International Generalist Day 2025

I can't believe it has been nearly a week since Bristol's first ever meet up for
#InternationalGeneralistDay part of a global celebration across 30+ countries and 80+locations.
The response was amazing! We were lucky - the rain cleared and some sunshine appeared for our meet up on Queens Square.

Thank you to everyone who joined the event and for making it a success. I met so many interesting people from such diverse backgrounds with squiggly careers and stories to share - I not only learnt a lot but I also left feeling like I had met people with stories that really resonated with me.
A celebration of curious minds, bridge builders and creative generalists who thrive outside of the box.

Thank you to my co-hosts Jess Bunyan and Helen Farmer - a truly collaborative effort to make this happen.

Big thanks to Milly Tamati, Ece Kurtaraner and Generalist World 🌀 for sparking this global celebration.

Late post- still worth sharing 🌀🎉

I hosted the International Generalist Day last week in Berlin, and met wonderful, kind, talented people who had such interesting stories to tell.

It always feels great to meet and chat about squiggly/ non-traditional careers without any judgement. Thank you to those of you who showed up and stayed for 2+ hours, despite the noisy venue :)

Hope to see you’ll and the others soon at the next Generalist World 🌀event!

A big thanks to Gregor. for his support and kindess always! Thanks to Ece, Sarah, Milly for the support from afar 💛

#generalist #community #IGD

🎉 Last Wednesday, we celebrated International Generalist Day 🌍

An amazing initiative by Generalist World 🌀that reminds us of the true value of those who don’t fit into just one box.
The Valencia event was beautifully hosted by Andreina Gómez Torres, who funnily enough, was also the first person to introduce me to the word “generalist” over a year ago.
And when she said it…something clicked on my mind instantly! 😍

Up until that point, both of us had sometimes questioned our potential.

Why?

Because our paths weren’t “linear” or “specialized” like most people’s.
While many professionals choose to focus on one field, one industry, or one area of expertise…
I’ve always taken a different route.

I’m the kind of person who learns fast and solves whatever needs or challenge, and my years working in China sharpened that ability like nothing else.
👉 One day I was buying a full production line of machinery,
👉 The next, sourcing fabrics in a local market,
👉 Then, organizing a fashion photoshoot so international brands could select the pieces they wanted to order.
👉 And later that same day, joining a dinner with visiting clients or suppliers.

For a long time, I thought of that versatility as just part of who I was. 😆
But over time, I’ve come to truly appreciate how valuable it is to be able to adapt, quickly understand new contexts, and move projects forward, no matter the scale.

It’s a mindset shaped by experience and driven by curiosity.
One that helps you navigate ambiguity, connect dots across industries, and make things happen when it matters most. 💡

Honestly? It’s a treasure. ✨

And that treasure is exactly what defines being a generalist! Not someone tied to one path, but someone able to move across many. Someone with range, resilience, and the ability to bring value and solutions where others might see complexity. 👀

That same mindset is what now allows me to support international companies as they navigate diverse and ever-evolving challenges in Spain.

What about you?

Do you consider yourself more of a #generalist or a specialist?

And how has that shaped your journey? 🍃

#InternationalGeneralistDay #TheGeneralistJourney #Valencia

Connectors. System Thinkers. Innovators. Translators.

Most of us are generalists, accept it or not. Even if you are a CEO of a multinational company or a seasoned entrepreneur or a committed working professional.

Connectors bring people together and build bridges that spark collaboration.

System Thinkers see patterns, understand complexity, and optimize how things work.

Innovators imagine new possibilities and push boundaries through creativity.

Translators turn complexity into clarity, ensuring ideas and people stay aligned.

Last week, we came together in Mumbai to celebrate International Generalist Day 2025.

The meetup brought together generalists from across domains including entrepreneurs, professionals, creators, and builders to meet, greet, and form authentic connections.

I also had the opportunity to host a short workshop on two important topics:

How to ask for professional help without hesitation
How to share your professional or life story authentically, whether virtually or in person

We explored blindspots that often hold us back and realized how much stronger we become when we share openly and connect honestly.

Here is to building a world where generalist in you is seen, valued, celebrated, and supported.

