Career Strategist I Change advisor for Leaders | I help successful professionals build freedom, income & impact through portfolio careers | Speaker I Ex-Citi COO | Follow for modern leadership, career and change

Over the past 25 years, I have built a successful international banking career.
Most recently, I was the Regional COO for Citibank’s $2Bn business across 16 countries in Asia - leading large-scale transformations in digitisation and culture.

But in 2021, I walked away from my high-paying executive role.

Why?

Because I wanted more space.
More time with family.
More alignment between who I am and how I work.

But I didn’t want to start from scratch.
So I asked myself a question:
What if I could build a career around everything I already know - and love?

That’s how my portfolio career began.
And it changed everything.

Now, I help other professionals do the same.

What I’ve built since 2021:
→ A 6-figure portfolio business with 3 income streams
→ Founder of Change is Possible - a business community for professionals redesigning their next chapter
→ 100K+ LinkedIn followers (grew from 17K in under a year)
→ Coached 100+ professionals through successful career transitions
→ Host of a Top 20 global podcast on career change, Change is Possible
→ TEDx speaker, Forbes columnist, and Bloomberg TV guest

Want to build your own portfolio career?
🚀 THE PORTFOLIO CAREER ACCELERATOR (Launching January 2026) 
Apply here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1thkmph_EwRxLGfuL9muCsRir1uKDdF2nXYeI7X_1oSA/edit

This is an 8-week program designed to help you:
→ Turn your expertise into income
→ Build a personal brand that opens doors
→ Create your first income stream - even before you leave your job

Only 20 spots. 12 already claimed.

Other ways we can work together:
✔️ Join my business community — Change is Possible https://changeispossible.co.uk/ - doors open for new members on Sept.10, 2025
✔️ Book me to speak — I deliver keynotes on leadership, change, career reinvention, and the future of work - send a DM.
✔️ Hire me as an advisor — I support companies navigating complex transformation - send a DM to meet and explore.
✔️ Book 1:1 coaching — For senior execs ready to design their next chapter - send a DM.
✔️ Book my LinkedIn Growth Bundle — A 2-session intensive where I teach you the exact system I used to grow to 100K+ followers. Apply here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1bLp7wmK8xhIpfFu8beImvD5JZQHYsbraTBx5Orjx0zs/edit

P.S. Still wondering if change is really possible?
🎧 Tune in to my podcast Change is Possible — where 100+ professionals share how they redesigned their careers and lives. Watch here - https://www.youtube.com/@ChangeIsPossiblePodcast

Ani Filipova

Scrolling LinkedIn, you will think everyone is operating at 100% every day.

5 am routine ✅
10 client calls ✅
Launched 3 products ✅
Ran a marathon ✅

Meanwhile, I'm over here thinking:

• My video production is weeks behind
• I have zero content prepped for this week - I'm creating as I go
• That Substack I promised myself I'd launch in January is still in drafts
• My follow-up list has a follow-up list

And you know what?

My business is still growing.
My Portfolio Career Accelerator starts in 10 days - with brilliant people already inside.
My community is thriving.
My podcast just passed 30,000 subscribers.

Nobody posts the hard days.
But those are the days that matter the most.

They teach you:
• Perfect doesn't exist
• Decisions get made with incomplete information
• Momentum matters more than intensity

That's why I didn't build my Portfolio Accelerator as a blueprint for perfection.

I built it as a framework for sustainable progress.

Because the move from corporate to a portfolio career isn't about doing everything right.
It's about continuing when nothing feels right.

Sustainable success isn't showing up at your best.
It's showing up anyway.

Some days you are on fire.
Some days, you are just keeping the fire from going out.

Both count.
Both compound.

If you are ready to build a portfolio career that works with your real life - not some imaginary perfect version of it - applications for the Portfolio Career Accelerator close soon.

A few final spots remain. Apply here: https://lnkd.in/gpEqqqFs

We start in 10 days.

Build something that survives your ordinary days.

Follow me, https://lnkd.in/g6R7Yb8t, for daily doses of career, leadership and change truths

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Image credit: Jen Blandos

If you followed every piece of “good career advice” you were given, you would be less employable today - not more.

I was repeatedly warned that changing roles this often would destroy my career.

It turned out it didn’t.

They called it professional suicide.
Now I teach executives how to do it deliberately.

19 job changes.
5 countries.
25 years of “destroying my career.”

When I left my first job after 15 months, my mum was appalled.
Stability was everything to her generation.

Two years later, I left again.
Then again.

At Citi alone:
10 role changes.
5 countries.
21 years.

Every move came with the same warnings:

“You are ruining your CV.”
“No one will trust someone this unstable.”
“You’ll regret this later.”

