The Roanoker - May/June 2021 - 29

Gigging the Economy
The term " gig " has been around since musicians began charging to entertain.
And " economy " dates to the first sale of an animal skin by one Neanderthal to
another (on sale: two bones and a rock). Put them together and you have the
hot new business concept, " gig economy. "
That, of course, refers to freelance workers and nearly everybody else trying
to figure out how to handle it. Giggers are not employees. They are, in effect,
small businesses, independent contractors who take on projects rather than
being hired full-time.
Newly-minted PhD consultant Samantha Steidle of Roanoke, who has
made a study of the gig economy, says there is no official definition, though
she makes an attempt: " A single project or task for which a worker is hired,
often through a digital marketplace, to work on demand. "
Gigging " is a tool for economic empowerment, " she says, " but the law
[governing it] has not caught up, so it can exacerbate economic inequality.
Laws simply don't protect these workers. "
There's also misperception, says Steidle. " People often associate the gigeconomy with low income, but certain types of white-collar gig-work can
actually be pretty lucrative. "
COVID-19, she says, " has made the playing field even less level " for giggers
in many instances.
" Millions of people are out of work [because of COVID] and they don't know
where to go, don't know their options. "
Gig work can help in both the short and long terms, she says.
" The laws protecting workers rights (particularly during COVID) and the
lack of access to insurance pose huge barriers and some say perpetuate
the inequalities already existing in society. It's not that the gig-economy is

" The gigeconomy offers
the opportunity
to earn money
without having
to officially
apply for a job. In
addition, there is
substantial money
that can be made
in the consultingside of the gigeconomy. This can
be the engine of
recovery. "
-Samantha Steidle, PhD

TheRoanoker.com

inherently bad but when
laws don't keep up with
the reality of our current
workforce, that's a
problem.
" As with any career
path, there are pros
and cons. For example,
the gig-economy
can offer increased
flexibility in hours and
location, autonomy,
creativity, variety and an
opportunity to pursue
one's passion. On the
other hand, the work
can be inconsistent
and obtaining health
insurance can be a huge
barrier. "
Gig work, she says,
gives workers the opportunity " to reconsider their value, to fill a need. " The idea
is to " figure where your skills match what is needed. What may be a necessity
now can become an option in the future. People need to understand how to
diversify, how to get their feet back on the ground.
" The gig-economy offers the opportunity to earn money without having to
officially apply for a job. In addition, there is substantial money that can be
made in the consulting-side of the gig-economy. This can be the engine of
recovery. " -DS

key commercial corridors. Investments
made in these areas are yielding results
with nearly $30 million in transportation
improvements recently approved and
scheduled for the 419 area alone. "
Here's why, she insists. " Community
engagement and outreach have been more
aggressive than ever before, and citizens
are welcoming the changes. Greater
density of development, sidewalks/walkable
community, multi-modal transportation
and community gathering places are all
urban amenities that are being embraced
and desired in targeted areas. This is a
shift from where we were 15 years ago, as
consumer preferences are changing. "
Manufacturing remains a primary target
for the Valley, but broadband improvement
is elementary, and it is getting plenty of
attention.
" We have been building the plane while
we're flying it, " Soltis says. " There is no
playbook, or a one-size-fits-all approach
to our work. Economic development is a
complex and collaborative effort that puts
the puzzle together one piece at a time. "
Regional Partnership Director John
Hull says the " holistic approach " is vital.

" It's exciting to see how [that approach]
has taken economic development over the
past 10 years. "
Hull says, " COVID-19 and the
remote work revolution highlighted an
opportunity to leverage the high level of
livability, the tremendous level of outdoor
amenities, our burgeoning outdoor culture
and affordability/cost of living towards
attracting remote workers. The RRP
launched a digital remote worker campaign
that garnered more than eight million
impressions and over 100,000 clicks with
the top age demographic being those
between 25 and 34. "
" The outdoor industry is an oftenoverlooked economic generator, " Eshelman
says. " It's an $887 billion dollar industry
that employs one out of 20 people in the
U.S. What we've done is shed light on this,
given a voice to the outdoors and taken
our greatest strength from wallpaper to an
economic growth tool. "
All of it is pulling together to create
a new Roanoke Valley, one where smart,
talented, young workers can make a good
living and raise a family in a healthy
atmosphere. I

MAY/JUNE 2021 29

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