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How millions of professionals are rewriting the rules of career success—and what it means for your next move
Twelve years into my dance career, I was teaching multiple classes at local college campuses, choreographing regional theater productions, and building an online career hub for dancers on the side. I didn't realize it then, but I was living the future of work—building a creative career, managing multiple income streams, and defining success on my own terms. What felt risky and unconventional at that moment has become the blueprint of millions of Americans who are discovering that independence isn't the alternative path. For them, it's the most fulfilling one.
According to MBO Partners' 2025 State of Independence Report, 72.9 million Americans now work independently, with 5.6 million earning over $100,000 annually. That's nearly a 20% increase in high earners from just 2024 to 2025, shattering the myth that independent professionals must choose between passion and prosperity.
Busting the "Broke or Beyoncé" Myth
When I transitioned from my dance career to a corporate role in workforce development, I thought I was trading creativity for stability. The prevailing wisdom was depressingly simple: artists and creative professionals existed in a binary world of either massive success or financial struggle. You were either Beyoncé or you were broke.
But 15 years of data from MBO Partners suggests a different truth. “The Creator Economy continues its rapid rise in 2025, fueled by Gen Z’s growing presence in the workforce and a steady influx of traditional jobholders pursuing digital side gigs,” according to the 2025 report. Between 2024 and 2025, the number of independent creators alone grew by 13%, reaching 10.1 million professionals.
The Tech Factor
Maybe the most dramatic shift between findings from the 2024 and 2025 reports centers on the adoptions of AI. In just one year, Gen AI usage among independents jumped from 65% to 74%, with users reporting it saves them an average of nine hours per week. “While headlines often focus on job displacement, the real story is how Independents are actively integrating AI into their workflows to expand their capacity and sharpen their output,” the 2025 report notes.
And beyond generative AI, the use of online talent platforms has surged, with 49% of service-providing independents now using them, compared to just 3% in 2012. Platform users are also diversifying and scaling, using an average of 3.9 platforms versus 2.8 in 2020.
Then, there’s global reach of independent professionals, too. In 2025, 32% of US-based independents provided services to customers outside the country, nearly triple the number reported in 2012. Independence is no longer bound by location. It’s become a globally networked ecosystem where geographic boundaries matter less than skill and story.
What This Means for Your Next Move
The 2025 MBO reveals a few practical insights for anyone considering their own independent path.
Start Now: With 36% of traditional workers now reporting having independent side gigs, and 34% offering consulting or freelancing services to businesses, it’s clear a growing percentage of the workforce isn’t waiting for perfect conditions to take ownership of their career. They're building while they have the safety net of other income—developing the skills, relationships, and revenue streams that could some day become their primary focus.
Embrace Technology as an Amplifier: The 95% of independents who say GenAI makes them more competitive aren't using it to replace their skills. They're using it to expand their capacity. Whether it's AI, multiple platforms, or global commerce tools, technology can be the multiplier that makes your independent career financially viable.
Build the Business, Not Just the Work: A record 5.6 million independent workers reported earning over $100,000 annually, well above the typical U.S. worker salary of approximately $66,000. Of those high earning independents, 46% are focused on building a business, which could be the key to your six-figure success, too.
The Future is Already Here
One of the things I love most about the MBO reports is how they document not just where we're going, but where so many professionals have already arrived. The future of work is the present reality of millions of Americans who have chosen to define success on their own terms.
My journey from that busy dance career to corporate career programs to founding The Purpose Post is a perfect model of what the MBO data now confirms: independence isn't the risky alternative to traditional employment. In a world where 40% of traditional professionals now believe working independently is less risky than permanent employment, the real risk might be in not exploring what's possible when you combine your skills, story, and strategic thinking into something entirely your own.
And for us creatives…
Gone are the days where making a living independently feels like you’re signing up for instability and poverty. Because the creative middle class isn't just emerging. It's now thriving.
And with 15 years of data supporting it, one thing has become clear: independent work is viable—and nearly 73 million Americans are already proving what’s possible for us all.
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