Thank you Milly Tamati Ece Kurtaraner Generalist World 🌀for standing up for this cause and creating a global movement.

A super casual, buzzing meetup with loooots of convos, laughter, new faces, friendly debates, fingerprint paints, coffees, and many more stories!
And that was exactly the energy and vibes at Kochi’s #IGD edition! 🌀

They say time flies when you’re with your people. And it fit perfecto!
We went 2+ hours past our planned wrap and had a great time!
Our gathering brought together a circle of all-men generalists who thrive on nonlinear paths, boundless curiosity, continuous learning, multiple passions, and rocking uncertainty.

Big shoutout to everyone who showed up and made it happen!
I owe it to y’all’s energy for getting me through my nervous host jitters!
Huge thanks to Arun at Adhira & Appa Coffee for making a last-minute venue change work in the rain!

It was such an honour to have been a first-time host at something this cool and aligning Generalist World 🌀! Super duper thanks to the cult mama Milly, the go-toers Ece, Sarah, & Emily for being the best cheerleaders, and the host fam that roots for each other BIG! 🌀🌍

#IGD #InternationalGeneralistDay #Kochi #Event #Networking #Generalist #CoffeeAndStories #CareerPaths #Community #PortfolioCareer

Dubai’s first International Generalist Day 🌀

Picture this: a table full of strangers in Dubai, talking about everything from PR to design to tech to food to the odd side projects we all secretly obsess over. Stories crisscrossing, ideas spilling over, laughter breaking the ice. It was messy, curious, energising, an eclectic mix of stories and thoughts and ideas and it was magic.

That was September 3rd, when Khusshboo Mehta and I hosted Dubai’s very first International Generalist Day gathering. More than 20 people showed up, and suddenly our little space felt like a bridge between worlds that don’t usually meet.

No stiff networking questions. No rehearsed elevator pitches. Just real conversations and that spark when someone says, “Oh, I’ve felt that too.”

I left buzzing. Not because we solved anything, but because it reminded me of something I tend to forget: being “all over the place” is not a flaw. That too-much-ness - the curiosity, the many hats, the love for wandering across disciplines is actually the good stuff. It’s what makes us #generalists.

So here’s to building more of these tables in Dubai, and to the people who make them possible. Thank you to everyone who came, and to Ece Kurtaraner & Milly Tamati for sparking the Generalist World 🌀.

It's not very often that I've found professional spaces, communities or networks where I felt like I fitted quite right. I've usually felt stronger connections to individuals who I've found along the way who are also a bit like me, operating between disciplines, on the edges of things, doing the 'career thing' in a non-traditional way - one that's a bit hard to explain. So it's usually a sense of feeling like the odd one out - the minority.

On Wednesday I went to an #InternationalGeneralistDay #IGD meet up in Edinburgh as part of my new-ish journey to understand what it means to be a Generalist (aka 𝗇̶𝗈̶𝗍̶ ̶𝖺̶ ̶𝗌̶𝗉̶𝖾̶𝖼̶𝗂̶𝖺̶𝗅̶𝗂̶𝗌̶𝗍̶). I didn't know anyone else there, and didn't really know what to expect but conversation was so easy and there were so many things we had in common.

It was so weird to hear private thoughts and experiences I've had throughout my education and working life said almost word for word back to me through the mouths of strangers. In this room my perspective and experience was reflected by the majority.

I've collated some of the things I heard in the room, combined with my own words in the image below incase anyone else resonates and just needed the right words to explain it. Thanks to Agnese Sardella & Kelly Ling for organising, and Generalist World 🌀& Milly Tamati for creating this community.

Big week, but absolutely worth it! 🎉 Had two incredible events in the VEED Office this week from two great communities in the London Tech space. Started with the International Generalist Day meetup with Milly Tamati from Generalist World 🌀 on Wednesday! Never have I hosted an event that just felt like friends hanging out. For those who don’t know, “generalist" is a term used for those who don’t fit into the classic career box. A problem-solver who’s not tied to one specialty — they adapt to whatever’s needed. I didn’t even know it, but now I would consider myself a generalist! Thanks to everyone who came out, especially battling the monsoon to get here! 🫠

Sometimes life throws me some pretty solid curveballs, and I am incredibly thankful that I've got a great support crew to step in and fill in the blanks when I can't. This week life threw me a COVID curveball 🤦‍♂️

Wednesday we celebrated #internationalgeneralistday around the world, including here in Los Angeles. Because my co-hosts Mary Tan, Sofia DeMay and Najva Sol are such rockstars the LA x Part & Parcel IGD event went on without me and a happy group of generalists got to connect. It was a great reminder that every endeavor is always much better when you have a team working on it with you.

