5 Steps Lorna Selig Took to Turn Her Passion into a Side Business

Lorna Selig works a full week. Between her full-time job with Children’s Link and her self-defense training business, she is a busy woman. But, she doesn’t feel busy.  “When you’re working in your passion,” she says, “It sounds cliché, but it doesn’t feel like work.” How did this former stay at home mom turn both her love of self-defense and her desire to help families with children with disabilities into a work life that she loves? The answer is, one step at a time. 

Step #1 – Getting Started  

Lorna’s passion for self-defense began early. “When I was just shy of my 17th birthday, I was attacked. This experience left an impression on me that later turned into a mission to help others.” As we unpacked her story in a coffee shop in Calgary, I was amazed by both her resiliency and her ability to turn a negative experience into a way to help others. For a variety of reasons, she didn’t tell anyone about the assault but the experience impacted how she saw the world. It was during this time she started to think about how she could give people the information they needed to stop the cycle of victimization.  “I spent a lot of time in that head space,” she says. “I wanted to help give information that makes people less of a target, builds confidence in them and helps them feel empowered.” 

It was during the time she was at home raising her children that she saw the Safe and Sound program at her children’s school. “It was like the structure of Safe and Sound matched what was going on inside my mind in terms of providing a service. I didn’t have a system for what I was thinking. I didn’t have a curriculum for how to teach it systematically, so when I saw this curriculum it fit with what I was wanting to do.”  

The Safe and Sound program had been in Calgary since the mid 1990s owned and operated by Debra deWaal. A friend connected Lorna and she reached out to Deb. “I believe I just phoned her and said I sat in on the class with my child, loved it and wanted to work for her. I cannot recall the conversation exactly but I think it went something like that. Based on my experience and work in the community with kids and teens, she saw the fit and it just all happened from there.”

Step #2 – Build Knowledge, Experience and Skills

Lorna began her career in self-defense and worked with Deb part-time. At the same time, she was also raising two children and working part-time providing parental support and supervision to women with disabilities raising their children. “When Deb needed someone, I would work with her. She had police officers and me teaching this program.” Over 10 years, Lorna juggled raising her children, working her part-time job and teaching self-defense. She also volunteered on parent council, did presentations for the MS Society and was also working on her Homeopathic Certification. Now that she looks back, it all seems a bit crazy but although she didn’t know it at the time, she was building valuable juggling skills that she would later hone as an entrepreneur.

Over the years, Lorna built a name for herself in the community of organizations helping adults with disabilities and families with children with disabilities. From application and long term planning support, to resourcing and speaking engagements, Lorna became the go-to-person. “In general, I’ve been there for families who are transitioning young adults who have disabilities. I think I’ve done this for so long that I’ve created a system within Children’s Link. I do webinars and sit on committees. I’ve been out there for a long time.  I’ve had 30 years in disabilities services in various roles and I’ve been with Children’s Link since 2009 for 10 years now.  I do a lot of speaking engagements and know the organization well and I know the resources and the help that’s out there for families.”

Being a “go-to-person” has been effortless for her and, over the years, she has built knowledge and skills in both her day job and her business. “In terms of my career development in both job and business, I have built great presentation skills. I’m called to do presentations all the time, in the community with my face in front of people for Children’s Link and I also do presentations for the business. Last week, the real estate association wanted me to come and do a presentation about self-defense. My presentation skills are active, lively and energetic.”

Lorna was also invited to speak at the Alberta Council for Disabilities Service ACDS annual conference about the need for safety awareness for people with disabilities. It’s moments like these when her two world’s come together and Lorna is able to marry both her knowledge of community service for persons with disabilities and her love of self-defense.  “Sometimes there’s a beautiful marrying of information and service,” she says. “For example, I was called by the disabilities association to do a presentation on self-defense. Also, an autistic family asked me to do self-defense class for their son and his classmates and, although I was there to help them with self-defense, because of my knowledge about family support for children with disabilities, I was able to point the family to additional services within the community and funding that could be used to help him further.”

If you want to learn more about portfolio career strategy, subscribe to Career Corner Toolkit for FREE monthly injections of portfolio career and other career tips. To subscribe to Career Corner Toolkit or to have a free consultation, go to my home page.

I would love to connect with you if you are thinking of starting a portfolio career or already have one and want to OPTIMIZE.

Photo by Guillaume de Germain on Unsplash

Step #3 – Take Action on Opportunities

Five years ago, Deb approached Lorna and asked her if she wanted to buy the curriculum part of the business. Lorna and her partner bought the company, rebranded to Safe4Life, changed some of the content and hired Calgary Police Service members and padded attackers. They built the business to host hundreds of classes a year, doing 15-20 classes a month all over the city of Calgary.

Even though Lorna had strong presentation skills and leadership skills from her job, moving to business ownership proved to be a challenge. “The learning curve was around the curriculum content and making it my own, learning the concepts for personal safety and building confidence and empowerment in order to respond to people’s unique questions,” she says. She also had to learn how to respond to people who had a personal situation and experience that was still raw for them.

Lorna’s clients have been as young as 3 years and her oldest client was 83. Even though she has a broad clientele who range in age, profession and background, Lorna has paid attention to her clients and why they want to learn self-defense. “The main reason why people are taking the classes is often because they’ve had an incident that has caused them fright or they know someone who has been victimized, or they want to take the pro-active approach and learn skills that build their awareness.” She has noticed that many moms who have kids between the ages of 7 and 17 have been interested in enrolling their kids. They want to equip their children for the future by giving them skill sets to use in a variety of different situations from learning how to minimize risk to understanding how to manage themselves in certain situations.

Lorna’s clients are also schools, corporations who want to equip their staff such as ATB Financial, Brookfield Property Management and not-for-profit organizations such as Boys and Girls Club, Girl Guides and Brownies, accessible housing organizations and sport groups. Understanding her client's needs and interests has helped her build the business and have a broader reach into the community. 

Step #4 – Learn How to Manage both a Business and a Job 

Managing a full-time job that she loves and a business she has a passion for can equal long hours for a sidepreneur, but Lorna has a superpower that is similar to Oprah Winfrey. She knows how to pull strong teams together. “If I’m going to keep this business going and work in my day job, I have to have an amazing team. I pick the most skilled instructors to teach the classes for me, I have two commissioned sales staff and an administrator and a social media person. I’m the front face of the organization. People do book the classes through me, but I have a team that gets the equipment ready. I love this work and it’s what makes my heart happy.”

In terms of operations, it is a mobile business. Lorna’s team loads the self-defense equipment into the van and delivers it to the instructors who unload it at the class location, run the program then re-load the van. Lorna hires instructors and a padded attacker on a contract basis as freelancers. It’s a good gig for the freelance instructors and attackers because Lorna believes in paying her staff well.  “I want my instructors to choose to work for me rather than work another security gig. You have to pay people really well if you want the good people and if you want them to stay. I want the cream of the crop and I want to pay them as if they are. As a result, I have amazing instructors and they stay.” With this smart hiring and retention strategy, Lorna reduces her workload by retaining her freelance workers.

She also has flexibility in her 40-hour job with Children’s Link. “It’s not a straight 9:00-5:00, 40 hours a week job. I have to work around the needs and the activities of the families I’m supporting so I have ultimate control to flex the hours to meet the needs of the family and the needs of Children’s Link. Sometimes, I have to put on events in the evenings or on weekends, and because I assist and support families who have youth who are moving into the adult services system, I’m often working my hours around their schedules.”

