🌀 Generalist World Events

You are keeping human-centred professional connection alive. This week, I went to a Melbourne "networking" event that said it really wasn't one, and it was telling the truth. I had deep, philosophical conversations; gave and received helpful career advice; and there were kind compliments being said all across the room.

Two weeks ago, I co-hosted LA’s Generalist World 🌀 gathering at Unbound Brews ☕

The energy at the event was inspiring ✨ As expected, careers spanned a wide range of industries and professions - but it was a deep curiosity that emerged as the common thread. A willingness to keep asking questions, keep learning, and keep moving across boundaries.

That’s what makes generalists powerful! Not just what they know, but how they stay open by connecting, adapting, and creating in places where others stop.

Huge thanks to my co-hosts Mary Tan, Najva Sol & Ryan Powell, and Jon Muth at Unbound for the space and coffee tour.

Already plotting the sequel 🌀☕

I attended an event that was sponsored by Lovable and Canva. It wasn't what I expected, but it was exactly what I needed! The event was held on Generalist Day and was hosted by Generalist World 🌀.

There was a great Single Question Interview. And now we all know where to hide our treasure ;) Then there were Hot Seat sessions, with groups of 5. It was a chance to talk about a problem we had and ask for solutions.

We had a great team and the feedback was amazing! We didn't want to leave at the end of the session. I am very grateful for the help I got in solving an issue that I hadn't even really voiced! Perfect!

International Generalist Day 2025 - Mumbai 🌀

Last week, I had the chance to attend the International Generalist Day meetup in Mumbai - one of the 88 events happening across 35 countries! 🌍

What struck me most was how universal the “generalist” experience is.

Sagar's presentation especially resonated—it felt like he was narrating moments from my own life, connecting dots across different roles, skills, and experiences.
It was a reminder that being a generalist isn’t about doing everything, but about finding meaning in the way we adapt, learn, and contribute.

And then, the conversations! Meeting people from such diverse backgrounds was energizing.

One story that stayed with me was Rigved’s—whose life mission is simply to help people. He shared how he once arranged an entire relocation for an elderly lady with a pet, moving her from one corner of the country to another, handling all the logistics.

That, to me, is the power of being a generalist.
Not just problem-solving, but creating real, tangible impact in people’s lives.

Walking away from the event, I feel more connected than ever to this global community of generalists - Generalist World 🌀.

Thank you, Sagar Chandni, for being a wonderful host.

Thank you, Milly Tamati and team for putting this all together.

What happens when you bring a bunch of generalists together in the same room?
You talk about everything under the sun ☀️

Last week we gathered in Amsterdam for International Generalist Day. It was inspiring, unconventional, productive, and a lot of fun. Never forget the fun ;)

We shared our career journeys, what the future of work could look like (especially as we hold hands with AI), and brainstormed any roadblocks we were currently facing by being a generalist.

What I noticed is that even though we all love to do *a lot* of things, there were still trends in the kind of roles we sought that make us feel alive.

Here’s what stuck out to me:
➡️ Many of us work in EDUCATION or RESEARCH, environments that promote continuous learning and asking questions.
➡️ Many of us work with PEOPLE - whether that’s in a coaching or consulting role, cus no two people are the same, right?
➡️ Many of us work in or are affiliated with STARTUPS, where we thrive in fast-growing, dynamic spaces and can wear our many hats.

Huge thanks to Milly Tamati and Ece Kurtaraner for founding and cultivating this global community, as well as to our Amsterdam organisers Ramiro Oosting, Madalina Buzdugan, Arijana Radic, and Leticia Orcel Bordoni 👏

And if you’re a builder, tinkerer, problem-solver, dot-connector type… do yourself a favour and connect with Generalist World 🌀 - it's the ultimate hype squad and currently my favourite corner of LinkedIn.

Bonus: they regularly share jobs that are the perfect fit for generalists (spoiler alert - more & more companies are seeing the value in our range and are hiring for cross-functional roles 🥳 )

Our time is now 🙌

#InternationalGeneralistDay #Generalists #AmsterdamNetworking #FutureofWork

Generalists, you are unstoppable. ⚡

Our IGD meetup proved exactly why this community is a force to be reckoned with.

We talked about how generalism is often misunderstood as a weakness when in reality, it’s a superpower. Generalists are the ones who jump in, take on new challenges, thrive under uncertainty, and enjoy working across domains. They’re the foundation of every early startup team.

As organizations grow, specialists step in with deep expertise. But when it comes to driving innovation and shaping the future, it’s the T-shaped leaders, specialists who also think like generalists, who truly move things forward by connecting the dots across functions.

We also shared our “squiggly” career journeys and found common ground in the traits that make us who we are: curiosity, learning on the go, adaptability, and being hands-on in every role we take up.

And the best part? We’re just getting started. Together, we talked about how to spread this awareness, discover more generalists, and grow this movement here in Pakistan.

Grateful to everyone who joined the conversation and brought their energy. Huge thanks to Milly Tamati and the Generalist World 🌀community for sparking this global wave.

Here’s to building, connecting, and celebrating the unstoppable power of generalists!

👉 We’re also building a community of generalists here. If you’re one, what kind of generalist are you? Take the quiz and share in the comments: lnkd.in/dJSbiwD2

#InternationalGeneralistDay #IDG2025

🌍✨ We celebrated "International Generalist Day" with the Generalist World 🌀 community hosted by Dave Mence. It was a room full of curious, passionate folks.

