We’re at a work inflection point. The all-or-nothing career model is collapsing, and something more sustainable and more human is taking its place. For generations, we focused on a fixed corporate career ladder that required us to go all-in, trading our personal lives for promotions. Or, we were left out while “staying at home” raising children. Back then, there were few other options.
Now, the world of work is being rebuilt in real time by AI, by economic pressure, and by a generation unwilling to keep pretending that ambition and well-being can’t coexist.
But as everything changes, the structures of work have been slow to catch up. For too long, the traditional model has left millions of people behind — especially women and caregivers, but also anyone craving more autonomy or balance.
I learned that lesson the hard way.
Ten years ago, I was leading a division at an IPO-bound startup. As we failed to find product-market fit quarter-over-quarter, my belly grew. Twelve weeks before my first child was to be born, sitting on the carpet on the third floor of the building — the one we leased hoping to hire but hadn’t yet filled with furniture — 20 percent of the company was let go. I’ll never forget the yellow folders we all got with the paperwork informing me my medical benefits would lapse just a month before my due date.
I had meticulously planned my career up to that point: student body president at my college, graduating straight into a role at Microsoft, then building several businesses from scratch. I had always believed that if I worked hard and performed well, I’d have stability. But suddenly, the system I’d trusted made it clear: There was no room for the life I was building.
When I tried to find a new job, every interview ended the same way: No one wanted to hire a visibly pregnant woman. I realized I was navigating a system that gave me two bad choices: stay “all in” and burn out, or step “all out” and lose access to meaningful work entirely. McKinsey finds that women experience a gender pay gap of approximately half a million dollars in lost earnings over their lifetime, due to time spent away from work.
So I decided to build something different to create a more human model of work.
That “something” became Lions & Tigers, which helps organizations build blended teams — combining full-time employees with independent and fractional experts to deliver results together.
By honoring every individual’s potential, capacity, and circumstances, we’ve designed a model where everyone can work in their highest and best use. This approach not only respects the independent worker’s humanity but also unlocks a massive competitive advantage for businesses. And it’s transforming how work gets done.
Nearly 40 percent of the U.S. workforce is now independent or part-time, a number projected to reach 50 percent by 2027. We’re living through one of the most significant labor shifts in modern history — and blended teams are helping companies keep pace.
For decades, the choices were limited: You were an employee, a contractor, or out of the game entirely.
A recent Forrester study found that hiring managers expect non-employee workers to make up more than one-third of their overall workforce in just two years. This people strategy is the most important lever to them, ahead of training their current team, hiring more-of-the-same employees, and investing in automation.
With the stakes as high as they are for individuals and businesses, we wanted to know more: How important are these blended teams to business outcomes? Our new 2025 Blended Workforce Study — a national survey of 500 professionals — found that 97 percent of leaders say losing access to blended teams would disrupt outcomes, and those with three or more years of experience working this way now view them as 21 percent more strategically important to their success.
But this story isn’t just about speed or efficiency. It’s about belonging.
For decades, the choices were limited: You were an employee, a contractor, or out of the game entirely. Today, there are countless ways to work — fractional leadership, flexible consulting, part-time independence — and that diversity is reshaping the workforce for the better.
For women, flexibility over where to work, when to work, and the pace of production have traditionally been owned by the organizations holding their payroll. However as independent workers, women can shape the scope of their work by setting their own rates, hours of operation, and delivery timelines. They control which benefits they buy, how their money is invested for retirement, and which training courses they want most.
Blended teams recognize that life has seasons. They allow people to contribute their expertise without having to fit into rigid boxes or timelines. And for organizations, that flexibility unlocks speed, innovation, and a wider pool of talent.
Our research shows that when teams operate this way, burnout drops, innovation rises, and both employees and independents report greater fulfillment. It turns out that when people have agency over their time and the freedom to contribute at their capacity, they don’t just stay in the workforce — they thrive in it.
Here’s how I know it’s working and here to stay: Across hundreds of projects and consultants, we have enabled $34 million in economic access for our community, while 87 percent of our consultants identify as women. Brands like Microsoft, Amazon, Smartsheet, SAP, and Alaska Airlines call on our talent to strategically embed across their organizations.
The year that baby in my belly turned seven, we won Microsoft Supplier of the Year.
I’m bullish on designing systems that reward purpose over presence, impact over hours, and creativity over conformity. We are proof that flexibility and excellence can coexist.
Today, I have scaled my business and my family. My 3 children under 10 are woven into my day, and work is woven into my night. It’s a beautiful season of agency and opportunity — and I’m here for a workplace that is open to all of it.
Brea Starmer is founder & CEO of Lions & Tigers, a company that builds blended workforces that integrate fractional and freelance experts with client teams, helping leaders scale with agility, access top-tier talent, and achieve their goals.
