COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT

Tabish Gilani, Head of Growth, Kajabi

Monica Khan, Contributor

This story is part of a sponsored series in partnership with Kajabi.

Based in San Francisco, Tabish Gilani is the Head of Growth at Kajabi, where he leads the team dedicated to finding and helping ambitious creators transform their passions into successful entrepreneurial ventures. 

Prior to Kajabi, Tabish was on the executive team at Replit, leading the product, growth, and community functions to drive the company's ambitious mission in bringing the next billion software creators online. His career also includes formative stints at YouTube and Google, giving him a foundational understanding of the creator economy at a global scale.

Q: How has tech influenced your career path?

A: This one is hard to answer because I think more so than influence, Tech has been more of a demolition expert… I went to college for mechanical engineering (convinced I would work in manufacturing) and then was a teacher in South America (convinced I’d be in education) and it wasn’t until I worked at a tech company (that isn’t even around anymore) that I realized the power of scale that tech has (and the high I got from it). From impacting lives in a classroom of 50 to millions across the globe blew my mind. Every opportunity that has come downstream of that has been a reflection of what has the highest impact on the community and the world around me. Even working at a company like Kajabi, giving individuals the tools to rebundle their unique skills, passions, and knowledge into a viable business has provided me with opportunities to impact people I wouldn’t have even dreamed of when I was a kid.

Q:  What's your biggest professional challenge currently?

Ironically enough, while tech has provided a large-scale impact across the world, the magic of the creator economy is actually in its intimacy, authenticity, and human connection. It’s been challenging (albeit fun) to think about what a human first onboarding experience looks like for creators trying to become entrepreneurs. It’s not a simple one-size-fits-all onboarding experience like any other consumer app nor is it an enterprise grade tool with a long procurement process. We’re working with creators (people, not companies) who have their own nuanced (often hard and lonely!) entrepreneurial journeys, of which no two are alike and deeply understanding what their needs are is a long arduous journey. That said, I feel confident that we can get there and serve the creators who join in a way that feels deeply personal and authentic.

Q:  What do you wish more people understood about your work?

I think it’s become overstated that "Growth" isn't a collection of marketing hacks or clever tricks to juice a metric. But in all honesty, it’s true. The best way I’ve described my work in the past has been almost detective sleuthing. And more recently, I realized it’s closer to digital anthropology than anything else. It’s a product-led exploration of human motivation. I'm not just trying to figure out how to get someone to click a button or how to keep my cost per click low. I'm trying to understand the fear, ambition, or desire that leads them to that click. Especially at Kajabi, we’re deeply trying to understand what makes creators successful and help them become entrepreneurs, and the growth function is simply the tip of the spear in helping us gain that understanding.

Q:  What's one thing you wish you'd known at the start of your career?

Data can’t replace taste or craft. Especially as a Growth professional, I believed data gave you the answers and told you exactly what to do and where to go. I was wrong. It wasn’t until I had a moment where a manager, early in my career, pushed me to deeply understand what the insight underneath the data was. After all, the data in and of itself is our best guess at what signal we think we need to tell us we’re on the right track but without a strong sense of intuition and sense, it’s just a directionless tool. 

I felt similarly about frameworks. Good frameworks are a shortcut for good thinking (but not a substitute for it), and good only in the context they’re used to aid in. 

Q:  What do you love most about living in the Bay Area?

I love being surrounded by builders. The energy in the city is infectious to folks trying to have a meaningful impact on the world around them; the ambient stress level here is calibrated to “change the world”. Your half baked crazy idea doesn’t always get a response with “That’s impossible” but more along the lines of “Ok, what or who do you need to make it happen?”. I think it’s also forced me to think bigger and be more ambitious. Something I do think about is that when I was younger, I could’ve never predicted where I’d be today and that leads me to believe that I think I could be even more ambitious and stand to take more risks. And I think the Bay epitomizes that thinking. 

Q: What’s your ideal day off in the Bay Area?

I have a view of the Bay Bridge from my apartment and just given how much of my life is digital, there are days I love to just sit in my living room and watch standstill traffic on the bridge. Occasionally, I’ve loved going to one of my favorite arcade bars in the city - The Detour and gearing up for some solid rounds of Killer Queen with some friends. (Really, it’s the best arcade game ever.)

Q: What is your favorite podcast or YouTube channel?

I’ve been really enjoying Claire Vo’s How I AI Podcast. As a Product person, it’s almost becoming a new age product development Bible, showing how builders are actually integrating AI into their workflows, not just talking about it.  

Q: What's your favorite source for industry news?

I love Jim Louderback’s (very own BACE) Inside the Creator Economy and I remember telling him at one point (I think, at the 1B Summit in Dubai) that it felt like the Stratechery for the Creator Economy. Thanks Jim! 

