Welcome back to The Grey Areas Podcast! This week, I’m joined by Colin Rocker, executive coach, keynote speaker, and the founder of For The First, a vibrant community built to support ambitious, first-generation professionals. Colin’s journey from corporate consulting to creating a multi-platform brand is filled with intentional pivots, candid lessons, and powerful insights for anyone rethinking the traditional path to success.
In this episode, Colin breaks down what it truly means to design a career on your own terms. We discuss the importance of authenticity, how to network with purpose, and the art of using storytelling as a professional tool. Colin shares strategies for overcoming the fear of visibility, navigating layoffs with confidence, and becoming impossible to overlook, even in systems not designed for you.
Highlights include:
• 02:51 – Colin reflects on the moment that sparked his transition from consulting to full-time creator.
• 05:38 – What it means to be a “career creator” and how to build a working life that works for you.
• 08:21 – How Colin navigated being laid off one week before his son was born and used it as fuel for reinvention.
• 11:49 – The “Monkey Bar Method” for turning networking conversations into meaningful opportunities.
• 18:55 – The three major hurdles first-gen professionals face: scarcity mindset, self-promotion, and leverage.
• 24:21 – Why young professionals fear self-promotion and how to overcome internal and external barriers.
• 47:21 – Cubicle Confession: A dependable employee feels invisible, Colin’s advice on how to go from overlooked to seen.
Whether you’re a creator, first-gen professional, or just feeling stuck in a career that doesn’t fit, this episode offers both practical strategies and empowering mindset shifts to help you reclaim your career on your own terms.
Colin Rocker’s Links:
TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn: @Careercolin
Community: For The First – Instagram @forthefirsts
Kelsey's Links For You:
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Grey Areas Instagram
Kelsey's Instagram
LinkedIn
TikTok