And there were moments I wondered if they were right.

I watched peers climb neat ladders while my path looked… messy.
Hard to explain.
Easy to judge.

At 50, I walked away from a COO role and started again.
That’s when the concern turned into outrage.
People never understood the audacity to want something different.

Here’s the mental model most people miss:

• One skill = one solution
• Two skills = multiple options
• Ten skills = leverage from angles others can’t see

Experience doesn’t add up.
It multiplies.

Today’s market doesn’t reward narrow specialists who need the world to stay predictable.

It rewards people who can:
→ Connect dots across functions
→ Solve problems from multiple lenses
→ Rebuild themselves without panic

A “messy” career isn’t a liability anymore.
It’s optionality.

In a world that reinvents itself constantly,
your ability to change IS your stability.

That’s why I now help experienced professionals turn unconventional paths into:
income, 
impact, 
and freedom - without starting from scratch.

The Portfolio Career Accelerator starts January 26.

20 people.
8 weeks.
A clear system for turning what you already know into a career that compounds - a portfolio career!

10 places remain.
Apply here: https://lnkd.in/g8bpRmYN

Most people don’t need a new career.
They need a better way to frame - and monetise - the one they’ve already lived.

♻️ Repost this for someone still apologising for evolving.
→ Follow me, Ani Filipova, for daily career and change truths.

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Skills don't predict performance. 

Character does.

I once hired the most qualified candidate on paper. 
Impressive CV. Perfect experience. 
They quit in 3 months.

The problem is that most interviews rely on rehearsed answers to predictable questions.

Here are 10 "non-predictable" questions that reveal who someone really is:

1. If money wasn't an issue, what would you choose to do for work?
→ Reveals intrinsic motivation vs. external rewards

2. When was the last time you felt proud at work—and why?
→ Shows what success truly means to them

3. What would you do if you knew you were going to miss a deadline?
→ Tests accountability and honesty under pressure

4. What do you think you owe an employer—and what do they owe you?
→ Exposes work ethic, expectations, and entitlement

5. What are your strongest strengths—and the weaknesses you're actively working on?
→ Reveals self-awareness and growth mindset

6. What's a belief you hold that most people disagree with?
→ Shows independent thinking and confidence in values

7. What do you do when you strongly disagree with your manager?
→ Reveals emotional intelligence and conflict maturity

8. If you could change one past decision, what would it be—and why?
→ Tests reflection, learning, and accountability

9. How do you handle working with someone you don't like?
→ Assesses professionalism when emotions are involved

10. Tell me about a decision you made that disappointed people.
→ Reveals leadership courage and ethical reasoning

Most bad hires don't fail because they lack skills.
They fail because their character was never tested.

📌 Save this for your next interview.
♻️ Repost this with someone building a team in 2026.
→ Follow me, Ani Filipova, for leadership, career and change insights.

Use these in your hiring process

I spent 20 years in banking, thinking I understood how the world worked.

Then I moved from Singapore to Hong Kong to become a COO, and as we began setting up our life again, I realised something uncomfortable:

I’d been living in a professional echo chamber.

My friends were bankers.
My network was bankers.
My entire view of “career” was shaped by one industry and one employer.

I didn’t even realise how limited my perspective was.

I was making decisions - about work and life -
based entirely on my own small bubble,
surrounded by people just like me.

And that’s when it hit me:

I was doing the exact same thing with my career.

I was looking at my future through a banking lens.
Surrounded by banking people.
Measuring success by banking standards.

I had no idea what else was out there.

Not because the opportunities didn’t exist.
But because I wasn’t in rooms where anyone talked about them.

The creator economy?
Never heard of it.

Portfolio careers?
Didn’t know that was a thing.

Multiple income streams?
Honestly, it sounded like a scam.

I genuinely believed my options were:
→ Stay in banking
→ Move to another bank
→ Or try consulting company

That was it.

The problem wasn’t fear.
It was visibility.

When everyone around you is on the same path..
That path feels like the only one.

So how do you break free?

1️⃣ Get outside your bubble 

Find one person doing work that fascinates you but seems "impossible." Talk to them. You'll be shocked how possible it actually is. 

2️⃣ Audit your inputs

Whom are you following? What are you reading? If it's all corporate content, you are trapped in an echo chamber. 

3️⃣ Take one small step into the unknown 

Attend an event outside your industry. Message someone in the creator economy. Learn about one business model you've never heard of.

The moment you step outside your professional bubble,
you realise the world is far bigger than what you’ve been shown.

That’s why I created the Portfolio Career Accelerator.