Thank you to all who attended, I hope to see you all at the next LA event 🙂

HUGE thanks to Jon Muth at Unbound Brews for not only letting us borrow their space, but for being a fellow founder I can always lean on!

A big shout out to Generalist World 🌀 for organizing this and continuing to be an amazing outlet for generalists to connect year-round all across the globe.

Turns out being “all over the place” is exactly the point. Recife proved it. 🌀🇧🇷

Imagine a table where every conversation jumps from one world to another… careers, passions, ideas, all tangled up in the best way. That was us. No networking awkwardness, no “so, what do you do?”, just pure curiosity and “wow, me too!” vibes.

Honestly, it felt like permission to be exactly who we are: multi-hyphenated and endlessly curious.

I hosted International Generalist Day here and my brain is still buzzing. Hosting reminded me that our “too much-ness” isn’t too much at all, it’s the good stuff.

Thanks to all the participants for the great energy that was brought to Recife’s first IGD and the Generalist World 🌀 Ece Kurtaraner Milly Tamati

Community creates connection, and connection creates value and that’s exactly what #InternationalGeneralistDay was all about. 🌀

With 80+ events in 30+ countries, generalists around the world came together to celebrate our squiggly paths. In London, I was lucky enough to support two incredible meetups with Generalist World 🌀

🥐 Event 1: Canva Breakfast
Milly was there (I was low-key fangirling) and we got to see Mildred in action, blending silliness with seriousness in a way that brought everyone out of their shell and show up authentically. Along with Romona, supporting as well.

🍜 Event 2: Ramen Club
My first time facilitating a public event, and I couldn’t have asked for a better co-host than Marta. Despite classic English weather, 12 generalists turned up, the perfect number for small group chats.

Our theme was getting to know each other beyond your elevator pitch. We skipped the “So, what do you do?” and kicked off with Human Bingo. Then came Curiosity Marketplace, a space to share offers, asks, and unexpected insights.

🗣️ People didn’t want to stop talking. It felt like a space where everyone’s unique path had room to be seen, heard, and celebrated.

🎁 And when hometime came, everyone got their very own instant ramen pot.

🤩 Thanks Ece, Milly, and Sarah for making it happen and everyone who came.

We missed you, Charlie, but Solomon was a great stand-in.

Here’s to more meetups, more magic, and more moments like this.

✨ Generalists thrive when they connect, and Generalists in Yerevan proved it.

On September 3rd, 40 Generalists and Specialists gathered at AI9 Startup Campus to celebrate the first-ever #InternationalGeneralistDay in #Yerevan.

It was an evening full of inspiring ideas and interesting questions that sparked real connections and meaningful conversations. 🌀

We were not just united in that room by the same idea, but also connected with hundreds of Generalists from all over the world. Similar meetups happened all over the world across 34+ countries and 88+ cities. 🌐

The conversations were so interesting and engaging that we stayed an hour longer than it was planned
- What makes someone a Generalist in today’s world
- Being a Specialist vs. Generalist vs. Specialist-Generalist
- How AI is shifting the demand for problem-solvers who can operate across domains
- And the personal journeys that led us to embrace our “squiggly careers”

A HUGE THANK YOU to everyone who made this possible:

Milly Tamati and Ece Kurtaraner, Sarah Agopian-Khalifé — for organizing International Generalist Day and turning it into a global movement 🌎

Arik Akhverdyan, Roza K., and the entire AI9 Startup Campus team — for opening their doors and creating a friendly and warm environment for this meetup. 🏰

Julieta Simonyan — for co-hosting with me and helping organize the event so smoothly. 🦸‍♀️

Ramiro Oosting — for providing thoughtful feedback on my presentation and coming up with the 4 stages of the generalist journey that sparked more discussion 4️⃣

