The Pivot: Your Key to Success in the Future of Work.

Every one of us (not in a well-funded retirement) should consider all the time what the market needs from us, and be willing to make the pivot before the market forces one.

(I was going to title this ''Pivot like your career depends on it.” or “Pivoting will be your key to survival” but that’s excessive. Let's be cool.

Fear takes a major tax on your physical and mental health, keeps you from being creative, and is no way to roll. Confidence has been key to EVERYTHING in my shift, and in owning my businesses over the last 14 years. Hold on to it, and don’t water the fear tree.)

Sharing how my own pivot happened, and what my thought leadership had to do with it.

Change may just be the last thing you want to think about right now.

You're probably wondering, "Can't I just do my job and hold it all together? Why would more change in this tough market be good?"

Let me share my story with you, not because I have all the answers, but because I've been through a major career pivot, and more examples to consider means you can make better and faster decisions.

I love marketing. The whole lot of it. That was kind of my downfall. About 14 years ago, I took my love of marketing and launched my agency. We offered everything from SEO to email marketing. I had a team of ten.

But after many years, I found myself working just to feed the team. Barely seeing my kids or family. And I was tired of being pulled in a hundred directions. I had zero fire in my belly and barely knew what the point of the work was. It was not pretty.

Earlier this year, I sat down and made two lists:

1. Things people would pay me to do.

2. Things people would pay me to do, that I was obsessed with, and that the market needed from me now.

And . . .

It pointed straight to the niche of thought leadership under the broader umbrella of marketing. Not the whole pie. And it wasn’t people management.

And it had been in front of me the whole time. I could barely choke out a post about websites, email. All I wanted to talk about was this powerful thing of thought leadership. Sitting down with CEOs, helping them articulate the stuff that really matters.

But there was an even narrower niche that activated EVERYTHING.

I noticed I was constantly talking about cybersecurity threats, sharing stories of businesses derailed by digital attacks. Scams, nation-state attacks, policy - I am into it.

It was through the WRITING that I found it. Through thought leadership that serves, you’ll find yourself while seeing the best of what you bring to the table.

And because I was so into what I was writing, I was also building my network, following amazing folks in my interest areas through whom I also found opportunities.

So what is personal brand is the hero.

Your thought leadership is your expertise, opinions, ideas expressed.

A personal brand is how your thought leadership sounds, looks, makes people feel (like giftwrapping!)

Because I know who I am and how I show up, the pivot has been a walk in the park because the audience evolved with me.

And - the trust and relationships have now been built over time.

Some folks won’t see my content anymore because we don’t read or talk about the same things (algorithms). Totally okay! We all change! Just don’t wait to change till the market forces it.

Back to the pivot.

People closer to me weren’t that surprised when I shared about the changes I was making - they'd been listening to me talk about all of these interest areas for forever. Can’t help but laugh.

This niche - thought leadership for cybersecurity - hits every area you’ll see here:

Three insights for your pivot:

1. Find Your Fire

   1. What won’t you shut up about, friend? What do you read about in free time? What podcasts, videos, etc do you consume? What fires you up?

   2. Pay attention to what of your work isn’t working for you. Where do you constantly feel stressed, drained, that doesn’t feel like it’s being done well, or can be delegated? These are clues that something needs to change.

2. Narrow Your Focus

   1. Your thought leadership focus is key to any change you make - a next role, clients. Drill down on where you have strong market value. Operations is too big. Is it the people part of operations? Is it the processes part? Pick the parts of your expertise that truly light you up.

   2. If it feels too narrow, you’re on the right track. It has to make you shine for the folks that need you. It dulls you to the ones who don’t. It’s by design - and works PERFECTLY with the algorithms we worry about, too.

   3. We hire the machete in a tough market - not the mallet. Too broad, and you’ll dilute your brand and the thought leadership focus you need to shine. Be known for the sharpest thing you are.

3. Be Ready to Go Out On Your Own

   1. Friends, if you don't like this job market? Great. I hope you despise it enough to leave it - and stop applying for jobs.

   2. Many of us are going to be consultants and fractional workers before we know it (Gartner). The faster you adapt, the better positioned you'll be. And that can bridge you to what’s next.

   3. Busy is sexy (meaning, not sitting around waiting for the phone to ring). Identify the discrete solves that you can offer the marketplace in that could translate to a consulting or fractional role.

   4. ALWAYS, always have a plan b, c in your pocket. It will help you identify bridge revenue in between roles OR give you that first step to building your own business.

Here’s the message to take with you: I hope you start creating the jobs that people actually want to have. Go work for someone you believe in - yourself.

Your experiences are the foundation for your next big move.

Wrapping this up: What area of expertise really lights you up? What does the market need from you? If I may be so frank - what work do you love enough to bleed for?

It might just be the change you need to make happen - starting today.

Let’s connect on LinkedIn

- Julie