One of the things I love most about being a Generalist is the journey of discovery: following curiosities, connecting ideas, spotting patterns, and building bridges between people. It allows me to see the bigger picture and relate to a wide range of perspectives.

There’s a misconception that often frustrates me: "Generalists are aimless". We’re definitely not. In academia, interdisciplinary thinking is praised yet in the workplace, we’re often asked to specialize. And if specialization is your strength, that’s great and we need you! But let’s not dismiss Generalists either. Generalists are nimble, scrappy, and willing to learn and try new things. That adaptability is exactly what makes us so impactful.

A special shoutout to Dave for hosting the event! He spoke with such passion about how Generalist World has bolstered his confidence and accelerated his growth, both professionally and personally.

Here’s to celebrating the curious, the connectors, and the do-it-all builders shaping what it means to be a Generalist. 💙

Last week we had the first Generalist World 🌀 Meetup in Montevideo.

In a country of 3.4 million people (and about 3x more cows) gathering five people around the same table actually feels like pretty good odds.

We talked about traveling for work, getting out of our comfort zones, and, like most meetups, we learned that taking a decent group photo is harder than it sounds 📸

What made it worthwhile was the chance to connect with others who don’t fit neatly into one box. Generalists often move in different directions, but conversations like these make it clear how much overlap there really is.

Some people find recommendation algorithms a little creepy.

I actually...

enjoy them.

The other week, I left a comment on a fun post by Shana F. Brewer about Generalists. A few days later, Global Generalist Day by Generalist World 🌀 popped up in my feed. Last week, I found myself at the Bucharest get-together organized by Adina R.. Boom!

The generalist–specialist discussion resonated with me because I think my own path sits right in the middle: deep expertise in marketing, with a specialization in Paid Advertising. At the same time, my early experience running all things marketing in small businesses gave me some breadth of a generalist. That’s why today I see myself as a T-shaped specialist - grounded in marketing, with depth in paid ads, while also exploring fields like community management, training, workshop facilitation, and beyond.

Back to the meetup - we were a small group, but the atmosphere was fantastic. We swapped stories, exchanged perspectives, and celebrated what it means to be a generalist, a specialist - or somewhere in between.

👉 Where do you see yourself on this spectrum?

Anyone who knows me knows my specialty is simple: getting sh*t done. ✅

In the past, I've felt like a fish out of water. I’m a jack of all trades, master of some, constantly surrounded by specialists in finance, tech, business, and now genetics. (It’s hard not to feel like the odd one out when people casually drop "Best linear unbiased prediction" into a conversation.)

Then I stumbled across The Outsiders (courtesy of Katie Paterson) and Generalist World 🌀. I was excited… but also a little nervous. Was I about to walk into a room full of people exactly like me? I could not have been more wrong.

What I found was a hugely inspiring group of people who bring breadth to their work in completely different ways. The diversity in skills, styles, and stories was incredible. It turns out being versatile doesn’t look one way, it looks like a thousand ways. Which is painfully obvious when you think about it!

Here’s to all of us out there who thrive on variety and a little chaos!

✨ 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗠𝗲𝗹𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲 ✨ We had a great turnout at last weeks event, always so good to see new faces alongside our regulars! 🧩 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗹: 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗴𝘀 Name tags have space for: “My name is… I’m a… Ask me about…” This gives people choice over what they want to share, whether it’s work, a side passion, or something completely different! This works great so that conversations that start with curiosity, not pressure. 🧩 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗹: 𝗖𝘂𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗽𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 This time, the prompt cards were shaped by feedback from the surveys and conversations around the future of work event in June (#communitydriven). Everyone picked two prompts they were most interested in discussing. They then found someone who’d chosen one of the same cards and chatted for 15 minutes. Afterwards, they repeated the process with their second card and a new partner. This structure takes some of the intimidation out of mingling and gives people both autonomy and a clear starting point for conversation! It sparked discussions ranging from using self-driving cars as an analogy for where human touch is needed, the challenges of drive a broad skill set into a job where everything is a competition, to sharing resources and swapping notes on favourite whiskey brands 🥃. Exactly the mix of thoughtful + unexpected that makes GW so energising!! Big thanks to everyone who came along in August, can’t wait to see you (and some new faces!) in September 💡 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵... 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮 𝗶𝘀 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗗𝗮𝘆 🌍 We’ll be celebrating here in Melbourne with another facilitated meetup (or maybe 2 👀) you can already save your spot here 👉 lu.ma/d82vw11p *More details to come! Generalist World 🌀- a community for professionals with non-traditional careers.

