Brooklyn Chamber to Host Borough’s First Freelancers Summit

On April 20th, the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce will host the 2015 Freelancers Summit – the first-ever event geared exclusively to advancing the borough’s independent workforce.

In total, 73,432 Brooklynites identify themselves as self-employed, accounting for 5.65% of the borough’s overall workforce. The half-day conference – which runs from 10 am to 2 pm at BRIC Arts Media House – will tackle the primary issues affecting the freelance economy, and provide participants with an opportunity to shape and grow their businesses, evolve their personal brand, and expand their reach. Along with a list of influential guest speakers, the event will feature breakout sessions, networking and knowledge-sharing. Scheduled speakers include Borough President Eric Adams; Miguel McKelvey of WeWork; Vinay Jain of Shake Law; Alex Rappaport of Flocabulary; Professor Arun Sundararajan of NYU; and more.

“The freelance community has been a driving force behind the growth of Brooklyn’s economy, and with over 73,000 members, it is a vital part of our borough’s fiscal future,” said Brooklyn Chamber President & CEO Carlo A. Scissura. “By bringing our thriving independent labor force together under one roof, we can work to further expand, improve and strengthen the business climate for the self-employed sector in Brooklyn.”

“Our self-employed workforce includes some of the most intrepid, entrepreneurial Brooklynites our borough has to offer, enriching our economy and the communities in which they work,” said Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams. “I am proud to join the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce in this first-ever Freelancers Summit, which gives these businesses the focus they deserve.”

“The Independent Workforce Revolution is well underway with a recently reported 53 million Americans working as freelancers. That’s 34 percent of the U.S. workforce! At LiquidTalent, we are building a technology platform and community that champions a more project-based, independent, mobile and lifestyle-driven economy,” said Alex Abelin, CEO of LiquidTalent. “Brooklyn sets trends, and we’re seeing Brooklyn drive this new economy in a very real way for New York and for the rest of the country. We are proud to co-produce the first annual Brooklyn Freelancers Summit which aims to celebrate this professional shift and provide a day of inspiration, knowledge-sharing and meaningful connection.”

“We are honored that BRIC House was chosen for such an important convening event that can truly benefit Brooklyn’s independent workforce,” said Leslie G. Schultz, President of BRIC.

The Freelancers Summit was made possible thanks to our outstanding partners, including LiquidTalent, Made in NY Media Center by IFP, BRIC, General Assembly, Brooklyn Expo Center, Bushwick Entrepreneurs Club and Technical.ly Brooklyn.

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