The XIR movement is here

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Dear XIR –

First things first: I'm sorry this letter is arriving a tad bit late. We all know how it goes when you're building something special though, right?

Sometimes you just get in the zone.

But I have a damn good reason.

I've been in the lab.

And when I say "in the lab," I mean deep in it.

The kind of focus where you look up and suddenly realize it's 3am and you've been building for 9 hours straight without even noticing.

Because something incredible is happening, and it's happening faster than I ever anticipated.

The First Official XIR Hire

This week, I had three calls that absolutely rocked my world. One of them was with an XIR who was just hired because of our content, thought leadership, and my past experience as an XIR at Brex.

Y'all... I literally had tears in my eyes. Not even bullshitting you.

This is real. This is happening. And it’s starting.

(I'll share more about this incredible human next week – they are absolutely phenomenal and embody everything an XIR stands for.) 🥰

The XIR MVP: It's here

Remember that XIR Platform I've been hinting at? The waitlist is officially LIVE.

👉🏾 THE XIR INTEREST LIST COHORT WAITLIST

The first cohort kicks off March 31st, and as promised, Dear XIR subscribers get first access before we open it to the public on Monday.

This is your chance to be among the first 8-12 XIRs to:

• Translate your intersection into compelling value propositions

• Map your unique skills to specific business impacts

• Create trust validation evidence that proves your value

• Build a complete verified XIR profile

• Get prioritized access to opportunities through our network

We’ve had 5 commitments already 🤯 so don't wait if you want to secure your spot in this founding group. Reply COHORT and I will personally send you the link.

What's Coming Next

If we aren't connected on LinkedIn yet, now's the time; that's where I'll be sharing even more insights, opportunities, and behind-the-scenes looks at what we're building.

Here's what you can expect:

The Official XIR Mission

• 💥 Turning XIRs into B2B growth engines (talent)

• 💥 Unlocking exponential growth through XIRs (movement)

The Founding XIRs

We already have a first community of Founding XIRs that we're beta testing with. These pioneers are top leaders in Community at some of world’s biggest fintechs. They will be helping us refine our approach, test our frameworks, and build something truly revolutionary.

This Feeling Is Indescribable

There's something truly special unfolding here.

More people are feeling seen and heard, like they finally have a place in the world being their weird-ass selves. It gives me full-body chills every single time.

The Long-Term Vision

I haven't shared this externally with anyone other than you all. You're my ride-or-dies in this movement, so I want you to know where we're heading.

The XIR Platform is just the beginning.

We're building a complete ecosystem that will:

1. Verify and validate XIRs: giving you the credentials and language to articulate your unique value

2. Connect XIRs with opportunities: creating a marketplace for your talents that traditional job platforms simply can't offer

3. Provide the tools and frameworks: helping you monetize your intersections in multiple ways

4. Build a powerful community: surrounding you with other brilliant minds who think differently

5. Advocate for a new model of work: changing how companies think about talent, growth, and value creation

If you are one of our XIRs who just got here (thank you for subscribing), feel free to read Independence > One Job and the Independence Infrastructure. It will help bring you up to speed.

Shoutout to the Champions

A BIG public thank you and love you to Natalie Neptune for sharing our framework. This is exactly how we start to get the word out and amplify the work we're doing.

Natalie, I appreciate you so incredibly much, and I absolutely loved your breakdown of what an XIR is.

This kind of support and amplification is what turns a concept into a movement.

Need Your Help

Now…I don’t ask for help often (Virgo, amiright? Do not judge me..I’m working on it lol) but I will ask for your help now.

If any of this content has inspired you or resonated with you, I'd be incredibly grateful if you could help to start spread the word.

Share the letters that hit home for you. Tell your network about the XIR concept. Tag me in conversations where you see the intersection happening.

Because this isn't just about me or a platform – it's about creating a movement that changes how the world values talent that doesn't fit neatly into boxes.

There are so many people who are benefitting already (like holy shit our FIRST OFFICIAL XIR HIRE) and they need us. And the movement needs them.

Wrapping up

Next week, I'll share more detailed insights from the first XIR hire – the challenges she faced, how the founder who hired her is thinking about growth, and the impact she is about to have (I can see it already).

I'll also share a framework that will help you start to better articulate your unique value into language that sells (just one of the areas we’ll be diving into in the cohort).

Until then, remember: Your weird is your worth.

And don’t forget to sign up for the interest list 😘

Grateful for this tribe of humans every day.

Leaders proving different drives millions

They said musicians couldn't build tech. Then he built a $3.5B music streaming empire. Here's how Tim Westergren founder of Pandora, turned musical scores into exponential growth.

Jobs / resources / capital for unconventional builders

• Mercury literally hiring an XIR on the product side. Do you see that X!!!??

  

• Though on the B2C side, Unilver is hiring some XIR-like / Influencer-type of roles. Not fully what we are looking for but definitely another potential (consistent) revenue stream

• Patreon hiring a Senior Community Manager

What my ADHD caught this week

• Something I'm excited about: Seeing companies create XIR roles that didn't exist before. This isn't just about fitting into existing boxes–it's about creating entirely new categories of value.

• A theme I keep noticing: The right vocabulary changes everything. When people finally have the language to describe what they do ("I'm an XIR"), doors start opening that were previously locked.

• A concept that keeps bubbling up: Movements don't just need ideas. They need infrastructure. We're not “just” talking about XIRs; we're building the systems and tools that help XIRs thrive.

'd love to hear what aspects of the XIR movement you're most excited about. Reply to this email with your thoughts – I read every single response personally.

And if you're ready to be part of the first XIR cohort, don't forget to join the XIR Interest List. It will then send you to the XIR Cohort Page.

PS - If you missed last week's letter on The Independence Infrastructure, you can read it here.

It lays out the full vision for how XIRs can build sustainable, independent careers on their own terms.

Cheers to a productive and relaxing weekend!