rachel brushfield

Lorna Turner’s guest blog about her portfolio career. Creating your future part 1

January 21, 2019 By // by Rachel Brushfield

I have over 20 years’ experience in business development, initially in the private sector, before moving on more recently to working primarily with social enterprises and ethical businesses. I am a co-owner of two businesses; The Fruit Tree for Business LLP and Court House Care Services (Devon) Ltd. The Fruit Tree for Business is a partnership with Debbie Stewart. We provide business advice, training and consultancy services. We have both set up and run various businesses in the past 15 years. This hands-on real experience is of tremendous value to our clients. We offer one to one business advice sessions, a range of training courses including some of the more complex topics of legal structures and governance for social enterprises and co-operatives, as well as the introductory guide to starting a business and consultancy services such as developing business plans for community buildings, options, appraisals and associated funding applications. My other business is a Residential Care Home. I am a co-director of Court House Care Services (Devon) Ltd with my partner, Marcus Lyward. His background is in the Care Sector and along with my business skills, plus a great manager and some fabulous staff, we have a growing social business. Consequently, I now have in depth knowledge of the Care sector and am learning more every day.

How did your portfolio career begin?

I came out of the corporate employee world about 20 years ago and I moved back to my home county of Devon. I left London and an international jet-setting life having well and truly burnt myself out. It was a major crossroads for me. I think a lot of people have those crossroads, just points in time that occur for different reasons where we are forced to stop and think. It was certainly a time when my mental health needed to be a priority. Over the next few years, I struggled to find what I really wanted to do. I’m not sure that the phrase ‘portfolio career’ had even been coined, but it was where I was heading. It was through a voluntary position that I found the world of social enterprises and not-for-profits and when I had a ‘light bulb’ moment. My business skills could be used to support the development of businesses to benefit people and planet. Great! However, earning a full-time living was not going to be quite so easy. So as this developed, I looked for other opportunities. Always with a view that it needed to be something that I would find interesting and challenging.

5 tips for people considering a portfolio career

1 Understand your strengths and weaknesses (what can you offer that’s unique?) and identify areas of interest

2 Research those areas of interest and assess whether they are right for you as part of your career or whether they need to stay as interests and hobbies

3 Be clear about your financial position – and have a plan to develop your portfolio career without stressing the finances e.g. what could you do part-time, evenings or weekends?

4 Have or build confidence to talk to others, network, use social media in your career options

5 Write down your plan and be accountable to someone who can give impartial advice (most family and friends tend to be naturally positive). In my experience, the process of writing helps the brain assess our thoughts and ideas. Don’t worry, plans can always develop over time – they aren’t set in stone.

More

If you are interested in setting up a social enterprise but not sure where to start, contact lorna@the-fruit-tree.co.uk

Who is a portfolio career for?

View Lorna Turner’s LinkedIn profile:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lornaturner/

View The Fruit Tree web site:

http://the-fruit-tree.co.uk/about-us/

Current Heritage Lottery Funded community project in Newton Abbot:

http://the-fruit-tree.co.uk/news-and-views/

View The Court House Care web site:

https://www.courthousecare.co.uk/

Twitter: @Courthousecare

Stuart McHale’s guest blog about his portfolio career

January 8, 2019 By // by Rachel Brushfield

Mini biog

I am a business consultant, advisor and NED with ambitious and growing businesses. Over 35 years I have managed growth in excess of £160m organically and through acquisitions; business start-ups including franchising and internet trading; and business restructuring including disposals. My early career was marketing products and customer development, progressing into strategy and planning. I gained experience in procurement, supplier partnerships and supply chain management along the way. I moved into general management with my first acquisition of a multi-site distribution business and then was Managing Director of a multi-site manufacturing and distribution business. I have broad sector and market experience working in automotive, rail, leasing, capital equipment, technology and consumer goods. Geographic experience includes several European markets, North America, Asia (including India, Japan, Korea) and Australia.

What are the components of your portfolio career e.g. study, paid freelance work, part time job, volunteering etc.?

Currently I am a director and shareholder in three businesses and provide consulting services to two further businesses. I have recently started volunteering with Young-Enterprise as a business advisor.

How did your portfolio career come about?

In 2011 I completed a significant business disposal resulting in an opportunity to evaluate what career challenge I wanted to embrace next. At the time due to family circumstances, I decided to pursue a portfolio career. This enabled me to reduce my working hours and gave me significant flexibility around my work.