Davit Hovhannisyan — for capturing the event and creating memories with great photos. 📸

📚 If, for some reason, you missed the meetup and are interested to learn more about Generalists, you can also find the resources we shared during the event here: lnkd.in/d9pk3kcg

This was more than just a meetup — it was proof that Generalists thrive when they connect, share, and learn from each other. 🌍

The biggest insight I walked away with is that organizations miss out on enormous potential when they don’t fully embrace Generalists in their operations and leadership. The skills to connect dots, manage across domains, and innovate in the gaps are too valuable to ignore. My hope is that this kind of meetup becomes a catalyst for change—helping Generalists find their place where they’re needed most.

Thank you to everyone who joined and supported — your energy and presence made this gathering truly special, and together we proved that Generalists can shape the future by connecting, learning, and creating side by side.

#WorldNeedsMoreGeneralists #IGD

My spirit animal? A deep diver squirrel! 🤿 🐿️

That's what I discovered during International Generalist Day 🌀 in Frankfurt. Seven of us gathered in a cozy café. Complete strangers from various industries, continents, and languages. All summoned by the Generalist World 🌀 call.

We kicked things off with "What's your generalist story?" and, honestly, I wasn't expecting this ice breaker to be so effective. The connections were instant. People's faces lit up hearing their own experiences reflected back.
One person said (I think this was from a book they read):
"Curious people collect bits of knowledge like squirrels collect nuts" 🌰 🐿️
(Do you mean frantically?? Because that's how I do it! 😅 )

Other analogies popped up: scanners with wide-reaching arms, but also serial deep divers who jump from one obsession to the next. At the heart of it? A deep, deep sense of curiosity.

But being a generalist also comes with struggles. Sometimes people don't see the value that we bring, sometimes we don't know how to frame it when applying for jobs. We connect dots, see patterns others miss, translate between worlds, and shape holistic solutions.

There's something powerful about curious minds finding each other. Check the big smiles in the photo if you don't believe me. I am beyond happy for having hosted this event, and also proud for putting myself out there for the unexpected.

Thank you so much to everyone that joined! 🤗 I hope we cross paths again soon 😊

And thanks to Milly Tamati, Ece Kurtaraner, and the whole group of IGD hosts. It was great to be each other's cheerleaders for this 🎊

#InternationalGeneralistDay #IGD #Frankfurt

We had a small but mighty crew come out for Seattle's first #InternationalGeneralistDay🌀🌎 event yesterday!

(It was also the first professional event I hosted IRL!)

It was a casual meetup at one of my favorite Seattle breweries, where we had great conversations around career transitions, how AI is impacting the workforce, and the advantage of being a generalist in our work.

Thank you to Amanda Hutton-Grover, Mariangela Zanchetta (M.A.), and Aila Frishman for participating, and to Ece Kurtaraner, Milly Tamati, and the rest of the Generalist World 🌀 team for organizing these global events!

✨ You know you're having a good time when you lose track of it 🌀

Yesterday, for International Generalist Day, I hosted a picnic that turned out to be beautifully serendipitous — this time, it was all women.

Time flew by as our conversations about each of our journeys unfolded, and here are some common threads I noticed:
🌀 Squiggly paths are not rare — they’re the norm across cultures
🌀A lot of people with the lifelong learning and curiosity mindset end up being generalist!
🌀 Many of us share the same challenges: balancing too many passions at once, navigating the fog of what’s next, finding language to describe our nonlinear journeys, and searching for opportunities that truly fit.

And yet, there’s so much strength in these winding paths. Being a generalist is not about lacking focus — it’s about weaving connections, seeing possibilities others can’t, and holding courage in uncertainty.

S/o to Brechtje, Abra, Federica, Cecilia, Leslie, Kalima, Stella, Teresa, Baillie, Laura, Mizgin & Kasia for bringing your beautiful energy and snacks to the meetup!

Thanks Milly, Ece and Sarah for making this happen!! Generalist World 🌀 ✨

If you’re building spaces for learning, collaboration, or community and want someone who can bring cohesion to diverse threads as a manager or hold space as a host, I’d love to connect. Let’s create environments where nonlinear journeys are not just welcomed — they’re celebrated.

