Escaping the Corporate Ladder for the Creator Treadmill

When I first started building a portfolio career, it was kind of a fringe thing to do. That’s no longer the case. There’s a whole economy now of online businesses and courses glorifying leaving your 9-to-5 job.

In the premiere of the 4th season of The Portfolio Career Lab, I talk about this phenomenon within the creator economy with Philadelphia-based Instagram creator Rukiya Ross. Rukiya shares with me what it actually has taken her to build her Instagram following while balancing a full-time job, marriage, and motherhood. We also discuss the infamous Jessi Jean ‘Yap Challenge and expose the invisible resources, financial cushions, and unexamined privileges that make overnight success possible for some creators and not for others. We also talk about copycatting, and how it’s really become a problem in the creator economy in the last year.

Check out Rukiya’s work:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rukiyaross/

Rukiya’s Viral The internet is a slot machine video

Her website: https://rukiyaross.com/

Rukiya’s Risk Snapshot Calculator: https://cantcatchabreak.rukiyaross.com/

Support my work: The Portfolio Career Lab is an an independently produced podcast, newsletter, and community exploring the economic, culture, and social forces causing professionals to leave traditional salaried work. It’s mission is to help creatives, artists, freelancers, and solopreneurs find the courage, inspiration, connection, and support they need to grow their portfolio careers. If you enjoyed this interview, there are a handful of ways to support the platform.

Follow me on Substack: https://theportfoliocareerlab.substack.com/

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This episode of “The Portfolio Career Lab” was written and produced by Brie Abramowicz and sponsored by Manual Override. Audio engineer by Darko Savija. Video editing and newsletter production by Brie Abramowicz. Graphics co-produced by Heidi Stanley and Brie Abramowicz. This season’s narrative strategy by Brie Abramowicz in collaboration with the esteemed Siona Peterous.