...how THIS all started ✨

Hey there,

Yoela here. Welcome to the very first edition of the Anti Status Quo newsletter! I'm thrilled you're joining me on this adventure. Grab a coffee (or your beverage of choice), and let's dive into how this whole thing started.

So, picture this: I'm sitting in my home office, staring at my computer screen, wondering how I can share my thoughts and experiences without sounding like just "that lady in tech that morphed into acquiring companies." Don't get me wrong, I love what I do, but there's so much more to me than just building companies.

That's when I asked myself: How do I talk about topics and share opinions without turning into one of those annoying Thought Leaders? 🤔

Enter my friend Connie Cen, this Gen Z marketing wizard who's helped a ton of brands find their voice. I was like, "Hey, can you help a girl out?" And bless her, she was all in 🤝

We brainstormed, strategized, and got to work. The goal? Start posting on Twitter and LinkedIn to see how people respond. Simple content—entrepreneurial advice, investor mindset, and personal insights. You know, the usual suspects. Here are a few examples:

We were pumping out content like nobody's business—3 tweets and 3 LinkedIn posts a week. My LinkedIn post even got 67 likes—the most I’ve ever gotten! It felt good, productive. I was putting myself out there, right?

Wrong.

The feedback started pouring in, and not all of it was positive. Some people in my professional network hit me with comments like, "Oh, are you trying to become a LinkedIn influencer?" Honestly, it stung. That was never my intention—I just wanted to share my journey and be authentic. The thought of coming across as fake or bombarding people with meaningless content was my worst fear. But it made me realize that maybe my approach needed adjusting.

I vented to Connie, and we agreed it was time to rethink things. As we reviewed the posts, we had a lightbulb moment: the usual topics felt dull, and I needed an edge to truly find my voice. It was time to infuse my personality in a fresh format and focus on being relatable, not just another influencer. We realized we had to ditch the typical polished content and find a way for my true self to come through.

Time for a change-up.

We traded our weekly one-hour structured calls for brainstorming walks every other week, and it was a total game-changer. During a delightful two-hour stroll through Golden Gate Park, we talked about life, business, and health—the trifecta of my favorite topics.

After that walk, Connie took all the organic ideas from our brainstorming session and turned them into posts. We also trimmed our posting schedule to just 2 tweets and 2 LinkedIn posts a week. Less noise, more spontaneity—posting like real humans do.

And you know what? Through our conversations, I had a breakthrough. Instead of focusing on the usual business topics like productivity hacks or startup advice, I discovered my true voice in talking about what really matters to me—biohacking, work-life balance, and nurturing meaningful friendships. As soon as I started sharing this content, the feedback was like instant validation. This was the voice I’d been searching for all along, and it turns out, it’s exactly what people wanted to hear and connect with too.

Here’s the truth: 90% of the time, I’m completely immersed in work talk and enabling new ideas. But when I get on the phone with Connie, it’s like a breath of fresh air. I switch off work mode, and suddenly, it feels like I’m peeling back layers of myself, uncovering parts I rarely share for deeper, more personal conversations.

Peeling back those layers got me reflecting on other parts of my life, especially my friendships. I've been questioning what it really means to have a fulfilling circle of friends. In my early 20s, people always told me I had to "add value" or talk tech to stay relevant. But a recent experience flipped that script. During a work trip to LA, exhausted from back-to-back meetings, I reluctantly agreed to attend a non-profit event, way outside my usual crowd. At first, I felt out of place, but by the end of the night, I was around a campfire until 3 AM, just talking about life. It hit me—true connections don’t need to “bring something to the table” or be about business. Sometimes, the most meaningful relationships come from the least expected places, when you’re open to something new.

This newsletter is about more than just content—it’s about challenging the status quo, embracing authenticity even when it’s not the easy path, and speaking our truths while forging real connections. In the coming issues, we’ll dive deep into what it means to live a truly fulfilling life, especially when work feels like it’s consuming everything. I’ll share my own, sometimes unpopular, views—whether it’s on politics, the flaws in our education system, or how to travel and work without the constant guilt. Along the way, I’ll also open up about the life lessons I’ve gathered that have shaped the life I’m proud to live.

But here's the most important part: I want to hear from you too. What unconventional wisdom have you gained? What norms are you challenging in your own life?

I’m genuinely grateful to have each of you on this journey with me. No polished personas, no facades—just raw, real conversations about the things that truly matter.

Until next time,
Yoela

P.S. I'd love your feedback on this newsletter. Too wordy? Not enough? What topics interest you? Your input shapes future issues, so don't hold back!