To show you the massive world of opportunities you can’t see yet,
and guide you if you decide to explore any of them.

We are starting Jan 26, 2026.
A few spots are still open. Apply here: https://lnkd.in/gpEqqqFs

or

👉 DM me and let's talk

In 8 days, we go live with The Portfolio Career Accelerator.

I’ve been planning this accelerator for the last 6 months - and it’s finally here.

Not as a course you “consume.”
But as a transition you actually make.

My goal is simple:

• Show corporate professionals the opportunities they are missing
• Build a bridge from corporate expertise to multiple income streams
• Be the translator people need - someone who speaks both corporate and creator

Because most professionals aren’t stuck. They are just operating inside a very small bubble and the accelerator will show them what is outside it.

This is an 8-week program, built around the 5 principles of a portfolio career, plus how to use AI to implement faster - not someday, but now.

Here’s how it breaks down:

Module 1: Build Your Brand & Audience
LinkedIn optimisation, content strategy, high-performing posts, lead magnets, newsletter creation

Module 2: Create Your Products
Turn expertise into courses, workshops, and programs. Pricing, sales process, launch strategy

Module 3: Become a Speaker
Craft keynotes, master delivery, build a speaker kit, and land paid gigs

Module 4: Advisor / Board Member / Fractional Exec
Shift from doer to advisor. Structure engagements. Find and land real opportunities

Module 5: Become an Investor
Investment fundamentals, portfolio building, diversification, and working with brokers

Module 6: Leverage AI
Prompt engineering, custom GPTs, AI agents

And you are not learning from me alone.

We’ve brought in incredible guest trainers - experts in their fields - speaking, investing, advisory, board and AI.

We start on January 26th.

And we already have amazing professionals signed up and ready to start. 

This cohort is capped at 20 people.
Why?

Because this isn’t passive learning.
It’s a transformation - with guidance, accountability, and a room full of people who get it.

If you are tired of living inside a professional bubble…

If you know there’s more available to you than one job title…

If you want someone who’s actually done this to show you how…

👉 Secure your spot here: https://lnkd.in/gpEqqqFs

8 days until we start building your portfolio career.

Let’s go.

♻️ Repost this to help another corporate professional see what’s possible
💾 Save this if portfolio careers are on your 2026 radar

LinkedIn Strategist & French Exam Expert for Women Leaders | 95% A–A* Success Rate | Clients Accepted to Ivy League | Build Online, Service-Based Brands that Attract & convert

Hi! I’m Véronique, a native French speaker, UK-qualified teacher, LinkedIn Strategist, and founder of two purpose-driven brands that support ambitious women leaders and founders.

For the past 15+ years, I’ve helped women leaders get their teens from “I’m not a language person” to earning A–A* in French exams, with 95% achieving top grades and many going on to secure places at leading universities, including Ivy League schools.

At the same time, I support women founders in building sustainable, online, service-based businesses through strategic personal branding on LinkedIn. My clients have gone on to increase their visibility, attract aligned opportunities, and expand their impact, without sacrificing what matters most.

Many high school students I work with face:
• Fear of speaking in class
• Pronunciation and oral confidence
• Loss of motivation after uninspiring teaching
• Gaps in grammar knowledge blocking advanced expression
• Difficulty building the sophisticated sentences examiners expect

Through EfrenchTuition Online, I’ve helped 100+ families transform academic struggles into success stories using my signature CONFIDENCE Framework™:

C = Core grammar: fill gaps and strengthen foundations to build fluency
O = Oral fluency: speak with confidence, without fear of judgment
N = Nuanced expression: construct sophisticated sentences examiners reward with top marks
F = Fill the gaps: close weaknesses that block progress in school
I = Inspiration: reignite motivation.
D = Directed ambition: guide ambitious families aiming for top schools and universities
E = Exam readiness: prepare strategically for Pre-(I)GCSE, (I)GCSE, A-Level, and IB French

🗨 “Mubeen secured an A* in O Level French, with a Merit in Speaking. He later earned a Distinction at A-Level and was accepted to Dartmouth. We’re truly grateful for your dedication.” - H. & I., Parents

If your child is trying hard but still feels stuck, know that they don’t need to be “naturally good at languages.” They just need the right guidance.

Whether in exams or business, success starts with clarity, confidence, and strategy.

As a LinkedIn strategist and Top 5 UK Creator, I’m connected with 118,000+ professionals worldwide.

As a founder, educator, and mum of 2, I understand the juggle. I also know it’s possible to create impact and results without burnout.

If you're:
✔ A woman founder growing a service-based business
✔ A parent of a teen aiming for French exam success
✔ Or both…

Let’s connect. I’d love to support your next chapter, whether it’s building visibility or building academic excellence.

