Free Agency

In his first book, Daniel Pink identified the phenomenon of the Free Agent Nation. He describes “free agents” as those who have left corporations and taken charge of their lives, becoming what he categorizes as soloists, temps, or owners of micro-businesses.1 Most of the Lost Leaders are now soloists, selling their talents to corporations as consultants. Nancy, while undecided on her future path, was at least sure of this: Not to work for somebody else is my real preference. I would probably be most viable as a consultant in my own field. But with all that I’ve done—I’ve cooked for a living, I’ve worked in factories and managed gas stations, worked in nursing homes—that has told me that there’s a lot of things I can do. I don’t just have to stay on the same path I’m on now. I’d much rather do something totally different, something like buy houses and fix them up and sell them or something. I’d like to do something like have a coffee shop/bookshop if you could make a living at it. I’d like to do something where I didn’t have to be involved with the bowels of corporate. I could end up doing nothing other than finding a way to make money without having to go to an office all the time. I’m really looking for something with more freedom.