As concerns around the economy have risen in the US, the number of full-time employees doing side work or gig jobs has reached record highs. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 8.9 million Americans, or 5.4% of the civilian workforce, now hold more than one job, an all-time high. A new survey by global HR tech firm Remote placed the percentage of those working more than one job even higher. The survey of 2,000 full-time, desk-based US employees revealed that 18% have already taken on a second job or side hustle, and another 57% are considering one. The survey also found that only 17% of full-time office workers say their employer is giving them the resources and support they need to feel stable and motivated at work. Additionally, 79% of those surveyed by Remote indicated that they’re more concerned about the economic direction of the nation compared to last year. The top concerns driving those sentiments include retirement savings and financial preparedness, followed by layoffs and job security. Side gigs more common, but problems remain Gig workers, earning through short-term, flexible jobs via apps or platforms, are in high demand, according to career site JobLeads. JobLeads analyzed data from the Online Labour Observatory and the World Bank Group to reveal the countries dominating online gig work. The United States is leading in the number of online freelancers, with 28% of the global online freelance market. Software and tech roles dominate in the US, representing 36.4% of freelancers, followed by creative/multimediaand clerical/data entry jobs. Emily Rose McRae, a senior director analyst at Gartner Research, said a new normal has emerged within organizations where employees working side gigs isn’t necessarily considered a problem. Prior to the pandemic in 2020, employers were much more sensitive to employees performing work for secondary companies. The real issue isn’t fraud — it’s poor performance, McRae said. If someone isn’t meeting expectations and it goes unnoticed, that’s a failure of management, not the fact that they have two jobs. “are actually saying, ‘Well, if this starts to be a problem, let me know,’” she said. “You have to more actively manage the issue, instead of trying to prevent the problem.” Another issue with side gigs: “What if they’re doing a side hustle where they do work as a contractor that’s quite similar to the work they do for you as an employer?” McRae asked. “What if they’re doing it for a competitor? Where is the line there in terms of what you are comfortable having shared and not shared?” The other problem that has arisen is workers contracting out their jobs to cheap overseas labor — a practice known as “shadow stand-ins.” This trend has gained traction with the rise of remote work and online platforms like Fiverr and Upwork. To address these concerns, organizations should be actively monitoring their employees to ensure they’re holding to work standards and not burning out due to their self-imposed workloads across multiple gigs, McRae said. The bottom line is they need to not only pay attention to potential employees during the hiring process but continue to check in on employees regularly once they’re on board. “At a minimum, they need to pay much more active attention to potential intellectual property and other international informational security issues, and it also requires that managers be a little bit more attentive,” she said. Stress is up Remote’s survey also showed that 62% of those surveyed reported higher work-related stress than a year ago. Motivation is an issue as well: just 24% describe themselves as ‘very motivated’ at work, 31% say they are only slightly motivated, and 8% report being not at all motivated. “People are showing up, doing the work, and carrying real pressure, but the data shows they’re not hearing directly from leadership, and they’re not seeing action that matches the moment,” said Barbara Matthews, Chief People Officer at Remote. “That gap doesn’t close with simple perks or surface-level fixes. It takes real attention and follow-through.” According to Remote, employers need to acknowledge and accommodate employees’ lives outside work. By doing so, companies can better retain talent, while also expanding the talent pool to potential employees who can’t meet the rigid requirements of a traditional 9-5, fully in-office job. Employers should also: Prioritize regular, transparent communication about business performance and future plans.  Offer development pathways and mentorship to help employees grow and adapt. The ability to chart a clear path forward can make employees feel more secure in their role.  Check in on financial wellness and offer supportwhere possible.  Create a space for honest feedback, especially when the conversations are likely to feel tough. “The findings serve as a reminder that people-first leadership isn’t about guesswork; it’s about listening, responding, and proactively creating environments where employees can maintain stability and productivity even in uncertain times,” Matthews said. #number #workers #with #side #hustles

