By: Matt Emma
As Georgia prepares for open enrollment, the founder of 1099Workers and Managed Health is focused on a question that extends beyond choosing a health plan. What makes working for yourself sustainable?
Leaving corporate America gave Mouhamet Seye the opportunity to build something of his own. It also revealed how much support he had left behind. Health coverage, retirement planning, taxes, and compliance (responsibilities once handled by different departments) now competed for his attention as he worked to get a business off the ground.
“Instead of focusing on building your business and doing what you do best, you’re spending time learning about taxes, insurance, legal requirements, compliance, and all the other responsibilities that come with being self-employed,” Seye says. “Those things are important, but they can become distractions from the reason you started your business in the first place.”
That experience helped shape 1099Workers, the platform he founded to bring benefits and support resources together for independent professionals. Alongside his work as founder and CEO of Managed Health, it reflects a conviction that has become central to his career: the way someone earns a living should not leave them without a support system.
For Atlanta’s freelancers, consultants, real estate agents and other self-employed professionals, the approaching enrollment season offers a timely opportunity to consider that support. Georgia Access, the state’s health insurance Marketplace, lists November 1, 2026, as the start of open enrollment for 2027 coverage. The season creates a natural moment to review healthcare options. For Seye, it also opens a larger conversation about what workers need throughout the year.
The Responsibilities Behind the Freedom
“Being self-employed can be incredibly rewarding, but it’s also a very hard and often lonely road,” Seye says. He understands the appeal of independence, but also the practical challenges that follow. One of those challenges is fragmentation. A worker may find medical coverage through one provider, dental insurance through another, and retirement resources somewhere else. Each decision requires research, time, and an understanding of unfamiliar systems.
1099Workers aims to simplify that process by bringing access to medical, dental, vision, and other benefits, along with 401(k) options, into one platform. The company connects professionals with benefits and resources rather than acting as an insurance carrier. The current model offers free community membership, with access to group benefits available through its associate program.
“Independent workers can certainly go out and find these resources themselves, but it often means navigating multiple providers, platforms, and applications,” he says. “Our goal is to simplify that process and create a centralized resource built specifically for the independent workforce.”
Coverage Is Only the Starting Point
Through Managed Health, Seye approaches a related challenge from the employer side: offering benefits that people understand and use while managing the cost of providing them. His emphasis is on wellness, prevention, and education. In his view, a benefit has limited value if the person receiving it does not know how to access care, or feels unable to afford using it.
“When individuals understand their health risks, their benefits, and the resources available to them, they are empowered to act earlier and make better decisions,” he says.
That philosophy shapes Managed Health’s focus on everyday care, including preventive services, prescriptions, and behavioral health. Seye argues that making routine care easier to access should be a central part of benefits design, rather than something employers consider only after reviewing premiums.
He also sees benefits decisions as fundamental to a business’s ability to attract talent, retain employees, and grow.
“I often say this: regardless of your industry, you are in the healthcare business,” Seye says. “Every year, CEOs, CFOs, HR leaders, and brokers sit down to make consequential decisions about employee healthcare.”
A Career Path With a Foundation
Seye’s vision for 1099Workers extends beyond the benefits that first inspired it. He describes plans to expand financial education, banking resources, access to capital, and other tools for independent professionals. Community is central to that ambition: a place to exchange experience, find guidance and navigate the challenges that can otherwise make self-employment isolating.
“We want 1099 work to be seen as a career path, not a compromise, and give independent workers the infrastructure they need to succeed,” he says.
As Atlanta professionals prepare to revisit their coverage, Seye’s work raises a broader question about the foundation beneath an independent career. He began with the responsibilities he encountered while betting on himself. Now, he is building toward a future in which others can make that choice with more support.
“Our vision is to build a true home base for independent professionals, a place that provides not only benefits and financial tools, but also education, support, and a sense of belonging.”
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical, financial, insurance, or legal advice. Readers are encouraged to consult qualified professionals before making decisions regarding healthcare coverage, employee benefits, or financial planning.
