From 9-to-5 to Building a Career Portfolio: How One Consulting Project Changed My Life
Have you ever wondered how people go from a steady 9-to-5 job to something bigger—or at least different? For me, it all started with a single consulting project. Funny enough, I almost turned it down. However, that one yes ended up reshaping my entire career.
At 23, I was clocking 40 hours a week at my day job and suddenly adding another 15-20 hours on a side hustle. It wasn’t part of some big master plan. My friends just needed help with projects, and I thought, why not? Back then, I had zero intention of leaving my full-time job.
Yet, over the next six years, that little side gig not only pushed me past six figures for the first time but also gave me the confidence to leave my job at Facebook.
No one can script their career perfectly. Technology evolves fast, and life is often unpredictable. But even in the face of uncertainty, it’s possible to build a career that helps you grow, challenges you in meaningful ways, and sets you up for success.
In this article, I’ll show you how to embrace the unknown, spot and seize opportunities, and create a career portfolio you can be proud of—whether you’re just getting started or ready to leap into something new.
1) Start By Building A Foundation Of Skills
Building a strong career starts with prioritizing learning and developing new skills. You can’t predict where your career will take you, but by intentionally growing your skill set and exploring new areas, you’ll lay a solid foundation for whatever opportunities come your way.
Here’s how:
Go Broad Early in Your Career
Your early career is the perfect time to experiment and dive deep into multiple skills. Chances are, you’ve got the bandwidth and fewer responsibilities. These days, there’s no shortage of roadmaps and how-tos to become a data engineer or data scientist quickly. But I wonder if this streamlined approach might have some unintended consequences down the road—maybe people will miss out on the serendipity of discovering random but useful skills by accident.
When I started out, I didn’t know which skills to focus on. So I tried everything. I explored frameworks like Java Spring Framework and ASP.NET MVC while tinkering with SSIS, data pipelines, and R. A lot of this was after-hours, just me at home trying to deploy web pages, create authentication systems, or build a basic social media feed.
There wasn’t a grand plan—I was just curious, and the projects were interesting. And honestly, that’s enough. The important thing is to stay open to learning, even beyond technical skills.
Balance Technical and Soft Skills
The further you go in your career, the more you’ll realize that technical chops alone aren’t enough. Understanding how businesses operate, communicating ideas effectively, and building relationships are just as critical.
Learn What Business and People Value
Here’s a reality check I got early on: I built a fun little side project and showed it off to my (non-technical) manager. Their response? A blunt “So?” Not to be rude—they genuinely didn’t see the point. That moment taught me a critical lesson: what I found exciting didn’t necessarily align with what the business needed and cared about.
If you want to make an impact, you need to understand what matters to the people and organizations you’re working with. Start by reading books about business and communication, but more importantly, seek out opportunities to work alongside non-technical people. You’ll quickly pick up on what they value.
Get Away From The Keyboard
For the longest time, I kept my head down, focusing solely on my work. But books like Never Eat Alone convinced me to step out of my bubble to find new opportunities. I started creating content and connecting with the broader data community. I attended meetups like DAMA and DAML in Seattle, where I met people in the space who offered fresh perspectives and opened doors I didn’t even know existed.
Communicate and Share Your Work
Whether it’s at work or on a blog, learning to articulate what you’re doing and why it matters is invaluable. If you ever want to build a startup or pivot into consulting, you’ll need to sell not just your skills but also your story.
I’ve had countless people ask me, “Should I learn skill X or Y?” as though there’s a perfect answer. Don’t get me wrong, I can give you the basics, but the skills you’re learning today might not directly align with what you’ll use in the future.
That doesn’t mean it’s a waste of time!
What matters most is this: focus on building and sharing your work. Whether you’re tackling technical projects, writing about your experiences, or networking, putting yourself out there significantly increases your chances of being noticed by the right people.
2) Seizing Opportunities
Once you’ve built a strong foundation of skills, the next step is learning to recognize and act on opportunities—whether they’re ones you create or ones that fall into your lap.
As mentioned, my consulting journey started in the most unassuming way: some friends reached out, asking if I’d be interested in helping with extra work. My first project? Migrating a company from Access to SQL Server. Nothing glamorous, and certainly not data science, which was all the rage back then.
I could’ve said no. I could’ve spent my weekends gaming or bingeing The Office. But I decided to give it a shot.
That one “yes” led to a chain reaction. It sparked opportunities in content creation, speaking engagements, and, eventually, a full-time consulting career.
Here’s how you can embrace opportunities:
Say Yes Strategically: You shouldn’t say yes to everything. Not all opportunities are worth your time. When something comes up, ask yourself: Will this help me grow, teach me something new, or earn me something valuable—skills, money, or connections? If the answer is no, it’s likely best to pass.
Be Proactive: Opportunities don’t always knock—you’ve got to build the door. Create content, network, and tackle side projects that showcase your skills. Even if these efforts don’t lead to immediate results, you’ll gain experience and make yourself more marketable. And when the right opportunity does come along, you’ll be ready to say yes.
