Welcome to Thoughts of a Strategist.

I created this monthly newsletter as a space for ambitious, creative minds who want to grow with intention and clarity. I’m so glad you’re here, thanks for joining me.

— Milena

In this edition:
• Why the most valuable careers are built through participation
• What Starbucks, Lowe's, and GEICO reveal about the future of marketing
• The shift from brand storytelling to brand collaboration
• An AI prompt guide worth adding to your creative toolkit
• A question to help you think differently about visibility and opportunity

It’s time to stop waiting for permission.

There was a time when visibility was controlled by gatekeepers.

You needed a manager to nominate you.
➡️ A brand to hire you.
➡️ A publisher to feature you.
➡️ A company to put you on stage.

Today, some of the most valuable careers are being built by people who simply decided to share what they know.

✔️ The employee making TikToks.
✔️ The creator launching a product.
✔️ The strategist publishing insights on LinkedIn.

Nobody asked them to. They just started.
The internet rewards proximity to ideas and insights.

The people who consistently share what they know often become the people everyone wants to hear from.

Something I've been thinking about:
A lot of talented people are waiting for confidence before becoming visible.
Meanwhile, visible people are building confidence by becoming visible.

Big difference. Keep reading for inspo on the first step.

The best marketing today doesn't feel like marketing at all. It feels like entertainment, collaboration, and community. Here are three examples of brands that are finding new ways to invite people (or mascots) into their story.

As conversations at Cannes Lions centered around authenticity, creators, and trust, Starbucks offered a real-world example of where brands may be headed next.

At Cannes, they recently announced that they’re piloting a TikTok creator program designed to help employees create content about the brand.

At a time when audiences increasingly trust people over polished brand messaging, employees may be one of the most underutilized creator groups in marketing. Starbucks is ahead of the curve.

Peep the strategy: Your most authentic creators may already work for you.

Lowe's announced a new initiative inviting creators to submit product ideas, collaborate on development, and potentially bring those products to market.

Creators were once valued primarily for distribution. Brands paid for access to audiences. Now companies are recognizing that creators spend every day listening to consumer pain points, identifying trends, and understanding what people actually want.

In many cases, creators are becoming a source of R&D as much as marketing.

Peep the strategy: The next competitive advantage isn't just audience reach — it's audience insight.

GEICO recently used AI to bring its iconic Gecko into a podcast-style conversation, allowing a character traditionally confined to commercials to exist in a new format.

While many brands are experimenting with AI, what stood out to me was the broader opportunity: extending intellectual property beyond the norm.

The most successful brand mascots already have recognition, personality, and cultural equity. AI simply gives them new and creative ways to show up.

Peep the strategy: The strongest brand characters don't just live inside ads. They live across channels, formats, and moments.

ChatGPT is a superpower if you know how to use it correctly.

Discover how HubSpot's guide to AI can elevate both your productivity and creativity to get more things done.

Learn to automate tasks, enhance decision-making, and foster innovation with the power of AI.

Download the free guide

Stop waiting to be chosen. ✨

Many of the opportunities we admire started with someone raising their hand before they felt ready.

➡️ The creator who posted before they had an audience.
➡️ The employee who shared an idea before they had a title.
➡️ The entrepreneur who launched before they had certainty.

Visibility isn't always a reward for success. Sometimes it's what creates it.
The people building are often the ones willing to participate before they're invited.

⏳ Challenge:
Set a 4-minute timer and write down three things you've been waiting for permission to do.

Then ask yourself: What's the smallest action I could take this week to start?

🤔 Prompt of the month:
What would I do differently if I stopped waiting to be chosen?