On Thursday, President Donald Trump will sit down for an intimate evening at his Northern Virginia golf club with 220 of his favorite people in the world: a group of cryptocurrency speculators who have spent an estimated million on Trump’s eponymous memecoin, making the president and his associates millions of dollars in the process. Even by Trump’s standards, this dinner will be the culmination of one of the most cartoonish episodes of executive-branch graft in recent memory. Last month, Trump announced that at the end of a predetermined period, he would host an “unforgettable Gala DINNER” for the top 220 holders of $TRUMP, allowing winners to discuss the future of the industry with the “Crypto President” himself. The top 25 token holders would also get to attend an “Exclusive Reception” with Trump, along with a “Special VIP White House Tour.”The contest’s organizer, a Trump-affiliated LLC called Fight Fight Fight, maintained an online leaderboard of those jockeying for position during the sweepstakes, which ended on May 12. The website also includes helpful information about the dress codeand the plus-one policy. For Trump, the logistical details were far less important than the chance to juice the market for $TRUMP, which had cratered after launching in January but then spiked by more than 50% when he announced the contest. In the two days that followed, the Trump Organization and its affiliates, which together control roughly 80% of the token’s supply, took in nearly million in trading fees; by the end of the sweepstakes, that number had jumped to million, according to a Washington Post analysis.  In all, the Post estimates that since the coin’s debut four months ago, Trump and company have made million from crypto sales and million in fees. As it turns out, one of the perks of being the person in charge of U.S. cryptocurrency policy is the freedom to profit off of cryptocurrency without fear of meaningful consequences. The details of the frenzy to secure a spot on the leaderboard make clear just how for sale the federal government is right now. Making the top 220, according to Wired, required holding or buying more than 4,000 $TRUMP tokens worth about altogether; those who made the VIP list held an average of 325,000 tokens worth a collective million. Many of the people who made the cut made their purchases on exchanges that suggest they are non-U.S. residents who jumped at the chance to bend the U.S. president’s ear in a semiprivate setting. Sure enough, although the leaderboard identifies winners only by username and alphanumeric crypto wallet address, among the confirmed attendees are Justin Sun, a Chinese crypto speculator who is, in a wild coincidence, trying to settle civil fraud charges with the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission; an Australian crypto entrepreneur who hopes to pitch Trump on adopting an even more industry-friendly regulatory stance; and a to-be-determined representative of MemeCore, a Singapore-based crypto collective that told New York magazine that whomever it sends hopes to ask Trump, “Are you a meme, or the result of one?”  Fight Fight Fight calculated the value of contestants’ holdings based on both the amount of $TRUMP in a wallet and the length of time they’d held it, thus rewarding early investors for their commitment to padding the president’s bottom line. That said, earlier this month, the journalist Molly White found that of the wallets on the leaderboard at the time, 62% started buying $TRUMP only after he dangled the dinner invitation. Once acquiring a floundering memecoin came with a shot at a sit-down with the literal President of the United States, people who were previously uninterested apparently decided to reevaluate their investment priorities. Since the event is closed to the press, there will be no independent coverage of what Trump says to attendees, or what the attendees say to Trump, or even who the attendees are. The entire spectacle amounts to an off-the-record jam session between a bunch of people who have already gotten rich off crypto, brainstorming ways to keep getting rich off crypto. For Trump, the event is only the latest celebration of his whirlwind romance with crypto, which he spent years disparaging before realizing that embracing it could help fast-track his return to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. He positioned himself as the pro-crypto candidate on the campaign trail last year, promising to create a national crypto stockpile and appoint industry luminaries to prominent administration roles. In another wild coincidence, around the same time, his adult sons helped launch World Liberty Financial, a crypto project structured to funnel 75% of revenue to the Trump family. WLF was basically a hedge against the results of the 2024 election: Even if Trump lost, he would at least have a new source of income to pay his legal bills. The fact that Trump won that election, of course, has made this alliance even more successful for everyone involved. In the hours before his inauguration, the price of Bitcoin spiked to nearly then an all-time high. Demand for World Liberty Financial’s coins exploded, too, especially from foreign investors whom federal law bars from giving directly to presidential campaigns or inaugural funds.More recently, Abu Dhabi announced that it would use a WLF-issued stablecoin, USDI1, for its state-backed investment firm’s billion deal with the crypto exchange Binance—a choice that just so happens to put tens of millions of dollars in the Trump family’s pockets.  