There’s a new trend in growing companies. More and more companies are outsourcing their talent outside, which significantly reduces costs. Future companies are staying nimble with small remote teams spread across the globe. As this trend picks up, companies need to figure out how to manage their freelancers effectively. JobBliss has been building the dream platform for growing companies. Founded by Angie Kramer, an advertising leader with over twenty years of experience in this space. We sat down with Angie to discuss JobBliss’s recent rise.
What was the inspiration behind JobBliss?
After spending over a decade in the advertising world and leading a diverse team of creatives and developers, I found myself constantly struggling with the hassles of finding freelancers and paying out hefty recruitment fees. So, I decided to take matters into my own hands and developed a simple online marketplace for the freelancers I knew well. Sharing this with my network, I quickly realised the need was much larger and more important than I anticipated. As I dug deeper, especially with larger companies, I discovered their main pain point wasn’t finding freelancers—it was managing them over time. They needed a way to easily keep track of who was available, who was already busy, who was performing well, and who wasn’t cutting it. They wanted to be able to anticipate needs instead of always reacting, so I began working with them to build a tool that would enable this experience.
How do you help growing companies when it comes to talent?
I’ve noticed that smaller and mid-sized companies often struggle with the operational, financial and functional burdens of hiring full-time talent, yet they still need the flexibility to scale up for new projects. Using JobBliss helps these companies build and maintain their private pool of external (and internal) talent, ensuring they nurture these relationships over time. This not only allows for better long-term flexibility but also gives companies the ability to plan and forecast their needs rather than constantly reacting. Our platform offers these companies the comprehensive tools for managing any size of external workforce, providing them everything they need from onboarding, project management and time tracking, to invoicing and payment tracking, making it incredibly easy for companies to integrate freelancers into their daily operations. We’re continually evolving to make working with external teams not just easier but a standard part of how modern companies operate.
What is your advice for growing companies when it comes to hiring and keeping freelancers?
My advice for companies looking to hire and retain contractors and freelancers is simple: as much as possible, treat them as you would your full-time employees. Proper onboarding, clear communication about expectations, and regular check-ins are crucial. It’s important for freelancers to feel integrated and valued by your team, as this fosters loyalty and ensures they’re ready to support you when you need them most. Building trust and maintaining up-to-date information on each freelancer will make them more likely to prioritise your projects. Most importantly, take the time to build this structure now, so you’re not scrambling in the future.
Where do you see your industry in the next five years? What trends do you see?
Looking ahead, I see a significant shift towards removing the silos and embracing external talent like freelancers and consultants. More and more people are considering freelance work, either part-time or full-time. This shift allows companies, big and small, to remain agile, accessing top talent on demand without the overhead of full-time salaries. It’s a win-win: smaller companies can punch above their weight, and larger companies can enhance their capabilities. This dynamic is reshaping the competitive landscape, making talent management more critical than ever.
What is the role of AI for talent management?
AI is set to play a transformative role in talent management. By leveraging AI for tasks like talent profile build, project and task management, and of course forecasting, companies can move from reactive to proactive planning. AI can help us understand the nuances of external talent management, such as predicting skill needs and optimising resource and budget allocation. This not only simplifies administrative tasks but also enhances the strategic role of freelance talent in project dynamics. Companies can have the visibility and control to stay competitive, no matter what the market throws at them.
What’s next with JobBliss?
We’re committed to deepening our understanding of various industries and company needs, continually refining our platform to serve as the ultimate solution for managing external talent. Our goal is to bridge the gap between external and internal teams even further, making processes like onboarding and collaboration as smooth as possible. We’re also looking into additional support for freelancers, such as insurance and flexible payment solutions, to make freelancing not just viable but desirable.
