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- 🐻 are we hibernating?
🐻 are we hibernating?
the agenda for 2026, shaped by you and a fun poll 🙂↔️
Neda Sahebelm
January 07, 2026 • read time: 7 minutes
table of funtents
As a reminder, I started building keshty in public because:
- Most of us don’t come from a long line of entrepreneurs (me included)
- I wanted to equip minority misfits with tools to scale their own impact
- HENCE, I needed to live transparently (no BS) through my own journey
👋🏼 it’s me, hi
HAPPY NEW YEAR, MISFITS ✌🏼
I am she, she is me
Sooo, I’ll just state the obvious:
It’s been a minute since we spoke last, and it’s time you knew why.
I write each of these posts myself (not a lick of AI, ever) and I intend to do the same in 2026! But tail end of last year, all the crazies came at once:
2 (!!) operations (all healed)
a personal loss (still dealing)
writing + memorizing my TEDx (believe it or not, this tops the hard charts)
after 12 years, I’m moving back to the US in March (biggest news!)
Naturally between healing, grieving, writing, memorizing (notice the return of ‘z’ spellings) + navigating the maze of moving abroad again, I had two choices:
give you slop to keep up appearances (I’d never)
come back when the tide calms down (hai)
We’re actually in the real thick of the tide (lols), but I didn’t want to miss an opportunity to wish you all a happy new year, check in and give the honest scoop about where things are at.
With that in mind, today’s episode isn’t a topic deep dive, but rather a flash-forward of what’s to come - SHAPED BY YOU!!!
We’re building in public, after all 🙂↔️
keen for more minority misfit?
🐻 are we hibernating?
make it make sense???
If you’ve been following me a while, you know I hard subscribe to the idea that Spring kicks off a new year.
I’m Persian, so our calendar starts on the vernal equinox (the Spring solstice).
But culture aside, it’s literally -3 ‘C in the UK. Whooo in their right mind thought we should set resolutions during the coldest, darkest period of the year?
IMO - everything about Winter screams rest, and everything about Spring screams new beginnings (I even wrote a proper episode about it once!).
seriously, see u here
🏺 help shape misfit in 2026!
Nevertheless, 2026 is going to be full of mega change - so I want to share future episode ideas with y’all to see if they pass the vibe check.
*please note these are in addition to our general programming, NOT in place of!
As you review these ideas, I welcome any + all input via the poll below or direct email.
This newsletter is for YOU after all - so don’t skip on having your say!
🇺🇸 US move
yeehaw and all that jazz
I’m currently navigating the minefield that is moving keshty from the UK to the US.
episode ideas:
There are LOADS of firsts involved, including:
ways to move your business over (e.g. close one, open another; offshore subsidiary; flip country of operation etc.)
how the fractional landscape differs between geographies (and how to position, price + manage a fractional biz in the US vs. UK)
establishing, trademarking, taxes + legals
managing clients in both countries
my ask for you:
If it’ll help to read about what I learn as I go through this, let me know!
🗣️ TED + other speaking engagements
people get paid for this, apparently
I spoke A LOT in 2025: panels, workshops, conferences, podcasts and now - a whole TEDx!
It wasn’t planned, but it’s definitely been a byproduct of loads of silent work.
episode ideas:
share how speaking engagements have found me
how to decide which engagements to take / which to pass
pricing your speaking / workshop etc. fees
tips from my first to latest podcast episode
how I landed TEDx
no BS experience + lessons from doing TEDx (they’re juicy)
my ask for you:
Not intended to be the meat of this newsletter (if you’re big on speaking, I’d recommend Alex Merry’s newsletter here!). But if you’d find these lessons useful to hear, please let me know.
🌎 the state of our current workforce
smiling menacingly
Something I’ve realized (weird, the z again!) I don’t talk much about is the state of our current workforce!
As founders / fractionals, we often operate in disconnected siloes. But as an Org Psychologist, I’m constantly plugged into how the world of work is changing - and what it means for what we do.
episode ideas:
updates in our current workforce (layoffs, fundraising etc.)
challenges other founders / fractionals are experiencing
how perceptions are changing around portfolio careers
the future of work landscape + what it means for us
my ask for you:
Would knowing about macro events in our workforce help you think about how to position and run your work?
🚪 poll time
which of these build in public topics most interests to you?pick your top one! if you'd like to add more context or thoughts, please use the comment box upon submission. thank you. |
Thanks for your contribution, misfits!
Remember, I’m always only a message away for thoughts, questions and topic ideas.
Let’s make 2026 badass. See you soon!
xo, Neds