Working outside of traditional work hours often builds helpful time management skills suitable to juggling entrepreneurial ventures. Because Lorna is accustomed to a non-traditional work schedule, she doesn’t appear to compartmentalize work and play hours or be guarded about her personal time. When I asked Lorna what the downside is to juggling both a job and a business, she admitted, “I don’t have a lot of free time, but when you do something that you love and feel passionate about, it doesn’t feel like work. I love the message I’m putting out into the community; the staff, the speaking, the learning, presenting and I love learning more about this area. It’s not really work for me. When I do unplug, I golf and I go on holidays.”

Step #5 – Create Short and Long-term Goals

Clear short and long-term goals are needed if sidepreneurs are to avoid burn out as they work full-time and run a business. I asked Lorna, “What is your purpose? What are the goals you are trying to achieve working as hard as you do?”

“My long term goal? Continue to work at Children’s Link until I’m 60-ish. Also continue to do Safe4Life because that’s what makes my heart sing. My plan in retirement is to keep my valuable human resources in tact with Safe4Life and pay them well to manage the company because I see Safe4Life as being part of my retirement plan. There’s no pension in my day job so the business has become a retirement plan. I am the face of the organization so I don’t know that I won’t ever be directly part of my business, but maybe in another 10-15 years, I may back off it.  If I’m sitting on a beach in Costa Rica, I can still book classes and organize the staff from my laptop.” 

Two years ago when Lorna was in the UK, she realized the value of moving the business into her retirement when through a 15-minute phone call, she was able to book someone into a class. “Quite honestly, I can make an income in about a 15 minute phone call from the UK. For me, it’s about the message, but if I can make an income sharing the message, it’s a win/win as I move into my retirement.”

When it comes to the short term? “Most of the time, my business doesn’t feel like work but at times it is work. It’s the minute details of it that can feel like work. But, my partner and I make the best of the small details that are often hard like dropping the van off during my free time and not being able to watch Netflix. But, we make the best of it and go and grab a pizza.”

As we wrap us, I ask one final question. “How would you sum up your work life?”

“I guess I can say I have a passion for something that I’ve turned into a business or I can say I have a mission that I’ve turned into a money making adventure.”

Lorna Selig

Self-Defence Training

Safe4Life

How to Change Careers by Asking 5 Smart Questions

With three major career changes under my belt that weren't effortless or without investment, I can confidently say that career changes shouldn't be made lightly. I've learned that a mid to late career change requires a thoughtful and pragmatic approach that answers the following questions:

1. How much and what kind of change can I realistically manage at this stage of my life?

2. What skills do I want to take with me and what would I prefer to leave behind?

3. Where am I financially?

4. Have I talked to enough people?

5. Have I learned about the “hidden gems” and the current trends?

These five questions have helped my clients navigate what can be a challenging decision.

How much and what kind of change can I realistically manage at this stage of my life?

From family responsibilities to finances, mid to late career changers have multiple layers of life to consider. Understanding the magnitude and type of change is critical at this stage of life. Typically, our choices are:

• Make tweaks to our current role (Ask for new tasks).

• Stay in the same occupation but change industries (The office administrator that moves from oil and gas industry to manufacturing).

• Stay in the same industry but change occupations (The engineer that stays in oil and gas but becomes a pipeline construction inspector).

• Change occupation and industry (The plumber who becomes a police officer).

With each change comes loss and gain, and each potential career changer has to weigh the impact on their lives.

What skills do I want to take with me and what would I prefer to leave behind?

The process of excavating skills and experiences can help mid-career changers decide the magnitude of change they want to make. When I made my first career change and moved from legal office administration to teaching, I made decisions about what I didn't want to do anymore (typing documents) and what I wanted to do (teach people). I also weighed the investment into building new skills. Did I want to go back to school?

Shedding skills I no longer wanted to use and identifying skills I needed to build helped me decide how much change I wanted to make. This process also helped me make decisions on where to investment my time and money when it came to retraining.

Where am I financially?

Executive Career Coach, Maureen McCann, has her clients “run their numbers”. Although Career Practitioners are not Financial Advisors, I believe that financial planning is a necessary and neglected area of the career planning process. Not knowing my financial facts stalled my first career change because I didn't think I could afford university. When I sat down with a financial advisor, I learned, over the long term, I would get my investment back and these facts changed my perspective.

In her article, Tips for a Successful Mid-Career Change, Madeline Burry writes, “Transitioning to a new career and industry doesn’t mean that you will need to begin from the bottom”. This can be true. However, when my husband and I decided to make mid-career pivots, our biggest concern was “Can we effectively mitigate the financial change?” I quit teaching and moved into career development and my husband quit teaching and moved into policing. We moved from mid-level salaries to entry-level salaries in our new occupations. To manage the change, we wisely took turns. He switched first, then I followed suit. We were excited about our new occupations but, it wasn't without sacrifices. As we transitioned into our new careers, we stopped traveling to help absorb the financial loss.

Have I talked to enough people?

Career Practitioners didn't exist in the high school I attended. Instead, my family of pragmatic farmers gave me simple and sound career advice. They said, “talk to people”. I contacted ONE person. My friend who was a legal secretary (which sounded sophisticated) said she liked her job. I thought if my friend liked it, I likely would like it too and I unwisely stopped my research. After a year of schooling and a year of sitting at a desk for 8 hours, not talking to people in a steno pool like the Dolly Parton movie Working 9 to 5, I started researching a new career direction. The job wasn't for me.

Although we build skills and experience from an ill-fit occupation, the investment of time and money mid-career can be far too costly. Forbes writer Brad Shorr, in his article 4 Important Things to Consider Before Making a Midlife Career Change, writes, “What you earn or don’t earn from the age of 50 to 65 is going to have a major impact on what you can afford to do in your golden years.” A major career change from the age of 35 to 65, can have a impact on our financial future for the better or worse.

After my stint as a legal office administrator, I went back to my pragmatic, fiscally responsible family for more advice about becoming a teacher and they said, “Before you spend that kind of money (on a university education), you need to talk to more people”. This time, I widened my research. I asked more people more questions. I covered education options, got a feeling for the career and trends impacting the industry. As a result of a more comprehension approach, teaching fit like a glove and the long-term financial gains outweighed the investment. More research ended in a wiser decision.

Have I learned about the “HIDDEN” gems and current trends?

Another important consideration when talking to people is to ask about the countless “hidden” occupations that never make it onto a database, have “hidden” career paths and are often well paid. We could be short sighted in our choices because we didn't do deeper research. In addition, emerging or growing industries have yet to create commonly used job titles or comprehensive job descriptions for emerging occupations. These occupations may not be on a career database and the only way to learn about them is to talk to workers or employers.

When I was working in Japan as a teacher, my American colleague had a friend that was a career counselor in the US. It sounded like a cool job but when I tried to research the occupation, I couldn’t find enough information to get a feel for the job. Career development was an emerging industry in Canada, so it was difficult to find comprehensive information on the role of a career counselor. A few years later, when I moved back to Canada, there was still little information. In order to learn more, I searched the Yellow Pages in my city and and set up information interviews with companies that had the word “career” in their business name. As I talked to people in the industry, I discovered a whole new world of possibilities with emerging occupations and entrepreneurial opportunities. I made the decision to take the leap and move from a career in international education to a career in career development.

