I’ve always been the quiet one. Growing up, I lived between two worlds—speaking Lao at home, English everywhere else. While other kids filled the room with their voices, I mostly listened. For years, I thought that meant I wasn’t cut out for leadership. That being quiet made me invisible.

Turns out I had it backwards.

The loudest person in the room is rarely the most original. Real impact comes from the steady work—the kind that’s disciplined, precise, and patient. The kind that leaves marks long after the noise fades.

Last month, I spoke at the Satjadham Lao Literary Conference. Standing on that stage, sharing how I blend design systems with Lao storytelling, felt like a long journey from my younger self. The kid they nicknamed “gupkae” (gecko) once thought quiet was weakness. Now I know better.

Quiet rebellion isn’t silence. It’s presence. It’s waiting for the right moment to speak truth that cuts clean.

I used to think I needed to be louder to be heard. But here’s what I’ve learned: your strength hasn’t gone missing. It just takes a different form. Instead of out-shouting, you out-create. You let your systems, your stories, your authentic work do the talking.

That’s the discipline of a quiet rebel. Not performing for the crowd, but building something that lasts. Creating work that carries farther than words ever could.

Over the years, I’ve learned that being a quiet creator comes with its own challenges. How do you share your story without losing your truth? How do you build confidence in your voice when the world seems to reward the loudest? How do you turn those quiet strengths into work that actually makes an impact?

These are the conversations I have in my 1:1 sessions. Not generic advice, but real talk about creating from a place of authenticity. About building systems that work for how you think, not how you think you should think.

If you’re a designer, writer, or indie creator who’s ever felt too quiet to make a difference, I get it. Sometimes the best way forward isn’t finding your voice—it’s trusting the one you already have.

I’m opening a few 1:1 mentorship slots for creators ready to explore these questions. No hype, no performance mask. Just honest conversations about building work that speaks for itself.

Your quiet rebellion might be exactly what the world needs to hear. Even if—especially if—you whisper it.

Book a Time

Walk your path. Let your quiet rebellion echo where it matters most.