Martha Stewart and Leonardo da Vinci? They have more in common than you know.

Leonardo da Vinci.
Andy Warhol.
Walt Disney.
Martha Stewart.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.

Two weeks ago, our Managing Partner and co-founder Mark Weber returned for a command performance to LOOM Coworking, Gallery and Event Space in Fort Mill, SC to share insights on the common thread that ties these five, highly accomplished professionals together.

The common thread?

Each of these famous people built a “portfolio career”, a style of working where a professional combines multiple streams of income to earn a robust living. Think of a portfolio career like an investment portfolio whereby you derive income from multiple streams that you professionally manage with a high degree of care, strategy and intentionality.

Portfolio careers are booming. In a recent article published by Ben Legg, the former COO of Google Europe, it was noted by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (based in Paris) in its Future of Work study that an estimated 50% of developed country workforces would be gig workers by 2030. Similarly, Ladders published a story that featured a forecast from Statista, the market research firm, that freelancers will make up more than 50% of the USA’s workforce by 2027.

So why are portfolio careers growing?

For starters, more and more professionals are realizing that they have the right and power to veer from the traditional career script. Many of the most skilled and intelligent workers crave both variety and challenge in their careers, and they find it fulfilling to meet their needs outside the traditional career path.

For these professionals, there is often a greater sense of purpose, clarity, and flexibility that accompanies the building of a portfolio career.

Respected thought leaders including Harvard Business Review and Forbes are publishing a growing body of articles and videos that are providing legitimacy to those attracted to the concept of a portfolio career. Additionally, a growing number of employers, including Croixstone Consulting, are intentionally building and diversifying their workforces by designing and implementing talent strategies focused on portfolio professionals.

Visit Croixstone Consulting’s Linktree to find a variety of links to learn more about the benefits and rewards of building a portfolio career.


Charlotte Snapshot: International Business & Foreign Direct Investment

As the world’s athletes gather in Tokyo for the 2020 Summer Olympics, we are placing a #FreshStart spotlight this week on the roles of international business and foreign direct investment across the greater Charlotte region.

Did you know?…

  • More than 1,000 international companies representing 40 countries call the Charlotte region home.
  • More than 250,000 foreign-born individuals and families are located across the region.
  • North and South Carolina are 2 of only 9 US states where employment in international business exceeds 7% of total employment.
  • Almost 50% of international companies in the Charlotte region are in manufacturing.
  • The Charlotte region recorded a nearly 16% increase in exports between 2016 and 2019.

Thanks to the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance for providing these statistics.  Learn more about international business and foreign direct investment across the Charlotte region here.


The Power of Manufacturing in the Charlotte Region

Did you know that the manufacturing sector ($26 billion) contributes nearly as much to the Charlotte region’s GDP as the finance sector ($28 billion)?  The Charlotte Regional Business Alliance has published a new report on the manufacturing sector that includes the following key highlights:

  • Over the past 5 years, the Charlotte region’s manufacturing sector has grown twice the national average.
  • The region is experiencing growth in sectors such as automotive parts suppliers, plastics and advanced textiles, machinery manufacturing, and energy manufacturing.
  • Manufacturing remains the largest sector by employment in 10 of the region’s 15 counties.
  • In 7 of the region’s 15 counties, manufacturing accounted for 27% or more of net new jobs over the past 5 years.

Learn more.


Good News! Charlotte’s Economic Recovery

With all the challenging economic news of 2020, the Croixstone team was thrilled to read the newly-released Growth Report for Q3 2020 published by the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance.  The report spotlights the economic recovery momentum that is taking place across the greater Charlotte – including the addition of 43,000 jobs in Q3.  

Read the report to review Q3’s big stories including Centene, Retirement Clearinghouse, FITT USA, GNT, Silgan Containers, Big Sky Fulfillment, Intellisite, Moore Nanotechnology and more.


Spotlight on South Carolina

South Carolina plays an important role in driving the Charlotte region’s economy.  Four of the state’s counties are members of the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance’s Economic Development Advisory Council.  These counties include: Chester, Chesterfield, Lancaster and York. 

For the 11th consecutive year, South Carolina has earned a top stop in Area Development magazine’s list of “Top States for Doing Business in 2020.”  South Carolina made the annual list at #3 (behind third place Georgia and second place Tennessee and ahead of fifth place North Carolina). 

Read Area Development magazine’s 2020 rankings here.