In addition to hidden and emerging occupations, in a rapidly changing work world, mid to late career changers need to know how the occupation or industry they are considering will be impacted by trends and innovations. Retraining for an occupation that is sliding out of demand or will be replaced by Artificial Intelligence is obviously unwise, but I'm surprised by how many people don't do their research. Equally, moving into an occupation that is moving to an “on-demand” workforce, hiring independent workers for freelance or contract work may or may not be a good fit depending on the individual's personality and situation. Asking questions about impacting trends, new innovations, flexible staffing models and technology advancements in an industry before we make a commitment is a wise approach to a career change in a rapidly changing workforce.

With a more holistic, pragmatic and comprehensive approach, we can discover exciting and rewarding “next stage” careers.

If you want to learn more about independent work, subscribe to Career Corner Toolkit for FREE monthly injections of independent work and other career tips. To subscribe to Career Corner Toolkit or to have a free consultation, go to my home page.

I would love to connect with you if you are thinking of starting a portfolio career or already have one and want to OPTIMIZE.

Is it a good idea to vacation now and postpone retirement?

Two words that go together well. Summer vacation. It is time to unwind, sit out on the front porch or back deck with a cool drink. Chill on the beach with a few friends. Ride that motorcycle through the foothills of the Rocky Mountains or take a long hike to the top of a mountain to breathtaking, panoramic views. Aww...summer. 

The summer is a time to get away from our work lives and contemplate other passions. Clear our heads of work place cobwebs and enjoy our hobbies, family, friends. Last night, I was on the patio of a good friend, she had a nice fire going and we started to contemplate our lives. Fire pits seem to fuel work talk and the thought of fleeing to better winter climates. Both of us have taught English in Japan and are fairly well travelled. Could we set up a small coffee shop in Belize? What about teaching English again overseas - Spain, perhaps? Are we too out of shape to wrestle sheep on a farm in Australia? Maybe we could do what Al and Denise do (see previous Portfolio Careerist article) and live half in Mexico and half in Canada. That sounds good...summer all year long. Seems like early retirement to me.

We concluded, after a bottle of wine and a dead fire, that we are grateful to live in a beautiful city like Calgary, next to the Rocky Mountains, an amazing playground of free activity. We are equally grateful for our work, health, family and good friends. We also concluded that it is okay to think about the possibilities and exciting opportunities that await us. We both love our work and, of course, there is always something to complain about - the workplace drama and the industry politics. But, it is good work that we do and we recognize that there is good work to be done in other ways and in other locations. Having changed up our work lives in the past, we have the experience to know that shaking things up brings new opportunity. 

Are either of us moving to Belize? Not any time soon but my husband and I have a financial plan to take a break in 3 1/2 years for 6 months. We have no idea what we are going to do - we're taking suggestions - but we'll take a 6 month break, refuel and then see what the future holds. In a recent article by Kate Ashford for Forbes called Millennials: Traditional Retirement May Not Be in the Cards, Ashford interviewed Morag Barrett who discusses the concept of short sabbaticals over the course of our work life rather than the concept of traditional retirement plans. It's an interesting article and worth the read because it redefines our work life, vacation time and retirement. We've been conditioned to take that two - three week vacation yearly and retire as early as possible, but is that still feasible? Is this the way of the future for the next generation? 

My friend and I concluded that there's nothing wrong with shaking up our work lives - moving to Costa Rica and working from our laptops seems like a venture within reach. We don't want to wait until retirement to enjoy our lives - we figured that out long ago. However, we can also relate to Morag's approach to work and retirement. Work longer but vacation longer; doesn't sound great written like that. However, when you unpack the concept, it leaves room for more interesting options. In my opinion, this way of thinking fits better with the portfolio careerist mindset. If we are redefining how we work, why not redefine how we vacation and how we retire?

I could get on that boat...floating down the river of summer contentment. Flies and mosquitos not included. A long vacation every three years. Sign me up for the financial plan for this idea. Where can I meet a financial planner that even knows how to plan for this concept? Another industry that will have to adjust to the new way of working and retiring that will be the future. 

To read Kate Ashford's article, click on: retirement.

How to Create a Portfolio Career You Love

Maureen McCann has a pragmatic and fearless approach to her unique career. Currently living in Victoria, BC, Canada, she has a career consulting boutique business called Promotion Career Solutions, owns and operates a vacation rental property with her husband and is a landlord for a property she owns in Ottawa. Her wise management of money, and her understanding of real estate has helped Maureen design a work life that she enjoys.  “Learn what works for you and play to your strengths,” she says as we converse over the phone about her portfolio career.

In her 20’s, Maureen started to read financial books about money management and property. “I read on my 20 minute commute to work. What I was reading made me realize that managing money better could make a huge difference in people’s lives. I considered becoming a financial advisor but changed my mind. I didn’t want to be someone who sold mutual funds."  Maureen developed a motto “run the numbers” and it has helped her create her work life. “I genuinely love what I do and I want other people to love what they do. When people run the numbers, they find out what they really need to live on. Then, they can make career decisions based on their true financial situation."

At this point in our conversations, we veer off slightly and discuss wise money management and Maureen shares a tip. Drive a beat up car. "“With the income from our cottage, we could’ve bought new stuff like a new car, but we didn’t.  We made sacrifices and drove an old 1998 Chevy Celebrity and we put our rental income back down on the mortgage to pay it off faster.” Now, her vacation rental property has almost become a passive income. "I have created systems that help me manage the emails and bookings, and the people who rent from us clean it themselves and do a really good job.”

Wise money management skills are essential skills for everyone and portfolio careerists managing multiple income streams need to learn how to manage their money wisely but it is not a skill that everyone innately develops. Maureen believes we have to be taught and she has spent hours combing over books trying to understand how to manage her money well. "When people don’t understand money," she says, "They often live in fear. You have to run the numbers in order to address the fear of not having enough because running your numbers helps you to see what is and isn’t enough." We discuss how fear often paralyses people and prevents them from changing careers.  "It’s a cop out to say I can’t change careers because of financial security. People have this underlying fear of how much they think they need so they don’t change anything. They stagnate and don't make any changes out of a fear of not having enough.”

Money, fear and careers. Maureen has made a career consulting business out of understanding some of our deepest fears around money and our jobs. She has also made some tough career choices herself. Three years after she and her husband bought their cottage in 2001, she got laid off from her job and it was a lesson in change and transition. “I started to volunteer in the career development field and shortly after, got offered my first paid job as a career professional.” Simultaneously, she got pregnant which was also a lesson in having tough conversations with a new boss. “It was a very hard conversation to have with a new employer and now that I understand that piece about our careers, I can help my clients with their tough conversations. Somehow, I felt like I had dishonoured my employer's trust because they had just hired me. But, from my experience, your boss will totally understand."

In 2005, she had her first child and went back to work six months later.  Then, in 2007, she decided to go in a different direction with her career as a career professional. "I officially walked away to start my second business. I always knew I wanted to work for myself. I thought I would be able to help more people if I could go out and do it on my own." As well, because Maureen’s husband works for the military, she knew he would eventually get posted somewhere else so entrepreneurship hit all of the criteria she needed for her career.  “I created a business plan and I showed a guy that worked at the entrepreneurship centre. He said my business plan was all good, gave me the thumbs up and it was like, 'Away you go’.”