Véronique Barrot

Staying isn’t always strength.

 Sometimes the bravest move is walking away.

Walking away feels uncomfortable.

Especially when you’ve already invested so much.
→ Time
→ Effort
→ Hope

I’ve been there too, feeling uncertain about taking that first step forward.
 ↳ Because the future feels unclear.
 ↳ Because leaving brings feelings of guilt.
 ↳ Because you keep believing things might improve.

But here’s the honest truth:
↳ The longer you remain in something that limits you,
↳ the easier it is to forget what you’re capable of. 

Here are 7 signs it may be time to move on:

1. Negativity is Always There
 ↳ Instead of feeling motivated, you feel exhausted each day.
 ↳ Healthy environments lift you up; harmful ones wear you down.

2. Respect is Missing
 ↳ When your work isn’t appreciated, progress feels out of reach.
 ↳ Respect should go both ways, never one-directional.

3. Growth Has Paused
 ↳ You’re no longer stretched, and learning feels minimal.
 ↳ Growth isn’t optional. It’s necessary for fulfilment.

4. Values Feel Out of Sync
 ↳ When core beliefs clash with your surroundings, contentment fades.
 ↳ Stay close to people who align with what matters to you.

5. Communication Feels Strained
 ↳ Talks feel tense, feedback is resisted, and silence feels easier.
 ↳ Without honest dialogue, frustration grows.

6. Your Efforts Go Unseen
 ↳ Consistent effort with little acknowledgment weakens motivation.
 ↳ Look for spaces where your input truly matters.

7. Alone Even When Surrounded
 ↳ You feel isolated among others; real connection feels missing.
 ↳ Belonging means support, not just sharing space.

Moving on isn’t quitting.
 It’s choosing to focus on what brings growth, fulfilment, and peace.

“𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 
𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮 𝗹𝗼𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘁.” 
- 𝗔𝘂𝗯𝗿𝗲𝘆 𝗱𝗲 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝘆

Which sign speaks to you most? Share below! 👇

P.S. Found this useful?
♻️ Repost this to help others grow strongly and sustainably. 
🔖 Follow Véronique Barrot for more growth and self-leadership insights.

Quote Credit: Thinking Minds on Instagram

LinkedIn Strategist for Women Leaders | Help Their High School Teens Achieve French Exam Success & Gain Admission to Ivy League & Top Universities | 95% A–A* Success Rate | Personal Brands That Attract & Convert

The straight line is a myth.

Progress isn't what you think.

Most believe the path is: 
Set goals → Work hard → Win.

But reality is different.

Here's what actually happens:
- You start full of hope.
- Then you stumble.
- Practice hard. Still fail.
- Make progress. Lose it overnight.
- Feel stuck in circles.
- Question if you're cut out for this.
- Start over more times than you can count.
- Then somehow, you break through.

The messy middle?
That's not failure.
That's growth.

What it gives you:
✅ Real skills, not fake confidence 
✅ Strength through setbacks
✅ Wisdom you can't Google

What to stop doing:
❌ Expecting instant results 
↳ Mastery takes messy attempts.

❌ Quitting when it gets hard 
↳ Loops mean you're learning.

❌ Comparing your start to someone's finish 
↳ Everyone's path looks different behind the scenes.

What to start doing:
✅ Embrace the chaos 
↳ Confusion means you're expanding.

✅ Track small wins in the mess 
↳ Progress hides in the struggle.

✅ Trust the process, not the timeline 
↳ Your pace is your power.

The winners you admire?
They didn't skip the messy part.
They just didn't quit during it.

What messy loop taught you the most? Share below! 👇

♻️ Repost this to help others grow strongly and sustainably. 
🔖 Follow Véronique Barrot for more growth and self-leadership insights.

Image credit: Susan Chen

Mike, a close friend of mine, was laid off 10 months ago.

One week after the notice, he was gone.

No safety plan.
No savings set aside.
No job waiting.

He was still staying at his parents’ place. Thankfully.
But that didn’t ease the shock.

He lost his job. Just like that.

He believed a permanent contract meant stability.
He believed loyalty would shield him.
He was wrong.

Security isn’t promised. Not anymore.
Don’t let this be you.

The good news?

He secured a new role in just 6 weeks. 
Better paid and more in line with his goals.

I helped him refine his CV and reshape his story.
Sometimes all it needs is a sharper angle and a push.

But here’s the real takeaway:
The best time to prepare isn’t after a layoff. It’s before.

