What is a Portfolio Career?

“What do you want to be when you grow up?”

We were all expected to give a one-word reply: doctor, nurse, teacher, executive. Then came…the portfolio career.

What is a portfolio career?

“A portfolio career is a working style where you combine multiple streams of income—often creating a mix of full or part-time employment, freelancing or working as a consultant.” -Forbes

Why this concept can be liberating

If you’re a multi-hyphenate creator like me, chances are you don’t fit neatly into a one-word profession. I kept trying to find my “one thing” and felt discouraged. It was liberating to discover I could have a portfolio career and achieve my own version of success this way.

Do you find the idea of a portfolio career liberating? Why or why not?

An example of a portfolio career

My friend and coach, Taylor, is the CEO fo her self-care company Inner Workout. She also offers coaching and consulting. She’s also the CEO of a new tech-enabled platform called Gateway Coaching, she’s the author of a book, etc. Taylor is a full-time entrepreneur and she splits her time among her projects.

Learning how to manage your portfolio mix

One benefit of a portfolio career is diversification. There are typically more revenue streams and also more room for creativity and a lack of boredom.

I’ve personally learned to allow my mix of projects to evolve. There’s nothing wrong with a pivot if it’s needed to go in the right direction. Each project is essentially a working experiment. Nothing is set in stone. And you never know what opportunity is around the corner.

Trying something new, pivoting, or abandoning a creative project is not a bad thing. It’s a healthy sign that you’re allowing your portfolio to expand and change to best suit your career direction and needs.

So what about you? Are you a portfolio career person? If so, subscribe to my newsletter for more on wealth, business, and productivity.