Why More Executives Are Choosing Portfolio Careers Over Traditional Corporate Ladders
- Merve Kagitci Hokamp
- Sep 1
- 6 min read
How diversification, flexibility, and strategic design are redefining executive careers.
When I shared recently that I'd taken on a Fractional Chief Commercial Officer role, the response was overwhelming. My inbox filled with messages from people asking similar questions:
"How do you get a fractional role?"
"Can you actually combine coaching, consulting, and executive work without burning out?"
"What does a career portfolio even look like in practice?"
These questions get to the heart of how work is fundamentally changing. The traditional model - one full-time job, one employer, one linear path - is no longer the only viable option for ambitious professionals, especially in the age of AI.
Why Portfolio Careers Matter More Than Ever
I first explored this concept in depth in my earlier article, "Building a Portfolio Career: The Rise of Fractional Executive Roles", where I outlined how executives can create multiple income streams while maintaining their core expertise.
The case for portfolio careers has only strengthened since then. Here's why:
Economic Reality: Single-employer dependency is increasingly risky. Portfolio careers provide diversification - multiple revenue streams mean no single point of failure.
Professional Growth: Working across different contexts, industries, and challenges accelerates learning in ways that climbing one corporate ladder simply cannot match.
Life Design: Portfolio careers allow you to design work around your values, energy patterns, and life goals allowing for flexibility rather than adapting your life to fit someone else's organizational chart.
Market Demand: Companies increasingly need specialized expertise without full-time overhead. This creates unprecedented opportunities for experienced professionals.
My Portfolio in Practice
Let me show you exactly how this works in practice. My current portfolio includes:
Executive Coaching & Advisory (60-70% of time): This remains my anchor—where I create the most impact and derive the greatest satisfaction. Everything else supports this core practice.
Fractional Chief Commercial Officer at Travmonde (20-30% of time): I shape commercial strategy and growth for a B2B travel marketplace. This operational role keeps me grounded in real business challenges while providing current context for my coaching work.
Board Advisory & Speaking (10% of time): Select opportunities that align with my expertise and expand my strategic network.
Writing & Thought Leadership: Through LinkedIn, newsletters, and blog posts, I share insights that attract new opportunities and spark meaningful professional conversations.
Creative and side projects → Partnerships, collaborations, fun stuff, and experiments - like teaching yoga and pilates - that keep curiosity alive.
The key insight: it’s not “doing it all.” It’s intentional design, where each element reinforces the others and creates space for meaning and impact.
The Three Pillars of Portfolio Success
1. Fractional Executive Roles
Fractional executive positions represent the fastest-growing segment of the portfolio career market. Unlike traditional consulting, fractional roles embed you in leadership teams with accountability for specific outcomes.
How to Structure Fractional Success:
Time Boundaries: Define specific days/hours, not vague "part-time" commitments
Outcome Focus: Agree on measurable deliverables and success metrics
Strategic Integration: Ensure the role enhances rather than competes with your core practice
Take Marcus (not his real name), a coaching client and former Fortune 500 operations executive who now combines a fractional COO role at a manufacturing startup with advisory board positions at two industrial companies. His operational experience at the startup—navigating supply chain disruptions and scaling production—directly informs the strategic guidance he provides to the boards. The startup keeps him current on operational realities while the board roles leverage his strategic experience at scale.
2. Board Positions and Advisory Roles
Board seats represent the ultimate expression of portfolio career success — high-impact, strategic influence with defined time commitments.
The Board Path Strategy:
Start with advisory positions in your network
Demonstrate measurable impact and strategic thinking
Build relationships with board search consultants
Consider nonprofit boards to build governance experience
3. Coaching and Consulting Anchors
Most successful portfolio careers need an anchor — a core practice that provides both identity and steady revenue. For many executives, this becomes coaching, consulting, or advisory work that leverages their accumulated expertise.
The anchor serves three critical functions:
Revenue Stability: Provides predictable income foundation
Professional Identity: Maintains clear market positioning
Skill Development: Keeps you sharp on leadership and business fundamentals
The Integration Challenge: Energy vs. Time Management
The most common question I receive: "How do you actually manage it all?"
Based on my own experience, the answer isn't as simple as time management. What I have found to be even more challenging (and rewarding when done right) are energy management and strategic alignment.
Some Energy Management Principles I Apply:
Schedule my most demanding work during peak energy hours
Use different types of work to energize rather than drain me
Build in transition time between different roles and contexts
Protect non-negotiable recovery and reflection time
Strategic Alignment Test: Every commitment should either:
Directly serve my core practice
Provide learning that enhances my core expertise
Generate network effects that benefit my broader portfolio
Offer financial security that enables my other work
When my fractional work enhances my coaching by providing current operational experience, it passes the alignment test. When a potential board opportunity would create conflicts with my coaching clients, it fails.
Common Portfolio Career Pitfalls
The Shiny Object Trap: Not every opportunity deserves a yes. Successful portfolio career professionals regularly turn down lucrative fractional roles that would dilute their core focus or create ethical conflicts.
Underpricing Expertise: Portfolio work often commands premium pricing because you're providing senior-level expertise with cross-industry experience. Don't discount your rates because work is "part-time."
Boundary Erosion: Without clear boundaries, fractional and advisory work expands to fill all available time. Be ruthless about scope and availability.
Identity Confusion: Having multiple professional identities can create confusion — for you and your market. Maintain clear messaging about how your various roles connect to your core expertise.
Building Your Own Portfolio: A Practical Framework
Phase 1: Self-Assessment
What expertise do you have that companies need?
What are your non-negotiable time and energy commitments?
How much complexity can you realistically handle?
Phase 2: Market Testing
Start with small projects in your network
Offer consulting on specific challenges you've solved before
Test fractional arrangements with existing relationships
Phase 3: Strategic Expansion
Build thought leadership in your area of expertise
Network strategically across industries and roles
Develop systems for managing multiple commitments
Phase 4: Portfolio Optimization
Regularly assess which roles add value and which drain energy
Adjust your mix based on market opportunities and personal goals
Invest in the infrastructure needed to operate effectively
Looking Forward
The traditional career path — 30 years, one company, predictable progression — is becoming the exception rather than the rule. The future belongs to professionals who can:
Build multiple income streams
Adapt quickly to changing markets
Maintain relevance across industries
Create value beyond traditional employment structures
Portfolio careers aren't just a trend responding to economic uncertainty. They represent a fundamental shift toward designing work around human potential rather than organizational convenience.
Getting Started
If you're ready to explore portfolio career possibilities, begin with clarity about your core expertise and the impact you want to create. Consider working with a coach who understands the strategic and psychological challenges of building multiple professional identities.
The integration challenges are real, but so are the rewards. Done thoughtfully, a portfolio career allows you to maintain your primary passion while building resilience, variety, and financial security.
For more insights on portfolio careers and fractional executive roles, read my earlier deep dive: "Building a Portfolio Career: The Rise of Fractional Executive Roles"
Ready to explore your own portfolio career strategy? Let's discuss how executive coaching can help you navigate this transition while staying true to your core expertise.
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Hi! I'm Merve. 👋 I help leaders build high performing teams, amplify their business impact, and advance their careers.
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