via contract hiring
• Spent $150 billion in non-payroll
and overhead expenses
17. Networking Key to Connected Economy Success
Factor % 8,9,10 Mean Score
Professional/technical
expertise in field of work
92% 9.24
Personal Attributes 90% 9.09
Networking skills 59% 7.30
IT skills 48% 6.82
Admin skills 40% 6.2
Sales/Marketing 37% 5.78
Successful Solopreneurs
Key Success Factors
18. Networking = Sales in the Connected Economy
Successful Solopreneurs
How They Get Work
Factor % 4,5 Mean Score
Word of Mouth 82% 4.24
Former Employer 47% 2.8
Staffing Agency/Broker 15% 1.38
Online Job Marketplace 12% 1.33
Social Media 6% .78
Advertising 3% .57
19. Coworking: The Next 5 Years
• Trends and Shifts Favor Coworking
• Social
• Demographic
• Economic
• Technology
20. Coworking: The Next 5 Years
• Challenges
• Awareness
• Value Proposition
• Substitutes
• Competition
• Business model