Build the Next Chapter Before You're Paid
Wed Feb 04 2026
Hey friends, Chase here This episode is short and direct — and it centers on an idea that quietly changes everything once you see it:
You don't get paid first for the work you want to do next. You build it first.
Most people wait for permission. They wait for a client, an investor, or an opportunity to show up before they start creating. But in my experience, it works the other way around. The next chapter of your career is built in parallel with the one you're already in.
I've always balanced paid work with deeply personal exploration. The commercial projects put food on the table. The personal work is where curiosity lives. And it turns out, that curiosity-driven work is where every meaningful breakthrough in my career has come from.
Here's the core idea:
Build the next chapter before you're paid.
Your portfolio becomes your future. The work you make on your own time — without guarantees — becomes proof of what you're capable of next. Clients don't hire potential. Investors don't fund intentions. They respond to momentum, prototypes, and evidence.
Whether you're trying to pivot creatively, grow your business, or step into a new role, the path forward is the same: start making the work now. Use what you already do to fund exploration. Let your community become your laboratory. Create first. Refine along the way.
This isn't about reckless leaps or quitting your job tomorrow. It's about building in parallel — putting money in the bank while you develop the skills, projects, and ideas that point toward where you actually want to go.
In today's episode I cover:
Why your personal work drives your biggest professional breakthroughs How prototypes open doors faster than pitches Why your portfolio is the roadmap to your next chapter If you've been waiting for someone else to greenlight your growth, this episode is an invitation to start now — to explore what you're curious about and build something real before expecting the world to catch up.
Until next time, create first — and remember: your next chapter starts with what you make today.
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Hey friends, Chase here This episode is short and direct — and it centers on an idea that quietly changes everything once you see it: You don't get paid first for the work you want to do next. You build it first. Most people wait for permission. They wait for a client, an investor, or an opportunity to show up before they start creating. But in my experience, it works the other way around. The next chapter of your career is built in parallel with the one you're already in. I've always balanced paid work with deeply personal exploration. The commercial projects put food on the table. The personal work is where curiosity lives. And it turns out, that curiosity-driven work is where every meaningful breakthrough in my career has come from. Here's the core idea: Build the next chapter before you're paid. Your portfolio becomes your future. The work you make on your own time — without guarantees — becomes proof of what you're capable of next. Clients don't hire potential. Investors don't fund intentions. They respond to momentum, prototypes, and evidence. Whether you're trying to pivot creatively, grow your business, or step into a new role, the path forward is the same: start making the work now. Use what you already do to fund exploration. Let your community become your laboratory. Create first. Refine along the way. This isn't about reckless leaps or quitting your job tomorrow. It's about building in parallel — putting money in the bank while you develop the skills, projects, and ideas that point toward where you actually want to go. In today's episode I cover: Why your personal work drives your biggest professional breakthroughs How prototypes open doors faster than pitches Why your portfolio is the roadmap to your next chapter If you've been waiting for someone else to greenlight your growth, this episode is an invitation to start now — to explore what you're curious about and build something real before expecting the world to catch up. Until next time, create first — and remember: your next chapter starts with what you make today.