Both of us have been self-employed at various points, and Kisstopher is now
permanently self-employed. It brings both benefits and drawbacks. Note: Because
of the lag time in recording (for transcription, art, etc.), Chad talks about
being a freelance worker even though he now has a full-time job.

Transcript

K: So, lately I’ve been thinking about being self-employed.

C: It’s a little bit too late.

K: (laughs)

C: You’re already self-employed.

K: I’ve been thinking about the differences of being self-employed in the
U.S. compared to Japan and the learning curve. So, in the United States – a
little bit of work history for me, which might be totally boring – if you’ve
read the Adjustment Guidance website, you already know this history. And if you
follow us on twitter you probably already know this history. And, yes,
shameless plug, follow us on twitter. Yes, I say it every episode. I do. 

C: Because you’re self-employed.

K: (laughs) 

C: You can do that kind of thing.

K: No because I have good agency.

C: Oh, okay.

K: And self-promotion. And I really enjoy promoting myself. I just do.

C: Okay, so you were going to tell a work history story.

K: (laughs) Which ties into self-promotion because to be self-employed, I
think the number one key factor for being self-employed in either the United
States or Japan is the ability to shamelessly self-promote. You have to be
shameless in it, I think.

C: Yeah, I think so. I think to be successful at it takes luck and resources
but also just… keep on doing it.

K: Oh, tons of resources.

C: Yeah.

K: So, I found that starting my business in the United States, I was able to
start my business for free, so this is a major difference, and starting my
business in Japan took grip. Like, a lot of money. Well, I guess I kind of
started it for free as well. If I think of… so the difference between the
United States and Japan is when I choose to start in re-investing to level up.
I think I had to level up a lot quicker, and by level up I mean have my own
office and have certain accoutrements for my clients. I think in the United
States, because I focused mostly on children and families, that I was able to
go to them a lot longer than I was here in Japan.

C: Well, I think growing up, self-employed meant to me that you had your own
business. 

K: Mhm.

C: But now in the gig economy, self-employed often means 

K: In the what economy?

C: The gig economy.

K: What’s a gig economy? I always use gig, but I’m not using it the same way
you do.

C: It’s like driving for Uber or Lyft or doing things for Task Rabbit or

K: Oh so you’re using it like I use it?

C: Yeah.

K: Like the gig.

C: Yeah.

K: Like just whatever you do for work.

C: Yeah.

K: Like a lot of people have side gigs or side jobs.

C: Right, so this is being called the gig economy because

K: Is it?

C: Yes. 

K: I didn’t know that.

C: You don’t read a lot of economic literature. 

K: I don’t read any economic literature.

C: I read an enormous amount. I read way too much. Because of my self-employment.

K: Okay, so go ahead on. Hit me with it.

C: So in the gig economy, self-employed can mean anything from you’re an
independent contractor who doesn’t get treated very well to you’re working for
Uber, Lyft, or Dash, or Task Rabbit or whatever just doing gigs or finding
things off Craigslist or it can mean you have your own business…

K: Or you’re a youtuber or

C: Yeah. It can mean that you have employees or that you don’t. Or that you
have steady income or that you don’t. Self-employed I think now is b