Starting out as a freelancer in the Netherlands and South Africa (I'm a Dutch citizen, living in Johannesburg), I had to learn to manage my business, taxes and finances myself. When asking fellow freelancers how they organise their affairs, they all gave me different answers to what the legislation is like and how I should set up my business. Of course I went down a bumpy road of trial and error, fast. And yet, there are commonalities and best practices to run a freelancing business. Having figured out how to do things right, I only see benefit in sharing my knowledge and experience with other freelancers. That's why I started Hive Club.

Win-win-win. As freelancers, we are not just competitors. In fact, as individuals, we should collaborate to grow stronger. Hive Club is set up to help you grow. Because when you grow, Hive Club grows. That's why we only earn when our members earn, why our members are expected to get more money out than what they pay in, it's why our corporate clients get to do less admin, for free. We also make sure that SARS receives what it should. And still, Hive Club makes enough to sustain its business. 

Ownership. Hive Club is based on alternative principles of ownership. Ownership resides with those that produce the wealth: our members. Because we don't want 1% of the population owning most of the world's resources. We believe that everybody should live well. At the same time, we don't believe that taxation should be used to redistribute wealth to the improductive. Rather, we believe in growing entrepreneurship, productiveness and the wealth of people. 

Levelling the playing field. Big business has the advantage of knowledge, resources and negotiation power to position itself better, pay less taxes, move employees around the globe freely. Until now, freelancers were excluded from such privileges. Now, freelancers have their own exclusive Club to enter the same playing field.