Here are 5 ways to stay ready, even during uncertain times:

1. Stay Curious, Not Just Qualified
 ↳ Learn beyond your job description.
 ↳ Let curiosity, not fear, guide your growth.

2. Strengthen Your Network
 ↳ Don’t wait until you need help to build relationships.
 ↳ Give first. Stay in touch. You will thank yourself later.

3. Ask for Honest Feedback
 ↳ Ask: “What’s one thing I could do better?”
 ↳ That question reveals blind spots quickly.

4. Reflect + Reset
 ↳ Every 3–6 months, pause.
 ↳ What’s working? What isn’t? Adjust as needed.

5. Build Your Personal Brand
 ↳ Don’t depend on only a CV.
 ↳ A strong LinkedIn presence attracts opportunities to you.

➡️ Growth isn’t just optional.
It’s your career backup plan.

What’s one habit that helps you stay ready?👇

P.S. Found this useful?

♻️ Repost this to help others grow strongly and sustainably.
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8 Powerful Visuals to Improve Your Career Path.

They highlight key truths that took me years to fully grasp.

These practical lessons will help you:
↠ Build patience over time
↠ See challenges as opportunities to grow
↠ Take steady action, even when it feels uncomfortable

Here are my 8 key career lessons:

1/ Treat Your Career as a Path of Discovery.
↳ Try different roles to learn what you’re good at, 
what you enjoy, and where you add value.
↳ Every role is a test that points you toward your strengths and interests.

2/ Think Short-Term, Stay Patient Long-Term.
↳ Success rarely happens fast; it comes from steady effort over time.
↳ Build strong habits daily, and time will do the rest.

3/ Handle Highs and Lows with Strength.
↳ Low points often lead to meaningful change.
↳ Face challenges with optimism and mental strength.

4/ Mistakes Teach the Best Lessons.
↳ Mistakes are powerful teachers. Don’t avoid them. Learn from them.
↳ Progress often comes from what failure shows you.

5/ Fear Is a Sign of Growth.
↳ Feeling fear means you’re leaving your comfort zone.
↳ See fear as proof you’re moving forward.

6/ Adjust When Plans Shift.
↳ Life rarely follows a straight plan. Flexibility matters.
↳ Some of the best outcomes begin with surprise turns.

7/ Keep a Beginner’s Mindset.
↳ Starting fresh gets harder with age, but that’s where growth lives.
↳ Stay open to learning and trying new things at every stage.

8/ Take Action Today.
↳ There’s no perfect moment. Start with what you have now.
↳ Waiting too long leads to regret. Action moves dreams forward.

P.S. Which visual lesson stood out most for you?
Share in the comments ⬇️

P.S. Found this useful?

♻️ Repost this to help others grow strongly and sustainably.
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Visuals credit: @Jun Han Chin

8 Powerful Visuals to Elevate Your Professional Journey

Stop rehearsing your interview answers.

 Master these 10 emotional intelligence moves instead.

Loved this framework shared by my friend Dr. Carolyn Frost ✨

Of course, preparation still matters:
- Practice your key stories.
 - Bring an extra resume.
 - Study the company inside and out.

But when you're in the room?
 It's your emotional energy that will help you stand out.

Here are 10 EQ moves interviewers won’t forget:

1️/ You pause on purpose before answering
 ↳ Count to 2, then respond. It signals calm, clear confidence.

2️/ You use the interviewer’s name naturally, just once
 ↳ Say it early in your biggest story. It creates instant connection.

3️/ You highlight what’s missing from your resume
 ↳ "I’m currently working on..." → Shows honest self-awareness.

4️/ You ask about their journey with genuine curiosity
 ↳ "What led you here?" → Shifts the dynamic in your favor.

5️/ You stay steady when tech issues show up
 ↳ "Thanks for your patience" becomes your quiet advantage.

6️/ You bring up possible concerns before they do
 ↳ "You might be wondering about..." → Shows confidence and self-belief.

7️/ You share credit for your wins
 ↳ Mention your team. It shows you build strong cultures.

8️/ You reference earlier conversation points naturally
 ↳ Using their words in your answers shows real listening.

9️/ You own your career pivots with confidence
 ↳ "That change taught me..." → Turns gaps into growth stories.

10/ You follow up with a personal note
 ↳ "What you shared about X stayed with me..." → Leaves a strong impression.

Your interview edge isn’t about perfect scripts.
 It’s about showing up with real, intentional presence 

Which of these moves will you use in your next interview?
 ⬇ Share your thoughts in the comments!

P.S. Found this useful?
♻️ Repost this to help others grow strongly and sustainably.
🔖 Follow Véronique Barrot for more growth and self-leadership insights.

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Ani Filipova

Véronique Barrot

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The Battle

Ani Filipova

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