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Fueling Entrepreneurship
The lifeblood of the U.S. economy flows through its entrepreneurial spirit, encompassed by small businesses, solopreneurs, and startups across the country.
But the success of a nation of builders depends on the resources around them, and their ability to easily tap into those tools.
So who do America’s makers and creators turn to when they need help? Who can they count on to get the job done?
Image of an entrepreneur.
Freelancers are fueling the entrepreneurial journey today.
65%
of entrepreneurs have tapped freelance talent in the last year, with nearly three quarters (73%) using a freelancer since starting their businesses.
80%
Of those, 80% view freelancers as important or very important to the success of their business.
90%
Looking deeper into these numbers, nearly 90% of 11 to 30 person businesses viewed freelancers as important or very important; the bigger you get, the more help you need.
Entrepreneurs have turned to freelancers to do everything from graphics and design work to advertising and coding.
Nearly half
(46%) have tapped freelancers for graphics and design help.
2 in 5
have used freelancers for advertising help.
1 in 3
have looked to freelancers for coding help.
And they’ll continue moving forward.
Increased freelance usage
26%
Decreased freelance usage
12%
More than twice as many entrepreneurs have increased (26%) their freelance usage rather than decreased (12%) it in the past 12 months.
Nearly two thirds of entrepreneurs (62%) see freelancers as key to future successes.
Increased freelance usage
26%
More than twice as many entrepreneurs have increased (26%) their freelance usage rather than decreased (12%) it in the past 12 months.
Decreased freelance usage
12%
Nearly two thirds of entrepreneurs (62%) see freelancers as key to future successes.
Image of an entrepreneur.
But businesses today move fast, and finding the right talent is slowing many of them down.
Entrepreneurs need to run 100 miles an hour and turn on a dime. All while juggling chainsaws. So whether it’s flexibility or expertise, freelancers provide the support entrepreneurs need.
43%
point to expertise as the major benefit.
45%
of entrepreneurs appreciate the flexibility freelancers offer.
Image of an entrepreneur.
And while getting expertise isn’t easy...
48%
Nearly half of all entrepreneurs cited finding talent as their biggest freelancing challenge.
81%
An overwhelming majority of entrepreneurs think the tools to build a business have never been more accessible, but nearly two thirds (64%) say they spend a lot of time trying to find the right professional.
The financial upside is huge.
1 in 3
entrepreneurs (30%) who have hired freelancers say they've saved them more than $100,000 in the last 12 months.
So where's the disconnect?
Word of Mouth
47%
Own Network
39%
Nearly half of the entrepreneurs find talent through referrals or word of mouth (47%), or seeking them out through their own networks (39%).
Trust is a big factor for entrepreneurs. Nearly two thirds cited it as important or very important when hiring someone, and through analog channels like word of mouth and referrals, developing that trust requires time and effort.
Image of an entrepreneur.
Image of an entrepreneur.
The result? A slow and antiquated path to the help entrepreneurs need.
11
That’s the number of hours it takes an entrepreneur to hire a freelancer.
11
That’s the number of hours it takes an entrepreneur to hire a freelancer.
4.1
hours to find them
3.7
hours to vet them
3.5
hours to hire them
It costs growing businesses an average of
$1,500
just to find, vet and hire the expertise their businesses need.
What to do? Spur Entrepreneurship by Speeding Access and Trust
Too many entrepreneurs are relying on an old way of finding the help they need, looking in their own backyards in traditionally limited ways.
The best way to keep businesses growing and succeeding? Give them the tools to quickly find, access, and engage with trusted expertise.
Using technology and the global talent pool, trusted talent is more accessible today than it has ever been before.
Too many entrepreneurs are relying on an old way of finding the help they need, looking in their own backyards in traditionally limited ways.
The best way to keep businesses growing and succeeding? Give them the tools to quickly find, access, and engage with trusted expertise.

Using technology and the global talent pool, trusted talent is more accessible today than it has ever been before.
Find out more at fiverr.com/introducing-pro
Methodology
Research findings are based on a survey conducted by Morar Consulting fielded across the US between May 12th – May 18th, 2017. For this survey, 1,095 entrepreneurs were asked about their views regarding freelancing and hiring freelance talent. The study targeted entrepreneurs who are founders / co-founders / CEOs of a company with 30 employees or less. Respondents were recruited through a number of different mechanisms and sources to join panels and participate in market research surveys. All panelists passed a double opt-in process and completed on average 300 profiling data points prior to taking part in surveys. Respondents were invited to take part via email and were provided with a small monetary incentive for doing so. Results from any sample are subject to sampling variation. The magnitude of the variation is measurable and is affected by the number of interviews and the level of the percentages expressing the results. In this particular study, the chances are 95 in 100 that a survey result does not vary by more than, plus or minus, 3% percentage points from the result that would be obtained if interviews had been conducted with all persons in the population represented by the sample.