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A networking call that got interesting
Most career conversations are polite theater.
You walk through your résumé. You swap pivots. You circle the question of “what’s next” without admitting how open-ended that question really feels.
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When I spoke with marketing strategist Taylor Thibodaux in a recent virtual meeting, it began that way. She outlined her path — starting in social media while studying at Howard University, learning in lean environments where she had to build systems without much infrastructure, eventually moving into brand and growth strategy. Over time, her focus shifted from posting content to clarifying identity. Who are we? What do we stand for? How does that turn into measurable growth?
Then she said something that changed the temperature of the room.
“You have to give people something to fight against.”
And suddenly, this wasn’t a networking call. It was a conversation about narrative power.
Why Smart Creators Still Feel Invisible
You’re posting.
You’re building.
You’re thinking deeply about your work.
And yet — something feels off. The content is solid. The insights are strong. The effort is consistent. But the traction doesn’t match the talent.
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Most creators assume the issue is exposure.
More reach.
Better hooks.
More consistent posting.
But the marketplace isn’t short on content. Scroll your feed. You’ll see thousands of people documenting their pivots. “I left my job.” “I’m building something new.” “Day one of reinvention.”
Relatable? Absolutely. Memorable? Rarely.
If everyone is pivoting, pivoting alone isn’t differentiation. The question isn’t what you’re building. It’s what you’re dismantling.
What “Villain” Actually Means
The word sounds dramatic, doesn’t it? In narrative terms, a villain is simply friction — the force that creates movement. When I asked Thibodaux what separates compelling creators from forgettable ones, she didn’t say “follower count.” She said trust. Consistency. A clear through-line.
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Industry research backs this up. Surveys of brand marketers increasingly show that alignment and audience fit matter more than raw follower numbers.
Popularity without positioning is noise. Trust can compound when your audience understands what you stand against.
Your villain might be:
Burnout culture.
Scarcity thinking.
Corporate ceilings.
Financial confusion.
The belief that you’re too late.
Why Tension Builds Trust
“You know when someone’s telling the truth,” Thibodaux said. Consistency is credibility.
If one week you critique hustle culture and the next week you glorify exhaustion, the contradiction erodes trust. But when your message consistently pushes against the same belief — the same pattern — your audience knows what you represent.
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It also has economic consequences. Creator advertising is projected to reach tens of billions of dollars next year, growing faster than traditional media categories. Brands are paying attention — and they’re prioritizing creators with defined communities.
Defined communities form around shared resistance.
Prayer Points for This Week
Lord, I pray that you would give us wisdom to build with patience and discernment, according to Proverbs 19:2, “Desire without knowledge is not good—how much more will hasty feet miss the way.”
Lord, I pray that you would free us from the pressure to chase validation through money, numbers, or visibility, according to Galatians 1:10, “If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.”
Lord, I pray that you would help us steward consistency over shortcuts and faithfulness over speed, according to Luke 16:10, “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much.”
Lord, I pray that you would give us courage to begin before we feel ready and grace to grow in public, according to Zechariah 4:10, “Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin.”
Lord, I pray that you would help us build work that is durable, fruitful, and aligned with your purpose, according to Psalm 127:1, “Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain.”
See you next Monday,
If you’re reading this far… I hope this message finds you well. I’m sharing from my heart in hopes that you will be inspired to unearth and live out your God-given purpose. Hopefully, something I said resonated. I would love to hear from you if so. Please feel free to reach out to me on social media.
FYI: I’m mostly active on LinkedIn these days. If you were forwarded this message, you can subscribe here to receive thoughts like this directly in your inbox. And don’t forget to check out the latest episode of my podcast, ConvoRoom with Mark Allen Patterson.