How has your portfolio career changed over time?

Since 2012 I have seen a consistent flow of challenges from clients all seeking help to overcome hurdles that they found difficult (in some cases impossible) without assistance.

When people ask you ‘what do you do?’ – what do you reply?

“Less than I use to” but still helping business owners and leaders to overcome challenges and solve problems.

To what extent did your portfolio career happen by chance/luck and to what extent was it planned?

My switch to a portfolio career was not planned. It was the response to family circumstances which were outside of my control.

What do you most love about having a portfolio career?

The aspects of a portfolio career that I enjoy most are the variety of challenges, the flexibility in terms of time management and being able to spend a lot more time working from home.

What are the challenges of having a portfolio career?

A portfolio career can bring some uncertainty in terms of regular income. Working with typically five businesses at a time, it does require the need for a discipline of time management and of being focussed.

Who or what helps you to manage your portfolio career?

Self-discipline.

How do you approach marketing your portfolio career?

I am fortunate in that I spend little time marketing myself. The engagements I get come from referrals, people I know and have worked with or worked for and who know what I can do and how I do it. Staying in touch with a network of colleagues is important so that they are aware I am still active and occasionally available.

What if any, is the personal brand used for your portfolio career?

I work with a group of consultants at HEART of business and this alongside my own name are the “brands” I have become known by.

What advice would you give to someone considering a portfolio career?

Careful planning is required for those considering a portfolio career and ensuring that it provides remuneration from the early stages, or they have a financial cushion in place to enable it to have time to grow. Also planning the services you will provide and to whom, working capital requirements, collaboration with trusted associates and how you will manage taking on the running of a business yourself. Ideally find a mentor or coach or a supportive group who can help you.

What 5 tips can you share for people considering a portfolio career?

1 It is not for everyone, do an honest assessment of your skills and capabilities and of your strengths and weaknesses.

2 Make a plan. You will be running a business.

3 Be clear how you are going to win business, doing what and for whom.

4 Know how you will make yourself distinctive and able to compete.

5 Collaborate, build (or join) a team you can trust.

More

View Stuart McHale’s LinkedIn profile:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/stuart-mchale/

Browse the No Limits Creative web site:

https://www.nolimitscreative.co.uk/

Read about the Heart of Business (HOB) network:

https://heart-of-business.co.uk/

Visit the Partner in Business web site:

http://www.partner-in-business.co.uk/

Interested in creating your own portfolio career? E mail Energise to arrange your free 20-minute telephone consultation:

https://www.inspiringportfoliocareers.com/portfolio/connect/

10 pros of a portfolio career

December 27, 2018 By // by Rachel Brushfield

A career portfolio or portfolio career has many pros. I have thought of over 70. Here are 10 of mine for now:

Doing what I want
No week ever the same
Always learning
Planning my own tasks around the sunny weather
The ability to be spontaneous
Taking a day off if I feel like it
Avoiding rush hour
Avoiding queues and busy times in shops
The variety and stimulation of varied work
Getting better value train fares from travelling off peak

What would be your biggest pro from a portfolio career?

https://www.inspiringportfoliocareers.com/who-has-portfolio-careers/ Download your copy of our free report ‘Discover portfolio careers’:

Ashley Cavers guest blog about her portfolio career part 2

November 6, 2018 By // by Rachel Brushfield

Ashley Cavers mini biog

Ashley has a background in print and broadcast media, and has worked for both the BBC and Sky TV, with more recent experience in corporate communications and enterprise networks. For the last eight years, she has worked freelance for The Sunday Times Fast Track, meeting the entrepreneurs behind some of the UK’s most successful private businesses. She also has direct experience of starting and running her own businesses, having previously run a PR and events firm as well as a retail business, which she successfully sold. Earlier this year, she took up a role as Lead Network Navigator with Oxlep Business, helping to support start-up and growth companies across Oxfordshire. Ashley experienced OxLEP Business’s support first-hand, after co-founding The Wonky Food Company in 2017. The company makes relishes out of imperfect fruit and veg and started selling in The Midcounties Co-op this summer. Earlier this month, The Wonky Food Company was included in the 2018 list of Game Changers in the Thames Valley region.

