La Lucci

What would change for you if a layoff tomorrow didn’t rattle your career—or your bank account? In Your AI Roadmap, Dr. Joan Palmiter Bajorek argues that the real moat in the age of AI isn’t a single job or a single skill; it’s a people-first, portfolio-based career paired with a resilient, multi-stream money system. She contends that you can “future‑proof” both career and income by combining mindset work, strategic networking, sharp personal branding, and project proof with a modern, diversified approach to finances—so you can thrive no matter how the technology shifts.

At its core, the book is a two-part playbook. Part 1 shows you how to build a career flywheel in AI’s turbulent labor market: think thought work to tame the inner saboteur, the WOOP goal method to turn hopes into executable plans, an 80/15/5 recipe that weights people over everything else, a personal brand that travels with you, and storytelling frameworks (STAR) that translate past work into future opportunities. Part 2 retools your money: move beyond the single paycheck; Know, Grow, and Be in Control; invest with simple, boring, diversified ETFs; calculate your financial independence (FI) number; and expand revenue with side streams and scalable digital offers (PSS Framework: Product, Sales, Stay the course).

Why this matters now

AI is accelerating volatility: 69 million jobs created and 83 million eliminated in five years (World Economic Forum). Bajorek—a PhD in multimodal AI, founder of the nonprofit Women in Voice, and an AI entrepreneur who’s been through layoffs—argues that your safety net is no longer a single employer. It’s your network, your brand, your visible portfolio of wins, and your personal balance sheet. The book takes aim at the old promise—“work hard, keep your head down”—and replaces it with evidence-backed tactics: weak ties drive job mobility; long-term diversified investing beats cash hoarding; and one steady W‑2 is a fragile plan in a world where CEOs can let 30% of a company go in a day.

Part 1 preview: building a people-powered career

You begin with mindset (imposter syndrome, inner saboteur), reframe with thought work, and anchor your direction with Ikigai (your “reason to wake up in the morning”) and WOOP (Wish, Outcome, Obstacle, Plan). Then Joans’s signature career recipe—80% People, 15% Projects, 5% Skills—redirects your time to what actually moves the needle. You’ll see how coffee chats, double-opt-in intros, and LinkedIn content surface real jobs (Marion’s 55 coffee chats post-Amazon layoff; Taylor’s anonymous referral from his dad’s friend). You craft a personal brand (inspired by Aliza Licht of DKNY PR GIRL), professionalize LinkedIn and your email signature, and package your proof with the STAR method so hiring managers (and collaborators) immediately grasp your impact.

You’ll also get a sober view of “AI jobs.” Bajorek analyzed 200k+ LinkedIn listings: most were entry or mid-senior, mostly in the U.S., and heavy on data/engineering and customer roles. She explains salary transparency gaps and why coffee chats with hiring managers beat spraying résumés. And she dispels the myth that everyone needs to code (even NVIDIA’s Jensen Huang suggests fewer will need to)—but you do need to understand data, workflows, and how AI ties to business value.

Part 2 preview: making money a second engine

The money playbook starts with a simple, powerful system: Know (your money in/out, cash flow, emergency fund), Grow (expand income streams; invest in ETFs; target your FI number), and Be in Control (review cadence, insurance, wills, password manager). You’ll move from saving-only to investing (why 10 years of $833/month becomes ~44% larger if invested vs. parked at 0%); learn how diversification via ETFs like Vanguard’s VOO gives you exposure to 500+ companies; and see long-term data showing risk plummets when you stay invested 8–20 years.

Then you’ll expand income. Bajorek reveals her 22 income streams (from W‑2 to advisory equity, courses, speaking, affiliate links, real estate, ETFs, and startup investments) and gives you the PSS Framework to scale to $1M revenue: choose a Product, do Sales with a simple flywheel (social + webinar + email), and Stay the course for 24 months. You’ll learn to avoid “pineconing” (polishing busywork while dodging fear), differentiate revenue from profit (and protect your margins), and choose quick-cash options ethically if you need a launch stake.

