Freelance Priests and Other International Trends

As somewhat of a self-appointed evangelist on the merits of freelancing, it was difficult to overlook (and not discuss) news of a recent freelancing trend. Freelance Hindu Priests are all the rage in certain areas of Washington State, according to a recent article from The Washington Post. It was reported that with an expanding Indian population, including many people who relocated to the area for high-tech jobs, there was a lack of Hindu Priests to perform sacred rituals and other religious-based ceremonies. One man, Soon Sastry, saw that as an opportunity to become a freelance priest. Now, he travels across Washington State communities providing a much-needed service. In fact, the article states that because of his popularity, his services are often booked months in advance.

Obviously, not everyone is cut out to start a career as freelance clergy. The point, as always, is that there is plenty of opportunity to go solo if you keep your eyes open and can spot trends that lead to a freelance niche. And, it seems that more and more opportunities are developing based on multi-cultural needs and expanding global opportunities.

For example, according to news from PeoplePerHour.com, it seems the freelance industry is booming in China. With the economy expanding, it's difficult for businesses to keep up, so professionals are scooping up the extra work as freelancers. Freelancing in this way is a new concept in China, but it is seemingly providing economic prosperity for savvy freelancers.

Another trend of note is the recent announcement from Time Warner that it is launching a Hispance business website. This growing population has caught the attention of the media organization and it's providing business news and resources in an all-Spanish site.

What do these trends mean for you? That's for you to figure out. But like Time Warner and the Freelance Priest, if you can spot areas of need, there's likely to be an opportunity for your freelance or consulting services.