#InternationalGeneralistDay #CommunityBuilding #Generalists #FutureOfWork #WomenWhoLead

What an unforgettable day. 🌀

On International Generalist Day, I had the privilege of co-hosting the Karachi meetup alongside the amazing Hamza Ali🔥🚀 and Zeeshan Ahmed. Out of 90+ locations across 35 countries, ours was the only one in Pakistan, and I couldn’t be prouder to have celebrated it here.

What struck me most wasn’t the size of the group or the agenda, it was the feeling of meeting people who truly “get it.” Generalists often walk squiggly career paths that don’t fit neatly into one box, and yet in this room, every story felt familiar, every experience resonated.

We laughed, shared our journeys, and found comfort in knowing we’re part of something bigger, a global movement that’s reimagining what careers can look like when curiosity and versatility take the lead.

Grateful for the chance to connect, reflect, and celebrate with such a vibrant community. Here’s to embracing our squiggly paths together.

Generalist World 🌀
#InternationalGeneralistDay

✨ Last night we hosted the very first Generalists’ Meetup in Milan!

It was inspiring to connect with people from such diverse backgrounds, each bringing unique stories and interests. A reminder that paths don’t always have to follow a straight line, and that there’s real strength in exploring different things.

Of course, the magic of a true Milanese aperitivo helped spark great conversations and connections 🍹

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us! It was such a pleasure meeting you all. And thank you Maria for being such a great co-host. Can’t wait to do this again!

Let’s keep in touch 🫶

Generalist World 🌀 #InternationalGeneralistDay

Happy International Generalist Day everyone! 🎉

Today, there were IRL community events held in 88 cities around the globe (!!!) commemorating this new world we’re now living in - one in which the nature of being a ‘generalist’ is sought after and even celebrated.

What has historically been a bug is now starting to be considered a valued feature! And businesses of all shapes and sizes are beginning to understand that value, thanks to the help of the Generalist World 🌀 community that’s championing this global movement almost all on their own.

When I was asked if I’d host the Toronto ‘IGD’ event, I was immediately 100% IN! And what a wonderful event it turned out to be 👏

So many deeply fascinating, multi-passionate generalist people all together in one room - insanely good vibes, and a wild variety of interesting conversations. Doesn’t get any better than this.

Thanks to everyone who attended, and thanks to GW for having the boldness to dream up this day that has become a global phenomenon. Clearly you're onto something big that resonates with a ton of people.

People with broad skillsets can more easily pivot, adapt, and transfer knowledge and they're less vulnerable to #automation because they reinvent themselves.

#Innovation emerges at the nexus of different fields. Spotting these intersections positions creative generalists more likely to be inventors and innovators.

Companies increasingly need people who can translate between teams and departments, support #changemanagement, understand multiple perspectives, and synthesize information from diverse sources.

If you ordinarily connect the dots across multiple disciplines, you might be a generalist.

If you're the person they always ask to figure it out, you might be a generalist.

Your era has come. The world needs your curiosity and capabilities more than ever.

Chicago celebrates generalists everyday and especially on International Generalist Day! If you missed us today, we'll be back on November 19 - registration link in the comments.

Generalist World 🌀

I'm still buzzing with energy after yesterday - as Milly put it, I'm definitely feeling that "IGD hangover" today!

Yesterday was International Generalist Day and we celebrated it with an event in London, hosted at the beautiful Canva office.

I know, I know - it might look like I’m recycling photos and inventing events because I was just here a few weeks ago… but I promise I’m not. I’m just a little obsessed with this community and will take any chance I can to spend more time around them. 🌱

A huge highlight was finally meeting Milly in real life (yes, I was fangirling).

And shoutout to Mildred - the creativity and originality she brought to the networking rounds were phenomenal. You really know how to spice up conversations and facilitate a vibe that makes people open up. 👏

Big kudos also to Ece, Emily and Sarah for the incredible work they’re doing behind the scenes. This year IGD was truly on fire 🔥 - pulling together something that feels so effortless yet so impactful is no small feat.

