Expertise on Demand: Transforming small business talent strategies

Brie Abramowitz, a portfolio career coach and product leader, explores the evolving landscape of professional talent and careers through the lens of portfolio careers. The discussion addresses how forward-thinking companies can benefit from this trend by implementing flexible policies and embracing fractional work, thus accessing high-level expertise without the commitment of full-time hires. Brie underscores the critical role of personal branding in portfolio careers, advocating for strategic, consistent content creation across multiple platforms. She recommends viewing content creation as an experimental journey, emphasizing personal growth and learning over metrics. 

The conversation sheds light on how platforms like LinkedIn, TikTok, and Substack can be leveraged uniquely to showcase different facets of one's professional identity. Drawing from her own experiences, Brie shares insights on gradually building an online presence across various platforms. The dialogue also touches on the importance of adapting content strategies to seasonal shifts in audience engagement. Throughout the podcast, Brie emphasizes the dynamic nature of modern careers, highlighting the seamless integration of professional pursuits and personal passions. This discussion offers perspectives for professionals contemplating a portfolio career and organizations adapting to the new work opportunities ahead.

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Show Timeline

1. Introduction (0:00)

Introduction of Brie, a portfolio career coach

2. What is a Portfolio Career? (0:18)

• Definition and explanation of portfolio careers
• Brie's background and transition into coaching

3. Types of Roles in a Portfolio Career (2:14)

• Freelancer, gig worker, and other combinations
• Lifestyle choices and prioritization in portfolio careers

4. Supporting Non-Traditional Employees (3:51)

• Company policies to support portfolio careers
• Fractional work as an option for companies

5. Advantages of Fractional Work for Companies (7:23)

• Access to top-tier talent at a fraction of the cost
• Benefits of longer-term fractional hires

6. Career Paths in Portfolio and Fractional Work (15:43)

• Short-term vs. long-term approaches to fractional work
• Combining day jobs with side projects and thought leadership

7. Building a Personal Brand Online (20:11)

• Challenges of content creation and finding your voice
• Advice for starting to build an online presence

8. Experimenting with Content Creation (23:56)

• Approaching content creation as an experiment
• Focusing on learning and personal growth rather than metrics

9. Using Different Platforms for Different Purposes (27:52)

• How Brie uses LinkedIn, TikTok, and Substack differently
• Developing different "personas" for each platform

10. Content Strategy and Personal Growth (28:37)

• Brie's approach to content creation across platforms
• How content creation ties into business goals and personal development

11. Seasonal Changes in Content and Audience Engagement (33:50)

• How seasons affect content strategy and audience reception

12. Closing and Contact Information (34:14)

• Where to find and follow Brie online

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Noteable Comments and Quotes

• "A portfolio career is whatever you want to make it. You can have many roles at once, so effectively a portfolio of jobs at one time, or you could be more on the other end of the spectrum, which is kind of the camp that I had been historically, where I've had a portfolio of different seemingly disparate roles as a generalist over the course of 25 years of working."
• "It is so, so important to make sure you're going the right path, whether it's like permanently placing someone in the organization to fill that need, if you really do think it is a permanent gap, or if it's something that needs to be supplemented."
• "Content writing is deeply vulnerable, and in the beginning you may have some concept of what you want to write about, and it feels you can feel super self conscious because you're like, ooh. Is anybody going to want to read this or hear about it?"
• "Instead of saying, I'm going to fail or I'm going to succeed at this, make it an experiment. Say like, what do I want to learn?"
• "I layered my content because I felt paralyzed by doing it all at once, and I also, for me the building my business was life giving."

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About Brie Abromowicz

Brie Abramowicz is a Pacific Northwest-based product leader and portfolio career coach, specializing in product marketing and personal branding. As the founder of Build with Brie Coaching, she empowers professionals to create standout personal brands and navigate career transitions with confidence. Currently leading product marketing at Apartment List, Brie brings over 12 years of experience across product and marketing roles, with a passion for mentoring early-stage startups and fostering meaningful growth in others.

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