The way we have started communicating with each other over the past couple of years has made it easier to find and share information with whomever needs it at any given time. The popularity of maps and atlases has dwindled because of the proliferation of services like Google Maps available directly on anyone’s smartphone. Classic research materials like encyclopedias and dictionaries have been replaced by search engines which provide instant answers on a laptop or a smartphone. Now cash, checks, and even credit cards are becoming obsolete because of smartphone technology.

With the introduction of mobile payment systems like Square, it has become easier than ever for someone with a special skill to start monetizing their talents. According to an interview of Square CEO Jack Dorsey by Fox Business, the company is reaching over 3 million payments a day and over 1 billion dollars worth of transactions from small businesses ranging everywhere from food vendors, to salons, to doctor offices.

Square has also launched a service called Card Case which allows users to store credit card information through the app. This service allows users to open a tab at local businesses and pay by only presenting their name at the time of transaction.

Square has competition from Google who will be introducing their Google Wallet service which will eliminate the need to carry cards with Pay Pass technology from credit card companies like MasterCard. Daily deal services like Groupon and LivingSocial are also facing competition from Google with their new Google Offers service. With Google Offers, businesses can promote daily deals and specials which users can store in Google Wallet with the rest of their financial information.

The proliferation of these mobile transaction services has not only spread innovation throughout the IT management field and trendy businesses on the coasts, but also through struggling small grocery stores, bodegas, and farmers markets. In a recent New York Times article, small businesses are more likely to use services such as Square’s Card Case and Google Wallet because they charge a fee per transaction. Most credit card companies choose to charge a flat fee for businesses to use their services. Because the high cost of accepting plastic payments hinders the ability for small businesses to take them, people who do not carry cash cannot purchase goods or services.

Not only is Jack Dorsey revolutionizing the way people pay for goods and services, he has also made it easier for small businesses to gain exposure through Twitter. No longer do large companies have a monopoly on advertising on television, radio, and print; small companies can prove relevance on social media and attract PR exposure in the form of news articles, blog posts, and YouTube videos.

Now it is more than possible to quit your dull office job and start an organic farm or candle making service. With the technology available on smartphones, you will be guaranteed payment for your products.