Q: What's your proudest professional moment?

While it’s hard to pick just one, there is a recent moment that captures the feeling well. We completely reimagined Kajabi’s partner program earlier this year and it was a 3 month sprint with a team of less than 10. It received some of the most enthusiastic applause I’ve ever witnessed for a product feature I’ve launched in recent memory. Not only did we make it easier than ever for partners to join Kajabi, we’ve also built tooling for them to effectively track their campaigns, earnings, and referrals. Further, we’ve expanded to include service providers and agencies who work with creators and enable ease of their workflow in helping creators be successful as well. I’ve worked on many different affiliate and referral programs over the years as a growth practitioner and never have I seen one as loved as Kajabi’s so it was really heartening to see the impact and love from our partners for the same. Seriously… one of our partner’s jaw actually dropped… (I have a photo!)    

What's your vision for the future of the creator economy?

I’ve always imagined the creator economy (à la commerce) space to be a migration from an “attention economy” to a “meaning economy” (in the words of Scott Belsky).

From 1000 true fans to 100, creating connections will become even more paramount and give way to the rise of a true middle class creator. While the creator economy is largely driven by content (and the power of social media to hasten distribution), I think the future will be driven by meaning (especially in the age of AI with unbridled access to content creation and distribution). 

Platforms, like Kajabi, that are enabling creators to go direct to their audience, build a meaningful connection with them, and establish a sense of community are also the ones that will buck the power law that we so often see exist in the creator economy and give rise to a flourishing middle class. 

Q: What's one question about the creator economy you'd like answered?

Building on the future of the economy, the big question I keep coming back to is this: As AI makes it practically free for anyone to create endless amounts of professional-looking content, what happens to our trust? And relatedly, how do creators respond authentically as well to preserve that trust? (assuming it becomes more valuable!) 

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This story is brought to you by Kajabi.

Kajabi empowers creators to build scalable, direct-to-consumer businesses through online courses, digital products, memberships, and more. Learn more at kajabi.com.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Inside the Bay Area

JULY

July 16
Nerd Night SF Hot takes and a trivia night with creators, industry pros and nerds. Hosted in part by Trace Dominguez. #153 has quite a bit in store:  the science of photography, the TRUTH about the Princess Bride, and new research about self-pleasure. Be there and be square. Get tickets here. (San Francisco) 

July 17
COMMUNITY PICK! BAY AREA CREATOR ECONOMY SUMMER KICK OFF EVENT …This is the summer event you don’t want to miss. Join the Bay Area’s top creators, founders, and digital leaders for an unforgettable evening of connection, inspiration, and celebration. Expect great vibes, unexpected moments, and conversations that matter. Come meet your next collaborator, brand partner or just make some new friends. RSVP NOW – space is limited (San Carlos)

Caffeine & Capital. Kick off your morning with cold brew, conversation, and community. This relaxed networking event connects early-stage founders, pre-seed investors, and startup advisors over coffee and fresh pastries. Attendees can share what they're building, meet funders, and gain valuable feedback in an informal setting. Presented by Startup Intros and Context Ventures, this is your chance to start your day energized and inspired. (San Francisco) 

July 18-20 
Open Sauce 2025. This annual convention that brings together top creators, engineers, and tech enthusiasts to showcase innovation in STEM and beyond. Use our code BACEOS25 to buy discounted tickets. (San Mateo) 

July 23 
Catch Cat Ce Live! Get ready to laugh (and maybe cry a little). Viral Chinese-American comedian, actress, and podcaster Cat Ce brings her signature mix of sharp humor and heartfelt storytelling to Cobb’s Comedy Club (San Francisco). 

July 26-27 
The SF Marathon is an amazing way to close out the last weekend of July. Run scenic routes across the Golden Gate Bridge and through the city's iconic neighborhoods with other locals and fitness enthusiasts. (San Francisco)

AUGUST

August 2
Bay Area Dog Surfing Contest. Bring your canine and camera to enjoy the annual dog surfing contest on the gorgeous California coastline. Instagrammable moments are sure to be captured, and canine competition awaits.  (Pacifica, CA) 

August 8-10 
OutsideLands Music Festival Outside Lands, formerly known as the Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival, is a three-day music, art, food, wine, beer and cannabis festival held annually in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. Back again this year with headliners such as Doja Cat, John Summit and Tyler The Creator. Details and tickets can be found here. (San Francisco)  

Beyond the Bay Area

JULY

July 18 
Clean Living Magazine Rooftop Summer Launch Party Connect with founders and creators on a rooftop in LA for Clean Living Magazine Summer Issue’s Global launch by Inspired Publications.  This evening features a special rooftop dinner to honor the inspirational women behind this issue: cover founders Meenal, Ali, Danielle, and Sandy, plus every incredible female founder featured inside. RSVP here. (Los Angeles, CA) 