Read Ashley Cavers guest blog about her portfolio career part 1

https://www.inspiringportfoliocareers.com/ashley-cavers-guest-blog-about-her-portfolio-career-part-1/

When people ask you ‘what do you do?’ – what do you reply?

This is still hard as I wear so many different hats. It used to be something I was somewhat embarrassed by and would find myself getting quite defensive when explaining the various elements of my working life – as though somehow it revealed that I was a bit flighty or flaky, unable to stick to one job or career path. But in recent years, my portfolio career is something I have come to embrace and even be proud of (after all, it’s not easy juggling many different roles!). This is partly due to my own acceptance of the twists and turns of my own career journey and learning to banish any regrets and ‘what if’ moments, but is also down to a broader cultural shift where it is now much more acceptable to have a portfolio career, so no reason to make any apologies or excuses!

What do you most love about having a portfolio career?

I love the freedom that a portfolio career has given me. It has enabled me to flex my workload up and down at different stages in my life and has also given me the chance to explore different interests and skillsets. It is the rare few that have an exceptional talent in just one thing. Most of us have more moderate talents in a wider range of areas, so why not try our hand at a number of them? It seems crazy to me that you would commit your entire working career to one path only, when most of us are now living long enough to experience multiple careers over our lifetime.

What are the challenges of having a portfolio career?

There are many challenges, of which I am well aware. There is significantly increased financial risk in what I do. I have little to no job security; I don’t get paid when I take a sick day or a holiday, and it’s very hard to make long-term financial plans. I accepted a long time ago that I will never retire and will probably work until I drop, but that is fine with me. I think if you choose the ‘portfolio’ path, it’s because you want to love the work that you do, so why would you choose to give up something that you enjoy? Portfolio working is all about breaking down the dividing line between work and life. But this can of course also be a negative. I have to carefully manage my life so that work does not become all-consuming. At the moment I have three ‘jobs’ – all enjoyable and rewarding and interesting, but the level of organisation required to manage them all well can be overwhelming and is something I constantly battle with.

What 5 tips can you share for people considering a portfolio career?

1 Be organised!

2 Develop a good professional network – you never know where the next opportunity will come from.

3 Don’t be afraid to change direction or drop a part of your portfolio that isn’t working. Take time to regularly evaluate where you are.

4 Have a good support system – I couldn’t do without my cleaner, accountant and family (not necessarily in that order!)

5 Self-belief is essential, but accept that moments of self-doubt are inevitable.

More

View Ashley Cavers LinkedIn profile:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-cavers-68613534/

Browse The Wonky Food Company web site:

https://www.wonkyfoodco.com/

Follow The Wonky Food Company on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/wonkyfoodco

Browse the OxLEP Oxfordshire web site:

https://www.oxfordshirelep.com/

Interested in a portfolio career for yourself? Download your copy of our free report Skills to find out what your transferable skills are.

https://www.inspiringportfoliocareers.com/what-is-a-portfolio-career/

Ashley Cavers guest blog about her portfolio career part 1

November 6, 2018 By // by Rachel Brushfield

Ashley Cavers mini biog

How did your portfolio career come about?

I never consciously set about to have a portfolio career (in fact, I hadn’t even heard of the phrase ‘portfolio career’ until fairly recently!). My career started off fairly conventionally, working in staff roles for the BBC and then for Sky Television during my twenties. But when I turned 30, and recently married, my husband and I had the opportunity to move to West Cork in Ireland, a place where we had frequently holidayed and had always loved. I was feeling a bit disillusioned and burned out, doing some serious commuting and working long hours in an industry that I found increasingly at odds with my values and interests.

I guess I had an early mid-life crisis of sorts, so when a job opportunity came up for my husband in Ireland, I jumped at the chance for a fresh start! I continued to freelance for Sky but found myself increasingly involved in an active local community (at one point I ended up managing the local bookshop!). After volunteering to do the PR for an inaugural local arts festival (a festival which more than a decade later is now one of the biggest in Ireland!), a number of local groups and businesses started to approach me to do their PR, so I started my own consultancy.

At the same time, the stint at the bookshop had given me a taste for retail and spotting a gap in the market for good quality stationery (I had always been a paper junkie!), I opened my own upmarket stationery and gift store. This was at the height of the economic boom in Ireland, and the business did well. I was considering opening a second site, with ambitions for a national chain of high street stores, when the financial crash came. Overnight, the economy in Ireland collapsed. Although I managed to sell the business, this turn in events combined with starting a family, prompted a return to the UK.

