Before we dive in, take a sec to learn about this week’s sponsor, NowThis.

Make Your Brand Part of Gen Z Culture with NowThis

NowThis is a Gen Z–driven, social-first entertainment brand reaching 92M followers and generating hundreds of millions of monthly views. We build franchises with staying power—shows made to be paused on, talked about, and shared.

With a predominantly female 18–34 audience, we create culture-forward IP that blends humor, honesty, and real-life relevance.

Get started.

🚀 ICYMI! Going live soon: NO SHADE: Build Your Personal Brand

🙌🏽 Welcome to In Community.

I used to shrink myself to fit rooms that weren’t built for me. Adjusting my voice. Softening my presence. Playing by rules I didn’t write.

“Be visible,” they repeated, “but not too visible.” “Share your story,” they said, “but don’t be too much.” “Stand out,” they insisted, “but make sure you still fit in.”

Sound familiar?

Well, I’m done with that playbook. I’ve spent years coaching leaders to reframe their stories, find their superpower, and hit their goals. And I’ve learned what works.

I’m sharing it in my new course, NO SHADE: Build Your Personal Brand. Don’t miss out. The course — which includes live sessions led by me — goes live soon, and the spots are filling up.

What you’ll gain:

👉🏽 Build – and demonstrate – confidence

👉🏽 Understand and see your value in a powerful way

👉🏽 Influence the way that others view you through an external lens

👉🏽 Learn how to position yourself aligned to your values and career goals

👉🏽 Develop a consistent way to articulate your narrative with cultural nuance and clarity

⏱️ Submit your application TODAY and start the year off right.

PRO TIP: Check if your company has a Learning & Development budget you can tap.

🔥 And now, for your weekly spark.

Momentum is cheap. Credibility is expensive.

Right now, everyone is racing to be seen, heard, and on trend. Platforms reward visibility. Headlines reward performance.

But the people others actually trust? They’re building work and relationships that last — not chasing the next trend or algorithm.

There’s a growing gap between people who can explain what’s happening and people others actually trust. The ones who show up consistently, act clearly when stakes are high, and build trust that lasts beyond the moment. That gap will define who leads culture in 2026.

📌 3 Signals of Structural Credibility

👉🏽 Presence – Showing up consistently, especially when momentum slows. Example: Hosting small, honest conversations that aren’t just “content.”

👉🏽 Clarity under pressure – Staying understandable and predictable when the stakes are high or incentives pull you in different directions. Example: Making decisions that are transparent, even if unpopular.

👉🏽 Lasting impact – Building trust and relationships that outlive trends or fleeting attention. Example: The people who remember you were there when no one else was.

Most people optimize for visibility. Few optimize for these signals. And that difference makes all the difference.

🎙 Why This Matters: My Conversation with Kahlil Greene

We didn’t focus on growth hacks or career tactics. We talked about what it really takes — taking principled positions early, staying clear and predictable when it’s hard, and showing up before it’s rewarded. That’s how credibility is forged now.

👉🏽 Watch & listen to the full conversation with Kahlil here.

📺 BTW: I was aiming for 1,000 YouTube subscribers by the end of 2025. It’s now 2026, and I’m still only 34% of the way there. It’s the quick and free way to help support my work. I know it’s easy to believe that others will probably do it, but that’s what others are likely thinking too.

If you’ve gained anything from this free newsletter — a spark of energy, motivation, clarity, insight, or access to new roles — subscribe and share with one person in your community.

💡 3 Questions to Ask Yourself

Ask yourself:

• If your platform disappeared tomorrow, who would still trust you enough to build with you?

• Who shows up when the stakes are real?

• Who remembers that you were present when no one else was?

👉🏽 Those answers matter far more than any other metric.

✅ Now Hiring

What you asked for, delivered.

Is someone you know considering what’s next for them? Here are a few roles with people hiring across the network. I’ll be adding roles here every week, so stay tuned and make sure to spread the word.

💥 Sr Director, Product Marketing — Rag & Bone

💥 Director, Brand Activation — BERO

💥 Director, Social & Influencer Marketing — Red Wing Shoes

💥 Director, Product Marketing — GLG

💥 Director, AI — IAB

💥 Sr Manager, Customer Lifecycle — Wild Fork

ICYMI last week:

💥 VP, Product Marketing — MarketCast

💥 Sr. Marketing Director — VideoAmp

💥 Sr. Experiential Marketing Manager — Canva

💥 Sr. E-Commerce Manager — Daily Harvest

💥 Account Manager — Creator Match

And before you go, FWD this to someone who’s building for the long game and might benefit from the newsletter and what’s coming up on YouTube. They can subscribe here for more directly in their inbox. 🔁 

In community,

Fahad