40 Is My Creator-Founder Era—Here’s What’s Next

My personal reflection of growth

Author

Tiffany Hardin
September 14, 2025

This is 40.
I’ve been in this new decade for a week, and while the world feels like it’s teetering on the edge, I’ve never felt more grounded. Or more ready.

This moment is about reflection, gratitude, and what’s next.

When I was 25, I used to be scared of 40. I had a toxic obsession with age and success—always measuring myself by someone else’s timeline. Always looking up, sideways, comparing. A prisoner to perception.

But I broke out.

Years of grinding in New York City—chasing titles, carving out my space, proving I belonged—taught me how to build. Not just brands, but inner resilience. I cut my teeth in the early days of what we now call creator marketing, back when it didn’t have a name. And I learned the kind of lessons no resume can show:

  • No one owes you anything

  • Play your position

  • Own your side of the street

  • Stay allergic to fake flattery

  • Learn to walk away

  • Learn to negotiate—with or without leverage

  • Internal struggle = resistance to truth

By my 30s, I wanted freedom. Real freedom. To build my own thing, hire who I wanted, take risks that aligned with my gut…not someone else’s playbook.

I consulted for major brands like Airbnb, Microsoft, and WeWork before going in-house at WeWork to lead global sponsorship and programming for creators/entrepreneurs. Anyone remember the “Creator Awards”?

Then I moved to Nashville. That divine decision changed everything.

In 2019, I got serious about building an independent creator marketing agency. And just as momentum was building, life dealt me a blow: my beautiful mother passed unexpectedly in 2020. Through grief, a pandemic, and the grind of entrepreneurship, I kept going. And healing. And growing.

In the last five years, we’ve partnered with enterprise brands like Hulu, Victoria’s Secret, and Rocket Mortgage—working 5–6 figure deals and building one client at a time. I’m proud of that. But I’m even more proud of what I’ve discovered about myself:

I love leading.
I love visioning.
I love deal making.
I love mentoring.
I love this work.

And I’m just getting started.

Because here’s the truth: entrepreneurship is spiritual work. It’s not just cash flow spreadsheets—it’s confronting your ego, identity, empathy, habits, and conviction. It’s mastering your mindset while building something from scratch. Most of the growth happens in the margins. Quiet. Unseen. But essential.

Now, I’m stepping into a new chapter—one that has been whispering my name for quite some time.

Welcome to my creator-era.

I’ve launched my new venture, Represent—a tech-enabled platform helping serious creators become stronger entrepreneurs. We match creators with experts, tools, and community so they can scale their impact and own their business.

This is the culmination of everything I’ve learned sitting in every seat in the creator economy. I know what this space needs, because I’ve lived it—from talent manager to agency-side, client-side, and now community platform builder. I’m building the most useful resource for creators to grow their careers.

And we’re already moving.

On Sept 5, we hosted our first Creator Summit in Nashville, celebrating the graduates of our 6-month fellowship that represent 4M Impressions & 60K Subscribers in media value. We had partners like Shopify, Nielsen, Rivian, and Studio Bank. It ended with the city officially proclaiming Sept 5th as "Creator Day." 

From some of our fellows:

That’s the kind of movement we’re building. And we need you. I will need you.

So what’s next?

  • Fall/Winter Fellowship Applications are OPEN – Now serving nationwide. Only 40 slots available. Applicants must have 10K+ followers or 2K plus email subscribers

  • Strategic Partnerships – If you're in talent management, brand marketing, L&D, social/influencer strategy, or employer branding—I want to talk.

  • Community Investment - If you’re interested in angel investing I’m happy to share our plans via a call. Book time here. 

My road to 40 wasn’t easy, but it prepared me for this exact moment. This is the next ride. This is the work of my life.

If you've been watching my journey—cheering from the sidelines, resonating quietly, or waiting for the right time to reach out—this is it.

Let’s build. Let’s collaborate. Let’s represent.

Say hi 👋 on LinkedIn, Instagram, or TikTok

Thanks for reading!

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