Ben Legg
To have a successful portfolio career, you really need to look deep into yourself and discover who you are and how you will add value to the world – not just in a way that pays the bills but in a way that provides you with deep personal satisfaction. It’s about understanding your brand story, crafting powerful proposals and developing the right pricing and delivery to ensure happy customers and repeat business.
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The world is evolving fast, and if you want to keep up you have to constantly develop your knowledge, skills and offerings.
In other words, you need to invest in yourself
How’s that going for you so far? Are you investing enough time and money into your career? Are you tapping into ALL the talents, skills and passions that make you extraordinary?
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That’s where our Catapult course really comes in handy. Not only does it give you the framework you need to launch your portfolio career, it also allows you to investigate the Why behind your business – and that’s such an important part of understanding what makes you and what you offer so unique.Â
It works because it’s designed and delivered by successful portfolio professionals. We’ve been there; we know the struggles and we know how to build the foundations for personal and professional success. That’s why this course is so popular with our community (with a 100% 5-star rating) – it’s a long-term investment with real world results.
We thought we’d spend some time investigating how this level of in-depth development can impact your life in more ways than you realise. Let’s take a look.
1. It’s a confidence booster
Our brains are made up of millions of neurons that are constantly communicating with one another. Every time we learn something new, those nerve cells send information back and forth, allowing us to become more efficient in a particular task or skill. Eventually, those neurons fuse together and that skill or idea is hardwired into our brains.Â
Learning is essential throughout your career if you want to stay ahead in a rapidly changing world. What might surprise you is that it’s also good for your mental health.
When you learn new skills, you boost your self-confidence, build a stronger sense of purpose and connect with others. Plus, the more you open yourself up to new ideas and ways of working, the more inventive you become.
2. It combats loneliness
Let’s face it, portfolio careers can be lonely. Working as a one-person band means you miss out on some of the regular social interactions you would otherwise have in an office environment. That’s why building a community is so important. When you join our Catapult course, you become part of a tight-knit community of learners, all of whom face the same challenges and learning curves as you do at some point or another. In other words, you don’t have to do this alone.
With the cohort version of our Catapult course, learners get the opportunity to come together and discuss their thoughts, experiences and ideas as they navigate the course. That way, you’re building community, ensuring accountability and receiving valuable feedback along the way.
We host a weekly Catapult Connect call just for learners to come together and discuss their thoughts, experiences and ideas as they navigate the Catapult course. That way, you’re building your community, ensuring accountability and receiving valuable feedback along the way.
Having a community that holds you accountable, provides feedback and offers up emotional support is important, especially if you’re just starting out on your portfolio career. Our weekly Pathfinder Check-in call for all Catapult grads and Pioneer members is a safe space to ask questions and face any feelings of loneliness or imposter syndrome head on.
3. It makes you think more critically about yourself
A big part of our Catapult course is an investigation into yourself – your values, your passions, your inspirations and the things you want to achieve through your work. There’s no one else out there like you; no one who can do what you do. By understanding the Why behind your services, you learn to think critically about the things you do every single day.
What makes you tick? What habits feed positively into your productivity? What weaknesses could be holding you back? What do you want to accomplish through your work? What passions drive you and how can you honour those every day?
Once you learn what you want and why you want it, you can figure out the routines that are best suited to your personality type, and that will do wonders for both your life and your career.
4. It opens you up to global perspectives and opportunities
Diversity of thought is important. One of the great things about being involved in Catapult is that people from all backgrounds, industries and locations take part. When you connect with graduates from other industries and around the world, you open yourself up to a broader, more global perspective. This not only enhances your own cross-cultural understanding, it also widens your professional network and allows for new opportunities on an international scale.
Your graduate network will provide some truly valuable connections. Once you engage with the post-Catapult community, you’ll come out the other side with fast friends; friends who pass work your way if a relevant project or client comes up.
5. It improves your technical savvy
There are thousands of tools out there to help streamline portfolio work, from website building platforms to productivity and project management tools. You can even digitise your accounting services, taking all the pain out of keeping track of receipts and expenses.
When you join our Catapult course, we introduce you to a world of tools that have all been handpicked (and member tested) to benefit your portfolio career. That means more opportunities to familiarise yourself with the latest tech and take the manual labour out professional admin. Embracing technology is crucial as we venture into this new future of work. So why not take advantage of it now?
Are you ready to invest in yourself?
In the end, it’s about staying sharp and stocking your arsenal with every tool at your disposal. There’s no reason to embark on a portfolio career alone. Why venture blindly into the great unknown when you could be guided by expert thought?
Joining Catapult does more than just build the foundations you need for your career; it allows you to investigate yourself and embrace a community of support and inspiration. So what are you waiting for? Find out how you can take part in our Catapult course and start transforming yourself and your career today.
Think this sounds like the right path for you? Come along to our monthly Get started event for new members to find out what a portfolio career could look like and how The Portfolio Collective can help you take those first steps towards professional success – and don’t forget to connect with our community!
