Presence as Strategy

I’ve been online for over 25 years. Long enough to remember when social media felt like a party you actually wanted to attend. mIRC, ICQ, MSN, Orkut. Spaces shaped by affinity. Then smartphones entered the scene and, in a blink, we shifted from fun posting to a broadcast era. Content driven by metrics, powered by the pressure of building a personal brand and an audience. At what cost?

The system wants constant updates while documenting and crafting a coherent editorial voice quickly becomes another job. As a type designer whose process isn’t linear or eye-catching but collage-like and cerebral, I keep pondering: shouldn’t my attention lie in making better fonts? The very thing I’m good at—deep focus for hours on end—seems to be the opposite of what the algorithm rewards. When I’m in production-bunker mode, there’s no clean breakpoint. Just long stretches of edits, doubt, correction, and sudden clarity. Interrupting that rhythm sounds counterproductive at best. And spending more time staging than creating is fundamentally backward.

I’m so exhausted from this way of life: glued to screens. A parallel reality heavily edited so people and brands alike look perfect, idealized. Endless advice, endless positioning, endless noise. A symphony of the same formula and empty speeches that only echoes despair. We’ve reached insane levels of performance—and a collective acceptance of existing through platforms, no matter how much it deteriorates our sanity. How did we let this become the baseline?

Call me a rebel but I never dealt well with hamster wheels. Still, I’m not sure if quitting the game entirely is sustainable. Can the small fish pull through without the channels that supposedly drive discoverability? Will sales drop drastically if I delete Instagram? Signal is currency—I’m not naive. I write this newsletter. I give talks. Staying top-of-mind counts. But there’s a difference between authorship and spectacle. More and more, I suspect the answer lives offline.

Part of that comes down to wiring. Give me a room full of people and everything clicks. Friends, strangers… I thrive in the friction and warmth of unfiltered conversations. It’s where ideas spark naturally. Where I recharge. Psychology calls it interpersonal intelligence; I like to think it’s the Carioca swag. Regardless, it doesn’t translate when you remove physical proximity. The nuance disappears. And when I look at the biggest opportunities in my career, almost all of them came from someone I’ve met in person or a referral from someone I know.

Human connection is how my work gains dimension. Through exchange, picking up texture within new perspectives. Not by joining the hustle of producing the next viral reel. So after a long inward season, it feels natural that 2026 turns outward. If presence is my strength, it should also be my strategy. Starting this January, I’m opening a handful of slots for projects that match this energy. The conversations and collaborations that uplift my practice. In that same spirit, I’ve decided to organize my very own roadshow. Prompted by the invitation to speak at TypeParis’ Now, I’m planning a mini Europe tour in spring/summer to run what I’m calling ZimFest: a series of mixers, panels, and original activities. Some intended to unfold over drinks, others to discuss politics, money, insecurities. I’m excited! Of course, open to new destinations. Maybe New York in the fall?

Here’s what keeps coming back: if streaming our lives is the new currency, can I cut the middleman? Meaning the digital environment. Sure, it will be harder to scale but much more authentic. Having a public voice was never a problem. The lack of depth is. And that doesn’t mean opting out of the internet—it means choosing with more intention, gravitating toward corners where community and information come first.

In a world increasingly mediated, where it’s getting harder to tell what’s real from what’s fake, the moments spent together will always beat any amount of views or likes. Because reputation isn’t something you perform into existence. It’s the shadow cast by work done with care, rigor, and integrity. That’s where I’m betting. On creating with purpose, building deeper and richer relationships. Showing up fully. Most optimize for reach—I’m optimizing for resonance. Visibility will follow.

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Marginalia

🔤 Font:

Only Sans by Daria Cohen (Contemporary Type): A post-geometric sans that looks rational while cherishing mischief. Duplex across weights, with meme-ready emojis/alternates (hearts, skulls, sparks), and very present-coded.

💬 Quote:

“Attention is the rarest and purest form of generosity.” — Simone Weil

🔖 Bookmarked:

Vou Criar no Escuro (Creating in the Dark) by Leandro Assis: Le and I have been circling similar questions and references since his newsletter launched. This one lands close: the burden of documenting the process instead of living it.

🧑‍🎨 From the Field:

Typography Conferences and Meetups to Attend All Year Round: Because presence requires knowing where to go. Updated regularly as dates confirm.

📡 Elsewhere:

Alaïa Spring 2026: Current fashion reference for the outward-era—strength and precision without losing magnetism. Top 3 looks are all black, of course: A, B, C.

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