In a recent article by Rachel Botsman (@rachelbotsman) published in the Wall Street Journal, she talks about how startups like Uber, TaskRabbit and Handy are transforming the way consumers access goods and services by matching people who need something—a driver, a housecleaner or a handyman, for example—with providers willing to supply it. People are attracted by the idea of a job with flexible hours and the chance to be their own boss.

“The sharing economy is empowering millions of people to unlock the value of their time, skills and talents to make money in ways and on a scale never possible before. It is providing good jobs, but not in the way “good jobs” are traditionally defined.”

3 Groups of People That Can Profit According to Rachel:

1. The stay-at-home parents, retirees, students, people with disabilities and others for whom the conventional demands of nine-to-five jobs aren’t an option.

2. Those who can’t find a traditional job in a tough market. The sharing economy isn’t the complete answer to unemployment, but it can be a savior for many by providing an indispensable way to generate some independent income.

3. The “pros,” have made a full-time job from one or more sharing platforms. By providing brand, marketing, support and distribution services, sharing platforms have enabled these independent professionals to expand their businesses in ways that weren’t possible before.

I completely agree, although these jobs aren’t “traditional,” they open the door for people that don’t necessarily want to or have the ability to hold a 9-5 job. I know a number of people that drive for Lyft who have been given the opportunity to work while going to school full-time. Many times when in school you have a sporadic schedule, which makes it extremely difficult to work within operating hours of many businesses. Not only is it a great way to get some extra cash, it also allows you to meet a lot of new people. Of course, it’s not only restricted to the college students or young people. According to Rachel, it allows people with kids, or those who can’t work in an office position due to disabilities etc, to have a source of income. Just because it doesn’t fit into a box, doesn’t mean it’s ineffective.