And then, of course, the people. I reconnected with familiar faces, met new ones, and deepened friendships that already feel like home. 💫

Huge thanks to Georgia and Ramona for cultivating such a welcoming atmosphere. Every time I leave one of these gatherings, I feel energised, inspired, and reminded that being a generalist isn’t about doing everything but connecting dots, sharing generously, and building momentum together.

What a morning it was. 🌍✨

The first Philadelphia #InternationalGeneralistDay was a success! We had a lovely gathering of interesting, curious people with squiggly careers.

We spent the first half connecting as people over shared interests--no titles, industries, or companies required.

Then we compared our squiggly careers and, unsurprisingly, had a lot in common. Many notes were taken, many laughs were shared, and new connections were made.

Thank you Generalist World 🌀for creating #IGD and allowing Philadelphia to be part of it 🎉

Thank you Indy Hall for hosting 🔥

Thank you Laura S., Luis Cielak, Jill Ozovek, Karen Robinson, and Nora for showing up 🙌

Can't wait to do it all again soon!

Being a generalist isn’t a job title. It’s a mindset.

And yesterday, people all over the world came together to celebrate exactly that.

Last year, someone in our community said:
"Why don’t we just organize a day for generalists?"

Fast-forward → 25+ cities joined in 2024.

This year? 88+ cities across 35+ countries.

From Australia to Armenia, South Africa to Singapore, Mexico to the Netherlands and everywhere in between.

What makes IGD special is that every event looked different:
- A walk in the park here
- A picnic there
- Slide decks in some places, board games in others

(looking at you Vera Lakmaker and Albert Chobanyan 😜 )

But the heart of it all was the same: connect curious minds, celebrate bridge-builders, and gather the people who love to “just do things.”

Yesterday in Amsterdam, we had a blast celebrating with our crew (huge thanks to the team + venue Buurman & Buurman De With🍕).

So here’s to the fixers, the dot-connectors, and the bridge-builders everywhere.

Thanks Ece Kurtaraner Milly Tamati Sarah Agopian-Khalifé for making it happen.

And tnx to dream team Madalina Buzdugan Arijana Radic and Leticia Orcel Bordoni for making it happen here 💫

Loved seeing some familair faces like Mark Wormgoor and Lennart Verhoeven and equally loved hearing all the story's from new faces like Miguel Mira and Naviin Prabhu.

International Generalist Day 2025 → done.

And we’re only getting started. 🌀

Had such a great time at the Ottawa Generalist Day meet-up yesterday! It’s not every day you get to be in a room where pivots and winding paths aren’t just accepted, they’re celebrated.

💛 Big thanks to Julie Lavergne for hosting such a welcoming and energizing space. Shoutout to the team at Generalist World 🌀for coordinating this global celebration. Proof that detours really do make the best stories!

Global community building at its finest - joining in from The Hague to celebrate International Generalist Day✨

Instead of struggling to answer "so what do you do?" with one word or phrase, this was a day to share and embrace all the hats we're wearing, professionally and personally.

Surrounded by people who also love to do many things in life, it was truly a joy to meet people whose paths don't fit neat, linear boxes either.

That's community building to me: facilitating the 'finally, my people' moments ✨

Thanks Ilkay, Sunayana, Fleur, Chris, Lena, Joachim, Nathan and Laura for joining the meetup as part of the Generalist World 🌀 celebration!


---
👋 Hi, I'm Kelly. With The Adaptation Company I help shape how purpose-led organisations work and engage - wearing 4 different hats at the same time like a true generalist.

Here's the very first gathering I attended in the first week of my presence on this land, The Hague. Along with thousands of generalists, who met in 88 different locations across 34 countries, we shared energy-filled conversations about "What it is to be a Generalist?". Whilst enjoying the intercultural delicious food, we celebrated our creative, divergent, and beautifully squiggly career paths.

Thank you for bringing us together Kelly!

Generalist World 🌀 's Queens Milly and Ece, keep rocking!

