Claim OwnershipPortfolio Career Podcast
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Are you struggling to create a career and life vision that you love? Portfolio Career Podcast is here to provide proven success stories, actionable tips, and key skills to do this for you. David Nebinski talks with people who have designed their Portfolio Career that allows for growth, resiliency, and happiness. Tune in to build and grow your Portfolio Career. Let's have some fun!
413 Episodes
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Miri Buckland never planned to be a Founder, until a Stanford class project turned into Landing, a social app that grew to over a million downloads without spending a dollar on marketing. After six years of pivots, community building, and ultimately shutting it down, she's back at zero-to-one with Extra, a new email app launching this spring. We talk community-led growth, committing to the pivot, and why every launch is a starting line, not a finish line.
In this episode, I talk with Justin Moore, the author of Sponsor Magnet, about how creators can successfully land and manage brand sponsorships. Justin shares insights from his experience running sponsorship challenges and coaching creators, emphasizing that mindset, particularly overcoming money-related fears and childhood financial baggage, is often a bigger barrier than the tactical side of pitching. You will also learn about Justin's "ARC" framework for structuring sponsorship packages, the value of multi-format content strategies, and how to position yourself as a consultant-like partner to brands rather than just a vendor. We also discuss Justin's upcoming "anti-conference" called Sponsor Games, designed to make creator education more hands-on and community-driven.
What does community-led growth look like? A group of founders, marketers, and community builders unpack community-led growth from every angle: why human connection beats performance marketing, how communities create multiple business entry points, and why earning organic growth is slow but worth it. Zach Hawtof, the Founder of Tightknit, and I cohosted this podcast mixer in advance of the Community-Led Growth conference in March in NYC. If you are interested in CLG, we hope this conversation is helpful!
Simi Shah, the Founder of South Asian Trailblazers, shares how she turned a pandemic-era podcast into a thriving community with live podcast events. Simi shares how she also discovered her "reverse product-market fit” with her agency when people asked her for media strategy advice. You will also learn about personal branding fundamentals, why storytelling is ultimately about empathy and human connection, and about the Chief of Staff role, as Simi is a former Chief of Staff. Excited for you to build and grow your Portfolio Career!
Alex Chung, Founding Head of Growth at Goodword, shares her approach to building meaningful professional relationships. She discusses the power of follow-up and follow-through, how she connected with entrepreneur Andy Dunn by offering value first, and why being "a little unhinged" is sometimes necessary to make things happen. Alex also talks about her role blending marketing, sales, and community-building at an AI-powered relationship management startup, and why shared interests, like running, can be a more authentic way to strengthen connections than just grabbing coffee. Excited for you to build and grow your Portfolio Career!
Lisa Skye is the Founder of SkyeCo and is a prolific community builder. In this episode, she shares her unconventional path from BNI chapter President, to WeWork early employee, to launching SkyeCo, a structured networking community for mostly for business owners. Lisa discusses the outsized impact of being "dangerously consistent” and the benefits of consistently showing up in networking groups. Whether you're a founder looking to grow your network or someone curious about intentional community building, you will listen this episode with Lisa!
Rebekah Rombom shares how she transitioned from a nearly decade-long role at Flatiron School to building a fractional executive practice—not by design, but by staying busy with consulting until she realized she didn't need a traditional job. Rebekah emphasizes two powerful principles: clearly articulating what you actually want (so people can help you get there), and consistently doing what you say you'll do (which remains surprisingly rare). For anyone considering fractional work, she offers practical insights on being self-directed by showing up ready to onboard yourself and delivering impact without hand-holding. Key takeaway: You can design your life, most barriers are self-imposed, and authentic clarity about your priorities opens more doors than you'd expect. Excited for you to build and grow your Portfolio Career!
Chris Schembra, the Founder of 7:47 Club, reveals how he's built a thriving solopreneur business over 10+ years by doing less, not more. Learn why focus equals growth, how asking one simple gratitude question to 808 founders led to a new podcast and eventually new business, and why thoughtful LinkedIn comments generate better leads than posting your own content. Chris also shares practical insights on relationship building, the three roles every entrepreneur must balance, and why saying no is the ultimate growth strategy for solopreneurs. Excited for you to build and grow your Portfolio Career!
In this episode, David breaks down the key insights from Justin Moore's book Sponsor Magnet: How to Attract, Price, and Execute Your Dream Brand Partnerships. You will learn practical frameworks for securing brand partnerships and sponsorships, including the ROPE method for crafting compelling pitches (Relevant, Organic, Provide Proof, Easy to Execute) and the ARC framework for understanding brand objectives (Awareness, Repurposing, Conversion). David shares how to think like a consultant rather than just a creator, tie your pitches to existing brand campaigns, and build win-win-win partnerships that benefit you, the brand, and your audience. These principles will help you approach sponsorships more strategically. Excited for you to build and grow your Portfolio Career!
