FreeUp Saves Businesses Time and Boosts ROI by Vetting Qualified Freelancers for Faster Project Turnaround

TL; DR: Businesses with pressing needs often turn to freelancers to ramp up production. However, training and sourcing those temporary workers can often sink ROI before a project even starts. FreeUp launched to help companies find experienced freelancers to immediately step in and complete IT projects, boost customer service, or even add expertise through consulting. The platform curates the top 1% of applicants and benefits freelancers by maintaining an exclusive talent pool, so they don’t get lost in a crowd of unqualified job-seekers.

When a computer runs low on resources, a user can quickly end an unnecessary process or delete unused files to free up space and help the machine work at optimal efficiency.

But when businesses run low on resources, including time and money, the solution isn’t so simple. Even when they are stretched thin, small and medium-sized businesses often need to complete a critical project, scale up an IT department, or add experienced customer service representatives for an influx of seasonal customers.

Freelancers can make those short-term tasks easier and provide flexibility by adding temporary workers and maximizing capabilities. But those freelancers aren’t always finished products, and it often takes too much time and expense to source quality candidates — which can quickly erase potential ROI.

FreeUp helps businesses solve those scaling issues by vetting the top freelancers in a variety of disciplines so they can onboard quickly and complete projects efficiently. That can free up vital business resources in HR, IT, sales, and service departments, among others.

The platform brings in the top freelancers into its fold from desirable fields, including web development, digital marketing, and customer support. That can give companies the confidence to move forward with everything from building apps to expanding their footprints to serve more customers.

“Our clients know that they have the best possible talent on their team, and can get workers as quickly as possible without needing to vet 20 to 50 different people,” said Matt Harrison, VP of Strategy at FreeUp. “That saves business owners a lot of time and money, and also helps them psychologically because they’re not having to constantly think about those things.”

FreeUp’s benefits also extend to the freelancer side of its business model. The platform carefully selects those who appear in its database, so candidates aren’t lost in a sea of irrelevant resumés. And it provides freelancers with tools and resources to further hone their craft.

FreeUp’s success is tied directly to how much value it can provide to businesses, which is why it sources only the top 1% of freelancers. That quality leads to better products, faster turnarounds, and more satisfied customers for its clients.

Initially, FreeUp focused on helping ecommerce businesses find freelancers who could help boost their presence on Amazon or Shopify. But it saw needs in other areas, so it began to branch out into other service areas about two years ago.

“We started bringing in more IT professionals, content writers, and professionals from a variety of other backgrounds to develop FreeUp into a holistic, one-stop shop for any small to medium-sized business,” Matt said.

In 2019, the platform was acquired by The HOTH, a company that provides businesses with SEO, PPC, and content marketing services. That allows FreeUp to provide even more services to its clients. And depending on their size, FreeUp has a tier of freelancers that can meet their needs and goals.

Basic level freelancers can help businesses with systems that are already in place while mid-level freelancers can develop and execute processes independently. FreeUp also works with expert level freelancers who can act as strategists and consultants to help businesses plan expansions.

“It depends on what our clients need to do. They can hire expert developers or find someone to help them write quick responses to clients or help manage their social media presence. Our services run the gamut,” said Matt.

And just as businesses find productive workers on FreeUp, freelancers find that the marketplace showcases their skills in a way that more inclusive platforms can’t match.

FreeUp is also beneficial to those on the freelance side, and those who make it onto the platform are often in high demand. That’s because its rigorous vetting process narrows the pool to the most qualified candidates — who stand out just by appearing on the platform.

When freelancers submit an application, the initial phase is a résumé review. If they make it beyond the first phase, FreeUp will set up Skype or Zoom calls with candidates to get to know them better and learn more about their credentials and strengths. The team may also analyze their portfolios, histories, and ask more questions before deciding to accept them.

Once freelancers are accepted, but before they enter the marketplace, FreeUp teaches them about its own company culture and expectations and starts preparing them to enter its workflow.

“We invest a lot in finding the best freelancers for our platform, which is why we also reinvest in them,” said Matt. “We have plenty of tools, and we are working on a new learning platform to teach freelancers how to pitch themselves. We want to provide tools to help freelancers learn and differentiate themselves, even in our exclusive marketplace.”

FreeUp emphasizes communication and transparency with clients so that a business knows exactly what a freelancer is working on — and accomplishing — in a given period. The platform also communicates with companies about their needs and often seeks out qualified freelancers with specific skills.

“If we see a significant number of clients posting jobs needing freelancers to work on specific pieces of software, we’re going to shift our focus and source candidates from other platforms who have those skill sets. And they will still go through our process,” Matt said.

FreeUp also continues to work on the freelancer-side user experience, integrating communication tools that make it easier for them to get involved in the process. Those features also allow users to get in touch with the FreeUp engineering team with questions about the process.

FreeUp provides businesses with an efficient way to leverage freelancers to complete necessary projects without overextending their vital resources. And it accomplishes that by securing the top talent available to step in and support an expanding IT department, customer service team, or complete a growth-focused project.

“We look at the trends and then ensure that we include as many people as possible who can satisfy those needs,” Matt said. “But we still stress that we provide clients with the top 1% of freelancers.”

The company plans more integrations to streamline its processes, including tools that make it easier for freelancers to find work and communicate with businesses. And FreeUp relies on feedback from both freelancers and companies to perfect its features.

“It’s important to us that both sides find great ways to work together,” Matt said. “So we continue to get a lot of great feedback from them and move well past the days where companies would have to search through 2,200 different candidates.”