I realised on my return that my experience in Ireland had completely changed my attitude to work. I had proved that I could successfully combine a number of separate career interests, and returning to a 9-5 job now seemed inconceivable to me. I took a bit of time out to have my second child and settle back into life in the UK after a six-year absence. Being the height of the recession, there also weren’t too many opportunities to choose from. But I soon started freelancing for The Sunday Times Fast Track, which for me, combined the two recurring threads of my career: journalism and entrepreneurship. I’ve now been back for 10 years, have started two other businesses and have never been busier!

What 5 tips can you share for people considering a portfolio career?

1 Be organised!

2 Develop a good professional network – you never know where the next opportunity will come from.

3 Don’t be afraid to change direction or drop a part of your portfolio that isn’t working. Take time to regularly evaluate where you are.

4 Have a good support system – I couldn’t do without my cleaner, accountant and family (not necessarily in that order!)

5 Self-belief is essential, but accept that moments of self-doubt are inevitable.

More

View Ashley Cavers LinkedIn profile:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-cavers-68613534/

Browse The Wonky Food Company web site:

https://www.wonkyfoodco.com/

Browse The Wonky Food Company web site:

https://www.wonkyfoodco.com/

Follow The Wonky Food Company on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/wonkyfoodco

Browse the OxLEP Oxfordshire web site:

https://www.oxfordshirelep.com/

Interested in a portfolio career for yourself? Download your copy of our free Skills report to find out what your transferable skills are:

https://www.inspiringportfoliocareers.com/what-is-a-portfolio-career/

Doug Glenwright’s guest blog about his portfolio career part 2

November 6, 2018 By // by Rachel Brushfield

Doug Glenwright mini biog

Innovative Customer Centric Propositions. Multiple award-winning leader with 20 years’ transformation experience across retail and leisure. Passionate about customers and transforming tangible experiences by developing a strategic vision and delivering it holistically and with integrity. Visionary, vivacious and versatile with strong communication skills and creative flair, balancing commercial and customer needs whilst engaging people with a sense of fun.

To read part 1 of Doug Glenwright’s guest blog about his portfolio career, click on this link:

https://www.inspiringportfoliocareers.com/doug-glenwrights-guest-blog-about-his-portfolio-career-part-1/

What are the challenges of having a portfolio career?

Juggling projects with competing deadlines is always a challenge, especially when they are on different continents, however the businesses I work with know that whilst I do my best to be flexible, that sometimes my schedule cannot be moved. This is really just about clear communication and prioritisation. Secondly for me, it has been difficult adjusting to a more independent life – working more from home (and lacking the social aspects of an office), not being able to manage or control the politics to get the “right” decision and lastly (and most problematic to me) letting go of projects when businesses no longer need external support…as a “completer/ finisher” this is a key frustration, but is also (I believe) a reason that I get commissioned. I am passionate about the project and doing the right thing!

Who or what helps you to manage your portfolio career?

I don’t know how to answer this – I feel like I am only in the early days of my portfolio career and that there is still a lot to learn. I try to take each day as it comes and mitigate risks and potential gaps in employment by planning both short and long term. I never say never – which means I am not fixated on my portfolio career and there could be a time when a permanent role is worth considering, but I also believe that for what I do more companies should be looking for a temporary resource, so this is definitely a conversation worth having even if they are advertising a permanent position.

How do you approach marketing your portfolio career?

It can feel a little awkward “marketing” yourself, so for me I try to put “catch ups” in the diaries of influential people I know or am known to in businesses which I am keen to work with to understand what is going on in their business and remind them I am around and available if that is helpful. Up to this point, this has been sufficient from a marketing perspective, but I am sure my approach will develop over time.

What if any, is the personal brand used for your portfolio career?

My personal brand focuses on my strengths and values as well as highlighting my key achievements. All “reasons to believe” and, I hope, reasons to hire me!

What skills/experience/qualities does someone need to have a portfolio career?

I think there is a need to be well connected, with a clear understanding of what you can offer and reasons why a business should use you and not someone else. For me a lot of this has been done through contacts who know me and were confident recommending me when suitable projects were discussed. Within this confidence and a sense of worth are also clearly important.

What advice would you give to someone considering a portfolio career?