Excited to share my experience with Canva Magic! Thanks to Megan Possamai for the insightful demonstration at a recent Generalist World 🌀 Summer School webinar. Discovering new ways to work smarter and create faster in Canva. I've already used some of the mind-blowing features I never knew existed - here's a breakdown of the top features that will become part of my regular workflow: 🪄 Magic Switch: Transform any document into various formats effortlessly. From presentations to workbooks, or blog posts to social carousels, the possibilities are endless. ✨ Bulk Create: Streamline your workflow by generating multiple assets at scale using Canva sheets. 🫰 Canva AI: Simply input your requirements, and let Canva handle the rest. From videos to copywriting and images, even creating custom widgets with Canva code, the AI feature simplifies the process. 🦄 The whiteboard organiser: A valuable tool for organising ideas, feedback, or brainstorming sessions. Easily categorise thoughts into themes, executive summaries, website content, and more. For a detailed look at the webinar, check out the full recording here: 👉 lnkd.in/eez47zXg Share your Canva hacks in the comments 💬 #CanvaMagic #Productivity #Innovation #AI #Webinar #Learning #NewSkills

Conversation starters for tonight's Generalist World 🌀 meetup. It's always a great bunch of people at these events and a great conversation, tonight focused on the future of work. My favourite topic was what trends give you hope for the future?  The other topic I chose was "the human advantage". One of the questions that came up while discussing this topic was that if we all use AI to draft our email and polish our writing, and all start to sound the same, what will we lose in our language and culture?   If you've got thoughts on these topics feel free to drop a comment below!

Do I really think I can do it all? Honestly… yes. Some might call it crazy. But I call it energising. Being a generalist is who I am and I’ve stopped trying to explain or justify it. I’ve had this conversation a hundred times, but last Monday something clicked. The lovely team at Generalist World 🌀 kicked off their Summer School with a Skill Stacking Workshop at Canva HQ and WOW. How do they keep raising the bar? From the moment I walked in, I felt it: warmth, curiosity, excitement. No one asked, “So… what do you do?” Instead, the questions were: 💬 What excites you? 💬 What do you value? As someone who runs and attends nearly 20 events a month (Yes, really. I sleep. Barely.), I was genuinely impressed. It was intimate, well-paced, and incredibly connective. I spoke to almost everyone, and we all left with valuable new friendships and conversations that haven’t left my mind since. One thing that stood out? 🧠 Most generalists are driven by mission, not job titles. We want to contribute, connect, build, support. We wear many hats but all in service of something greater than ourselves. It’s no surprise I saw so many familiar faces from Led by Community C.I.C Community Week (yes, I still owe a post about that soul-filling week!). 💛 Huge thanks to Ece Kurtaraner & Mildred C. for leading such a thoughtful event and for curating incredible content for the Summer School. And of course Milly Tamati for bringing all of us generalists together. So far we've had: ✨ “Build Thriving Communities” by Zach Hawtof from Tightknit 📓 “The Notion Playbook for Portfolio Pros” by Nikita Khandwala & Dave Mence 🤖 and I can’t wait for tonight’s "Build Your AI Teammate: create, customise & monetise AI agents" session by Cien S. from LaunchLemonade🍋 (the morning session has been a hit from what I hear 👀) Anyway… this is your sign to embrace your "chaos", lean into what energises you, and find your people. To my fellow generalists: You’re not crazy for wanting to do it all. You’re wired differently and that’s exactly what the world needs. (Yes, I'm chaotic. Yes, this post reflects that. No apologies.)

Making things clearer so people can feel more confident is a biiiig energiser of mine (esp. when it comes to all things sustainability, brands & what we eat). But it was coming across this framework last week that really helped me realise it 👇 The ‘aha!’ came at the Generalist World 🌀 summer school where I got to have some mind-expanding chats and discover the '4Cs' framework to help you get clear on what you offer (especially if you feel you don’t fit the normal boxes). So if you feel outside the box, try this skill stacking to help you define what you 𝘥𝘰 𝘧𝘪𝘵. ✨ 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹: what skill are you or do you want to be famous for? ✨ 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹: what’s the unexpected twist that makes your take on your core skill special? ✨ 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹: what human skills are you great at that help you deliver what needs to be done? ✨ 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹: where are you best at doing it? Whether it’s sector, team size or working environment. So what are your 4Cs? I’m still musing on mine, but it’s definitely rooted in giving people more confidence around their brands and sustainability in the most impactful context: our food system. I’m also totally pro less hustle, more hugs. Thanks to Sharon Milone Anaïs Comot Nyasha Duri Natasha Hayles Lindsay Kershaw Abby Brosgill Leila Nithila-George Alex Ashford Branislav (Branny) Pencak and Georgia Hirth for helping hold up the mirror! Intrigued? Give me a shout if you fancy a chat, or for more info on the 4C’s, I'll share Milly Tamati's great post in the comments.

On Monday, I had an incredible time at Generalist World 🌀's Summer School of Generalist Skills kick-off workshop! Hosted by Ece Kurtaraner and Mildred C. in partnership with Canva and Lovable, the day was all about discovering your unique skill stack. I had so many great conversations with fellow multifaceted, interesting people – many at a career crossroads – all looking to carve out paths that don't fit into a rigid box. It was fantastic to hear about some really cool projects, organisations (like Impactic) and initiatives that people are working on. There was a clear and powerful theme emerging: people want to create a positive impact and empower others, and they’re finding truly unconventional, inspiring ways to do it. During the workshop, we learned how to identify the patterns in our life and career experiences to determine our most valuable skills to effectively package ourselves in a way that best communicates our value. Being at the Canva offices once again felt like a full-circle moment for me, as the last time I was there in March, we were having similar conversations about the value of generalist skills. It’s a concept also championed by creators Dan Koe and Adama L., whose content I love and learn so much from. The final image slide, created by the amazing Generalist world founder, Milly Tamati, contains a super useful list of actionable ways to best leverage skill stacking. I'm keeping this somewhere visible as a reminder! I’m excited for the upcoming programme of events. If you're a self-identified generalist, a portfolio careerist, career explorer or just curious check out the free programme of Generalist Skills workshops here: lnkd.in/gCBfUDFG Shoutout to Celine N. for putting me onto Generalist World 🌀 !