She broke the news to her husband with a power point presentation when he was on a home leave from Afghanistan.  “I sat him down and I was at slide number two which was to run a business and stay home to take care of our daughter.” He stopped me and told me to go ahead and do it.” Maureen adds, “We have to have these conversations with our spouses.  A lot of couples don’t have these conversations and they stay in their jobs and aren’t happy.” It is often hard for people to break out of the work they are doing even when they are unhappy. Maureen adds, ”I firmly believe we are raised to think that we have to have a steady income but I think we are doing a disservice to ourselves. People approach their careers out of fear, fear of not having, and they sign up for misery, and in some cases, it's becomes like jail time. I’ve decided I’m going to make my own jail time and privately fund my pension.”

For Maureen, a portfolio career that allows her to income stream from different directions helps her create a work life she loves. "If someone asks me to do something and its fun, I'll do it. But if it isn’t fun, I won’t do it. When I first started my business, I said yes to everything but now I have built my life so that it wraps around my family life. When we lived in Europe, I worked enough but I was also able to travel. I can adjust my work life to match what I want. If I invest, I want a good outcome."

I ask her what advice she would give to someone thinking about a portfolio career. " They need to ask themselves what do they really need to make?” Maureen continues.  “Then, work for yourself. You are handing out the keys of your destiny to an employer and you don’t have to do it.  But, if you choose to work for someone else, either way, you don't have to hand them the keys. Your employer is not responsible for your happiness. If you are unhappy, do something about it. The next step is scary. However, we have to first work for ourselves by being wise with our money." 

How to Build a Freelance Photography Career You Love

Josainis Veria Belet is a focused, hardworking and ambitious fashion photographer who came to Alberta from Cuba, landed in Red Deer and didn’t know at the time that this prairie town would be the beginning of an freelance career in the fashion photography industry.  Just like many newcomers, in the beginning, she worked a variety of jobs. "I started with the beauty counter at Superstore. That was my first job in Canada."  

Reaching goals doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time, perserverance and the ability to plan. With these traits in hand, within only four months of arrival, Josainis enrolled in Red Deer College to study web and graphic design.  "It was an intense program and I had a language barrier but I made it through." When she finished her program, her entrepreneurial spirit kicked in and she immediately started her own business doing freelance website and logo design. "I thought this was what I wanted to do but I just didn’t like it,” she says.  "It wasn't a waste of my time though because I knew I could use the skills."

Her positive attitude seems to permeate everything she tackles. She quit her web design business and worked retail for five years running a store. She learned the ins and outs of managing a small business and started thinking about opening another business of her own. “I had an interest in photography but the equipment is so expensive. If I was going to start a photography business, I needed to make money so I quit my retail job and went to work in the oil patch.” It's not your typical career path. From beauty counter, to web design, to retail, to driving a Kenworth iron truck in the oil patch. Josainis was creating a random career path that didn't appear to make sense to someone looking from the outside in, but she didn't let perception get in her way. Her oil patch career move made sense.

To prepare, Josainis got all the necessary tickets, found a job and started driving truck with the goal of saving startup money for a photography business. Somewhere along the way, she went back to to MC College in Red Deer for makeup artistry because she thought the combination skills of photography and makeup would be good together. Her makeup artistry certificate alongside her oil patch safety certificates certainly make for an interesting combination of training and, at this point in our interview, I marvel at the unusual combination of skills she has built.

However, random skills can come together and since her business called Josainis Photography launched about 3 years ago, it has grown. Her style, business savvy, incredible work ethic and relationship building has brought her recognition in the photography industry.  She got into fashion photography by serendipity when she did a model’s headshot. Numa modeling agency became interested and hired her to do test shoots.  In addition to her work with Numa, she does her own freelance work, building model’s portfolios and shooting commercial and creative editorials that have been published in magazines.

But her entrepreneurial spirit won’t let her quit there. She recently decided to partner with two other photographers Emelia Kim and Chris McMullan to create a one stop shop for model portfolio building giving models access to three photographers, with three different styles and three different looks in one photo shoot with a hair and makeup team working alongside. It is a smart concept that helps models build their portfolio faster. The team also gives models the option of submitting to magazines for the additional exposure. She adds, “We work with the model to do whatever they want, mentoring with styling and posing so they can learn. We make up the mood board three weeks ahead of the photo shoot but we tailor for their preferences so they come out with a portfolio of photos that they feel connected to.”

Sometimes expanding a freelance career to include a partnership can be daunting but Josainis sees the value in collaborating. “Working with a team, we are shooting six outfits so it takes more time, but we help each other, and we are wearing a lot of hats. We will be a posing coach while the other photographer is doing lighting and we have to respect each other’s ideas, style and personalities. Communication can get tricky because we also have a hair and makeup team that we are also working with but the collaboration is good.” I ask her what is her role in the team and she responds, “I do a lot of the advertising. I’m the one who does the sales and communicates with the client. I also do pricing and then Emelia handles the communication. She also does the mood boards and Chris handles the printing. We have our jobs based on what we are comfortable with.”

When asked what her plans are for the future, there is a tone of determination in her voice. “I want to be able to do more commercial photography and work with other companies if possible in the beauty industry. I’m currently working on how to connect with other businesses. I want to understand more about how the beauty, modeling and commercial industry works.”  We talk about the importance of verbalizing our dreams and goals and how it is like creating a mood board of what we want our future to look like agreeing that we are more apt to go after our dreams once we put it out there with people. “What I want to do is take care of sales, work with my team, build teams of photographers, makeup artists and hairstylists and build relationships with businesses to take care of their photography needs.” She definitely has a vision of where she wants to go and she isn’t afraid of sharing it. “I’m not scared of sharing my dreams with other people. I can’t be scared because then I won’t do it.”

Josainis’ experiences and skills have come together in her business. Her retail beauty experience and makeup artistry training helps her in photo shoots. Her retail business management experience has provided a foundation for managing her own business and driving truck gave her the investment capital to get her photography business launched.  And, even though she didn’t like web design as a job, she is grateful that she has the skills to design and manage her own website and social media platforms. Since her arrival in Canada, the skills and experience built from a jagged career path has finally merged to create Josainis Photography.

If you want to learn more about freelance career strategy, subscribe to Career Corner Toolkit for FREE monthly injections of freelance, portfolio career and other career tips. To subscribe to Career Corner Toolkit or to have a free consultation, go to my home page.

I would love to connect with you if you are thinking of starting a freelance career or already have one and want to OPTIMIZE.

Emelia Kim, Chris McMullan and Josainis Veria Belet

Climbing Trees Instead of Ladders

I grew up as the daughter of Portfolio Careerists Farmers/entrepreneurs/salaried employees who streamed income from various sources, so I have had the added advantage of having role models who indirectly taught me to diversify. Even though they suggested I get a nice, secure, steady job with a reliable income, they never worked like that and I don't think they would change their work history. I watched them as they streamed income from various sources and it has made sense to have more than one income stream to sustain me.

For years, we were taught to climb the ladder, but in all honesty it never fit for how I organized my work life. Working my way up wrung by wrung just didn't work for how I choose to work and it wasn't until a few years ago that I came up with the idea of a tree. It sways in a storm, I can climb it and if a branch breaks, I have other branches in tact to sustain me. When I  apply this model to my portfolio career, it makes sense.  The root system contains my network, skills, education and experience, creating stability and rootedness. Through the trunk of my tree, I draw upon my root system, generating and transporting ideas for potential branches of income turning the leaves on my tree into - yes, you guessed it! Income. Money can grow on trees.