The bigger horizon

Running through the book is a democratizing thesis: wealth is a lever for agency, especially for those historically excluded from it. Bajorek foregrounds stories of Arlan Hamilton (from food stamps to VC), Pinky Cole (Slutty Vegan to $100M valuation), Dorie Clark (seven revenue streams), and others to show you that money is a tool, not a taboo. The point isn’t yachts; it’s “inner calm”—time, choice, and the power to walk away. The destination is financial independence tailored to your life, plus a growth mindset that keeps you evolving. In short, your best hedge in an AI world is a human one: community, credibility, compounding—of relationships, of proof, and of capital.

Bajorek starts where most career books end: inside your head. If you’re battling imposter syndrome or a snarky inner voice (“the saboteur,” as RuPaul calls it), you’ll sabotage outreach, understate your impact, and stay stuck. The antidote is thought work—consciously reframing the story you tell yourself—and tying your effort to purpose (Ikigai) and a research-backed change framework (WOOP).

Rewriting the tape: thought work

Bajorek shows before-and-after statements that change the posture of your search. “I’m scared of losing my job” becomes “AI will transform work—and I can future‑proof my income.” “Networking is sleazy” becomes “Networking is a skill I can learn.” This isn’t vague positivity; it’s a cognitive reset that lets you act. Rachel Rodgers (We Should All Be Millionaires) calls this “thought work,” because new thinking clears the emotional debris so you can build income and agency.

She also reframes imposter syndrome historically: if you’re not a white man in a white patriarchal structure, you’ve likely been socialized to doubt yourself. That doesn’t make the doubt “true.” It means the room wasn’t built for you—yet your work still belongs in it. Noticeably, she lists famous people who have publicly admitted imposter feelings—Maya Angelou, Tom Hanks, Lady Gaga, Sonia Sotomayor—to normalize your experience.

Anchor your direction: Ikigai

Ikigai, popularized through Blue Zones research, asks: what do you love, what are you good at, what does the world need, and what will pay? Bajorek uses it not as a romantic ideal but as a north star. Purpose isn’t fluff; one study suggests it correlates with up to seven additional years of life. Your daily choices—events you attend, projects you prototype, skills you prioritize—should move you closer to the overlap of meaning and market.

Turn hopes into plans: WOOP

WOOP (Wish, Outcome, Obstacle, Plan), developed by Dr. Gabriele Oettingen, is the engine that takes Ikigai from poster to calendar. Bajorek insists you write the Obstacle section honestly (this is where most goals die). If your Wish is “get a job in AI,” your Outcomes might be clear (title, paid projects), but the Obstacles will be specific: fear of networking, sparse portfolio, unclear story. Your Plan then names concrete actions—spin up a LinkedIn banner, book 50 coffee chats, build two miniscope projects, post twice weekly—that you can schedule.

Two WOOP examples that actually happened

• Arlan Hamilton: Wish—become an investor; Outcome—raise millions and back underestimated founders; Obstacle—no degree, no network, entrenched bias (“90%+ of venture funding goes to white men”); Plan—cold email, self-educate relentlessly, build breadcrumbs, secure a first $25K check, and keep stacking wins. She ultimately raised $30M+ and became a multimillionaire (Time, Fast Company).
• Bajorek’s dog: Wish—finally get a dog; Obstacles—housing rules, time constraints, vet bill risk; Plan—strengthen finances, secure pet-friendly housing, build an emergency fund. Result: Luna the Corgi.

Why this pairing works

Ikigai gives you the “why,” WOOP gives you the “how,” and thought work clears the “can I?” friction. Without purpose, you’ll chase trends and burn out. Without WOOP, you’ll dream big and stall at the first obstacle. Without thought work, you’ll carry a backpack of doubt into every room. Together they create motion and resilience—the two must-haves for navigating AI’s fast cycles and uneven rooms.

(Context: Carol Dweck’s Mindset popularized the growth mindset—belief that abilities can be developed. WOOP is one of the few rigorously studied methods for turning that belief into behavior. Bajorek marries these with Blue Zones’ purpose research to ground ambition in evidence.)

If you’ve spent most of your career upgrading skills and polishing résumés, Bajorek has a startling recalibration: spend 80% of your effort on people, 15% on projects, and only 5% on skills—while you’re actively searching. Why? Because people—not job boards—move you across the pond from one lily pad job to the next and arc your career toward the rainbow.