Will Mannon and David Nebinski reflect on their whirlwind tour bringing the online community magic to in-person events across 13 events in 13 cities in late 2025 during the Internet Serendipity World Tour powered by Circle. They share what worked (local co-hosts, creator marketing partnerships, the structure of the facilitated events), what was tough (holiday timing and marketing timing) and how they might do things differently in the future. This episode is essential listening for anyone planning large-scale events, 0-1 community building, or is deeply interested in the intersection of online and offline connection. Excited for you to build and grow your Portfolio Career!
Host David Nebinski gathers friends around a table to reflect on recent changes and transformations. What begins as a celebration of David's recent career leap, leaving his job and building confidence through action, the episode evolves into a deeper conversation about navigating life's biggest uncertainties. The group explores accountability partnerships, the power of reframing change as something to celebrate rather than fear, and how experiences with loss can awaken both presence and responsibility. A raw, honest discussion about taking control where you can and accepting what you cannot. Excited for you to build and grow your Portfolio Career!
Are you looking to know what is like to find work you want to do? Paul Millerd is the author of The Pathless Path and Good Work. In this episode, he talks about the art of staying in the game without chasing metrics, how to think about work without letting it define your identity, and a framework for designing dream projects that actually fit your life. You will also learn about podcasting on your own terms, curiosity conversations, and the importance of creating a new narrative when thinking about leaving a job. Excited for you to build and grow your Portfolio Career!
Carly Valancy, the Founder of The Reach Out Party, believes that you should take more agency over the people who are in your life. In this episode, she shares practical strategies for reaching out to people you admire and building sustainable connection habits. She thinks that networking doesn't have to feel icky when you do it your way. In this episode, you will also learn about the successful Anti-Networking Party that she recently hosted in New York City. You will also learn the highs and lows of hosting events. Excited for you to build and grow your Portfolio Career!
What is your definition of leadership? In this episode, Stephen Shedletzky also known as "Shed" shared his definition of leadership and asked for feedback from other people attending this Podcast Mixer event. You will hear about whether leaders are necessary, challenge conventional definitions of leadership, and discuss the balance between charisma and quiet leadership. If you are interested in leadership, this episode is for you. Excited for you to build and grow your Portfolio Career!
Ashwini Anburajan shares her journey from Chief Revenue Officer to CEO at Obi, a rideshare aggregator app. In this live episode recorded in New York City, Ashwini discusses the critical first 90 days of her new role, why the company pivoted before, and the challenges of scaling a startup. She also reveals why she's hiring a Chief of Staff , so that she can focus on revenue growth and product development. Whether you're interested in startup leadership transitions, transportation tech, or Chief of Staff roles, this conversation offers practical insights on career growth and company building.
Rina and David candidly discuss their parallel career transitions and the unexpected ways they've supported each other through the uncertainty. Rina shares her journey from leaving her first 9-to-5 role to launching a daily TikTok practice that unexpectedly built community and income. Together, they explore the difference between chasing opportunities that fall into your lap versus pursuing the dreams that truly scare you, the power of accountability partnerships during transitions, and why doing the thing you've been putting off might be exactly what you need. If you're navigating a career change and feeling alone, this conversation will remind you that transitions take time and you don't have to do it alone.
Erica Akitani-Bob is currently the Chief of Staff at All Places. This is not her first Chief of Staff role. In this episode, you will learn about how she got her current role, advice for job seekers, how she adds value in the role, and how she tries to understand the scope of projects. This episode was recorded at an event in NYC. During the episode, you will questions from people attending the event. If you are looking for a Chief of Staff role or how to become a better one, this episode is for you!
Will Mannon and I have a shared passion for bringing like-minded people together in-person. The conversations can be incredible and wildly generative. Will was the Cofounder of Write of Passage, a popular online writing school. Through the course, he hosted a bunch of in-person meetups. In 2025, he cofounded another company called Act Two. Connected to this company, he hosted a bunch of meetups around the world during the summer of 2025. After partnering on an event in Brooklyn, we decided to partner together on the Internet Serendipity World Tour powered by Circle in late 2025. Learn about how and where we are bringing in-person events and connection around the world in 2025!
Al Simon shares his journey from selling his prior company, Elude, to launching The Lab, a creative agency helping pre-seed and seed-stage founders with pitch decks and fundraising. Al discusses the power of network building, his philosophy on staying in touch with people, and why 90% of his 90+ clients came through word of mouth. The conversation also touches on his passion for travel, focusing on happiness, and his upcoming non-alcoholic beer brand. Excited for you to build and grow your Portfolio Career!
Morgan Brady, the Director of Community at Inc. and Fast Company, shares insights from her 10+ years building communities for entrepreneurs. She discusses the power of text message retention, hosting a 10-event road show, and why creating pre-conference connections helps introverts thrive at larger events. Morgan reveals her strategies for convincing busy founders that community is worth their time and emphasizes that transformative relationships, not just business connections, are what make community building meaningful. Excited for you to build and grow your Portfolio Career!
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Loved this format, David! 👌 Cool companies & missions to boot.