Swan Sit on The Future of Belonging: Defining a New Era By Building Real Community in a Disconnected World

In this episode of Founder2Founder, Aaron Spivak sits down with Swan Sit, a trailblazing operator and creator at the intersection of corporate leadership, digital transformation, and consumer connection. With an impressive background as the Global Head of Digital Marketing at Nike, Revlon, and Estée Lauder, Swan now advises startups, sits on public company boards, and brings value to millions as a creator and speaker.

Swan shares her journey from a disciplined immigrant upbringing to transforming some of the world’s most iconic brands. She opens up about navigating the dot-com crash, pivoting into the creator economy through Clubhouse, and ultimately discovering her purpose: democratizing access, information, and opportunity. This is a rich conversation on resilience, relevance, and redefining success on your own terms.

Chapters:
03:06 – Immigrant Upbringing and Early Discipline
05:35 – Childhood Dreams and Retail Tech Fascination
07:37 – Going Against the Grain: Startup Over Goldman
10:57 – Dot-Com Crash, Layoffs, and Lessons Learned
12:58 – Study Abroad and Breaking From Family Influence
15:24 – Finding Self Through Distance and Travel
17:27 – Product Marketing, Emotional Branding, and Grad School
21:18 – Joining Estee Lauder and Building Early E-Com
22:05 – Leading Digital at Revlon and Nike
23:57 – Navigating Change: Why Adaptability Wins
25:49 – Making AI Useful Without Getting Lost in It
28:43 – Personalized Content and the Future of Storytelling
31:58 – Using Social Graphs to Build Digital Communities
34:52 – NFTs, Ownership, and Reframing Value
37:29 – Clubhouse Origins: Mentorship and Scale
41:44 – Creator vs. Influencer: Making Real Impact
47:19 – Defining Purpose: Access, Information, and Equity
50:39 – Family, Scarcity, and Quiet Generosity
54:14 – Rest as a Strategy: Recharging for Performance
57:36 – Public Speaking: From Corporate to Global Stages
1:00:13 – Live Speaking Tips: Energy, Feedback, and Q&A
1:02:37 – From Corporate Leader to Founder Mindset
1:05:31 – Reading the Room: Intuition and Audience Engagement
1:10:21 – Where Empathy Comes From
1:13:45 – Identity, Belonging, and Owning Your Story
1:17:49 – Advice to Her Younger Self: “Go Be Your Freak Self”
1:21:22 – Detaching Worth From Titles and Roles
1:23:13 – Legacy, Impact, and Reversing Into Purpose

Guest Links:
Website: www.swansit.com
Instagram: @swansit
Twitter/X: @swansit
LinkedIn: @swansit
TikTok: @swansit23

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