Everyone’s chasing “likeable.” And that’s exactly why they’re forgettable.

At Creator Hub, I listened to two women who’ve sold $25 million in online courses, and they said something most people are too scared to admit:

Being liked isn’t the goal. Being remembered is.

And what sticks with people? A strong reaction.

Not fake. Not mean. Just authentic enough to spark emotion.

Love or hate… either works.

The only thing that doesn’t spread is indifference.

So where do you start?

🧩 Notice the traits people either rave about or complain about.
🔥 Ask yourself: What part of me do I refuse to water down?
🎯 Share something that breaks an unspoken rule and makes people squirm (in a good way).

And one more thing… stop trying to play the flawless expert role. That’s outdated.

People don’t want another “teacher.” They want someone real. A character.

Show your messy middle. Share your wins and your losses. Build out loud.

If you’re still clinging to polished perfection in 2025, that’s why you feel stuck.

Forget likeable. Be unforgettable.

TikTok followers grew to 16.7 million during her tenure.

When Zaria Parvez turned the Duolingo owl into a TikTok icon, she didn’t just rack up likes. She rewrote the playbook for brand social.

Quirky, fearless, unapologetically weird… her strategy made Duolingo impossible to ignore.

Now? She’s left the owl behind.

As the new Director of Social at DoorDash, Zaria is hitting reset: building structure, consistency, and an in-house content studio designed to transform how DoorDash shows up online.

Why this matters:

• The shift from chaos to consistency. Brands are realizing that viral fame without a system isn’t sustainable.
• Social as a core function. DoorDash investing in an in-house studio signals that social media is its strategy.
• The people behind the owl. This proves once again… social success comes down to the humans creating, not just the algorithm.

This is a sign of where brand social is heading in 2025: structure first, virality second.

Wanna learn more about Zaria and her story? Check this out.​

She ran out of books on vacation. 6 months later, she owned a bookstore.

What happens when a book-loving mom of two runs out of reading material on vacation? If you’re Kelly Vann, you open a bookstore.

I talk to Kelly in this week’s episode of Shelf Made Stories.

You know the drill. My book talk is here, so click here to get it weekly.​

Christina

P.S. For fun, look how I torture my poor husband.​