It’s a harmless question. 

But if you’re someone who wears multiple hats, it can feel like being handed a microphone in front of a live audience and you have 30 seconds to sum up your entire life.

You might do a 9-5 job during the day, run a small business on the side, and moonlight as a consultant or content creator when everyone else is winding down. But when you try to explain all of that, it all comes out like a ramble.

This is the little challenge of being a multi-hyphenate: you’ve got a whole range, but networking spaces aren’t always set up for people like you. You end up shape-shifting depending on the event, the people, or even the vibe of the room. If this sounds like you, read on! 

A lot of us wear multiple hats or have a side hustle.

That’s not the problem. The problem is figuring out how to talk about those hats in a way that makes sense to the person in front of you. This guide is for you if your LinkedIn headline can’t fit everything you do, or if you've ever wished you could clone yourself just to keep your online bios organised.

Before you start rewriting your bio for the hundredth time, pause!! Try thinking critically with these questions for a start: 

What’s the common thread between all the things you do? What’s the theme that runs through your work, even if the roles are different?

Maybe you’re someone who builds systems, solves creative problems, or helps people tell better stories? That’s your anchor! When you lead with that, the rest will fall into place. So, something like this can summarise you and your work: “I help early-stage brands stand out through design, content, or strategy, depending on what they need.”

Go give it a try! 

Filter. You don’t need to show every part of yourself at every event.

At a startup mixer? Lead with your product or tech angle.

Talking to other creatives? Share the freelance or storytelling side.

Pitching for clients? Talk about results, not your resume.

Networking is like storytelling: who you’re talking to shapes how you tell it. However, this doesn’t mean your other roles disappear. They’re still there, but they don’t need to all be in the spotlight at once. Simply curate a version of yourself that fits the moment!

Find tools that support the way you work.

Why? Because it saves you time, energy, and the headache of juggling so many things at once!

When you’re juggling multiple roles, consultant, founder, designer, maker, marketer, you need clarity.

The right tool doesn’t just help you “stay organised.” It helps you:

• Present the right version of yourself at the right time

• Keep your identities distinct but easy to manage

• Avoid constantly rewriting bios or explaining everything from scratch

Networking gets way easier when you’re not trying to cram your entire work life into one link. Invest in a tool that works for you. That’s how you stay clear, credible, and way less stressed.

👉 Want a tool that does exactly that? Check out One Good Card.

With One Good Card’s Multi-Profile Display, you can create and switch between multiple digital profiles, all from a single digital business card. It’s an easy way to showcase different sides of what you do and connect with the right people, every time.

Put your elevator pitch aside for now. Let's think of a short introduction you can tweak depending on who you’re talking to.

Example:

“I work with small business owners to help them clarify their message through brand strategy and content design.”

It’s short, visual, and flexible. And it leaves room for someone to ask you to share more.

When in doubt? Ask more questions.

You don’t need to do a full download of everything you do right away. Start by finding out what they’re into. What projects are they working on? What kind of people are they hoping to meet? This gives you a better sense of what part of your story will actually land and it makes the conversation feel more like… a conversation.

Having multiple businesses, side hustles, or career chapters isn’t something to hide or downplay. It’s a sign of depth, creativity, and growth. Being good at more than one thing is a feature. But like any great feature, it needs thoughtful UX, aka, a clearer way to tell your story.

So instead of shrinking yourself to fit the room, find ways to show up with clarity. The goal is to make your multi-hyphenate life feel less of a mess and more like a well-designed system.

When you have tools that represent each version of you clearly, you take the pressure off, too!