Why Smart People Stay Invisible: Harinder Singh Pelia on Identity & The Psychology of Marketing
Fri Jan 30 2026
🎙️ Episode #36 | Identity, Career, Confidence & the Psychology of Visibility with Author Harinder Singh Pelia on The PVT Show with Poonam Vijay ThakkarWhy Smart People Stay Invisible?Why do talented, intelligent professionals struggle with visibility in their careers?Why do some people work hard, stay competent, yet remain unnoticed—while others rise faster with fewer skills? In this incisive episode of The PVT Show, Poonam Vijay Thakkar sits down with Harinder Singh Pelia—global marketing leader, behavioural researcher, and bestselling author of Who The F*** Are You and The Psychology of Marketing.🎯 Key Topics Covered in This Career & Psychology Podcast• Why high performers stay invisible at work• Career growth psychology and confidence building• Identity crisis in professionals and leaders• The “Minimum Viable Self” framework• Why personal branding feels uncomfortable but is necessary• Marketing psychology applied to careers and leadership• Cognitive biases that affect decision-making and success• Influence, trust, and perception in professional life• How to build an unfair advantage in your career without fakery🎯 Who Should Watch This Episode This episode is especially relevant if you:
Feel stuck or overlooked in your career. Are navigating leadership or managerial roles. Work in marketing, business, consulting, or entrepreneurship. Struggle with confidence, visibility, or self-expression. Enjoy podcasts on psychology, leadership, and career growth.
🎥 Watch the Full Episode on The PVT ShowThis is not a marketing episode. This is not a motivational talk. This is a career, identity, and psychology conversation that helps you understand:why you show up the way you do—and how to change it.
⏱ Key Segments
(00:00) – INTRODUCTION
(01:08) – Guest INTRODUCTION
(08:03) – Navigating Early Career Challenges
(14:52) – Understanding Workplace Politics
(28:52) – Hiring Trends and Generational Differences
(34:58) – Embracing Insecurity for Growth
(49:14) – Creating Opportunities Through Visibility
(51:10) – Engineering Luck in Professional Contexts
(54:25) – The Cognitive Limit and Social Connections
(01:00:28) – The Role of Originality in Content Creation
(01:19:35) – Embracing Failure as a Learning Tool
(01:22:55) – The Three Laws of Resonance
(01:37:14) – The Psychology of Pricing and Discounts
(01:40:33) – Identifying Your Unfair Advantage
(01:41:51) – Cultural Conditioning and Confidence
(01:44:59) – Building Visibility as an Introvert
(01:45:55) – Minimum Viable Self vs. Ikigai
(01:47:51) – The Future of Marketing with AI
(01:51:00) – Channel Intro
(01:51:25) – OUTRO
👇 About the Guest — Harinder Singh PeliaHarinder Singh Pelia is a global marketing leader, behavioural psychology researcher, and the bestselling author of Who The F*** Are You and The Psychology of Marketing.
👇 About the Host — Poonam Vijay Thakkar (PVT)Award winning Corporate Marketing Leader | Social Entrepreneur | Mindset Coach| Named Among Top 100 CMOs &Top 100 Women Leaders in BFSI IndiaRead more - www.poonamvijaythakkar.com
👇 About the Show — The PVT Show PodcastA space for courageous conversations, transformative journeys, and minds shaping the future. Where identity, behaviour, leadership, and inner work meet real stories. Bilingual Hindi & English.
