Hi Reader,

We recently talked to someone with a wild accomplishment.

She had co-authored the book on philanthropy.
Not a book. The book. Industry-standard. Referenced by foundations. Taught in grad programs.

Where was it on her resume?
Buried halfway down.
Wedged between job duties and past roles like it was just another bullet point.

And honestly, this happens all the time.

We meet talent—you—with game-changing impact, and a tendency to downplay the parts that actually make us look twice.

You got into Harvard? Oh, that’s “in the past.”
You raised $40M for a first-time fund? “But that was part of a team.”
You turned around a broken culture in six months? “It’s not a big deal.”

Especially if you’ve ever been the first, few, or only…
You’ve been taught to play small.
To be grateful, not loud.
To blend in, not stand out.

But here’s the thing:
Brilliance is not self-explanatory.

Not on LinkedIn. Not in a resume. Not in a room full of gatekeepers.

✅ Recruiters skim.
✅ Funders scan.
✅ Boards don’t read between the lines.

If your shine isn’t obvious on page one, it might as well not be there.
This is your permission slip to brag different.

Not louder.

Just earlier.
Shinier.
Clearer.

Because the right org isn’t turned off by your shine—they’re looking for it.

With you,

Ify

P.S. Want to sharpen how you show up without waiting for your next role to do it for you? Start here:

📌 Internal Candidates: Lead, Compete and Win​

📌 Leading Through Uncertainty: A Playbook for Mission-Driven Leaders​

Premium doesn’t mean fancy. It means intentional. And these posts are a powerful place to begin.
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