A portfolio career approach and climbing trees instead of ladders  isn't without it's disadvantages and isn't the answer for all situations. The work world is far too complicated and people are too complex to think that one approach to work will fit everyone, their occupation and work in all economies. However, I believe the tree model vs. the ladder model resonates with me because over the years it has simply worked, it made more sense and I have weathered some pretty big storms because I work like this.  I have used this approach to put myself through school, to transition from school to a full-time job, to work in another country and as a model for my entrepreneurial ventures.

This doesn't mean that some days I don't want to pack it all in  and find that reliable, steady, full-time job (that my parents obviously fantasized about at times) and start climbing the ladder. Juggling more than one income stream can be challenging. However, the tree model has provided structure to how I approach my portfolio career and as I interview other portfolio careerists, they approach their work life with a similar structure in mind. The concept of growing branches and having multiple sources of income gives a model to visually hang our hats on.

No Job Title? Seriously.

Through my career services work, I have had the wonderful opportunity to meet hundreds of people from around the world who have come to Canada to live and work. I have learned, from these international job seekers, that job titles can have significant meaning in cultures, creating an important marker of status, value and prosperity. In North America, our job title is also important, giving us a sense of identity and worth.

As a career practitioner and portfolio careerist, although I see the benefit and structure job titles create in the work world, they also can have a negative impact on our sense of self-worth, skewing our decision making in the work search process. Several years ago, I was facilitating an interview skills workshop when I met a man from Africa who had a degree, but when he came to Canada as a refugee, he couldn't find work in his field. At his time of arrival, he had very little English, no Canadian experience and no Canadian education. These factors created barriers, making it difficult for him to access his field. For years, he studied English and eventually found work as a security guard, also doing odd jobs on the side. When he found himself in my interview skills workshop, he was out of work for the first time. As participants practiced accomplishment stories, he quietly confessed that he felt like a failure, and he could not identify one accomplishment since his arrival.

This lovely man adapted to a new culture, learned a new language, found a job when he had little English, raised his children, paid his bills, contributed to his new country and had saved to put his children through university and he felt like a failure because of his job title. When we pointed out all of his accomplishments and his personality traits of tenacity and adaptability, his countenance changed. The participants in his group affirmed his value through his work and the challenges he had overcome. They brainstormed his accomplishments in a new way and he left that workshop with a new sense of pride and purpose, having never looked at his accomplishments through this lens.

Job titles can undermine our sense of value and they can also skew our decisions. Recently, I have met job seekers in our current recession in Alberta who have turned down jobs, preferring to pay bills on credit rather than accept a job that is "beneath them" (their words not mine) in title and pay. I have also met job seekers who have asked me if they should travel for long lengths of time on their severance package, not because they can afford it, but because they are concerned about filling a gap in work history. They wonder if travel is better to put on their resume than a job that doesn't carry weight in their industry.

I understand the underlying concerns job seekers have around working outside of that job title box, the monetary value and the career ladder they are trying to climb. I also understand that folks are worried about the "what ifs". What if I get a better offer in six months? What do I do when the economy turns around and I want to go back to what I did before? These are all legitimate questions. However, I am left to wonder how long people can wait for that perfect fit. I'm left to wonder how long folks can go without work and still make their bills. I'm also left wondering when did a good day's work and just the simple act of supporting ourselves regardless of title stop being enough?

Zappos and Gusto are two companies, featured in the below links, that wondered the same thing. They got rid of job titles in their organizations because they believed it would strengthen their company culture and put the focus back where it needs to be - on a good day's work. They claimed titles created barriers, unnecessary power distance and prevented the flow of creativity and growth. I give these organizations props for test driving this "No Job Title" idea. It's a brave thing to do.

However, as career practitioner, I'm in the business of work search and career management so I clearly understand that job titles are still used for necessary markers of negotiation, promotion and access into higher paying positions within an organization. However, as a portfolio careerist (someone who streams income from multiple sources) I don't pay as much attention to job titles because I'm not necessarily looking to climb a ladder. I'm building a portfolio tree where the focus is on creating income streams, building relationships and looking for opportunities to add benefit and value. The portfolio style of work does blur the boundaries that bind us to job titles, and challenges us to view work in a new way.

This doesn't mean we have to end all job titles in the workforce. That isn't realistic. However, if you read the articles below on organizations that have eliminated titles, it is an interesting concept to just get rid of them altogether to see if that frees us up to work differently. Personally, I would just like to see us relax a little around job titles in our culture. It would be really nice for a job seeker to feel comfortable taking a lower paid job that has less status because for them it is a wiser thing to do for their long term financial freedom. I would prefer that job seekers not be scared of what that "outside of their industry" job would look like on their resume, or be concerned about what their friends would think.

In our current economy, many career development specialists and recruiters suggest that job seekers become open, flexible and be willing to do something new because these are valuable skill sets that employers prefer to see in potential candidates. I know we aren't going to completely eliminate job titles, at least not yet. It appears the world of work is not yet ready for Zappos CEO's Holacracy concept. I guess the "No Job Title" idea was too confusing. Nonetheless, could we please just relax a little and meet the needs of an organization that needs our help? 

I would like to end with two quick stories. I met a woman a few months ago who was a laid off accountant from the oil and gas industry and she was helping out her friend who owns a restaurant. She was serving, working in the kitchen, and doing whatever needed to get done. She said she didn't necessarily have a job title, but she added, "I quite like the variety and I can't believe I'm saying this, but I don't know if I'm going back to what I did before." She was exploring new options.

I recently learned that an old family friend had lost their job. He worked for oil and gas too. Surprisingly, through connections, he landed a new job building sets for a film. After building one set, he now has more projects in the film industry lined up. Who knows, he may be headed in a new career direction. 

What I learned from these stories? If we just relax a little around our job title and meet the needs around us, we not only can find work, we just never know where something new may lead us.

Click on these links for articles on eliminating job titles:

Companies without job titles: Gusto

Impact of job title removal: Zappos

How to Become an Online Entrepreneur like Brad Hussey

Brad Hussey never thought he would generate the majority of his income from online, passive sources. A web designer, developer and coding expert, he started his career as a web developer and worked for a Calgary-based digital marketing agency. While working full-time, he began to build a sideline business, accumulating a client list. “I ended up working full-time with Sajak and Farki and freelancing full-time. Eventually, they became my client and I went completely solo.”

However, freelancing was up and down with inconsistent income and he didn’t like dealing with what he refers to as the low months. “My wife and I wanted more consistency,” he said, “so I had to add to my income. Rather than making a career change and doing something completely different, I wondered if I could keep doing what I was doing but make more money? Could I teach what I knew?” He considered adding to his income by offering coding classes at a local college or university. Then, he found Udemy.com, an online training platform and his portfolio career took a turn in a new direction.

His online training didn’t blow up over night. Brad started small and created one tutorial in coding. Students taking his courses liked his teaching style, his personality and the design of his tutorials resonated with students so his courses grew in popularity. He then started getting traffic on his blog, which featured him living passionately, freelancing and building a freelance business. His online business naturally started to grow.

