There is enormous value in the ethics of independence and independents.  In fact, we lose opportunity for not knowing how to harness that value and deploy it to the global community.  Recent developments have made this task more feasible.  The emergence of the freelance community, coworking spaces, professionalization of the middle-class, a society that is open to new ideas, and the technologies that help people do more and faster, all work in favor of independents and may be used in favor of independence.

These processes are not perfect yet, and in some sense we are far from a society where freedom and self determination are the norm.  Markets, even mature ones like Europe and America, still function within industrial systems and mindsets.  There are, of course, exceptional cases where without the backing of the machinery success may be achieved.  But if you look at the Silicon Valley culture of entrepreneurship there’s still due process, diligence and formality demanded, and offered.

For a talent to reach a place, at a time, where it may be empowered to its high-note, great resources are needed.  It’s quite hard, actually.  This is the main motivation for investing time and other resources in identifying different types of talent (value), providing them tools for development and being able to reach different audiences and consumers that actually want and cherish their work.

JD