5 basics to know about the Gig Economy in India

5 min readJan 26, 2022

I know Paritosh from my early days when I travelled often. He is by far one of the most interesting personalities I have come across. He is a livewire. So talented and at the young age of 22, he is a content creator, a filmmaker, a comedy podcast host, and he also coaches Defence Aspirants for SSB. And he has just started.

I loved every minute of the podcast with Paritosh and had a lot of fun.

Here are some of the takeaways from my podcast with Paritosh Anand:

1. Hustling gives you more Exposure

With the changing times, the work styles of people have also changed. Now, no one is bound by the 9 to 5 job. This change has been possible because of the Gig Economy.
Hustling or freelancing has been in the rage for quite a long time now, and it is here to stay. In my experience, freelancing is better than having a contract-based Job because it provides enough exposure and helps you grow as an individual.
The gig economy has enabled individuals to get exposed to the changing times and stay ahead of the curve. Meeting new people and learning from their experiences is something no contract job can give you. Also, hustling gives you a chance to try new things. Exposure is crucial for people to grow, and freelancing offers you just that.

2. Learning becomes a part of the Job

Another great thing about freelancing is that learning becomes part of your routine. Hustling might not help you if your knowledge is stagnant. The gig economy demands flexibility. To remain relevant in your respective field, it is a must that you stay updated with the latest trends. As you learn, you grow, and that’s how the gig economy will help you.
Keep trying new things once you have the basic knowledge about it, and you can learn more while you are on the Job. And there is no restriction, no boundaries set which will give you enough freedom to take up new things. For example, you can take up two jobs at once if you can manage your time well.
There are courses available to learn almost everything. And during the times of pandemic, most of the courses are now conducted online, which gives you an upper hand because you can learn sitting in the comfort of your home.
Unlike other conventional jobs, you do not need prior experience. Freelancing is purely talent-based. It gives you a chance to follow your passion or something that you have been trying to do for a long time but could not do because of commitments you made to yourself. Simply put, freelance helps you gain money from your passion.

3. You are your Own Boss

BYOB is my favourite part of hustling. You do not have a fixed time-bound job; you do not have to spend your weekends thinking about your mundane weekdays.
The unconventionality of hustling makes it more attractive for millennials and gen Z as well. It lets you work on your terms and conditions with little or no liability.
But the flip side of this can be last-minute scheduling. But overall, freelancing helps you create your own work environment, which will eventually make you more productive than any conventional work setup.

4. Have Backups

Sometimes, sustaining productivity can be challenging. For example, you may feel burned out from working in the same field for a long time. And this can happen even in the most comfortable work environment. But unlike conventional contract-based jobs, freelancing is flexible enough to let you change your profile and start afresh.
Learning new skills is always appreciated, and it is necessary now more than ever. The gig economy offers the most important thing any individual seeks- Independence. It gives the freedom to change your entire work profile and return to a new set of skills.
For this, you can note all the skills you already know and the skills you want to acquire and find the courses online which will help you learn those skills.
Also, make sure you check if the skills that you plan on acquiring are rewarding. Because if it is not, you are just wasting your time and productivity on something which will give you nothing in return.

5. Start your Freelance Journey

After gaining some clarity over what skills you want to continue with and the new skills you want to acquire, you can start your freelance journey.
It is not a tough nut to crack that consistency plays an important role here as well. Your skill-set will help you only when you use them regularly; otherwise, they are no good.
Be confident that whatever you are going to do will help you and others too. Consider freelancing as a service that you do for people but on your own terms and conditions.

During the lockdown, many people who lost their regular jobs took a resort to freelance, providing their service to people all over the globe. And while they were at it, they acquired a new skill set too. And without a doubt, it can be said that hustling has helped a lot of people to come out of this lockdown situation as well as their previous work. Freelance in many ways has revolutionised the way work was considered in India.

Looking at the current scenario, I can indeed say that freelancing is a fantastic alternative to the conventional work structure that we are accustomed to.

My podcast with Paritosh Anand was full of learnings, and I hope he achieves whatever he wishes. So please tune in to the podcast to listen to our conversation, which was educational and inspiring.

The link to the podcast is here.