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This week we caught up with one of our Advisory Board members, Marianne Olsson, to get better acquainted with her!
Marianne Olsson at Konsultboken.se, is a gig economy expert, speaker, and author, and a Strategic Advisor with 25 years of marketing and digital business development experience in international environments. She has an MBA from Henley (UK) and her book series "Consulting in the Gig Economy & How to Get Great Gigs” aims to inspire people and companies to thrive and work in the gig economy.
Our Advisory Board is the very lifeblood of everything we do at Marketplace Risk. From conferences and virtual events to resources and advice for startups, our board takes a hands-on approach to providing indispensable insight and guidance, drawing on their broad experience that spans a multitude of platforms and industries. We asked Marianne a few questions to get to know her better:
Tell us what you do in / your connection to the marketplace / sharing economy space.
I act as an Advisor to companies that need to navigate the gig economy both in terms of their business development and workforce strategies connected to their ability to attract and retain employees, consultants and gig workers.
I have authored several books about the consulting industry and the gig economy that guides the work forces as well as companies in the gig and sharing economy as well as any company that need a new people strategy to strengthen their organisational competitiveness. Also, I try to inspire people to become part of the gig economy as startups, gig workers and consultants alike.
What interests / fascinates you most about marketplaces / the sharing economy?
The marketplaces have had an amazing impact on companies, freelancers and consumers world-wide. The global economy has evolved, with gig and sharing economy services and gig jobs available across countries as well as pushed the remote work for white collars.
How were you first introduced to marketplaces / the sharing economy? My experience started out in the consulting industry 2001, an already mature market that immediately joined the gig economy evolution and started to develop platforms and marketplaces to meet a digital job market. The market for IT consultants, for example, is so big and enables many marketplaces to thrive and be profitable both globally and locally.
What did you want to be when you were growing up? I had some different ideas (marketing, photography, business development and negotiation) that eventually led me to the real estate market as a real estate agent, which was my first real job.
What motivates you the most about your business/platform?
To create value for gig workers that has a high impact on their lives. Co-founder of Gee.group that provides financial services for freelancers and gig workers.
Do your friends and family understand what you do? Nowadays people know about the gig and sharing economy, so yes :) But it took a few years for people to connect the dots and I think that using related apps has increased their understanding of our industry.
What one or two things do you do each day religiously? I drink lots of strong coffee and stay connected with key people and follow news about our industry.
Who inspires you from a business point of view? I am inspired by startups in general. It is really gutsy to start a new business in this competitive landscape and since the corona crisis has impacted the financial market, it has been difficult for companies to find external investors. I am also inspired by the Advisor and Author Ron Shevlin and especially how he provokes the fintech industry from a business development point of view. He is also a Forbes contributor and a good read: follow him on Twitter @rshevlin.
What’s your favourite social media channel, and what was the last thing you posted on it?
My favourite channel that I love to hate is Facebook ;) My latest post is food: steak tartare dinner :)
What do you think the world of marketplaces / sharing economy will look like in 10 years? We will see new services and marketplaces being developed, as well as a consolidation of existing companies that sync and are stronger together, i.e. through mergers and acquisitions.
If you’d like to be part of a dynamic group of founders, operators and subject matter experts, and your expertise and ideas could help us to better support the marketplace ecosystem, reach out to us at info@marketplacerisk.com.