Most creatives don’t have just one job, and while this may feel chaotic, multiple income streams is the most strategic way to set yourself up for success in 2026 & beyond in most creative industries. In this episode, Carissa and Emma Claire break down the concept of portfolio careers and why most artists are already living them (whether they realize it or not).

• What a portfolio career actually is (and how it’s different from just side hustling)
• The Gen Z shift toward income stacking and contract-based work
• How artists have a competitive advantage in today’s freelance economy
• The three layers of a portfolio career: anchor income, creative gigs, and scalable income
• The reality of health insurance, seasonal income, and long-term planning as a creative
• Why the language you use to describe your work matters more than you think

• Sign up for The Direct Deposit - our free weekly recap newsletter!
• The Multi-Hyphen Life by Emma Gannon
• Follow Anna McKenzie for portfolio career inspo
• Tools for building your portfolio: Canva & Wix
• Platforms mentioned: Fiverr, Cohley, Billo, Vidovo, Backstage Creator Profiles
• 5 Things Financial Checklist + other free tools to organize your money
• Submit a topic idea or guest pitch at www.showbizpod.com

CONNECT WITH US:

• Instagram: @showbiz.pod
• TikTok: @showbiz.pod
• Website: www.showbizpod.com

That’s all for now. See you next week! Xoxo

Wearing suits by day & attending shoots at night, Alyssa Ferreone is living proof that you don’t have to choose between your practical and creative dreams. In this episode, we talk with the New York City-based attorney, model, and content creator about how she decided to take agency of her own life & start creating content and modeling on her terms. She balances a demanding legal career with a rapidly growing online presence, so we decided to ask how she does it & how negotiation, boundaries, and embracing the “cringe” are the key the making it work.

WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT:

• How Alyssa balances being a construction litigation attorney with modeling and content creation
• The overlap between law and creative work
• How she built a modeling career by posting online
• Red flags to watch for in content contracts
• Tips for burnout, boundaries, and staying in your creative flow
• How her newsletter “Gloss Briefing” blends legal structure with lifestyle content
• The power of networking with other women in business and making your own seat at the table

LINKS AND RESOURCES:

• Follow Alyssa on TikTok and Instagram:
• Read her newsletter, Gloss Briefing: glossbriefing.substack.com
• Alyssa’s firm: Cohen Seglias
• Creator Conference Mentioned: Create & Cultivate
• Alyssa’s inspo: Eli Rallo
• Sign up for The Direct Deposit - our free weekly recap newsletter!
• 5 Things Financial Checklist + other free tools to organize your money
• Submit a topic idea or guest pitch at www.showbizpod.com

CONNECT WITH US:

• Instagram: @showbiz.pod
• TikTok: @showbiz.pod
• Website: www.showbizpod.com

That’s all for now. See you next week! Xoxo

Unpaid gigs with “great exposure,” a passion project with no budget, or a student film that might lead somewhere (but also... might not). In this episode, Carissa and Emma Claire break down how to make smart, strategic choices about work that doesn’t offer monetary compensation, and how to know when it’s actually worth your time.

WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT:

• The moments when working for free is actually valuable
• The biggest red flags you should look out for before accepting a free gig
• Why time, money, and energy are limited resources and how to protect them
• Our personal stories of unpaid gigs that helped us (and ones we regret)
• How to evaluate opportunity cost
• Why “busy” doesn’t always mean “productive”
• The rule of résumé, wallet, and soul and how to use it when weighing unpaid work



LINKS AND RESOURCES:

• Sign up for The Direct Deposit - our free weekly recap newsletter!
• 5 Things Financial Checklist + other free tools to organize your money

CONNECT WITH US:

• Instagram: @showbiz.pod
• TikTok: @showbiz.pod
• Website: www.showbizpod.com

That's all for now. See you next week! Xoxo