It takes a while to find your career stride.

Why does finding work you love take so long?

• Trial and error
• Repetition
• Learning office dynamics
• Inside baseball
• Healthy work habits
• Avoiding bad advice

The list goes on.

In my first ‘big girl’ job post-college, I took everything seriously: From the professionalism of my email sign off, to how I managed up with my avoidant (and borderline negligent) boss.

I worked at a school, so it was incredibly cyclical.

We held the same events, sent the same emails, and knew exactly when our busy season was.

The predictability was gorgeous.

Fast forward to 2025.

In the social media world, it’s easy to feel like a has-been.

I definitely felt this on Monday when I learned about 6-7 (said like: six-seveeeenn.)

For those of y’all who are in the dark like I was, let me enlighten you: This is the newest phrase “all the kids are saying”.

Now that I know it, it’s already yesterday’s news.

Their skin is moisturized, their lingo is catchy, and they’re effortlessly cool. A thrown-together video gets a 102K likes and 800 comments.

Then there’s us: The ‘serious’ social media & marketing professionals.

We navigate office politics, build comprehensive creative briefs, and debate the oxford comma all to get two likes: One from our burner account and that one sales guy. (Thanks, Tim.)

It’s a lie: The social media industry is for everyone.

It takes a while to get into your career sweet spot, regardless of your specific path.

The right role, the right manager, the right company, the right industry, the right skills.

It takes time to understand three key things:

1. What YOU bring to the table
2. Which table YOU want to sit at
3. Who should YOU sit next to

Sure, a best-selling campaign from 6 months ago might not work today because the algorithms have changed again.

But what you do have is context, history, and an awareness of how to pivot when the best laid plans go sideways.

If you are doing work that inspires you, uses your strengths, or working with people who make you semi-excited to clock in, you’re winning.

For me, when I moved into entrepreneurial space I knew it was blue skies ahead.

Not because I’d have no challenges (I’d argue I have more now).

But because I’m now doing work that:

• inspires me
• uses my strengths
• lets me play and be curious
• work with people who make me thrilled to show up

It’s my perfect speed career-wise.

The same way we find our career stride: so do companies and brands.

It takes intention and a lot of trial and error to find the right combo.

If you’re still getting into a flow in your career or business, take it as a sign you’re paying attention.

That’s one of the things I love about my work now:

I help people who are on a deadline and up to their eyeballs in conflicting information.

It's so satisfying to watch them unclench as we cut out the noise, find something achievable, and build strategies that actually fit the way they work.

(Because jobs and careers and companies are here to serve our purpose, not the other way around.)

Remember: You don’t have to be making a gazillion dollars or going viral constantly to be exactly where you should be.

🍭 With love, your fellow kid 🛼