The paradox of weak ties

Social scientist Mark Granovetter theorized the “strength of weak ties” in the 1970s; modern LinkedIn researchers validated it with 2 billion connections, 20 million people, and 600,000 jobs. Your second-degree connections—someone who knows someone—are more likely to open new opportunities than your best friends, because they bridge you to fresh networks. Bajorek distills this into a slogan you won’t forget: “Weak ties will help me rise.”

Two stories make it real. Taylor, a top performer burned out by 70-hour weeks, mentioned to his parents that he was looking. His dad bumped into an old friend; within weeks, Taylor had a referral, an interview, and a 25% pay bump. Marion Desmazières, laid off from Amazon weeks before giving birth, turned her network into a system: 70 listings reviewed, 55 coffee chats, 40 applications, 12 events—and finally a signed offer. That’s what 80% People looks like in practice.

Coffee chats: how to do them right

Skip the ask-for-a-job script. Treat coffee chats as micro-research and relationship building. Prepare 5–10 questions (“What surprised you about your last launch?” “Where does AI actually change your team’s work?”), a one-minute intro, and a specific request after they offer help (“Would you mind introducing me to your PM who leads the LLM initiative?”). Always double-opt-in introductions to respect everyone’s time and inbox.

Bajorek’s benchmark: reach out to 50–100 people and build a target list of 20–30 companies. It’s not overkill—the market is tight, and introductions compound. Track contacts in a spreadsheet, template your outreach, add value (share a relevant article or deck), and always follow up. You’re building a web, not firing a flare.

Overcoming the “ick” of networking

If you’re introverted or allergic to “sleaze,” Bajorek empathizes and equips rather than shames. Plan rest around events, bring a “wing” friend, and carry curiosity prompts (a recent AI headline, a demo you’re excited about). She also names the hard reality: many rooms skew male and white. Safety and belonging matter—choose events that include people like you; supplement with online communities; set your own boundaries.

80/15/5 in action

While you’re spending 80% on people, devote 15% to projects that show (two tiny, relevant prototypes beat five certificates no one will read) and 5% to skills you’re told you need (based on feedback, not fear). This mix forces you to prioritize visible learning in community over hoarding badges in private.

(Comparison: Porter Gale’s line “Your network is your net worth” underpins Bajorek’s weighting. Designing Your Life by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans also champions informational interviews—but Bajorek gives you the modern, inclusive scripts, plus a data-driven rationale for why this isn’t optional in AI’s job market.)

Jobs end. Brands compound. Bajorek argues—echoing brand strategist Aliza Licht (DKNY PR GIRL)—that in a world of layoffs and pivots, your personal brand is the asset that comes with you to every room. It’s not self-promotion for vanity; it’s professional clarity and discoverability: make it easy for the right people to find you and know what to hire you for.

Define your brand on purpose

Start with adjectives and colors—yes, really. Bajorek’s brand is “ambitious, approachable, modern, playful, technical,” expressed visually in blues and blacks. The exercise prevents mushy profiles and helps you choose images, tone, and topics consistently. Your online persona is not your whole self; it’s a curated, professional facet with boundaries (vital in an era of oversharing … and stalkers).

LinkedIn is your homepage

Recruiters spend ~7 seconds scanning a résumé (Ladders). Treat your LinkedIn header and above-the-fold like prime real estate. Bajorek’s banner states what she does (“Artificial Intelligence & Data | Entrepreneur | Investor | Keynote Speaker”), a call to action (“Follow for … actionable AI insights”), and social proof logos (CES, VentureBeat, Harvard Business Review). That header alone filters the right conversations. She also adds pronunciation audio, clear location, and a headline packed with searchable keywords—peppered with emojis because that’s her voice.

Post at least twice a week. Show faces and stories; humans stop scrolling for humans. Tag peers and companies. Feature your best work in the “Featured” section. Comments travel—be generous and specific so your name reliably appears in feeds adjacent to the ideas and people you want to be known with.

Your email signature is a tiny landing page

Most professionals check email a dozen times daily. A clean signature with links to your LinkedIn, portfolio, and current offering is free distribution. It turns each touchpoint into a light billboard. Paired with a simple, memorable link (yourname.com or a Linktree equivalent), you reduce friction for people who’d happily pass your work to the right person if only you made it easy.

