“So, what do you do?”
This question always sets me back. I am not sure if I do not know what I do or just do not know how to answer the question. (It’s hopefully the latter.) But, I do several things and have yet to find the perfect answer to that question.
I admit it, I am just a little jealous when someone can say unequivocally what they do. It is as if their entire life has a mission and therefore a purpose. I am a doctor, a lawyer, a teacher/professor, etc. I cannot really even give an industry answer like I am in the medical field or manufacturing, etc. My work spans multiple fields, and I do profess to know just a little about each one.
I have the same issue when I have to put in a title on a resume or fill in my LinkedIn profile. What do I do? What is my title? Fortunately, the “in” thing is to make a LinkedIn title that is a flashy conglomeration of an occupational mission statement. I think I can throw some elusive words in there to make sense of some sort. My friends sort of chide me, so what are you doing now (sing songy); it changes so I am just not sure. Are you doing the hobby thing or back to the business thing?
I previously wrote about making my hobby into a business. I wanted to start and be in business. The concept is not difficult why could I not start something that I knew about and could share. Business is part skill and a whole lot of luck. And, while I initially had some great luck at the business, much of the world was looking for luck in 2020, and we were no Amazon. Difficult decisions were made. But through all of that, the identity crisis part had not changed. The lines of hobby and business were grey and the question remained, what do I do?
LinkedIn may not have it so wrong. What do I do? Maybe I cannot label it with a one-word answer, but for those that are interested in knowing, I can give a short sentence about what I do.