The tutorial business grew so well that he and his wife decided to scale back the one-on-one clientele. “We decided that one-on-one clients weren’t working as well as growing the online tutorials. I trimmed my face-to-face work back significantly. My business reach is now no longer local. The entire world has access to my training. I have hundreds of thousands of people who are serious about buying a tutorial.”

“...there are billions of people in the world and if you can sell to a thousand, one thousand true fans, you can make a comfortable living. As long as it is in line with your values and niche market, you can generate 80 to 120 thousand dollars a year.”

Recurring income in a global market has huge potential. People are generating six figures a month doing what Brad is doing on a larger scale working from home. “One of my mentors, Pat Flynn, said there are billions of people in the world and if you can sell to a thousand, one thousand true fans, you can make a comfortable living. As long as it is in line with your values and niche market, you can generate 80 to 120 thousand dollars a year.”

With an online business concept in mind, it didn’t make sense to facilitate tutorials on site. Brad could access a market far larger than his local reach but he needed to learn analytics and strategies to drive traffic to his tutorials. “At the time, I didn’t have a strategy on how to improve attracting followers. I started exclusively on Udemy. On Udemy, I get 30,000 – 60,000 visits per month depending on the course. Udemy takes a large cut of the sales, but they do all the marketing. I generate income from students signing up for courses and then other people from Udemy land on my blog. YouTube for me has also driven traffic to my blog. On average, with my free tutorials as the attraction, I have 35,000 YouTube followers. I offer free stuff on YouTube to generate traffic to my blog where people can download free tutorials or sign up for courses. My blog sees about 10,000 visits/month and subscribers will come from them. Between my blog traffic, Udemy and YouTube, I’m able to attract enough students.”

The bulk of Brad’s portfolio is built primarily on passive, recurring income generated from courses, which accounts for 70% of his income. In total, he offers web development, web design, coding and programming front-end development with video courses and tutorials ranging from free to expensive. “I have a membership based website designed like Netflex where you can buy coding tutorials one off, or you can subscribe to Code College for $34.00/month with access to all of the coding tutorials. My coding courses are around 40 hours long with 100 videos in total.”

Within the package of courses he offers, he has developed another training program that only opens up 2-3 times a year. It’s called Freelancing Freedom and it’s a six-month training program where students have access to videos that teach them how to start a successful freelance business. Brad created Freelancing Freedom in 2016 because his students wanted to learn how to work like him, and the new training has now added income to his on-line portfolio career.

I asked him how he has become successful in a sea of online training options. “I accumulated a following based on my style and it has opened an abundance of opportunity. My teaching style and personality as well as information, editing from a technical perspective are what makes me stand out. People enjoy my training style and design of my tutorials. It has resonated with followers. My free tutorials also attract followers that will turn into paid students.”

From YouTube, he has generated a significant following and makes 5-8% of his income from affiliate marketing. “I promote and talk about products that have affiliate programs and because I have a large following, any books or apps I suggest, my students will go and look it up.”

Starting an online business seems daunting to most, but after talking with Brad, he makes it sound so easy, “I started small on Udemy and created my first course. I then kept building. It was a natural progression. Now, I’m up to 30 subscribers a day on my website.”

Brad breaks down his online income into three categories:

• 70% accounts for courses - Coding Tutorials and Freelance Freedom

• 10% from YouTube and affiliate marketing

• 10-15% one-on-one clients

Then, he specifies, “I don’t take on many clients anymore. I scaled it back because I didn’t make the revenue. I only take clients that really fit with what I want to do.”

I asked Brad what he loves about going online with his business. “My income isn’t tied to my time.” He has freedom and wasn’t in an office in the middle of the week for this interview. Instead, he was staining his deck as we talked over the phone. He and his wife like to travel so an online business suits their values and lifestyle.

“My income is tied to the value I create. My work now is to try to optimize what I already do and improve what is already working.”

Click here for Brad's website

If you want to learn more about freelance and portfolio career strategy, subscribe to Career Corner Toolkit for FREE monthly injections of portfolio career and other career tips. To subscribe to Career Corner Toolkit or to have a free consultation, go to my home page.

I would love to connect with you if you are thinking of starting a portfolio career or already have one and want to OPTIMIZE.

How to Become a Serial Entrepreneur like Ryan Corry

Ryan’s entrepreneurial portfolio career began while he was playing NCAA hockey for Plattsburgh State University in New York State. As a project during his senior year in university, he had to create an event to generate income. “I organized a large American Pie style party and hosted it at an open-air pub with about 700 people in attendance. I made a profit and crushed everyone in my class!” He said with a smile. This was the beginning of Ryan’s entrepreneurial juggling act.

I met Ryan at a Career Development Mix and Mingle hosted by our mutual connection, Joy Ulrich. Ryan was at the mix and mingle to pitch his second startup business called Skillpics, an online platform that visually connects job seekers and employers. Ryan had hit the pavement with his concept and was actively connecting with different organizations in Calgary. I later ran into him again at a conference in Edmonton where he was marketing his platform to career coaches from across Alberta. I was impressed with the product and curious about Ryan’s entrepreneurial portfolio career. Ryan was kind enough to later meet me in a café in Bridgeland in Calgary where I sipped a latte and quickly tapped notes on my laptop as the story of his career effortlessly poured out.

After playing for Plattsburgh State University, Ryan moved to Pensacola, Florida to play hockey in the Southern Professional Hockey League with the Ice Flyers and continued juggling hockey and event planning. He planned the same American Pie style event again, had a successful return and realized he could make a profit in the industry. His hockey career then took him to Europe where he played with the Lyon Lions in Lyon, France. He again juggled hockey and events planning, organizing another event called Fall Fest, but this time across continents in New York State. “I learned that playing hockey and coordinating events from another continent was definitely challenging. But I made it happen because I loved working with performers and discovering talent.”

While playing in France, Ryan decided to hang up his skates and return to Canada. He had achieved his goals of playing hockey in the U.S. and Europe and he wanted to get back into the community and try out different things. Prior to returning to Canada, he decided to take a detour and travelled to Thailand. He said, “I needed to reset and gain perspective. I wanted a clear head for the decisions that were to come.”

A career change is never easy and for professional athletes, it can be an adjustment. Upon returning to Calgary, he said reality kicked in and he started to look for a "real" job. He had a good work ethic, had graduated at the top of his class and didn’t think it would be hard to find work. But, it was. “I had to try different ways to get noticed. I created my first cover letter, which was a storyboard of my travels and volunteer work. It was a visual representation of my skills designed to capture the attention of employers,” he explains. “I did all this work but it didn’t match up with how employers were looking for talent. I had been away from Calgary for six years and I was finding it challenging to connect with employers.”

His Skillpics concept was evolving in his efforts to connect with employers. However, while continuing to find work, Ryan decided to use his skills to help in the community. “I took over responsibility for and re-incorporated a non-profit organization that executed a charity formal event. The event preceded a Christmas Classic hockey game with friends who were just starting to play, right up to professionals. I used my hockey background and event planning experience to help raise money. I wasn’t paying myself with this, but I needed to create work for myself. It was rewarding to be doing something worthwhile."

He continued planning charity events while simultaneously looking for paid work. In addition, he had also been on the lookout for a well-made onesie for his girlfriend. The adult onesie craze had hit both Europe and Canada, and Ryan’s former Swedish roommate had purchased a high quality, European-made onesie for 250 Euros. While in Calgary, Ryan couldn’t find a product with the same quality, so he decided to get one made, “In the spring of 2014, I actually got my first onesie sample and spent about $300 for three rather than ordering one for 250 Euros from Europe.”