Tell a story, then ask

Bajorek shares a long-form LinkedIn post that begins: “It has been an honor to serve as the CEO of Women in Voice for 4 years. And now I’m ready for the next role…” It’s personable (a GIF of her kissing her Corgi, Luna), specific (bulleted achievements across AI, UX, data, operations), and ends with a clear ask: “Know a team hiring? DM me.” Result: ~14,000 impressions, 27 comments, 30 company connections, and multiple offers. The lesson: narrative + credentials + ask + amplification (friends primed to engage) is a repeatable pattern.

Why brand-building is not bragging

If you were taught to “keep your head down,” this will feel transgressive. But keeping quiet helps gatekeepers and hurts you. Transparency—especially about compensation and outcomes—fosters equity (Bajorek cites how CEOs make ~400x typical employees, and how women/BIPOC are often paid less without knowing it). Brand-building is how you claim credit for work you’ve done and ensure the next right person can find you when they need exactly what you do.

(Context: Aliza Licht’s On Brand offers tactics for shaping narrative; Bajorek extends it with monetization and operating rhythm. Think of your brand as a product that lets your relationships and opportunities compound across jobs.)

People hire you for impact, not intent. Bajorek arms you with three simple tools to make your impact visible: the STAR method to package results, a minimal portfolio to host proof, and prototyping to test directions cheaply before you overcommit.

STAR your stories

STAR = Situation, Task, Action, Result. Use it for interviews, cold emails, landing pages, and LinkedIn posts. Notice that the “R” must include numbers or external validation. Bajorek’s Women in Voice example: Situation—rooms of AI builders lacked women; Task—launch a community; Action—spin up Twitter, recruit 27 leaders, file 501(c)(3); Result—$500,000 raised from Google/Amazon, 150+ events, 20+ global chapters. In four beats, you see the why, the what, and the business-level effect.

Dorie Clark’s story also STARs well: Situation—laid off as a journalist; Task—stabilize income; Action—consulting, HBR writing, public speaking, courses; Result—seven income streams and a $200,000+ income jump in a year (Entrepreneurial You).

Build a simple portfolio of proof

You don’t need a glossy website. Three LinkedIn “Featured” tiles—a customer quote, a 1‑pager with your STARs, and a screenshot of a dashboard you improved—beat a silent portfolio no one sees. Add a “Brag Sheet” (bullet STARs) for you to reread before asks and negotiations. And when you attend events, use the “Pics or it didn’t happen” principle: document talks, workshops, and deliverables. Visual breadcrumbs lower friction for others to retell your story.

Prototype to reduce risk

Before spending $14,000 on a bootcamp or jumping into a two-year master’s, try something in between all and nothing: a hackathon weekend, a 30‑day micro-consulting engagement, shadowing a PM, or a lunch-and-learn you host. Prototyping can be talking (coffee chats, interviews) or doing (lightweight projects). It answers: Do I like this? Does it pay? Can I quickly show value here? The goal is to validate the direction before you invest years or debt.

Map STAR to WOOP

Bajorek cleverly links the two frameworks: WOOP is your internal plan; STAR is your external proof. If your WOOP Plan says “Do a 2‑week LLM prototype for a manufacturing company,” your STAR becomes the story you publish afterward (Situation—manual process; Action—built a script with retrieval; Result—reduced turnaround 30%). In practice, you alternate: WOOP → prototype → STAR → new intros unlocked.

(Note: Hiring managers like Miguel Jetté, VP of AI at Rev, say they look at projects first, not pedigree. This is why Bajorek allocates 15% to projects that show and only 5% to skills—acquired on demand as needed.)

Part 2 opens with a truth most of us feel: a single paycheck is fragile. Bajorek’s answer is a three-part operating system you can implement this month—Know, Grow, and Be in Control—so your finances become a second engine of stability while your career evolves.

Know: your numbers and your cash flow

List your annual income streams and annual expenses (multiply monthly items by 12). Then calculate Money In – Money Out to get your “leftover” for debt payoff, saving, and investing. Bajorek illustrates how dramatically income changes the picture: a $30K grad salary leaves ~$1.4K after expenses; a $250K income leaves ~$118K—even after high taxes. This isn’t to shame; it’s to show the math that fuels your next moves.