The right career opportunity won’t find you because of your experience. It’ll find you because of how you own your path. Positioning is what makes your non-linear career story click. And yesterday, I saw two versions of it in real time. At the Generalist World 🌀 event, two people with similar backgrounds in design, research and tech had ended up in wildly different roles: → One’s now a Creative Engineer → The other, a Product Manager Same roots. Different paths. Because one thing made all the difference: 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆. Whether you’re searching for a new role, project or connection... Positioning shapes who leans in vs. who tunes out. 🟢 Clear positioning makes the right people say: “Tell me more.” 🔴 Vague positioning makes them wonder why you’re in the room. Your job? To connect the dots between where you’ve been, how you think and what you’re ready to do next, so others can clearly see your value. But here’s what I've seen most people overlook: It’s not just about clarity on paper. It’s about the energy you carry into every interaction. And specifically: 1. 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵. The difference between shrinking to fit the job description… or recognising that your lived experience, your way of thinking, your perspective is the value. → When you own that, your confidence becomes contagious. 2. 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲. How you hold yourself when you walk into the room, how attuned you are to the energy around you and how you adapt, not by contorting yourself, but by staying grounded in who you are. → People feel that and they adjust how they show up in response. 3. 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴. Not just listing skills but knowing why they matter in this context. The ability to say: → “Here’s the unique set of problems I'm uniquely placed to solve and here’s why it works for this opportunity,” with clarity and conviction. When this inner alignment is clear, the outer opportunities start to make sense. Until these deeper forces are addressed, no framework will stick. Because positioning isn’t just what you say. It’s HOW you say it and believe it. That’s what turns: “I’ve done a bit of everything…” Into: “I’m a systems thinker who thrives at the intersection of design, AI and strategy.” Big difference. Same experience. New outcome. Strong positioning is being the right fit for the right problem in the right context. And it's your job to turn your non-linear career path into your unfair advantage. How can you start? → By positioning your diversity as an asset, not a liability. From that energy: alignment, clarity and ease become possible. Thank you Ece & Mildred for hosting such an amazing event and bringing together such kind, mission- and impact-driven people. 💬 What’s your take on positioning? Which point resonated most? 1, 2 or 3?

52 people turned up today in London to spend 4 hours with us. ✌🏼Mildred C. and I did our best to help them discover their unique skill stack and support each other on the way. I do think we did a pretty good job. Thank you to each and every person in the room bringing the vibes. Thank you to our lovely members for helping out. Thank you Canva for having us and thank you Lovable for feeding us 💜 Generalist World 🌀 never feels like work and today didn't either.

Spent the day in great company at the latest Generalist World 🌀 World event - and it was worth every minute. I’d been looking forward to this for weeks, and it delivered on every front: brilliant humans, thought-provoking prompts, and that uniquely energising generalist vibe: welcoming, open, curious, and wired for divergent thinking. Big thanks to Luciana Alemanno-Frankson, Ovais Oozeer, Hiren Laxman, Ece Kurtaraner, and others for such career-affirming chats — helping me see the patterns in my own professional audit map and how to articulate my value with more clarity and confidence than when I walked in. Generalist World, you’re really doing the thing when it comes to helping people like me connect the dots and back ourselves 🙌 📸 Snapped a few moments from the day — sharing here so I don’t forget how good the structure and prompts were! Fab work organising, Ece Kurtaraner, and Mildred C. co-facilitating! Generalists see the dots. This room helped me connect them. 🔗 If you’re a fellow generalist looking to feel more seen and supported in your work, check out their upcoming events: lnkd.in/e6qjPs7i

Still buzzing after such an inspiring day at the GW Summer School of Skills at Canva’s beautiful London HQ 💫 Huge thanks to Milly Tamati for founding Generalist World 🌀 first of all, today was a much-needed reminder that being a generalist really is a superpower. Grateful to Ece Kurtaraner & Mildred C. for facilitating such an open, empowering ans full of belly laughter session at Canva with some Lovable delicious food! I got to connect with some incredible women Cari Hewer Alex Ashford Maria Soleil ☀️Fleur Nittolo Annie Ly Anaïs Comot Milly Dyer Georgia Hirth Dorota Jastrzebska and had vulnerable, honest conversations about skill positioning, portfolio careers, and the messiness (and brilliance!) of not fitting in a single box. We mapped out our Skill Stacks, reframed what we bring to the table, and left with more clarity and confidence than we walked in with. The future of work is multi-dimensional. Let’s keep shaping it.

The power of generalists in a world that won’t sit still: their insight, generosity and hustle 🌀

At this event last week by Generalist World 🌀 and Freshminds the all-star, all-female panel brought together searing hot takes, practical wisdom and truly innovative perspectives to help generalists thrive. All with a refreshing blend of intellect, humour and self-awareness that lit up the room 🙌🏻

So much gold was shared, but my personal highlights:

Adwoa Osei with the best quotes: You have to stay ready, for those moments when the world stops. Choose your hard.
And always pitch yourself in 🏆

Suzy Lockwood shared insights from a founder set on changing the world oe changing an industry (I loved hearing more about the journey with ditto!): be prepared, bring your data. Generalists have a superpower on interdisciplinary project teams, as freelancers and contingent talent, so lean into that.