July 23
Food 52 Live Launch of Tiara’s Story. Join the live event and mixer around this new Docu-Series capturing the Chef/Owner of the Pastry Box, Tiara Bennett and her journey. RSVP by emailing [email protected] (Brooklyn, NY) 

July 24 
In Bloom From The Front Row to the FYP. A one-night-only experience during New York Swim Week that redefines what a fashion show can be-blending live performance, creator culture, and sensory design into an unforgettable evening. Presented by NY Swim Week in partnership with Social4 TheWin, this event brings together leading voices in fashion, media, and social for an immersive experience that merges runway, retail, and real-time storytelling.  Rsvp here (New York) 

July 24-27
San Diego Comic-Con. The annual and iconic pop culture conventions returns to San Diego for content, cosplay and more. (San Diego, CA)

July 27 
Beauty Inside & Out (MagicHour X Moonblow) Join two wellness creators, MagicHour and Moonblow for a Tea Ceremony, Acupressure Ritual, and Ojai Wellness. Celebrate the debut of our new Beauty Inside & Out Ritual Box with a soul-nourishing tea ceremony, guided acupressure experience, and curated moments of connection in the sacred valley of Ojai. RSVP here. (Ojai, CA) 

AUGUST

August 1-3 
KCON LA The top K-Pop fan and artists festival returns to LA for live musical performances, top k-pop creator meet and greets, k-beauty booths, Korean food and more in this celebration of culture and content. (Los Angeles, CA) 

August 5-6
Creator Economy Live East. Get ready for one of the top influencer marketing events of the year hits NYC/ Connect with brands like Free People, Wayfair, DoorDash, Shein, Nespresso, Subaru, and more. Join creators, agencies, and brands as we tackle key industry challenges: measurement, partnerships, tools, and more. See you in New York!  Bonus: Score 20% off your ticket with the exclusive code BACE20. (New York)

August 29 - September 1 
Pax West 2025 The Pax West Gaming Festival is a four-day event that features a large expo hall with game publishers and developers, new game demos, panels, musical performances, tournaments, and community events. (Seattle, WA) 

Have an event you’d like us to include here? If so, please send the event URL to [email protected].

COMMUNITY NEWS

Time 100 Creator List Highlights 4 Bay Area Creators: Everyone’s talking about Time’s top 100 creator list, featuring creators from 15 countries!  Don’t miss BACE co-founder Monica Khan’s analysis of why this time seems different. Congrats to everyone  on the list, and particularly our local crew: Mark Rober, Alex Cosani, Becca Bloom and Mychal Threets. (Time)

Rock ‘em Sock ‘em Robots: Occasional Bay Area resident Delia Lazarescu (Tech.Unicorn) stumbled onto an underground AI robot fight club in SF somewhere. The video is well worth watching. (Instagram)

Creator Power On Display: Local restaurant Swan Oyster Depot gets cancelled after food creator posts image of a political hat in the window. (The San Francisco Standard)

Inside Mark Rober’s CrunchLabs: Ian Shepherd of Electrify Partners sat down with Jim Lee, COO of Mark Rober’s CrunchLabs, to explore the Mountain View-based creator’s plans to reach one billion brains. (Fortune)

JOBS

• Developer and Community Advocate - Generalized Arch @TikTok (San Jose)

• Partner Manager, Entertainment @Roblox (San Mateo)

• Social Media Marketing Manager @Luna Bags (Oakland)

• Social Media & Content Creator @Coldwell Banker (Novato)

• Senior Vice President, Creator Marketing @Edelman (San Francisco)

• Senior Product Manager Creator Tooling @Tubi (San Francisco)

• YouTube Video Strategist @Chime (San Francisco)

Have a job you’d like us to include here? Send the job posting URL to [email protected].

“HELLA BAY AREA” CREATOR PICK

Maggie Z (@_itsmaggiez)

The Waymo Hack every SF-local needs to know:

If you are a Bay Area Creator and have a piece of content you’d like for us to share, email it to us at [email protected]

There is a new kind of traffic in the road: Waymo traffic. 

Have you ever noticed the autonomous-vehicle's cautious driving can add an additional 10 minutes to your commute if you’re stuck behind one, or they can take longer to get to you than it would be to walk to your destination? 

SF-based creator and Waymo data scientist Maggie Z shared a clip from her camera roll that ended up garnering over 2 million views in less than a week. The simple hack involves using the crosswalk as a pedestrian to guide your Waymo to its pickup destination without getting cut off in traffic. It’s the kind of genius you’ll only find in sf, and the kind of clip you’ll only find on Maggie’s camera roll. 

Follow Maggie Z on Instagram and on TikTok.

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