In an interview with the New York Times earlier this year, Eric Trump spoke of the family’s pivot to crypto in glowing terms, describing World Liberty Financial as “one of the more successful things we’ve ever done.” The numbers bear this out: In March, Fortune estimated that Trump’s crypto holdings were worth billion—not bad for an asset he was dismissing as “not money,” “highly volatile,” and “based on thin air” a few years earlier. Pundits often describe Trump’s involvement in crypto as “unprecedented,” and in a sense, this is right: Given Washington’s enduring obsessions with political scandals and conflicts of interest, traditionally, sitting presidents have not developed active side hustles in industries they have the power to regulate. But Trump has never cared about adhering to norms like this one, because he has always viewed the power of the office he holds primarily in terms of its potential to make him wealthier. He agreed to shake hands with a couple hundred crypto enthusiasts this week for the only reason he has ever done anything: He saw a chance to make money, and no one stopped him from taking it. #trumps #memecoinsperplate #crypto #dinner #american

For many creatives, there are few times in life that are more thrilling and filled with possibilities than the summer you graduate. At the same time, there's usually a fair bit of anxiety, and in 2025, there are good reasons for that. If you're a creative graduate preparing to enter the workforce, you face a rapidly changing landscape shaped by technological advancements, shifting work paradigms and unprecedented challenges. In short, you'll be navigating uncharted waters as you transition from structured academic environments to the professional world. To help bridge this gap, we've gathered industry-leading advice from established leaders across various disciplines. These veterans have weathered economic shifts, tech revolutions, and cultural transformations throughout their careers. As such, their collective wisdom offers a compass for any graduate at a time of extraordinary opportunity and complexity. 1. Be kind to yourself First things first. You'll want to get into decent-paid work straight away, but in the current job market, that might not happen. That completely sucks, of course, but the important thing is that you don't beat yourself up over it. Creative director Charlie Bowden acknowledges the challenges of getting your foot in the door, even with a degree. "Converting an internship into a job is hard and may take longer than you'd like," he cautions. "So be kind to yourself. The best work comes when you're happy." Adrian Carroll, creative director at D8, agrees. "Don't be too hard on yourself if you don't land a role straight away," he stresses. "It's an incredibly tough market for graduates at the moment. Fewer people are setting up agencies, and more people are opting to freelance, which is tough if you don't have much experience." 2. Build your personal brand In a crowded jobs market, you need to stand out. That can be challenging for many creatives, especially if you're shy or introverted. But the important thing to understand, according to Simon Manchipp, founding partner at SomeOne, is this: "YOU ARE A BRAND. Like it or not." With that in mind, he recommends you: "Get your story straight. Make it stick. Website. Insta. LinkedIn. Behance. They should sing the same song—and it should sound like you. SHOW WORK. NOT PROMISES. Don't tell us what you want to do; show us what you did. Projects are better than platitudes. Side hustles count. So do failed ones. Especially failed ones." 3. Craft a portfolio with cut-through When it comes to your portfolio, Alex Rexworthy, co-founder and design director at Outlaw, advises showcasing development alongside final work. "Show your process, not just a flashy render," he urges. "Take the reader on a journey through each project in your portfolio. Start with the brief, share your initial ideas, and explain how you arrived at the final result." Above all, encourages Cat How, founder and ECD at How Studio, make an impact. "Go big, or go home," she says. "This is your time to shine, so you owe it to yourself to be OUTRAGEOUS." 