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talent marketplace

FlexTal
In Agile Teams

Upskilling vs Outsourcing: Which to Choose (Or Both)?

the word "upskill" graphically treated to look like a bar-graph going up. The word is orange on a field of blue.

When to train in-house vs. hire specialized flexible talent – and how to hybridize effectively

Building agile teams can be a lot like decisions made by a friend who has an old phone. The phone has been loyal for years, sturdy through more than a few drops, and the battery life still hangs on better than most. But now he’s frustrated. Not only is he sick of the device’s wired headphones keeping him tethered to the phone – he can’t even download the latest apps because he hasn’t updated the OS in years. So, what’s the solution?

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Chris Koens
In Leadership, Sales & Growth, Talent Focus, The Future of Work

Tariffs, Tensions, and Talent: Navigating 2025

An AI-generated cargo ship carrying containers labeled "Freelancer" and "1099-Staffing"

When your supply chain gets taxed, your workforce doesn’t have to.

It started with an email.
Subject line: Urgent: Tariff Changes Affecting Your Shipment.
Your morning coffee suddenly tastes like despair. That container of widgets you’ve ordered for years? The duties just jumped from a manageable $2,000 to a migraine-inducing $12,000. And just like that, your budget has all the structural integrity of a wet paper bag.

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Chris Koens
In Leadership, Strategy & Business, The Future of Work

Smart Hiring Is Smart Business: How Freelance Staffing Maximizes ROI

Cartoon man holds "CV" paper while looking shocked

Hiring isn’t just about putting someone’s butt in a chair (or their face in a Zoom square) anymore. It’s about strategy — and more specifically, return on investment. When businesses focus only on the up-front salary cost of a hire, they’re missing the bigger picture. In today’s economic landscape, traditional hiring can quietly drain resources — while agile staffing solutions like freelance talent can dramatically shift the cost-benefit equation in your favor.

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Chris Koens
In Strategy & Business, The Future of Work

Hiring is Broken. Here’s How to Fix It

You know the drill. You meticulously craft the perfect job description and moments after you publish it to your favorite “now hiring” website your inbox becomes a battlefield of résumés, cover letters, and LinkedIn connection requests. You brace yourself for the impending onslaught of great candidates and start to dig in. The first one looks promising — until you open it and see an uber-generic, copy-paste cover letter starting with the disappointingly non-specific “To whom it may concern…” The next applicant boasts “exceptional attention to detial” (yes, spelled exactly like that). Others list “breathing” and “social media posting” as skills. There’s even a group of submissions that claim to be “fast learners” while admitting to no experience related to the job description.

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Chris Koens
In Talent Focus, The Future of Work

15 Tips To Help Freelancers Stop Burning Cash

Graphic image of a jar-candle. Blue background with light blue, orange, and gray graphics.

OR: Is that Cashmere-Plum Scented Candle a Legitimate Tax Deduction

Ah, the freelance life — you’re living the dream, right? No boss breathing down your neck, no soul-crushing commute, and yes, you can absolutely take a “conference call” from your couch while wearing sweatpants (or no pants at all — we’re not judging). But let’s be real: while freelancing offers freedom, it also comes with the financial stability of a Jenga tower on a windy day. One month, you’re rolling in invoices and treating yourself to avotoast and oat milk lattes like a Silicon Valley CEO. The next, you’re eyeing the “fancy” ramen at the grocery store and wondering if you can justify it as a “business expense.”

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Chris Koens
In Strategy & Business, Talent Focus, The Future of Work

Cupid, Clients, and Contractors… it’s Complicated

A female freelancer sits across from a male client.

Bad Experiences from Swipe-Rights and Gig-Sites

Ah, Valentine’s Day — the annual reminder that love is in the air… or, at the very least, that heart-shaped chocolates are half-price tomorrow. Whether you’re blissfully coupled up or single and thriving, today is the perfect time to reminisce about the universal experience that unites us all: bad dates. Those cringe-worthy, facepalm-inducing, “why did I leave my house for this?” encounters that make you seriously consider adopting a dozen cats and calling it a life.

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Chris Koens
In Design & Creative, Profile Updates, Talent Focus

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Opportunities

a male freelancer with a beard and glasses stands against a column in front of a wall. He is wearing a brown jacket with a white shirt and black tie. The title of the blog appears on the image

Freelancers, it’s time to show the world your best side – literally. Your profile picture is often the first impression potential customers get, so it’s important to make it count! The end of the year is a perfect time to update your digital presence and online bios – including your FlexTal Talent profile. When you’re updating your accomplishments and highlights from the past year, don’t forget to focus on your profile photo. A polished headshot can help set the tone for your overall image. And the best part? You don’t need a fancy studio setup. Just a personal camera or your smartphone, some time, and a little creative thinking can produce a headshot that spruces up your profile.

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Chris Koens
In Leadership, Strategy & Business, The Future of Work

Freelancers Unleashed: Uncovering The Power Of The On-Demand Workforce

Line drawing of a dog's leash. Leash is light blue with an orange clasp. Background is dark blue.

Today’s rapidly evolving business landscape has redefined the traditional notions of how employees think about work and employment. The rise of the on-demand economy has ushered in a new era where freelancers are taking center stage, redefining how work gets done. The on-demand workforce, characterized by independent contractors, remote workers, and gig economy participants, offers a range of benefits and opportunities for businesses willing to tap into its power. It may be time for your organization to explore the untapped potential of the on-demand workforce and start to understand how it might be able to transform your business.

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