📢 Connect with Harinder Singh Pelia LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harindersinghpelia Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/harindersinghpelia
📚 Books by Harinder Singh PeliaWho The F*** Are You — https://amzn.in/d/eNqS3pAThe Psychology of Marketing — https://amzn.in/d/axERm6O
📢 Connect with Poonam Vijay Thakkar & The PVT Show
🌐 Website: www.poonamvijaythakkar.com📩 Email: connect@poonamvijaythakkar.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/poonamvijaythakkarcmo
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/poonamvijaythakkarofficial Twitter / X: https://x.com/poonamvt
🎙️ Spotify & YouTube: The PVT Show Podcast
More
🎙️ Episode #36 | Identity, Career, Confidence & the Psychology of Visibility with Author Harinder Singh Pelia on The PVT Show with Poonam Vijay ThakkarWhy Smart People Stay Invisible?Why do talented, intelligent professionals struggle with visibility in their careers?Why do some people work hard, stay competent, yet remain unnoticed—while others rise faster with fewer skills? In this incisive episode of The PVT Show, Poonam Vijay Thakkar sits down with Harinder Singh Pelia—global marketing leader, behavioural researcher, and bestselling author of Who The F*** Are You and The Psychology of Marketing.🎯 Key Topics Covered in This Career & Psychology Podcast• Why high performers stay invisible at work• Career growth psychology and confidence building• Identity crisis in professionals and leaders• The “Minimum Viable Self” framework• Why personal branding feels uncomfortable but is necessary• Marketing psychology applied to careers and leadership• Cognitive biases that affect decision-making and success• Influence, trust, and perception in professional life• How to build an unfair advantage in your career without fakery🎯 Who Should Watch This Episode This episode is especially relevant if you: Feel stuck or overlooked in your career. Are navigating leadership or managerial roles. Work in marketing, business, consulting, or entrepreneurship. Struggle with confidence, visibility, or self-expression. Enjoy podcasts on psychology, leadership, and career growth. 🎥 Watch the Full Episode on The PVT ShowThis is not a marketing episode. This is not a motivational talk. This is a career, identity, and psychology conversation that helps you understand:why you show up the way you do—and how to change it. ⏱ Key Segments (00:00) – INTRODUCTION (01:08) – Guest INTRODUCTION (08:03) – Navigating Early Career Challenges (14:52) – Understanding Workplace Politics (28:52) – Hiring Trends and Generational Differences (34:58) – Embracing Insecurity for Growth (49:14) – Creating Opportunities Through Visibility (51:10) – Engineering Luck in Professional Contexts (54:25) – The Cognitive Limit and Social Connections (01:00:28) – The Role of Originality in Content Creation (01:19:35) – Embracing Failure as a Learning Tool (01:22:55) – The Three Laws of Resonance (01:37:14) – The Psychology of Pricing and Discounts (01:40:33) – Identifying Your Unfair Advantage (01:41:51) – Cultural Conditioning and Confidence (01:44:59) – Building Visibility as an Introvert (01:45:55) – Minimum Viable Self vs. Ikigai (01:47:51) – The Future of Marketing with AI (01:51:00) – Channel Intro (01:51:25) – OUTRO 👇 About the Guest — Harinder Singh PeliaHarinder Singh Pelia is a global marketing leader, behavioural psychology researcher, and the bestselling author of Who The F*** Are You and The Psychology of Marketing. 👇 About the Host — Poonam Vijay Thakkar (PVT)Award winning Corporate Marketing Leader | Social Entrepreneur | Mindset Coach| Named Among Top 100 CMOs &Top 100 Women Leaders in BFSI IndiaRead more - www.poonamvijaythakkar.com 👇 About the Show — The PVT Show PodcastA space for courageous conversations, transformative journeys, and minds shaping the future. Where identity, behaviour, leadership, and inner work meet real stories. Bilingual Hindi & English. 📢 Connect with Harinder Singh Pelia LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harindersinghpelia Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/harindersinghpelia 📚 Books by Harinder Singh PeliaWho The F*** Are You — https://amzn.in/d/eNqS3pAThe Psychology of Marketing — https://amzn.in/d/axERm6O 📢 Connect with Poonam Vijay Thakkar & The PVT Show 🌐 Website: www.poonamvijaythakkar.com📩 Email: connect@poonamvijaythakkar.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/poonamvijaythakkarcmo Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/poonamvijaythakkarofficial Twitter / X: https://x.com/poonamvt 🎙️ Spotify & YouTube: The PVT Show Podcast