Every leader hits the same wall: too many priorities, not enough bandwidth. Wing clears that wall with a full-time virtual assistant who runs the drag layer so you lead, not chase.

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Clear your plate

On Monday morning, I had to bring my youngest to a pediatrician appointment, my other daughter had gymnastics, I needed to pick up a few things at the market and pharmacy, and suddenly I have like an hour left to write this newsletter and my consulting project. Fortunately, I’ve built a portfolio career and I now have the flexibility to work early in the morning or later in the evening from the comfort of my own home. Unfortunately, my old corporate 9-5 self would not have been able to do this. That’s because the modern day requirements of family life are in direct contradiction to the traditional working hours.

It is impossible to get enough sleep, workout, work a full day, run your errands, get the kids to and from, make healthy meals, get everyone bathed, in bed, and the house tidied up with the mere 24 hours we’ve been given. You would have to move faster than Shelly-Ann Fraser-Price in a parent sprint to make it happen. Something always falls by the wayside and 9 times out of 10, it’s mom’s self-care that suffers (what does the inside of a gym look like??)

I wasn’t okay with this. I do want it all, damnit! I think there’s a real movement happening among parents right now. Part of it is because women are being pushed out of the workforce in record numbers, and part of it is we’re fed up. Parents, moms in particular, are done with the impossible demands on our time and wallet, so we’re starting to find workarounds that fit our families. For me, this was discovering the Portfolio Career.

What’s a Portfolio Career you ask? Great question, I’d love to tell you.

A portfolio career is defined as a professional path where a person earns their income from a variety of different jobs, roles, and projects, rather than a single full-time position. Is it like freelancing or consulting? Yes and all of the above! For me, my portfolio career includes freelance writing, financial coaching, small business consulting, producing Vape! The Grease Parody, and this newsletter (Cents of Humor turned a $1 profit last month, y’all! Thanks for clicking on the ads and helping me to feed my family 😂).

Why a portfolio career? Because I have sh*t to do that doesn’t fit in with a strict 9-5 schedule. Honestly, this approach allows me to combine my multiple interests and skills, build flexibility into my life, and have more control over my career and income.

Is it for everyone? Absolutely not. But is it for more people than just freelancers and management consultants? Yes!!!

Portfolio careers are all the rage. We live in a “gig economy” so there are more opportunities than ever to build a portfolio career. Part-time and freelance gigs are popping up across industries as well. Just anecdotally among my friend group, here are some of the jobs folks have included into their professional portfolios:

There are benefits to a portfolio career other than flexibility as well. Financially, a portfolio career diversifies your income. If you get laid off from your 9-5 you are screwed. Trust me, I know this from experience. If you lose one of your gigs in a portfolio career, it sucks, but you aren’t ruined. It also allows me to be creative on a daily basis and I’m never really doing the same monotonous things over and over. Every day is a little different. The ability to scale up and down depending on how busy my family is or our season of life is also a huge benefit. I love the idea of taking some time off during the holidays and in the summer, while really putting the pedal to the metal in the spring and fall. Lastly, it allows me to be entrepreneurial. I love gamifying my career. I’m a competitive person by nature, so for me, I get to compete against myself every single day and if I’m able to land a new gig, it’s totally fulfilling. Most importantly, it’s removed the stress involved with managing family life. If I need to take the kids to the doctor or an extracurricular, I can do so without asking for permission or feeling immensely guilty/nervous about getting fired/pressured to choose work over family.

It’s not all rainbows and butterflies though, and I’m sure you’re painfully aware of this. Portfolio careers are tough to build and maintain. It requires a certain level or expertise, or a marketable skill. You need a network willing to hire you for these gigs. Your income can fluctuate wildly from month-to-month and year-to-year. It doesn’t come with baked-in benefits and a 401(k) — although you can add these things if you’re making enough. A portfolio career really requires you to start small and build. It’s a long-term play and definitely not a quick fix to your work-life balance problems.

For me, a portfolio career works. I wouldn’t have been able to do this 10 years ago. I simply didn’t have the work experience, network, or skills to make it happen. If you find yourself in a position like me though, mid-career and balancing 9,000 balls and a couple of kids in the air, I’d seriously consider building a portfolio career! Start talking to your network about the possibilities and see what’s possible for you.

Feel free to reach out to me as well if you want to throw some ideas around 😀

Hey, you! Thanks for being here. I have a lot of tools and recommended resources I’d love for you to check out. You can find them on the Cents of Humor Resources page HERE.

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