When an AV company contracts an AV Freelancer for a project, a question the scheduling team is often asked is "Do they have Workers Comp insurance?" and "Is it the right kind of Workers Comp insurance?" Both questions are extremely important and if they are not answered correctly, could place the AV company at considerable risk. Below are 3 key factors to consider when answering this question.

Freelancing in the AV industry is continuing to grow as an integral part to the success of almost every AV company.  In general, freelancing continues to be a growing trend in the US economy with 34% of US workers currently freelancing in some form and this number is expected to grow to 43% by 2020.

 With those stats in mind, AV companies should stay aware of key trends that may affect AV freelancers.  Below are the top 5 trends I anticipate for 2018:

#1.) The Debate About Freelancer Classification And Compliance Will Continue To Be An Issue

Many AV companies know Independent contractor compliance is an important topic and most companies have a general idea of what is required.  However, many AV companies fail to consistently manage and execute a fully-compliant process that aligns with the various state & federal compliance laws.  

If you have a project in Las Vegas with your employees or contractors, be sure to check that they have completed the OSHA 10-Hour or 30-Hour General Industry course.

Looking to get technically trained on current Pro AV gear? Come to one of Nationwide Video's Technician Training Courses.

These are syllabus-driven, hands on, interactive workshops taught by industry professionals. Technicians will confidently leave with new repeatable skill sets, and a deep knowledge of the equipment.

• Each of their expert trainers have from 15-25+ years of Pro AV field experience.
• Travel and expenses are the responsibility of the trainee.

For more details check out www.nationwidevideo.com/training, or to discuss a custom workshop, send an email to info@subrent.com or call 800-935-2323

If you are registered with Mertzcrew and you select a training program offered by Nationwide Video, you can enjoy 10% off of the cost of the courses!

On May 15th, the Freelance Isn’t Free Act went into effect in New York City.  Below we share important details of the law and what it means for AV companies working with freelancers in New York City.

Tom Stimson wrote an excellent and insightful article yesterday highlighting his answer to What Do Owners Want For Their Business?  It's an excellent read that every owner and senior leader in an AV company should read.  Especially if the company has an established revenue base and is working to set a strategic direction for the future.

He answers the question of what owners want by focusing on five key themes:

1. Cash Flow
2. Profit
3. Growth
4. Satisfaction
5. Harmony

We thought it would be helpful to examine how AV Labor impacts each of these five themes by specifically highlighting opportunity areas and watch-outs based on our 16+ years experience with leading AV companies. 

Every year the Infocomm show brings something new and exciting to the AV industry.  On the show floor and demo rooms, you have the latest technology from the exhibitors. In the classroom, you have new education sessions being offered by some of the best in the business. This year’s show has the most updates I have seen in quite some time. As a live event professional, here are my top 5 must-see items at the show.

Once you have found a potential AV technician to fill a role on your project, what is your process to qualify this individual to determine if they are the best fit?

Here are 6 best practices to select the right people for your project:

#1 Start Early
A best practice for an operation is to start lining up technicians as soon as you are aware of a project's potential, all the way down to the stagehands. You're not the only company with a busy season so make sure you don’t get stuck competing with others to find techs.  If you wait too long, your available quality will go down and your costs could go up!