MBO Partners Unveils Comprehensive Program to Power Independent Consulting in America

HERNDON, VA--(Marketwire - Jun 27, 2011) - MBO Partners, the leader in the $250-billion-and-growing independent consulting sector in America, today unveiled a comprehensive program aimed at supporting independent professionals who want to start and build professional service businesses. The multi-pronged program features a new, dedicated operating unit, a proprietary platform and educational tools, as well as a team of highly-trained business managers focused on the success of each independent consultant and micro-business enrolled in the program.

Additionally, MBO Partners today announced the kickoff of its first annual "State of Independence in America" study to examine the significant and growing independent worker movement in the US. Conducted in partnership with Emergent Research, the comprehensive study will assess the size and the demographic profile of the fastest growing segment of the workforce and detail the trends and challenges that will impact independent workers over the next five years. Planned for public release prior to Labor Day 2011, the study will offer deeper insight into independent professionals and the types of work they perform.

"While it is crystal-clear that there is a shift toward independent work in the past five years, there is a lack of meaningful research examining this trend -- even from top organizations like the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)," said Gene Zaino, CEO of MBO Partners. "The State of Independence in America study will shed light on this influential career movement and help pave the way for independent professionals. The study, paired with our comprehensive independent consultant program, reflects our commitment to helping companies and contractors work together in the emerging project-based economy."

A New Home for Independent Consultants

MBO Partners empowers independent professionals to succeed by giving each independent consultant the same ability to operate as a large company -- access to a full corporate infrastructure with the business credentials and essential back office support needed to maintain a compliant and efficient consulting practice. The company's flagship technology platform offers professionals a proprietary process to manage contract administration, project teams, billing and collections, business insurances, health and retirement benefits, expense management, tax compliance, and more. The system has to date processed billions in consulting spend for independents across every state, including processing direct payments to individuals operating as businesses of one delivering valuable services to many of the Fortune 1000.

As part of the new program initiative, MBO will offer:

• A New, Dedicated Operating Unit. The new operating unit will be dedicated to the support and service of independent consultants. This includes an expert team of independent business advisors to assist both experienced soloprenuers as well as individuals exploring the growing trend of independent consulting for the first time. The new unit will be led by Steve Arhancet who will serve as director of enrollment for MBO Partners. This new unit will enable the company to effectively communicate the latest trends, responsibilities and benefits of building an effective independent consulting practice.
• Education. As part of establishing a dedicated operating unit focused on providing valuable knowledge about building a career as an independent business professional, MBO will also launch a dedicated State of Independence Web site this July. The site will deliver insights into what it takes to build a successful independent career. All resources are designed to enrich and educate those living the independent lifestyle, from a company that specializes in the unique challenges and opportunities of being independent.
• Platform and Tools. To effectively service its independent consultant customer base, MBO Partners will feature an updated user experience and functionality within the MBO Business Center, a critical and proprietary practice management platform for the independent professional and their clients.

The new unit will provide consultants with the tools and resources needed to not just operate, but truly succeed in the new project economy. Independent consultants can visit www.mbopartners.com for more information on the initiative.

A Brave New Workforce

While the traditional job market is hitting a "summer slump," MBO Partners is seeing record growth. The company has processed billions of dollars of services on behalf of Independent Consultants since its inception and has experienced several years of record growth in new enrollments, with the most recent year exceeding 40 percent. While the growth spans gender, generation and region, MBO is seeing interesting trends in independent work adoption, including:

• Women are going solo -- the rate of growth of women enrolling as independent consultants on MBO Partners is approaching double the rate of men. MBO Partners experienced a 250 percent growth rate among women from 2008 to 2010.
• Growth spans the generation gap -- enrollment rates on MBO Partners show growth across all generations in the past year with Millennials in the top spot (more than 110 percent growth), followed by Gen X (64 percent growth) and Baby Boomers (26 percent growth).
• The nation's capital leads the nation -- Washington D.C. is the company's largest and fastest growing region in the country for employees making the shift to independent consulting.
• Independence going big in the Big Apple -- New York City is another hot spot for independent work with area enrollment topping 270 percent from 2008 to 2010.

Representing the boomer generation, Retired Lt. General Jan Huly became an independent consultant after a 37 year career in the Marine Corps. "I wasn't sure what I wanted to do post-retirement, but I knew I wanted to enjoy myself, have more freedom, and yet still make a positive contribution with my skills," said Huly. He has found "unsurpassed freedom" in his post-retirement career and is part of a growing population of retirees who leave the traditional workforce and begin a second lifestyle career where they control when, where and how they work.

About MBO Partners
For more than 25 years, MBO Partners has led the $250 billion-and-growing independent consulting sector in America. Our services make it easy for independent consultants and their clients to do business. For independent consultants, MBO Partners manages their entire business infrastructure. Our platform includes a proprietary process to handle contract administration, business insurances, health and retirement benefits, expense management, tax withholding, and more. We couple this with the benefits of direct vendor access into enterprises and the "white glove" attention of a dedicated business manager for every consultant. For organizations that use contract talent, the MBO Enterprise Solutions team provides a complete independent contractor aggregation and engagement offering, including compliance and payment solutions for 1099s, sole proprietors and micro-businesses. To learn more, visit: http://www.mbopartners.com.