Want to Start a Business? Maybe Begin by Being a Gig Worker.

A study finds that a higher percentage of gig workers start businesses than the rest of the population—and they are more successful

By Lisa Ward for The WSJ. Excerpts:

"from 2012 to 2021, 2.5% of gig workers created a new company, compared with only 0.7% of the working-age population."

"Gig work is often easier to get and more flexible than full-time work. That makes it possible for more people to get work experience and some capital, as well as the leeway to create a company on their own schedule"

"people who are often underrepresented in entrepreneurship are more likely to turn gig work into a small business."

"younger gig workers were more likely to take the plunge than the rest of the population: The average age for gig founders is 38, while the average age of non-gig founders is 41."

"Gig workers with lower incomes were more likely to create new firms than other gig workers"

"The gig entrepreneurs also ended up with much higher gross profits than businesses started by people in the working-age population at large: 39.4% higher one year after founding, and 46.9% and 42.1% higher after two and three years"