Building a Portfolio Life as an Office Worker

After working in serveral corporations for over 15 years, I’ve realized that the life of a salaried worker often revolves around trying to secure a promotion or a higher-paying job. This usually involves appeasing bosses and clients, working overtime, and striving to prove loyalty and dedication to the company.

Of course, there are those who succeed by developing irreplaceable expertise and carving out independent niches for themselves. These individuals often build their personal brands and lead more autonomous careers, but I’ve noticed that such achievements are only possible for those who possess unique content and capabilities.

However, there’s a fundamental limitation to this path: income is inevitably tied to hours worked. Unless you start your own business or gain the status of a capitalist through equity investments, it’s challenging to break free from the cycle of being an employee.

That said, it’s unnecessary to view the life of a salaried worker in a wholly pessimistic light. Most people find meaning in their work as employees, and even those who don’t are diligently working to sustain their precious lives. Undervaluing this effort isn’t ideal either.

Having spent over a decade in corporate and financial investment roles, analyzing what makes a company strong and which businesses show growth and potential, I’ve realized that I approached my own life too simplistically. I now feel a strong need to create my own unique content and leave a record of my life.

While raising two young children, I’ve had little time to focus on myself. But moving forward, I want to organize my past experiences and thoughts. As AI and automation increasingly threaten individuals’ roles within companies and organizations, I can’t help but notice the growing prominence of influencers and their content on platforms like YouTube and Instagram. (The most personal is the most creative)

Over the past decade, many predicted that generic, mass-market content would lose its place to long-tail, personalized content—and this has indeed become a reality. Individuals without their own unique content or expertise seem to find their positions increasingly precarious.

Starting now, I plan to share my experiences, thoughts, and lessons learned—including my mistakes—so that not only my two young children but also those grappling with similar challenges can benefit from my content.