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The Future of Work: When the Task is Done, the Payment is Made
Charles Polanco
Head of Product
By Seth Godin for the Harvard Business Review
The Gig Economy is Growing Up
Freelancing isn’t a side hustle anymore. It’s a movement. A $1.4 trillion economy in the U.S. alone, with over 70 million freelancers contributing to it. Yet, the systems built to support these independent workers feel as if they were designed for a different era—an era where “getting paid” meant chasing invoices and managing paperwork.
In a world where nearly every industry is transforming at the speed of thought, why does getting paid still feel like a fax machine experience?
The answer lies in a fundamental misalignment between how work gets done and how payments flow.
Freelancers Want Freedom—Including Payment Freedom
Freelancers choose their path for many reasons: autonomy, flexibility, the chance to work on meaningful projects. But they don’t choose freelancing to become part-time accountants or payment chasers.
That’s where Wallow and Stripe come in.
Wallow, the Productspace™ platform designed for building and shipping products faster, saw this gap. In partnership with Stripe, they built an integrated payment solution that turns product management into a frictionless experience—from task creation to payment completion.
The magic? When work is marked “Done” on the Wallow Product Board, freelancers can immediately request payment.
- No invoicing.
- No chasing.
- Just a simple Pay Now button.
Why This Matters
When freelancers aren’t worried about when they’ll get paid, they do their best work. They move from project to project with momentum, not hesitation. This is more than a feature—it’s a shift in mindset.
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Trust Without Delay
The moment a task is completed, payment is just a click away. Trust is built not through contracts but through action. -
Focus on Building, Not Billing
By eliminating payment friction, Wallow allows teams to stay focused on creating great products—not on the administrative noise that distracts from progress. -
An Economy that Rewards Execution
Imagine a world where the gig economy isn’t just about finding work but about finishing work. That’s the vision behind Wallow’s partnership with Stripe.
Turning Payments into Progress
The integration of Stripe into Wallow isn’t just a feature. It’s a philosophy. It’s a recognition that the best work comes from teams who trust each other, and trust is built when expectations meet reality—especially around money.
This is more than just a product update. It’s a statement:
When the work is done, the money should move.
In a world where every delay feels like a setback, removing friction isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s essential. And when freelancers win, the entire product ecosystem thrives.
The Bottom Line
Freelancers want freedom. Businesses want results. Wallow’s integration with Stripe offers both—by turning payment into a seamless, integrated part of the product development process.
If the future of work is about momentum, then getting paid should never be the thing that slows you down.
Move fast. Ship smart. Get paid instantly.