For me the most important thing was to be able to safely trial and ease myself into a portfolio career – in my case I first considered it a “stop-gap” until I found my next permanent role (it might still be!), but it was a time when I had sufficient resources to take some time off and experiment with different types of work. For me I was then able to make proactive decisions comparing and contrasting my portfolio work with other full-time opportunities I was offered and to this point the portfolio has always won!

What are your top 5 tips to successfully manage a portfolio career?

Know your market
Manage your network
Define your offer (personal brand and USPs)
Know your value
Deliver your best

More

View Doug Glenwright’s LinkedIn profile:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/doug-glenwright-18a2234/

Browse Doug Glenwright’s web site:

http://www.dougglenwright.com/

Interested in a portfolio career for yourself?

Download your copy of our free report Discover Portfolio Careers:

https://www.inspiringportfoliocareers.com/who-has-portfolio-careers/

Doug Glenwright’s guest blog about his portfolio career part 1

November 6, 2018 By // by Rachel Brushfield

Doug Glenwright mini biog

What are the components of your portfolio career e.g. study, paid freelance work, part time job, volunteering etc.)?

Paid freelance work (plus a little dabbling in creative art)

How did your portfolio career come about?

I was very lucky to be offered redundancy following the relocation of my office after 14 years in a corporate role. After so long in one business, this was a scary prospect and I was fortunate to be offered a seconded role which allowed me to test my new commute (and ultimately prove I didn’t want to be spending so much “wasted” time in the car) and allowed me to prepare myself for a significant change, by working with Rachel Brushfield as a coach to understand more about the value I bring to a role and what I was looking for at the time of change. I did not seek out a portfolio career and was perhaps even a little resistant to it – this felt so different from the structure and (perceived) control of a regular career – however I tried to remain open to it as one of a number of possibilities. After a month or so off, I started talking to contacts and was approached to be an SME for a top consultancy firm as they developed the strategy for a Middle Eastern travel company; there was no contract, there was no job description and ultimately there was no risk, it was 2 to 3 days a week, which still left me time to apply for other roles, so I agreed… To an extent, I do believe we make our own luck, however I was fortunate to know of some big projects coming up in various businesses and was therefore able to position myself well to be of assistance.

How has your portfolio career changed over time?

During this initial assignment I was still actively applying for permanent roles, going to interviews and even got offered a few positions, but each time I compared them to what I was currently doing and proactively chose the instability, flexibility and variety of a potential portfolio career – however it cannot be a portfolio with one role, right? So I started reaching out to other contacts to understand if there were things I could help with. Mostly this led to nothing, which can be disheartening, but I reassured myself that it did remind people I was here and available and hopefully keeping me front of mind – a good marketing strategy; I picked up some piecemeal jobs and learnt more about my processes, what I enjoy, what I actively need to avoid and I started juggling larger projects.

When people ask you ‘what do you do?’ what do you reply?

Knowing what to call yourself is one of the challenges I have faced since I stopped working in a full time corporate career – we are all capable of much more than our job titles give us credit for, then there is what we are known or famous for and then there is what role you are being asked to play within each assignment…whilst you want to be flexible enough to adapt to the needs of any assignment, it is still important to have a clear sense of self, what your unique selling points are and what you can personally deliver for that role. At a high level when describing my role, I tend to use the term “Customer Centric Contractor” but this is a really grey area with many different disciplines focusing on customer experience, so this still doesn’t feel that ownable, but I explain this as “delivering strategic propositions and holistic transformation whilst balancing both customer and commercial needs”.

What do you most love about having a portfolio career?

I love getting the 3+ hours back in my day when I was previously commuting and using this time for something constructive – exercise, art or even chores. That said, I do still feel guilty when I take off time in the middle of the day to enjoy a sunny walk… it’s interesting how ingrained the corporate structure has been in my life!

Coming soon, part 2 of Doug Glenwright’s guest blog about his portfolio career.

More

View Doug Glenwright’s LinkedIn profile:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/doug-glenwright-18a2234/

Browse Doug Glenwright’s web site:

http://www.dougglenwright.com/

Interested in a portfolio career for yourself?

Download your copy of our free report ‘Discover Portfolio Careers’:

https://www.inspiringportfoliocareers.com/who-has-portfolio-careers/

Viv Groskop guest blog about her portfolio career

November 6, 2018 By // by Rachel Brushfield

Viv Groskop is a writer, stand-up comedian and TV and radio presenter. She has guest-presented BBC Radio 4’s Front Row and Saturday Review and appears regularly on BBC1’s This Week.