Neda Sahebelm brought sage advice for anyone starting a fractional offering: work isn’t an emergency. We never learn how to communicate our value unless we work in sales, so go get those skills. A compelling offer is specific, so reduce the cognitive load for any prospective clients, leaders or customers.

Nikita Khandwala brought the energy with expert facilitation and provocation: what’s one thing you could do tomorrow that doesn’t require anyone’s permission? Milly Tamati got us all hyped about the future of work in collaborative, community-led growth. And the crowd was fantastic as usual, sharing books, resources and honest reflections.

Overall the panel highlighted what happens when you bring together high agency, low ego people from diverse backgrounds, with a strong provocation and an appreciative audience. Great work by all involved!

#generalists

Ever felt like you don’t fit into a single box?

☝️ This was me for most of my life and very recently I had the great privilege to connect with other likeminded jack-of-all-trades folks at Generalist World 🌀 hosted by Melanie Calleja and Skye Bennett, where I got to meet some of the most curious, multi-faceted, and brilliant minds in Melbourne including:

🛠️ Designers from the enterprise, digital, and physical product space.
🚀 Entrepreneurs and VC partners from around Australia and the US.
🧠 Creative strategists who thrive in ambiguity and complexity.
and many more!

We swapped our stories, ideas, and insights 💬 building on our collective point of view that being a generalist is not because we lack depth or specialisations... rather it's because we can weave together our diverse skills, experiences, and perspectives to create 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲 𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 and do the things that only we can do going beyond just a specific job title, skill, or industry.

What stood out the most for me? The magic of serendipitous connection ✨
In a world where our journeys and careers have infinite possibilities, I find the best way to progress forward is having a open and growth mindset while:
✔️ Bringing others on your journey
✔️ Sharing knowledge and wisdom
✔️ Lifting each other up for success

From design thinking to our passions and business trends across Asia, America, Europe and Australia... every conversation ignited something new.

💚 During the event, we were joined by our awesome friends at People Planet Pint - where I had the pleasure of meeting Matt Bray and their group of passionate humans who are helping drive impactful sustainable change for people, environment and planet.

If you are someone who loves to connect the dots between disciplines, industries, and ideas, then I highly recommend you to join us next time at Generalist World 🌀 + People Planet Pint! I can guarantee you will have conversations and 'a-ha!' moments that is irreplicable by AI. Huge thanks again to Melanie, Skye, and Matt for such a fun and meaningful evening.

Let's celebrate being a generalist, supporting human connection and keeping weird, fun, and exciting conversations happening!

If you only go to events for a clear outcome: networking, job leads, new clients. You’re missing the magic.

You don’t need the perfect pitch.
You don’t need a strategic agenda.
You don’t need to force connections.

→ You just need to put yourself in the right rooms and be fully engaged.

That’s exactly what happened at the Generalist World 🌀 event on Wednesday.

I walked in with no agenda.
No pressure to “make something happen.”

And yet by the end of the night?

→ I walked away with 5+ new connections, insights I’ll carry forward and conversations that opened doors I didn’t even know existed.

This is what happens when you stop chasing and start being present.

The first person I spoke to? Yasminca.
We didn’t talk about work.
We talked about historical novels.

📚 (The Nightingale, specifically: one of my favourite books that I brought as part of the event’s book exchange.)

Then came the Panel.

A free-flowing conversation, beautifully facilitated by Nikita, featuring 3 inspiring women.

One question stood out to me:

→ "What’s the red thread that ties all of your experiences together in your career?"

I ask my clients this all the time.

Because if you don’t know your own throughline, how can you own your value? How can you create opportunities that actually fit?

Later, another unexpected connection.

I met Jiten.

We talked about presence in leadership.
About actually caring about people.
About how real influence isn’t about control.
It’s about connection.

And just as the night was winding down…
The magic continued.

On the tube platform, one last surprise.
I ran into two people from the event.

We started chatting.
And it turns out, one of them grew up
in the same city as me: Taipei 🇹🇼

All because I asked: “Where’s home for you?”

This is the part no one talks about.

The synchronicities.
The unexpected conversations.
The kind of moments you can’t script or force.

And this is why I tell my clients:

→ Go to things that interest you. Without an agenda.
→ Wander. Explore. Lead with curiosity.
→ Get out of your head and into the spaces where serendipity happens.

Because when you do, you walk away with more than you ever planned for.

This is what it means to play bigger.

Milly + team, this was an exceptional event.
Thank you for bringing such brilliant humans together.
Can’t wait for the next one.

"Generalists are just jack-of-all-trades, master of none."

Suzy Lockwood flipped the myth on its head this week at a packed event by Generalist World 🌀 at x+why, a BCorp coworking and community space that I always love going to.

📢 Generalists aren't master of none, we’re masters of many.

The best leaders aren’t the ones locked into a single function - they’re the ones who understand how the whole business fits together.

Standing in a room of 60+ multi-talented, multi-passionate people, felt like stepping into a space where generalists just get it - ideas bouncing off the walls, careers that don’t fit into neat boxes, and a shared appreciation for wearing many hats.

The incredible Adwoa Osei, Suzy Lockwood, and Neda Sahebelm took to the stage to talk about the red threads that have connected their careers and the inflection points where they had no choice but to pivot.