Ryan had an interest in fashion and creating a brand. “When I created the onesie, I chose the name UNI which was slang for uniform in the hockey world. By chance, UNI also means one in Spanish. I built on the name with UNI chillwear.” He ordered three and wore a sample onesie to the bar to show his friends. It was a well-made product so he decided to make 50 more. “I took out a loan, made more, sold them all and started to realize this might be a business opportunity.”

Ryan’s former teammate, Jeff, who was doing his MBA, thought he could apply his learning directly to this new potential startup. This helped Ryan get motivated to complete the business. He adds, “We went from 3 units to 50 to 125 then 250 to 400 and we are now at 650 units and getting better margins. We completed our second winter and we have done $140,000 in gross revenue. We wanted to create a brand so we branched out to sweaters, t-shirts, hats and sunglasses. We have mostly done word of mouth marketing and through good customer service, we have built client relationships on-line. We also market at trade shows, festivals and events.”

While building UNI chillwear, Ryan networked with graphic designers, models, and photographers and found that finding talent was inefficient. “I was wasting time going through Facebook and Kijiji, asking for coffee meetings to see portfolios of work. If they weren’t the right fit, I would start looking for someone else. It was a waste of my time to try to hire someone this way, so I started conceptualizing an online platform where I could easily go to a portfolio of work. I drew my first platform for the on-line concept Skillpics. I thought the platform would help jobseekers connect to companies that needed people.”

While working on both startups, Ryan landed a job with Bust Loose managing events, travel experiences and basic operations of the business.  He worked with Bust Loose for a period of time before he decided to quit to focus on UNI.  Once the business started to grow, Ryan reentered the workforce and with his event planning background, he landed a job with the Alberta Ballet. “They hired me to do their biggest event.  Shortly after the event was pulled, my boss was laid off and I found myself doing a plethora of jobs around the office. My title was changed to Project Specialist. I did anything from writing RFPs to connecting with key people in Calgary. It was a great learning opportunity, but I ended up getting laid off in the recession. I then turned my attention back to Skillpics.”

Ryan knows how to adapt, and juggle multiple ventures, key skill sets for entrepreneurs and portfolio careerists.  Skillpics had sat on the back burner while he was working with the Alberta Ballet.  Ironically, once laid off, he had time to work on the platform that was to easily connect job seekers and employers. “I strategized, invested from UNI chillwear and hired Vog Calgary App Developers, a solid mix of people with an energetic, honest work ethic.” Skillpics had started from a cover letter he had created years before as a job seeker. He further refined his idea as he became an employer frustrated with trying to find talent for UNI chillwear. Ryan had started his portfolio career as a hockey player/event planner and was quickly becoming an entrepreneur/business owner juggling a growing business and a new startup.

Ryan’s career has met some challenges since he returned to Calgary.  However, he seems to have an innate determination to succeed and a will to keep working towards his goals regardless of setbacks.  When I asked him if he could pinpoint some advantages of currently being an entrepreneurial portfolio careerist, he didn’t hesitate when he answered, “I like to be able to make money and be successful, but I want to make money doing what I love.  The amount of money I make helps me keep track of how successful I am.  Whether it is for myself or for a charity.  It is a measure of success because if you are creative, efficient and strategic and you do these things well, then you’ll have a large degree of financial reward. The fruits of your labor will be reciprocated. Money can be like a trophy.”

When it comes to disadvantages, Ryan believes time management, the energy that goes into a startup and the lack of capital are the tough parts of starting a business. “I had to mix in two professional jobs because we aren’t going to make money overnight.” He continued, “At times, skepticism creeps in. I wonder whether or not all of this work will pay off in the end. However, I counter skepticism with the idea that I’m making an investment. I’m investing into a business and taking a risk like every person who pours money into getting an education. When they come out of university, they have to find a job and pay their investment back.” He then added, “We are all investing into our future in a different way.”

Although the road ahead may be challenging, I believe Ryan’s tireless work ethic, his ability to see gaps in markets and his determination to solve problems will continue to turn his investments into a successful entrepreneurial future.

For more information on Ryan's businesses, go to unichillwear.com and skillpics.com.

If you want to learn more about portfolio career strategy, subscribe to Career Corner Toolkit for FREE monthly injections of portfolio career and other career tips. To subscribe to Career Corner Toolkit or to have a free consultation, go to my home page.

I would love to connect with you if you are thinking of starting a portfolio career or already have one and want to OPTIMIZE.

What are the Benefits and Challenges of Being Entrepreneurial?

Self-employment seems to be in the air! I have recently been meeting former portfolio careerists who became solopreneurs or entrepreneurs, income streaming from various entrepreneurial ventures. I am so intrigued by their work lives that I have decided to spend the next few months covering self-employed solopreneurs like Kym Keith (recent June article) and Brad Hussey (future August article) who work on their own providing a service or selling a product without hiring staff. They are flying solo in their business and are streaming income from multiple directions.

Others like Ryan Corry (this month's July article) are entrepreneurs; the term used for self-employed individuals who hire staff to help them with their business. Entrepreneurs, like Ryan, who are also portfolio careerists may stream income from more than one entrepreneurial venture or they may run a business and possibly work in a salaried job or do contract work.

Whether they are flying solo or hiring staff, there are definite benefits to operating a branch on our portfolio tree that is completely donated to self-employment. Portfolio careerists who are opting for self-employment tend to like the freedom to create, innovate and control the work being done. They like the ability to take charge of marketing, networking and the growth of their venture. Their entrepreneurial project gives them an outlet for their creativity and business savvy, and also provides them with a sense of pride and ownership.

There are certainly advantages to having a self-employment branch to our portfolio tree. However, as I've said before nothing is perfect. The ability to start a small business that will make and not lose money is a difficult endeavour. It requires doing our homework, learning how to write a business plan and coming up with an idea that will be marketable. As mentioned by Kym Keith, she went through an intense business planning course to come up with a marketable plan.

A good business plan is just the beginning. Just like hard work without a plan can lead to business failure, a well-done business plan won't be executed without hard work. Launching and running a business is exceedingly time consuming and most business owners work long hours, which for some people may be a disadvantage. Another disadvantage is that many businesses don't make money right away and, hence, streaming income from other directions will be necessary. This is the juggling act that can become tiresome because there are only so many hours in a day.

However, I enjoy being a self-employed solopreneur who primarily works on contract. I have an incorporated career services business as part of my portfolio career and I like the freedom self-employment gives me to create my own work life. There are downsides. If I don't work, I don't get paid. I don't have paid vacation or benefits. I have to come up with my own retirement plan and I often have no idea how much money I will make in a month.

When I read the above paragraph, I realize self-employment is not for the faint of heart. I tend to have a higher than average risk and uncertainty tolerance, but being comfortable with risk isn't the key ingredient of a self-employed person. I have met people who have a lower tolerance for risk, yet they choose self-employment because they prefer to be in control of their work life rather than leave it up to someone else who has the power to lay them off, leaving them with no income at all. I have learned through meeting various entrepreneurial portfolio careerists that everyone is different. No two are alike in their approach and their level of risk.