Leverage Momentum: Each opportunity can build on the last. The more you say yes and execute well, the more chances will come your way.
Opportunities don’t always start big—they often come in small, unexpected forms. The key is to stay open, curious, and willing to act. When you consistently show up and put yourself out there, momentum will build—and that’s when the magic happens.
3) Building Your Career Portfolio
Think of your career as an investment portfolio. Every project you take on, skill you master, and relationship you nurture adds value, creating a foundation that grows over time.
Eventually, as you continue to build your career, it might look like the examples below. You might try taking on a side consulting project, or maybe you build out a large enough book of business that you can quit your job, and now you’re trying out being an advisor or building a product.
Like before, testing out a few different paths is a great way to learn and expand your skills. Eventually, you might find one idea you want to focus on and invest all your time and energy into one big bet.
Here are a few tips as you go along building your career portfolio:
Long-Term and Short-Term Bets
Consulting is a great example of a short-term bet—it can offer quick cash flow and immediate rewards. But here’s the catch: consulting doesn’t always build long-term value unless you approach it strategically. That’s why it’s crucial to think beyond the immediate payoff and invest your time in scalable opportunities.
As usual, Joe Reis summed it up well in a recent rant about consulting and its financial limitations. He emphasized the importance of aiming for a 1:Many model—creating something that can be replicated at minimal time or cost. It’s the difference between trading your hours for dollars and creating something that continues to provide value outside of your time.
Build Your Safety Net
Investing in skills early is key, but don’t overlook the importance of building a safety net. I get it, some people love the idea of burning the boats and there will be a time for that. But for most people you’ll want to minimize risk.
This means more than just building up financial savings. It also means cultivating the right skills and relationships to keep you secure in uncertain times.
When I was thinking about leaving Facebook, the final nudge came from a Netflix hiring manager who reached out to me directly on LinkedIn. That moment made me realize the value of the safety net I had built—skills, content, and a strong network. Even if my next venture didn’t work out, I knew I had options and people willing to give me a shot.
What to Focus On:
Financial Security: Save and invest wisely to give yourself the flexibility to take risks. If you quit your job and have 3-months of runway, you’re often forced to make decisions that might not benefit you in the longer term to meet your current needs.
Skills Portfolio: Continuously develop skills that align with your long-term goals and interests.
Professional Network: Build authentic connections that can open doors when you need them.
Your safety net is your lifeline in times of uncertainty. Start building it now so you’re ready when you need it.
4) Think Beyond Hourly Labor
While traditional 9-to-5 roles and consulting both offer stability, they often lack long-term ownership and wealth creation. In today’s economy(and honestly far prior to modern times), real wealth is built through capital—not just trading your time for money.
This could mean owning equity in a company, building a product, or creating intellectual property that delivers value long after the work is done. These scalable investments—things that grow without constant effort—are the key to achieving freedom and flexibility.
Why It Matters:
Equity and Ownership: Owning a piece of something valuable builds wealth over time.
Scalable Investments: Projects like products or intellectual property allow you to generate ongoing returns instead of just immediate compensation.
That said, you don’t need to jump into this right away. Take your time. Focus on building your skills and network first. When the right opportunity presents itself—whether it’s joining a startup you believe in or creating something yourself—you’ll be ready to make the leap.
5) Practical Steps to Build Your Portfolio
Ready to start building your career portfolio? Here are a few actionable steps to get you moving:
Take Small Risks At First: Post your thoughts on LinkedIn, write a blog, or kick off a side project. Share your learning journey, solutions to problems, and unique perspectives—you never know who might notice.
Create Valuable Projects: Go beyond the basics. Build something you’re passionate about that tackles real-world challenges, even if it’s just for fun. These projects demonstrate your skills and creativity in ways that resonate with others.
Network Intentionally: Relationships are one of the most valuable investments you can make. Attend events, join professional communities, and connect with people in your field. The right relationships can unlock opportunities you never expected.
6) Closing Thoughts
Building a career portfolio isn’t about having all the answers or following a perfect plan—it’s about creating opportunities and making deliberate choices that align with your growth and long-term goals.
It’s about embracing uncertainty, taking risks, and committing to learning along the way. Whether it’s saying yes to a small project, starting a side hustle, or developing skills that push you outside your comfort zone, every step adds value to your portfolio.
Remember, your career isn’t just a series of jobs—it’s an evolving investment in yourself. The skills you develop, the relationships you nurture, and the projects you complete are all assets that shape your journey and open doors to new possibilities.
If you’re ready to take control of your career and navigate the unknown with confidence, now is the time to act. Write that blog post. Build that side project. Reach out to someone in your network. Start small, stay consistent, and trust that your effort will pay off.
And if you’re looking for guidance, I’m here to help. Check out my free 3-day Consulting Accelerator, where you’ll learn the tools and strategies to grow your consulting practice, attract clients, and build a career you’re proud of.
As always, thanks for reading.
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Nice article and interview! Inspiring for sure !!!!
This is such a great advice, especially to someone who is looking to do more but lacks inspiration. Thank you