Dear readers,

We do our best to write about how you can use freelancers to make your company more successful. This time, however, we have to report about of a Sydney based contractor who stole the data of 275,000 customers from an ASX-listed real estate company. This destroyed two thirds of the company´s value. Considering such incidences, you may ask how to find a suitable freelancer for your project. In our second article, we try to answer this challenge.

Our next article explains where the term 'freelancer' comes from. Then our freelancer article describes how to professionally manage a brand. Finally, our freelancer joke is about two motivational speakers in an empty lecture hall.

I hope you enjoy reading this news and as always I wish you success in business!

Martin Gray

A 49-year-old freelancer from Sydney is being charged for stealing 170,000 data records from his client, for which he was working for more than 10 years.

According to the charges, the data were stolen between September 2017 and May 2019 from his client, the ASX-listed property valuation firm LandMark White Ltd.

NSW Cybercrime Squad helped to establish 24 charges against Stephen Grant from Rozelle. The charges include dealing with identification of information, unauthorised database access, unauthorised modification of data and impairing data communications. Grant is alleged to have uploaded the personal information of 275,000 people to the 'Dark Web', and the file-sharing site Scribd. Police said the details included names, addresses, contact numbers, email addresses and driver´s licences.

Grant was arrested and charged in October following a three month investigation by the cybercrime squad. He has been refused bail.

LandMark White repeatedly announced the breaches which resulted in their share price toppling. The prosecutor indicated that Grants' criminality has almost crippled a company to the value of $8 million.' The company is currently trading at 14 cents which is about one third of what it was one year ago. LandMark White has in the meantime rebranded into Acumentis.

Following the arrest of Grant, several raids at an Ultimo data centre were carried out by the cybercrime squad to seize servers, computers, laptops, and storage devices.

What are the biggest challenges companies face when looking for a freelancer? This question was recently presented to Rainer Kurz, the Strategic Advisor of Australia FreelanceMarket, during a blog interview. Here is his answer:

It can be a challenge choosing a freelancer with the appropriate skills and experience. You have to consider their hourly rate, location, language, availability, and also proven experience. Do not make a hire based on their educational background only. An Australia based marketplace like Australia Freelance Market, which clearly compares each freelancer’s features and experience, can be of great help during your virtual hiring process.

Even if you have found a freelancer who matches the specifications of your job, there is still the issue of building mutual trust between freelancer and client. Can the freelancer really accomplish what they promised? How can the freelancer trust that you are a reliable client? Should the freelancer deliver something first, or receive upfront payment before submission? This is where Australia Freelance Market´s escrow payment services help to build trust between both parties. “Escrow” means making the payment via a trusted third party to reduce risk. At AustraliaFreelanceMarket.com.au, we try to help both the freelancer and the client by providing such a secure payment free-of-charge to alleviate and mitigate any concerns.

In medieval times, some mercenary warriors in Europe were not sworn-in to any lord or king. Warfaring lords could hire these medieval mercenary warriors for their services.

As they freely owned their own weapons (like lances), the term “free-lance” was used for them. Early mentions of freelancers were noted in Sir Walter Scott’s novel Ivanhoe, published in 1820: “I offered Richard the service of my Free Lances, and he refused them...”.

Nowadays, with the development of trade and technology, the term freelancer is used for self-employed “business warriors”. A freelancer’s weapon arsenal now tends to consist of computers, tablets, and smartphones.

Freelancers can showcase their work with a short article in the Australia Freelance Market News. In this issue, we present Kirsten, a marketing freelancer who helps his clients to build a professional approach to brand management.
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Brands have determined my life for years - professionally as well as privately. Consistent brand management requires a fundamental analysis and a good strategy.

It is necessary to understand and grasp the brand in its entirety instead of targeting a group-oriented view. The brand must be adapted to your company structure and should be determined and managed according to the desired customer effect. Only by taking a holistic view, the success components of a strong brand can be discovered and strategically planned.

Based on a holistic brand analysis and consulting, every company can increase its added value by certain strategic measures. As a freelance brand researcher and consultant, I am looking forward to your assignment!
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In an almost empty auditorium, a motivational trainer stands on stage and waits a couple of minutes hoping that more people will come in.

He then speaks to the only person in the room: “I think you are my only listener today, at least I can focus on you during the session and we can discuss anything for as long as we want”.

“It would actually be better for me if you don’t take so long,” says the woman, “I’m the next speaker.”