S2 E7: Portfolio Careers Explained: Designing One Career With All your Creative Passions

Most creatives don’t have just one job, and while this may feel chaotic, multiple income streams is the most strategic way to set yourself up for success in 2026 & beyond in most creative industries. In this episode, Carissa and Emma Claire break down the concept of portfolio careers and why most artists are already living them (whether they realize it or not).

WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT:

• What a portfolio career actually is (and how it’s different from just side hustling)
• The Gen Z shift toward income stacking and contract-based work
• How artists have a competitive advantage in today’s freelance economy
• The three layers of a portfolio career: anchor income, creative gigs, and scalable income
• The reality of health insurance, seasonal income, and long-term planning as a creative
• Why the language you use to describe your work matters more than you think

LINKS AND RESOURCES:

• Sign up for The Direct Deposit - our free weekly recap newsletter!
• The Multi-Hyphen Life by Emma Gannon
• Follow Anna McKenzie for portfolio career inspo
• Tools for building your portfolio: Canva & Wix
• Platforms mentioned: Fiverr, Cohley, Billo, Vidovo, Backstage Creator Profiles
• 5 Things Financial Checklist + other free tools to organize your money
• Submit a topic idea or guest pitch at www.showbizpod.com

CONNECT WITH US:

• Instagram: @showbiz.pod
• TikTok: @showbiz.pod
• Website: www.showbizpod.com

That’s all for now. See you next week! Xoxo