What a “portfolio” career looks like for me
The first month of 2024 ends today. This means that I am one month into my new life chapter — building a “portfolio” career as the founder and CEO of Catapult For Change, PBC. A month ago, I didn’t even know what a portfolio career was. I learned that it simply means that one’s income comes from a variety of sources — a “portfolio.” I am designing my portfolio to include: business consulting, executive team advisory, executive coaching, corporate board service, water utility management support, and special projects (e.g., water, ESG, JEDI, corporate wellbeing, etc.). I have learned a lot so far about the pros and cons of my new life:
Pros of a portfolio career:
· Having a flexible schedule
· Being in charge of my time/life
· Choosing what I want to work on
· Setting up my own business (a long-term dream of mine)
· Spending more time reading and learning new things
· Taking classes (coaching and painting)
· Enjoying time with my family
· Being consistent in my exercise and dog walking/dog training routines
· Cooking more and eating mindfully
· Traveling less
· Sleeping more and taking better care of myself
· Having the freedom to chart my own path
· Being whoever I want to be
· Playing NYT games, online Scrabble, and doing puzzles
· Listening to music while I work
Cons of a portfolio career:
· Figuring out how to best spend my time for a good return on investment (ROI)
· Wondering if I need more focus in what I want to do
· Missing working with colleagues
· Figuring out how to convert “free” work for friends to paid work
· Worrying about my various income streams — will they be enough to keep us “whole” financially?
· Getting tired of my home office
· Keeping the doubting voice in my head quiet
· Figuring out who I am — a founder? CEO? Entrepreneur? Solopreneur? Freelancer? Gig worker? Board member? Slasher? Consultant? Coach? Yes.
· Paying (a lot more) for healthcare and professional insurance
As Nikolai Tillisch writes in his blog about the power of not knowing what is going to happen, I am trying to channel Herbie Hancock and be like a jazz musician. Herbie stated at a concert in Copenhagen: “This is jazz. We improvise.” The whole hall cheers. “It’s like life. You never know what’s going to happen,” continues Herbie. “You need to improvise. You are all jazz musicians!” This concept thrills me and terrifies me at the same time. I want to be a jazz musician. I am just not comfortable being that person… yet.
The most exciting part of this journey is being able to maximize the scarcest resource that I have — my time. And I feel fortunate that I have a wide and broad network of family, friends, and colleagues that I am reaching out to for advice, counsel, possible partnerships, and referrals. 50+ years of life and 30+ years of professional experience will get you that! I am so grateful.
What does success look like for Eleanor by December 31? Well, I am polishing that definition every day. For now it means that when I look back at the work that I did in 2024 that I am smiling. I want to feel happy and fulfilled. I want to be able to say that I continued to learn and grow, that I am not worried about my income and my family’s wellbeing (including my own), and that I made choices and decisions throughout the year that were true to my personal purpose of improving the quality of life for people and the planet. For now, let’s see what February brings. One month at time…