Because let’s be honest - if you’re a generalist, change isn’t a roadblock; it’s part of the ride.

📌 Neda, keeping it real: "It took me six months to get paid because it took me six months to figure out how to talk to people so I get paid."
That was a reminder that being great at many things isn’t enough - you have to learn how to position it, so others see the value too.

📌 And then there was Adwoa Osei, who shared a simple but brilliant pro tip: "Make a list of 15 people you want to work with. Start from number 15 - by the time you reach number 1, your pitch will be much stronger."
It's such a practical way to refine your messaging while building connections along the way.

For a long time, I saw being a generalist as something I had to explain, maybe even justify.

But after this event (thanks Milly Tamati Ece Kurtaraner Nikita Khandwala 🙌), I’ve felt something shift - being a generalist isn’t a weakness. It’s a wild, exciting advantage.

It’s adaptability, big-picture thinking, and the ability to connect the dots that others miss.

The key? Owning it, articulating it, and making sure the right people understand what you bring to the table.

P.S.: Guess what book I brought for the event book swap (check the last pic with the book pile) 👀

I'm still buzzing after last night's Generalist World 🌀 Melbourne meetup! Gathering like-minded and like-hearted generalists, sparking conversations, collaborations and creativity ✨ Shout out to Melanie Calleja, the mastermind behind the GW Melbourne Meetups. For generalists in my network, this community is for you 🌀

🌀 Generalists thrive on connection, curiosity, and conversation, and last night's Generalist World Melbourne meetup was full of all three!

With a mix of familiar and new faces, the energy in the room was incredible. People were feeling heard, inspired, and genuinely excited to network.
I know that networking can sometimes feel awkward or intimidating, so we designed the night to make it easier to engage through prompt cards, rotating discussions, and lots of opportunities to connect beyond the usual “so, what do you do?” Some people even took the prompt cards home to use in other life situations, which honestly feels like the most generalist thing ever.

Throughout the night, we heard ideas spanning designing safety into products, how language learning apps could improve, portfolio careers, sustainability impact, financial literacy, how we showcase other expertise and more! But what stood out most was how easily generalists cross disciplines and make unexpected connections.

Since this meetup is by the community, for the community, I also gathered insights on what people want next:

🌀 Generalists love topic-driven meetups. And the most common topics people wanted to see in future events was sustainability, AI, storytelling, and business impact!

💡 Portfolio careers are common. Many attendees juggle multiple income streams or unconventional career paths, so these meetups feel like a space where that experience is understood.

🤝  There’s a demand for variety in event formats. People are keen for a mix of catch-ups around drinks, hands-on workshops, and collaborations with other communities.

And in the spirit of cross-pollination, we even joined forces with People Planet Pint who also had their meet-up yesterday, which led to even more unexpected and brilliant conversations, turns out, that there’s a lot of synergy in bringing these two communities together.

🤔 If you’re a generalist (or generalist-curious), I’d love to hear from more of you, what kinds of topics or formats would you like to see in future meetups?
_______________________________________________________________
If you or your workplace would like to support these meetups with space, food, or drinks, I’d love to chat.

Big thanks to Skye Bennett , Matt Bray & Jacinta Y. and everyone who came along! Keep an eye out for future events via myself, Skye, and lu.ma.

Generalist World 🌀 #Networking #MelbourneMeetup #FacilitatedNetworking #CommunityDriven

At all stages of my career, whether Social Impact or Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, I've found that to do well, I needed to become a generalist- even though I hadn't heard the term until recent years.

I think many of us can relate to our jobs requiring so many more skills then may be obvious from what it 'says on the tin,' & that this is ever evolving.

It was fantastic to learn more about an entire generalist community at the Generalist World 🌀, 'The Power of Generalists in a World That Won't Sit Still' event, in partnership with Freshminds. Shout out to the incredible panellists and organisers.

For me, it's data analyst, strategist, project manager & business partner as just a few hats. The skills development is continuous, but I left reflecting on how from all of this, I can focus on communicating specific, data-informed, value.

The Freshminds team loved collaborating on this fabulous event last night - hosted by Generalist World 🌀 - and starring Neda Sahebelm, Adwoa Osei, Nikita Khandwala, and our Head of Growth Suzy Lockwood

With a room packed with fractional consultants and talent experts, we talked about the many attributes of generalists, how and why they chose this career path, and the many benefits they can bring to an organisation.

Sparkling ideas all round. 💖

Read more about Freshminds' approach here:
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I had such a wonderful evening last night with Generalist World 🌀 and Freshminds, listening to powerhouse generalists Nikita, Neda, Suzy and Adwoa share insights as to how we generalists can provide such value to businesses. The Notes app on my phone is full of new pearls of wisdom that I can’t wait to put into practice!

Huge thank you to Milly Tamati and the team for putting on such a great event- if you’re a generalist operator, definitely check out the community and come along to the next one!

Enjoyed last night’s Generalist World 🌀 and Freshminds networking event (hosted in an excellent x+why space).

An important concept I took away was challenging the idea that generalists are jack of all trades (master of none), with the fact that they are often masters of multiple (or even many) areas.

Combining this with the comments on T-shaped experience and expertise (broad and deep) made me think about the challenge of occasionally communicating my value on introduction calls to new clients or partners.