In the articles to come, I will feature some of the inspiring people I have met who are streaming income from various self-employed ventures and are, in a sense, paving some interesting pathways that may change the way we all work in the future.

The following link solopreneurs has more information on the differences between the two self-employment approaches.

How to Work as a Contractor and Consultant

Kym Keith is a independent worker and portfolio careerist with a newly launched business called Stillwater Workplace Training that provides life skills and workplace training, instructional design and technical writing. With the recent launch of her business, Kym is streaming income from primarily contract workshop design and delivery for First Nations. She prepares each workshop according to client needs then delivers on site. Kym’s ability to custom tailor her workshops to suit the needs of the students is what she believes is the key to her success. She loves to create hands-on, relationship building activities that students can easily apply to life.

Kym launched her business in January while simultaneously studying in an entrepreneurial program at Douglas College that helped her start her business after being laid off. “To get accepted into the program I had to complete an orientation and create a business proposal outlining my business idea, market research, and target market to see if my idea was viable. After being accepted into the first part of the program, we learned how to write a business plan,” she continues. “The business plan went to a team of four people. They decided my proposal was realistic and I continued on to the remaining courses in sales and marketing, business law, accounting and business operations.”

Kym has a diverse background in education, with a Master’s degree. She has managed programs in Special Education and ESL, provided sessional instruction at a small university, launched an international student program, managed an Adult Literacy program, and has done instructional design and technical writing. Her years of experience in management, design and work with adults have prepared her well for her own business. 

It was a combination of experience, passion to help people, her skill sets, good timing and networking that started her working with First Nation’s. “A week before I was laid off, I met with a friend who was going to be resigning to take a job with First Nations. She knew I had experience teaching life skills and workplace readiness and asked me if I would go onto the reserve and facilitate some life skills workshops. Afterwards, the manager on -site told me she was happy with my work and that my training was well received by the students. They called me back several times to facilitate. I just fell in love with working with First Nations. It is so rewarding when the students have those ‘aha’ moments or when they hug me and tell me that I have made a difference in the way they see something.”

Kym has additional skills that provide opportunity for her to grow her business: instructional design and technical writing. Over the years she has gained a reputation for writing good program funding proposals. “It’s the teacher in me that loves good writing and ensuring that what people write is what they mean.” She also does instructional design, creating training materials for companies. She has written on-boarding manuals, work search programs, banking curriculum, and respectful workplace workshops. However, her true passion is providing life skills and workplace training.

“I love being my own boss and being responsible for my own success. I like making a difference. I like change. The idea of a 9-5 day drains me. I’d rather work longer hours and get something out of it at the end of the day.”

Kym chose to follow her entrepreneurial, pioneering roots rather than go back to a full-time job when she was laid off, because she felt it suits her better. “I love being my own boss and being responsible for my own success. I like making a difference. I like change. The idea of a 9-5 day drains me. I’d rather work longer hours and get something out of it at the end of the day."  She does recognize that there are significant disadvantages to being self-employed. “It can get lonely if you don’t network and I’m consistently looking for new work. However, once my reputation is established, I feel I will have regular work. “

It hasn’t been easy. There have been weeks when she doesn’t have any work coming down the pipe and it looks like it may be a tough month. When I asked her what motivates her to keep going she said, “When I had exposure to First Nation’s people, I realized that I wanted to invest in people and not in the corporate world so that I could make a difference. There is nothing better than at the end of the day than thinking ‘I can’t believe I get paid to have so much fun’. To make a difference in the lives of people is rewarding and doesn’t feel like work. I had a gentleman come up to me last week and thank me for some things I had taught him. He told me it made such a difference in his life. He is now working full time and loves his job. I believe that I can build a business that is year round once I become known within the First Nation’s community.” She adds with a laugh, “Right now, I seem to freelance on a wing and a prayer.”

When I asked her what advice she would have to anyone venturing off into a self-employment, she said, “Make sure networking is something you enjoy or can learn to enjoy. Never burn a bridge and always be kind.”

Her business plan gave her focus and networking has provided the start she needed. She is still studying while she actively seeks out more work possibilities for Stillwater Workplace Training.

If you want to learn more about how to work as an independent contractor or consultant, subscribe to The independent edge for FREE injections of independent worker tips.

No more 9 to 5.

Dr. Barb's 3 Awesome Reasons to Create a Portfolio Career

A good book and a good nap!

Dr. Barb Barnes is a long time job juggler who has juggled multiple commitments for years. For over 40 years, she worked the graveyard shift in a program for youth while she studied for a diploma, two undergraduate degrees, a master's degree and a Ph.D. Today, she is a portfolio careerist streaming income from working multiple jobs. She is an professor at both the University of Calgary and Mount Royal University, located in Calgary, Alberta, where she teaches indigenous studies. she continues to work part-time with youth and has a fourth job sitting on a mental health review panel where she is paid an honorarium.

Dr. Barb streams income, because as she candidly puts it, "I would like to pay my bills." However, when probed further, she admits she does have a more comprehensive plan for her multiple incomes. "First of all, I want to have enough money saved for retirement," she says. "I don't want to have to worry about money as I get older. If I want to take a trip, I want to be able to take it. I may not go very far, " she chuckles, "but I want to have the freedom to do what I want." She adds, "At this stage of my life, I also want to have the freedom to spend money on my collection of antique books and have enough put away for my retirement." Dr. Barb spends her free time browsing through antique stores where she is well-known for her eye for rare and old books related to Indigenous history, and she is more than willing to share her knowledge and books from her collection.

She does carve out free time to go antiquing and watch sports. However, she admits the most challenging part about her work life is her schedule. She is, for the most part, nocturnal. She still works the graveyard shift at her part-time job, but has a "normal person's" schedule during the day. She said that naps have been the key to dealing with the time change between night shift and day shift for the past 40 years. She laughs, "I certainly don't have a normal schedule, and I'm a bit difficult to get a hold of because I may be sleeping, but it works for me."

“Saving for retirement, having a heart for teaching and having ample free time to antique are three awesome reasons Dr. Barb has a portfolio career.”

Napping, taking time for hobbies and doing what she loves seems to be the key ingredients for Dr. Barb's portfolio career. She received her doctorate later in her life and, as a part-time professor, she understands how hard it is to get a full-time job in the industry. However, this hasn't discouraged her. "I did my thesis later in life so I haven't had longevity in the profession and it will be hard to get a full-time job. However, I love my work. With the jobs I've chosen, I don't have a get rich quick scheme, but I love what I do and wouldn't change it. I enjoy the experience of working with a variety of youth, both at my part-time job and at university. I enjoyed going to school to get an education and I can now present what I learned from all the years of education I have. I studied for a long, long time and I hope that my students are successful and gain the excitement for learning that I had. I want them to enjoy gaining knowledge and I want them to get excited about learning new things daily."

Dr. Barb knows the value of training young people to get an education, work hard and keep their options open. She understands that the world of work is changing and that the young people she teaches will have to be flexible and more open when it comes to their work lives. Through her example, she provides them with a different way to view how to work. Her work life stems from her love of learning and her enjoyment of working with young people. She is able to juggle her challenging schedule because she has the ability to know when a good nap and a good book is a good idea.

If you want to learn more about portfolio career strategy, subscribe to Career Corner Toolkit for FREE monthly injections of portfolio career and other career tips. To subscribe to Career Corner Toolkit or to have a free consultation, go to my home page.