In Community with Fahad Khawaja

In this episode, Fahad sits down with Jessica Serrano, Chief Marketing Officer at Bagel Brands — a bold Latina leader who invented the fiery and now-famous Diablo sauce, who shares her journey from uncertainty to success. Jessica opens up about her early struggles feeling like “a fish out of water,” navigating identity, growth, and what it takes to build meaningful brands.
Together, they explore the pivotal moments and mindset shifts that shaped her path: from charting her path to discovering her passion, embracing new ways of working, and ultimately turning that passion into brands that resonated deeply with customers. Jessica shares frank reflections on learning, community, and what it means to build a business rooted in what guests and customers need.
Whether you’re a creator, aspiring entrepreneur, or just someone drawn to stories of growth and transformation — this conversation offers actionable insights on turning personal challenges into creative fuel and scaling a brand.
🔑 Key Takeaways
How Jessica turned feeling lost and out of place into the spark for growth — the emotional catalyst that drove her to build differently.
Why embracing her identity shaped her creative vision — and how authenticity became part of her foundation.
The risks, learning as you go, and lessons along her journey — from early uncertainty to strategic growth.
How seemingly simple ideas fueled brands with heart, soul, and community — and why certain products can stand out.
Practical advice for aspiring entrepreneurs and leaders — from mindset shifts, creative courage, to scaling without sacrificing authenticity.
🧭 Episode Highlights
• From Feeling Like an Outsider to Discovering Purpose
Jessica shares what it was like growing up knowing she didn’t fit in — and how that feeling eventually pushed her to seek something different rather than follow a known path.
• The Birth of Her Food Career & Creative Spark
We hear how she turned an idea (the sauce) into an enduring product that people love: what inspired the first batch, the process of developing it, and the early lessons in trying to stand out with creative marketing.
• Identity, Culture & Authenticity in Business
We dive into why her unique background made all the difference for her — and how cultural identity influenced everything from development and branding to community building.
• Growth, Creative Problem Solving, and the Realities of Marketing
Jessica reflects on how her uncertainty — and the right mentors — helped her showcase her abilities.
• Building With Purpose
How purpose in understanding guests and customers shaped her mission, attracted loyal customers, and turned a personal passion into a meaningful career with impact.
🎯 Who This Episode is For
Marketing leaders, creators, and entrepreneurs looking for real-life inspiration
Anyone navigating identity, culture, or self-doubt and seeking direction
Food lovers curious about the story behind a well-known and much-loved product
Future founders thinking about building with purpose and authenticity
If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share with someone who needs to hear Jessica’s story.
Subscribe at youtube.com/@fahad.future to get more stories of transformation and leadership from the rising majority.
Leave a review and share this episode with a friend or colleague who needs inspiration to take their next leap.
Join the conversation — visit incommunity.wearehue.org to connect, share your thoughts, and engage with our community.

In this powerful episode of In Community with Fahad Khawaja, we sit down with Zena Arnold, CMO of Sephora US, to explore her journey from a major early-career setback to leading marketing in the US for the world's largest retailer. Zena opens up about crisis early in her career, taking nontraditional roles, and taking bold risks that accelerated her career. Her story is a testament to resilience, a growth mindset, and the power of perseverance.
Whether you're navigating your own career pivot or striving to reinvent yourself in leadership, Zena’s insights will inspire, challenge, and empower you.
Guest Bio
Zena Arnold brings decades of marketing leadership to her role as Sephora’s US Chief Marketing Officer. She oversees everything from media and creative communications to loyalty, promotions, and operations — all while building personalized, memorable experiences for Sephora’s diverse beauty community. Before Sephora, Zena held senior roles at global consumer brands including PepsiCo, Kimberly-Clark, Google, Kellogg, and Procter & Gamble.
Key Takeaways / Topics Covered
The Early Setback: Zena shares the moment early in her career when things went wrong — what happened, how she felt, and why it became a turning point.
Nontraditional Roles & Risk-Taking: How Zena intentionally took on roles that weren’t “safe” or conventional — and why embracing uncertainty became a superpower in her growth.
Growth Mindset in Practice: The mental shifts, self-awareness, and discipline she developed to bounce back stronger.
Leadership & Marketing at Sephora: How she blends her passion for beauty with purpose, creating differentiated marketing touchpoints — from loyalty programs to creative campaigns — that deeply resonate with Sephora’s community.
Perseverance & Resilience: Lessons on bouncing back, staying committed to long-term goals, and believing in your vision when things don’t make sense yet.
Advice for Others: Practical wisdom for anyone looking to reinvent their career, overcome obstacles, or lead with purpose.
Zena Arnold’s journey is proof that a career can be built — not in spite of failure, but because of it. Her path from hardship to leadership offers actionable lessons in courage, self-discovery, and the kind of persistence it takes to create your own narrative. For anyone feeling stuck or uncertain, this conversation delivers hope, strategy, and real talk.
Subscribe at youtube.com/@fahad.future to get more stories of transformation and leadership from the rising majority.
Share this episode with a friend or colleague who needs inspiration to take their next leap.
Join the conversation — visit incommunity.wearehue.org to connect, share your thoughts, and engage with our community.

In this powerful episode, Fahad Khawaja sits down with Everette Taylor—renowned marketing leader, creative entrepreneur, and CEO known for helping companies drive sustainable growth. Everette opens up about his remarkable journey from experiencing homelessness as a teenager to becoming one of the most influential voices in modern marketing and brand strategy.
Fahad and Everette explore the pivotal moments that shaped his path: early survival challenges, the spark that first pushed him toward entrepreneurship, and the mindset shifts that helped him turn adversity into momentum. Everette shares how he built his career without traditional access or networks, why authentic storytelling drives today’s strongest brands, and how community and culture fueled his growth.
Whether you’re a creator, entrepreneur, marketer, or leader, this conversation offers actionable insights on resilience, creativity, and what it truly takes to scale companies—and yourself.
🔑 Key Takeaways
How Everette transformed homelessness and instability into the foundation for long-term success
The moment he discovered marketing and entrepreneurship as a path forward
Why representation and community continue to shape his leadership
The creative and strategic principles behind building brands that resonate
Lessons learned from helping companies scale to billions in value
🧭 Episode Highlights
Early life and challenges
Finding entrepreneurship and breaking into marketing
Building authentic relationships without traditional access
Scaling brands, teams, and companies
What’s next for Everette—and his advice for the next generation
Subscribe at youtube.com/@fahad.future to get more stories of transformation and leadership from the rising majority.
Leave a review and share this episode with a friend or colleague who needs inspiration to take their next leap.
Join the conversation — visit incommunity.wearehue.org to connect, share your thoughts, and engage with our community.

Welcome to In Community with Fahad Khawaja — a new podcast on community, connection, and collective growth. In this trailer, we share what’s ahead: stories of people and projects building community and a more connected future where we all have our voices heard. Subscribe now and join us — because what connects us is greater than what separates us.