I have covered multiple subareas within life science (Pharma, Medtech and Dx), using various research techniques (Quant and Qual MR, Competitive Intelligence, Scientific Research, workshops) for clients in different functions (BD, Brand, Insights, Corporate Strategy, Medical Affairs, and R&D) and across the entirety of the product lifecycle (Preclinical, clinical, launch, mature, generic).

However, the deep thread across the 80+ projects that make up this experience, is the skill set to rapidly spot patterns and understand external dynamics, which is essential in solving bespoke client problems as they advance solutions for unmet medical needs.

Thank you to the hosts and the panel!

What an evening - Freshminds x Generalist World 🌀 felt like a bit of a match made in heaven!

We see every day just how important and valuable this skillset is at Freshminds - our clients know what a superpower it is in our consultants. And so, we’ll keep flying the flag for this epic skill set because it’s not just important—it’s integral to the future of work.

The dot-connectors, strategists, and operators—these are often the magicians behind solving today’s biggest challenges in organisations. And you better believe they’re the kind of folk who will roll up their sleeves and get the job done. With so many unknowns ahead, they might quickly become the type of skillset you'll struggle to live without.

Massive shout out to Milly Tamati, Ece Kurtaraner and the GW team for a fantastic evening, and to the rest of the panel Adwoa Osei, Neda Sahebelm and Nikita Khandwala - I learnt so much sitting next to you (an honour!) and hearing your golden nuggets of wisdom.

#Generalists #FutureofWork

Favourite takeaway :
How do you get true innovation when everyone thinks the same way? You need fresh perspectives to challenge the status quo. If you only hire people who are like you and think like you, you can't objectively claim you've found the best solution (you'll likely reach a local minima).

Without diverse viewpoints, you won't see beyond the obvious. Consider how bringing new minds into the room can accelerate progress and help your team discover breakthrough solutions.

Great insights in data/metrics, fractional roles, "always being ready", high performing orgs and your "minimum viable offer" as a generalist.

All star panel hosted by Generalist World 🌀 and Freshminds to discuss: The Power of Generalists in a World That Won’t Sit Still
Neda Sahebelm - Fractional COO, Founder, and Scale Expert
Adwoa Osei - Chief of Staff & Transformation Lead
Suzy Lockwood - Head of Growth, Founder & COO
Facilitated by Nikita Khandwala - Head of Partnerships & XIR

Ever wonder what happens when you give a spark of an idea to a bunch of generalists?

That’s exactly what we did two weeks ago for International Generalist Day, and we pulled off something amazing. Over 1,000 people from 20+ countries came together to celebrate what it means to be a generalist.

The coolest part? There was no strict agenda. We didn’t need it. The right people, in the right space, at the right time—generalists work their magic that way.

From NYC to London, San Francisco to Sydney and beyond, the energy was electric. Panels, conversations, collaborations — the day was packed with insights that left everyone buzzing 🔥

For example, Siobhan Morrin from LinkedIn dropped the mic with some big stats:

65% of skills needed by 2030 will be completely different.

There’s been a 14% annual rise in employers ditching degrees and embracing skill-based hiring.

And the fastest-growing skill of 2023? Adaptability. Yeah, generalists, that’s our thing 🌀

But let’s not forget the magic that happened in NYC! We had spontaneous jam sessions popping up, people connecting across industries, and that electric feeling that you can only get when everyone in the room gets it. When you bring together a community that embraces multi-disciplinary thinking, it’s less about following the rules and more about creating something new together.

So, what happens when you take a seed of an idea and give it to generalists?

THIS 👇 This is what happens when you trust people to build something beyond titles, boxes, or labels.

International Generalist Day is just the beginning 👀

Shout out to all of our hosts (Matteo, Andrea, Ishita + more) the Generalist World 🌀 team (Nikita, Milly, Ece, Emily), our incredible attendees (Indra, Ruthie, Veronica, Rebecca, Efrem, Natasha, Francine), Drink LMNT who sponsored, Fabrik for hosting us and George Chen from New Category productions for this sweet recap 📹

When I first discovered the word 'generalist', my eyes lit up.

I've had so many wild experiences, picked up tons of diverse skills, and have a proven track record of getting s*** done - often learning on the job. And yet...

I struggled to explain my career, worried people might think "jack of all trades, master of none". I only mentioned the things I'm an expert in, often downplaying my experiences and the fact that I'm an expert learner and problem solver. I didn't own my story.

But then I discovered other 'generalists' and had a eureka moment.

Being great at LOTS of things is a feature, not a bug!

In fact, some of the most transformative innovators are generalists who combine insights from multiple fields! Look up the stories of Marie Curie, Leonardo da Vinci, Steve Jobs, Elon Musk, Roger Federer and Richard Branson.

Being a generalist is actually powerful! Especially post ChatGPT, where adaptability and cross-domain thinking are more important. I predict that we're not far from seeing billion dollar solopreneurs.

Does this resonate with you? If yes, check out Generalist World 🌀! The amazing Milly and her team have built an incredible community, amplifying generalists and helping them build better careers.

Yesterday, they organized a worldwide celebration of generalists #InternationalGeneralistDay, hosting 30 meetups globally, and I was happy to host the one in Berlin. (Congrats to Ece for coordinating all of this!)

Thanks to everyone who showed up and made this meetup a success, including Elina, Dominik, Zihan, Allison, Kasia, Olli, Ashton, Pavel, Stefan, Timur, Mackenzie, Mariana, Raj, Pragya and Irina. I had a great time!

