Contributed article in our business series. (Originally posted here.) Enjoy! – Kimberly

Back in 1990 barely anyone classed themselves as a freelancer or telecommuter. Sure there were independent contractors, but computers and the internet were almost exclusively an office based phenomenon, and those that did have cell phones could literally only make phone calls.

When AOL made home internet connections more viable, when email took off, and laptops and computers became faster and more versatile, the first remote office workers emerged. 15% of the working US population fit this mold by the early 2000s, and in 2015 this number is around 30%. This directly correlates with faster internet speeds, the use of software and apps, and the rise of mobile technology. Some experts likePieter Levels predict 14% of the entire world population will adopt some kind of digital nomad lifestyle by 2035!