As a prolific freelance interviewer and columnist, she has written for most of the British newspapers for the past 20 years, contributing most frequently to The Guardian and the Observer. She is the veteran of four sold-out one-woman Edinburgh Fringe shows. Her latest show Vivalicious celebrated therapy and the world of self-help and imagined a world where Oprah Winfrey is President.

Her latest book How to Own the Room: Women and the Art of Public Speaking (Transworld) is about women, confidence and public speaking. She also works as an executive performance coach for groups and individuals, specialising in women and leadership.

What headline sums up 2018 for you?

The phrase Oprah used when she gave her speech at the Golden Globes for her Lifetime Achievement Awards: “Time’s up.”

This year it has felt like time is up on a lot of things: women not being heard and believed, women not being prominent in public spaces, women not taking up more space on FTSE 100 boards… And this debate is spilling out away from gender equality towards equality and diversity in general. Hurrah! When I’m doing stand-up, there’s a real hunger for people who can find the humour in all this. (Not bloody easy.) And when I’m doing corporate work as a performance coach, there is a sense of urgency from people — especially women – who want to find their voice and get better at speaking. Everyone is realising how important it is to be public-facing now, both for video content online and for events, large and small.

What has changed in the last 12 months?

I’ve leaned harder than usual into the usual chaotic but rewarding mix of a portfolio career: writing (two book deals this year), my own shows (Vivalicious at Underbelly at Edinburgh Fringe this summer) and helping other women find their voice (working with corporate groups and individuals).

Best moments? Hearing that a woman I coached got the role she wanted at first interview after a long period of job uncertainty. Finding out that another client who was absolutely petrified of speaking had given a speech in front of 300 people at her grandfather’s 70th birthday party. And having Sarah Brown come to my Edinburgh Fringe show and tweet about it to her 1 million followers.

How did any change come about?

I let go of the self-doubt and anxiety I had around a couple of book ideas I was aching to write, got my act together, pitched them and they sold. I think this happened partly because I suddenly feel old lately (I’m in my mid forties) and something in me just said, “Come on. Put it out there. So what if it gets rejected?”

What is the significance of this change for you?

Huge and tiny at the same time. Huge because I proved to myself that I’ve been sitting on really good ideas because I want to get them “just right” — and that moment never comes. Done is more important than perfect. Tiny because this isn’t a mental shift that is easy to hang onto. Sure, it makes a difference if your fear is proved wrong. But it soon floods back. So you just have to keep working on it.

What next for you in 2019?

A live version of the book How To Own the Room: Women and the Art of Brilliant Speaking (published 1 November 2018) will be touring in Spring 2018 when the paperback is out. And I’ll be finishing writing Au Revoir, Tristesse: Life Lessons in French Literature, which is due out at the end of 2019. I’m also planning a series of workshops and retreats for groups of women who want to achieve their potential in public speaking and own the room!

More

‘How to own the room. Women and the art of brilliant speaking’ by Viv Groskop. Published 1 November 2018:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Own-Room-Brilliant-Speaking/dp/1787631125/ref=sr_1_1_twi_har_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1538408943&sr=8-1&keywords=viv+groskop

View Viv Groskop’s LinkedIn profile:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/viv-groskop-9798b711/

Follow Viv Groskop on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/VivGroskop

Interested in a portfolio career? Why not download your copy of our free report: Discover Portfolio Careers:

https://www.inspiringportfoliocareers.com/who-has-portfolio-careers/

The ‘push me’, ‘pull you’ of a portfolio career

May 29, 2017 By // by Rachel Brushfield

Question for you.

How do you know when to edit or evolve your portfolio career?

I was reflecting on this recently during a career retreat and came to the conclusion that there are ‘push’ and ‘pull’ factors.

‘Push’ factors are negative things that cause you to re-evaluate. ‘Pull’ factors are things that attract you so ‘pull’ you to want to change the mix of your portfolio career.