My key takeaway from the meetup was: "There is no better story than your own."

I'm at a stage of my life where I fully embrace myself and have stopped trying to fit into a box. Let me tell you, it feels amazing! (and there is no box 😉 )

We made the first ever International Generalist Day happen 🙌🏻

The London chapter of this global gathering was so much fun, especially because I got to do my favourite event day role: greeting people and bringing them into the space with connection and a sense of community.

Full reflections coming soon, but for now a quick gratitude moment for;

🌀Generalist World 🌀 for bringing us together, with the huge vision of Milly Tamati and Ece Kurtaraner

🎓LIS: The London Interdisciplinary School for hosting us in their inspiring space

❤️The Fab Four hosting team: Nikita Khandwala Caine Chan, MPA Kinza Mahmud

🎤Our world class panel for advancing the global conversation on interdisciplinary leadership

🗒️Post-it notes for always being there when you need to create a quick sign or a skills marketplace

🫶🏻That special energy from a full room and a successful live event

Thank you everyone who came for helping us co-create such a special evening. Look out for a recap coming soon 😎

#internationalgeneralistday #eventmanagement #hosting #leadership

Generalist World 🌀 is truly onto something.

They’re around two years old and last night held 30 simultaneous events across the world for International Generalists Day.

They’ve got a waiting list definitely into the hundreds - possibly into the thousands - to join their community.

It’s no wonder when more and more people are identifying as generalists in their careers.

At x+why / LIS: The London Interdisciplinary School we heard from Ruth Morgan (UCL), Ed Fidoe (London Interdisciplinary School), Siobhan Morrin (LinkedIn) and Helen Tupper (Amazing If, Squiggly Careers).

My key takeaways were:

👉 A narrow set of expertise is not best suited to solve the shocks happening in the world. We’re seeing more and more shocks (financial crisis, Covid, war, gen AI) and longer-term slides (ecosystems collapse)

👉 Efficiency/specialisms create fragility - e.g. just in time manufacturing - if one link in the chain breaks, the whole process is threatened

👉 Career skills will change by 65% by 2030 due to generative AI (LinkedIn research)

👉 The climate and biodiversity emergency needs people who think across systems and see the interconnection between business, finance, climate, biodiversity

👉 This book which I’ve already started - Case for Nature by Siddarth Shrikanth

As someone who is a self-identified generalist with knowledge and training spanning journalism, marketing and sustainability, I embraced everything they had to say.

#Generalist #MarketingStrategist #SquigglyCareers

Happy #InternationalGeneralistDay 🌀

Met some curious, quirky, amazing #generalists today at the #Chicago meetup.

Folks who are strategic-doers, opportunity-makers and force-multipliers. It was great to connect with the dot-connectors and connect a few new dots of my own.

Thanks to Laura Buso, PMP for organizing, Tyler Sellhorn for showing us how to cheerlead, Hope Morley for the concise insight, and Ian Buchanan for bringing a fresh perspective.

Happy #InternationalGeneralistDay!

When I was little, I could never pick "who I wanted to be when I grew up." Now that I’m older, I still can't—and honestly, I’m okay with that! As someone who’s always been multidisciplinary, I’ve often felt like I’m floating between categories, never fully fitting into one box. At times, it can feel daunting, especially when the world seems to prioritize choosing a single path and sticking with it. But over time, I’ve come to realize that this ability to move between different areas of expertise isn’t a weakness—it’s actually a secret superpower. 💡

Being a generalist allows me to connect the dots across disciplines, stay curious, adapt to new challenges, and bring a fresh perspective to problems. In a world that’s constantly changing, versatility and the ability to see the bigger picture are more valuable than ever.

The future of work is all about flexibility, creativity, and lifelong learning—and that’s exactly where generalists thrive. We don’t just “dabble”—we integrate. As the fabulous Walter Watts once put it to me, "I would rather be a hummingbird than a jackhammer any day." ⭐

Happy 🌀#internationalgeneralistday

Career paths can be wonderfully unpredictable. 4 years ago, I bought "The Squiggly Career," seeking guidance on my non-linear path. 2 years later, I found my tribe at Generalist World 🌀.

Today, at a Generalist World event hosted by LIS: The London Interdisciplinary School, I met the book's author, Helen Tupper (Amazing If ) in person. It's amazing how life connects the dots over time!

Actual quote from last night: ‘I’ve never been in a room with more interesting people.’

That’s the magic of the Generalist World 🌀 community 😊

Out in the wild, it’s tough for generalists to navigate conversations when the first question is always, ‘What do you do?’ But when you remove that pressure and celebrate the awesomeness of being a generalist, the real magic happens.

Can’t wait to connect with more NYC-based generalists on September 18th for International Generalist Day! 🌀

s/o to Fabrik for hosting us 💙

If the thought of a #NetworkingEvent gives you the ick, you haven't experienced a Generalist World 🌀 gathering yet.

While we're renowned for our virtual speed networking events, our local meetups offer something truly special.

A huge shoutout to Lindsey Lerner for her fantastic job hosting our New York meetup yesterday! And a big thank you to Matteo Costa for his help and our friends at Fabrik for providing such a wonderful venue.

Want to be part of the next one? We're going global!

Check out our calendar to sign up for the #InternationalGeneralistDay event on September 18th in your city.

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Don't miss out! 🌐