Build a 6–12 month emergency fund in a high-yield savings account (HYSAs are paying ~4–5% APY as of writing). It buys you calm during layoffs, illness, or caregiving seasons. Know your debt landscape (credit cards, medical, student, auto). Acknowledge structural inequities (Black and Latina women often carry heavier student and medical debt) and use this knowledge to guide goals, not trigger shame.

Grow: earn more and invest

“You can only save as much as you earn,” Vivian Tu reminds us (Rich AF). Bajorek agrees—this is why income expansion shows up later. But first, invest. Her saving vs. investing example is simple: stash $833/month for 10 years at 0% and you’ll have ~$100K; invest it at a modest market return and you could have ~$144K—~44% more—before salary raises or side income. Diversification matters; inflation erodes cash; time in market beats timing the market (University of Chicago/Dartmouth study).

Use tax-advantaged accounts (Roth IRA, Traditional, SEP for the self-employed, 401(k) if offered). Max employer matching—free money. Keep the portfolio boring (broad ETFs like VOO); let your risk live in your projects and business, not your retirement.

Be in Control: steady reviews and guardrails

Set a twice‑monthly “money review” (Bajorek does daily for business, bi‑monthly for personal). Add basic guardrails: term life insurance if people depend on you, a will (online services are fine), and a password manager your family can access. Then tackle lifestyle creep: cars and trips are fine if they align with your plan. Bajorek drives an old hybrid (“Little Luce”) by choice to redirect capital toward investing. That’s not deprivation; it’s prioritization.

(Comparison: Tori Dunlap’s Financial Feminist also emphasizes automation and boring investing; Bajorek layers on AI-era realities and adds an expansive revenue roadmap. Kiersten and Julien Saunders’ Cashing Out echoes the “walk away” power that FI confers.)

Once your money system is humming, Bajorek turns to income expansion. She’s transparent about her own 22 income streams—W‑2 salary, equity, signing and annual bonuses, advisory fees, 1099 consulting, business profits, book advance and royalties, speaking, sponsored posts, digital products, courses, affiliate commissions, HYSA interest, real estate appreciation, stock/bond portfolios, IRAs (including SEP), and investments in 12 startups. Not all are huge; together, they create resilience.

Start simple: 5 steps to your first side income

1) Offer: define a transformation (e.g., “Graduation photos: no photos → 10 edited images in 2 weeks”). 2) Simple marketing: one email and one LinkedIn post. 3) Price: set a single price to start ($500 for a 1‑hour shoot). 4) Payment: collect via Stripe/Venmo. 5) Simple sales: share with 50 people across your network. Avoid “fancy obstacles” (perfect website, logo, business cards) that delay the only thing that matters—making an offer.

If you need cash fast

Choose ethical quick-cash gigs to fund a small launch: rideshare, delivery, selling unused items, babysitting/elder care, house cleaning, part-time retail, or surveys/fellowships. This isn’t the end state; it’s the seed money for your higher‑margin product.

Scale with the PSS Framework: Product, Sales, Stay the course

Pick a Product (course, membership, consulting, workshop, SaaS, etc.). Design a simple Sales flywheel with three channels (e.g., social content → webinar → email nurture). Then Stay the course for 24 months. Week 1–8 plan: choose product; select 3 marketing channels; craft your transformation statement and checkout flow; launch; batch content; grow leads; learn sales; then keep going for 22 more months.

Revenue is not profit

Track operational costs (ads, software, contractors, taxes). Healthy margins (30–70% depending on model) give you shock absorbers in volatile markets. Many founders brag about top-line revenue while starving for cash. Don’t. Check your accounts weekly; hire a bookkeeper early; keep a lean stack; and remember pineconing—don’t hide from sales by fussing over logos.

Bajorek models this in her own business (Clarity AI): she sells data and AI solutions, runs programs like Your AI Bootcamp (course + coaching + workshops), and keeps a marketing flywheel (podcast → webinar → email) that steadily educates and converts. The playbook is repeatable whether you’re a designer, clinician, educator, or engineer.

(Context: Dorie Clark champions “seven streams” in Entrepreneurial You. Alex Hormozi emphasizes selling to 100 prospects/day for early traction. Bajorek synthesizes both—evidence-backed, inclusive, with a time-bound, 24‑month commitment.)