The Future Belongs to Portfolio Careers
I recently applied to the Forbes Business Council.
Their response was thoughtful, but they mentioned they couldn't quite understand what it is that I do. And that stuck with me.
On paper, my work doesn't fit neatly into a single category because I operate across healthcare, academia, and AI - by choice.
I've built my portfolio career as a stack:
- Operating inside a healthcare company where decisions have real consequences
- Advising entrepreneurs and founders
- Translating AI through Yalla Now AI into something people can actually use
- Teaching at the Wharton School to equip students with critical skills
Each role is intentional and sharpens the others.
The experience highlighted something important: Many systems are designed to evaluate linear careers, and even though interdisciplinary paths are becoming more common, they're not always immediately understandable. So if your work sits across domains, the opportunity is to make it clear.
I often describe myself as a translator between the technical and the human, knowledge and application, and how work used to operate and how it actually does now.
My circle is actually full of people building in this way.
Here's my question: do you simplify yourself to fit the box, or get better at explaining the value of what doesn’t fit neatly into one?
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