#InternationalGeneralistDay

(3 locals + 1 nomad) x Mocktails x Curiosity = Generalist Magic ✨
🌀Last night, four incredible minds gathered in Denver for an intimate conversation that reminded me why Generalists are the unsung heroes of the modern world. 🎉 Alyssa Clark Reese Quinn Elias Abraham Parker

We dove deep into the art and science of being the connective tissue in organizations  — those who shoulder the emotional labor of bridging visionaries with reality, translating ambitious dreams into actionable processes, and holding space for both breakthrough moments and necessary pivots. Another top-of-mind topic that particularly resonated: how we're evolving our relationship with AI from treating agents as digital interns to cultivating them as genuine thought partners 🦾
The underlying thread of our chat revolved around belonging. True belonging isn't about fitting in or checking boxes — it's about being truly seen and heard with all our intersecting identities, our beautiful complexity, and yes, our imperfections. When we show up authentically, we give others permission to do the same 🌈
We also explored something rarely discussed in professional circles: how to weave the wisdom from our mistakes into new relationships and opportunities. Embracing potential failures isn't pessimism — it's courage 🦸🏼‍♀️

To my fellow generalists: your ability to see patterns across disciplines, to translate between worlds, and to hold multiple truths simultaneously isn't just valuable — it's essential. Keep connecting the dots that others can't see. 🎉

If you’re a proud Generalist and can’t wait till the next meetup – show me your Bingo Card!

Generalist World 🌀
#InternationalGeneralistDay

🌀 🌍 Our first #InternationalGeneralistDay meetup in Portland OR!

Special thank you to Kristin Hansbrook (Hansen) for co-hosting with me last night and working so hard to make this a success. It's been a special pleasure to collaborate and I hope it's just the beginning!

We had a wonderful conversation over the course of several hours about what it means to have a squiggly career. 🔥 Some folks were just beginning the journey of what it means to describe ourselves as generalists and there was spirited discussion about what kind of future we can make when we see ourselves this way.

My sincerest hoped-for outcome was people leaving with each other's business cards in their pockets and plans to meet again, and so it was! I'm so excited to hang out with each and every one of these delightful new friends in the coming days and weeks!

Thank you Ece and Milly for making this possible, Hawthorne Asylum for hosting 🌯 and everyone for attending. Generalists Unite!

Generalist World 🌀

International Generalist Day was so much fun yesterday. Thank you Generalist World 🌀 for creating a holiday to celebrate the best kind of people 😉! In the Boston area, I held a co-working & happy hour meetup and boy did folks show up and show out.

🚘 People came from Maine & Rhode Island!
📈 Heard from at least 3 founders about their startups
🙋‍♀️ Connected with other Generalists who all similarly felt so seen by this community!
🧠 Swapped ideas and resources
📚 Heard about an impending book launch
📰 Signed up for the launch of a new community & substack
💻 And got some work done too

Thank you to everyone who came! Patrick Therriault, Leah H. Keller, MPH, Rebecca Anders, Lauren Rugani, Margie Bell, Claudia M. Grasso, MBA, PMP, Sam P., Lekha Puri, Linda Alexander, Julie M. Murray, Sid Desai

And thank you to Sarah Agopian-Khalifé who introduced me to Generalist World with a meetup in the Spring! Wish you could have been there!

What an incredible evening celebrating generalists and squiggly, non-linear career experiences here in Perth! 🌍🌀

A big thank you to everyone who showed up, brought such positive energy and shared their stories at our inaugural Perth International Generalist Day event for Generalist World 🌀.

Someone mentioned to me towards the end of the night that they weren't really sure what to expect when arriving but were pleasantly surprised after finding themselves immersed in deep conversations across a bunch of wild and diverse topics - exactly what being a generalist is all about!

There's something magical about being in a room full of people who just 'get it'. It's often difficult for generalists feeling the pressure to specialise when every bone in their body knows it doesn't feel quite right for them. Sometimes the box is just too small to contain all our amazing interconnected skillsets.

Being part of a global celebration spanning 80+ locations worldwide this year felt surreal, all simultaneously coming together to make meaningful connections and embrace our range.

Looking forward to hosting more events here in Perth in the near future. If you're interested in attending our next generalist meet-up, get in touch!

#InternationalGeneralistDay
Ece Kurtaraner Milly Tamati Kate Spencer Generalist World 🌀

My new favorite ritual is trying to fit all the lovely group photos from #InternationalGeneralistDay meetups into collages. I managed to squeeze in about half of them - almost impossible to fit all 88 meetups that happened across 34 countries yesterday.