4. Stay true to your vision When you're struggling to get work, it's natural to want to apply for everything and maybe even pretend to be someone you're not. But Paul Leon, creative director at U037, reckons you'll ultimately be more successful if you focus on your authentic creative path. "Focus on what you really want to do and head for that," he advises. "If you feel something's not right for you, don't be afraid to speak up, and don't be afraid to say no. Value yourself: the journey is where all the good stuff happens. Detours, etc, are fine." When applying for a job at an agency, you obviously need to do your research. But Charlie notes that you need to look beyond an agency's portfolio. "Consider the culture, not just the work," he explains. "Certain agencies make great work, but their culture may not be right for you. Internships are a great way of getting a gauge of this, but so is asking to come in for coffee and a crit, so you can see what the agency is like first-hand." 5. Embrace the beginner's mindset You need confidence to succeed in life, but that confidence shouldn't spill over into overconfidence or the idea that you already know it all; you don't. With that in mind, Kiser Barnes, partner and chief creative officer at Red Antler, stresses the importance of humility paired with curiosity. "Be humble and stay wildly curious," he says. "Finishing school feels like reaching the peak… until you realise you're right back at the bottom of a new hill again. That's okay. The people who thrive in this industry are the ones most open to learning, evolving and collaborating." Barrington Reeves, creative director at Too Gallus, offers similar advice. "Be ready to learn," he urges. "The change from education to commercial can sometimes be daunting. But although you've just been through a full course of education, the real learning begins now. " Part of that means adapting to commercial timeframes. "Don't be discouraged by the pace of change and iteration," he stresses. "While university might teach you to nurture and grow an idea over a prolonged period of time, in the commercial market, it is an incredible skill to be able to think—and fail—fast." 6. Develop leadership skills early Being humble doesn't mean you can't have one eye on the future and start developing your leadership skills. With that in mind, Ashleigh Hansberger, co-founder and COO at Motto, suggests you: "Start studying business and leadership now. Leadership isn't about title; it's about behaviour. That means building discipline, making clear decisions, being accountable, and taking responsibility for your actions and impact. "Practise your own leadership development early," she adds. "Read about it. Reflect on it. Try it. Accumulate experience and wisdom through the unglamorous work of getting 1% better every day. That's how you grow into someone people want to follow." 7. Master your craft while embracing technology Emerging technologies might be disrupting everything right now, with negative consequences for employment. But Kiser encourages graduates to engage with them all the same. "Don't be afraid of AI—tinker with it, play with it, understand it," he says. "Use your fresh perspective to imagine better ways of working. The world doesn't need more copies of what already exists. It needs people who can push the whole system forward." Matthew Schneider, director of product marketing at LucidLink, takes a similar line. "Know your craft, but don't be afraid of new tech," he advises. "When I started, a single video editing system cost well over k; now, a subscription to professional editing software might cost as little as monthly." And the moral of this story? "Now people have access to great tools, what sets you apart is how you use them and the story you ultimately tell with them," Matthew explains. "Growing up an aspiring filmmaker myself, my mother would always tell me, 'It's not the story; it's the storytelling'. She's right!" Tom Munckton, ECD at Fold7Design, similarly notes the accelerating pace of industry evolution right now. "The industry used to shift annually; now it feels more like monthly—with processes and project delivery being challenged by AI and other democratising factors," he says. Ultimately, though, he recommends focusing on creative direction over specific tools. "Regardless of the tool or method you use right now or in the future, confidence will come from being clear about the type of work you want to make and making constant steps towards that," he reasons. 8. Embrace discomfort as growth Finding all this stressful and frightening? Many creative people feel like they don't "belong" in normal society, but the good news is that agencies are generally pretty friendly places and are probably filled with other people who've felt like outsiders themselves. Take Claire Parker, group creative partner at The Chase. "I never fitted in at school—couldn't do maths, couldn't spell—but I could create," she recalls. "The world needs curious minds like yours. Creativity isn't about having all the answers; it's about asking better questions. "Stay interested, stay committed, and back yourself even when you feel out of your depth," she adds. "In fact, especially then, as David Bowie said, 'Always go a little further into the water'. That's where the magic happens. Be more Bowie." #creative #leaders #share #their #golden