Top 11 ‘Push’ factors

Low satisfaction or fulfillment
Doesn’t help you to progress or grow
Poor money for the effort/time
More competition for work
Doesn’t fit your career vision
Bored of doing the same work
Technology replacing demand
Trend to in-house from freelance
Stressful or feels like hassle
Doesn’t fit with your personal values
Unreasonable deadlines or demands

Top 11 ‘Pull’ factors

Builds your career capital
Learn a new skill
Stimulating new challenge
Broaden your network
Good money
Emerging new work area
Work you can do flexibly
Work you can do from home
Project with people you like
New ‘string to your bow’
Aligns with your longer-term vision

What would be your top 3 ‘push’ and ‘pull’ factors?

Defining your own portfolio career ‘push’ and ‘pull’ factors helps you to screen work options and feel clear about what projects you say ‘yes’ to and ‘no’ to.

Interested in a portfolio career?

Download our free report ‘Discover Portfolio Careers’:

Who is a portfolio career for?

The brand called You – why you need a personal brand

May 19, 2017 By // by Rachel Brushfield

Personal branding is becoming not just more important, but essential. Increasingly employees and consultants for projects will be resourced online via ‘Trip Advisor style’ sites. Just as videos and infographics have grown in importance to provide communication cut-through online, so defining your personal brand is a modern way to stand out.

Picture a sea of faces on a resourcing or recruitment web site. An avatar (headshot of you), and a couple of sentences maximum to get the message across, plus ratings about you from previous clients, employers and peers.

A busy executive looks at the site to find someone for an exciting career enhancing project or contract. How will you stand out and be chosen from the hundreds of choices? What will make the browser notice you in a good way so you are on their initial resourcing or recruitment list? Or will you be invisible – your online profile showcasing your high-quality experience not even read, because you didn’t get past the first hurdle.

So what is a personal brand and why is it so important for the future of work?

A personal brand is the territory you occupy in the minds and hearts of your target audience. It gets you noticed in a good way and positions you as the ‘go-to person’ for your specialism or niche.

The wording of your personal brand is crucial. The best personal brands are memorable, relevant and emotive. Articulating your personal brand in just three words follows in-depth analysis of yourself and the needs of your target audience, plus emerging trends, takes time and thought.

Articulate your brand in just three words.

Many people find it hard to create their own personal brand because they are so close to themselves that they can’t see their own unique talents. Synthesising, distilling and articulating the essence of you and the gift you bring to others in just a few words is a skill in itself.

Here are some pertinent quotes about personal branding.

“All of us need to understand the importance of branding. We are CEOs of our own companies: Me Inc. To be in business today, our most important job is to be head marketer for the brand called You.” Tom Peters in Fast Company.

“Building a profitable personal brand online is not a sprint, and something that happens overnight. Don’t aim for perfection early on. Instead allow your brand to evolve naturally over time and focus on providing massive value and over deliver to your target audience. Then you will get more clear over your message and brand as well.“ Navid Moazzez.

“Personal branding is about managing your name — even if you don’t own a business — in a world of misinformation, disinformation, and semi-permanent Google records. Going on a date? Chances are that your ‘blind’ date has Googled your name. Going to a job interview?” Tim Ferriss.

“If you don’t give the market the story to talk about, they’ll define your brand’s story for you.” David Brier.

“Branding demands commitment; commitment to continual re-invention; striking chords with people to stir their emotions; and commitment to imagination. It is easy to be cynical about such things, much harder to be successful.” Sir Richard Branson.

My personal brand is ‘Talent Liberator’. I do what it says on the tin. Originally at the beginning of my business 20 years ago, my personal brand was ‘Energising Connector’ which was an accurate summary of what I do, but it lacks the emotive quality which makes a better personal brand.

Here are some examples of personal brands:

‘Network Navigator’ – a networking specialist

‘The Body Coach’ – a personal trainer

‘The Clean Food Coach’ – an expert in natural food to stay healthy

‘Mr Loophole’ – a lawyer who specialises in getting celebrities out of driving bans.

‘The Book Midwife’ – a writing coach who helps her clients to self-publish a book

‘Insight Integrator’ – A strategist specialising in insight to inform an integrated strategy

‘Career Sherpa’ – a job search coach for the digital age

‘Miss Masala’ – an Indian cook and food writer

Make time to think about and create your personal brand. It takes time, but is one of the best investments you will ever make to attract the work you really want.

If you would like to receive information about Energise Personal Branding individual mentoring service, please e mail me using the link below. Thanks!

https://www.inspiringportfoliocareers.com/portfolio/connect/