It's like post-Christmas morning opening gifts - except I never celebrated Christmas lol, I'm Turkish - so maybe birthday morning opening presents?

But also it lasts 24+ hours because photos and celebrations started dropping into our IGD hosts group the night before till next day 4AM. From Australia to Singapore to Thailand to India to Armenia to Europe to South Africa and UK and then to US and Mexico and Paraguay... the list keeps going 🌍

What can I say - this is a peak community power moment for me.

97+ volunteer hosts supported each other to make this happen. 🫶 I don't have enough words in my vocab to express my gratitude. These people carved out time from their busy lives, found venues, welcomed strangers, created magic in their cities.

And big shout to Sarah Agopian-Khalifé for having my back and keeping everything organized - helped me not lose my calm when I was drowning in spreadsheets and WhatsApp notifications 😅

Watching generalists find their people in real life, in person, around the world... on the same day... just because Milly and I made this day up last year?

Everything is made up. Connections are real.
Community is bigger than the sum of its parts. 🌀

Today is International Generalist Day.

And as a VA, I’m proud to say: I’m a generalist.

When I started out, everyone told me to niche. To “pick a lane.” To specialise.
But the truth is, being a generalist is my superpower.

It means I can:

🧩 Adapt quickly to different industries
🔎 Spot connections others might miss
🪄 Bring order to chaos across multiple areas of a business
🎯 Help clients see the bigger picture while still getting the details right

Some weeks, I’m diving into marketing. Others, it’s events, business development, or project management.

Can this make my messaging difficult? Perhaps.

But that mix is what makes the work exciting and is what makes me valuable to my clients.

So today, I’m celebrating the people who wear many hats, run with their curiosity, and thrive in the grey space between disciplines.

Generalists aren’t “unfocused.” We’re connectors. Problem-solvers. Strategists. With an excellent hat collection.

And the world (and business) needs more of us.

Happy International Generalist Day!

It’s a day that celebrates those of us with “squiggly careers”, “a career doesn't fit in a neat box” and cross-disciplinary thinking.

As a journalist, blogger, event host, podcast presenter, social media manager, TikToker and probably some other stuff I’ve forgotten, I salute my fellow squiggly generalists!

Generalist World 🌀 #InternationalGeneralistDay #generalist

Have you ever felt like your career doesn’t fit into a straight line?

That’s exactly what being a generalist feels like, and today, on International Generalist Day, I want to celebrate that journey.

Inspired by Jenny Orlova, I reflected on my own path, which has taken me from:
📰 Journalism and magazine editing
🎤 PR, events, and marketing
💫 Fashion, Startups, volunteering
💻 Communications, tech writing, and editing
🌍 Across industries like media, publishing, oil & gas, science, the UN, academia, data science and tech.

The thread that connects all of this is a passion for communications with impact. Whether telling a story, building visibility, or creating meaningful connections, being a generalist isn’t about lacking focus. It’s about bridging worlds, connecting dots, and adapting to new challenges with creativity.

Generalists bring breadth, resilience, and fresh perspectives. In today’s complex world, that’s not just valuable, it’s essential.

Here’s to all the generalists making a difference today!

Today I had the joy of hosting Canberra’s very first International Generalist Day meet-up 🌏🌀

As a connector at heart, I loved bringing together a small group of curious, creative humans to share stories, swap career paths, and celebrate the many hats we wear.

It was a windy, cool day here on Ngunnawal and Ngambri Country, but getting outside, moving our bodies, and learning about each other’s squiggly careers made it so worth it! The coffee + banana bread pit stop in the sun didn’t hurt either ☕🍌🍞

What struck me most was how quickly people found common ground, even with such different backgrounds. That’s the magic of being a generalist - we thrive at the intersections.

Big thanks to Jennifer Faerber, Simon Le, Tim Dingwall, Mark Chenery, Claire Toepfer, Caterina Giorgi, and Damien Letcher for coming along.

And shout out to Generalist World 🌀 for sparking this global celebration across 30+ countries and 80+ cities today. I’m already looking forward to the next one!

#InternationalGeneralistDay #Canberra #IGD #Generalist #Australia