The Third Quarter Manifesto - Because Midlife Crises Need a Strategy

Trust the Mess: Finding Ourselves in the Iterations

Ah, the elusive “fit.”

A few days ago, I read a post comparing product-market fit to people-role fit — and honestly, it hit home. When the fit lands, it’s electric. Like Ikigai with confetti. Everything clicks into place. But let’s be real — that click rarely happens on the first try. It takes iterations. (And sometimes, those iterations feel like you’re auditioning for a reality show called “Pivot or Perish.”)

But here’s the truth: it’s in the messy middle where the magic brews. The passionate few who stick with it — through the 1.0s, 2.7s, rewrites, relaunches, identity crises, and existential caffeine binges — often come out not only with a clearer product but a clearer sense of self.

As someone who's worked with many founders, I can confidently say:

a) They’ve iterated their products — and themselves — into relevance.

b) They’ve stuck around longer than logic sometimes permitted.

c) They’ve built something the world actually wanted. Eventually.

Parents will resonate too. Raising a child and raising a product? Same vibes. Fewer diapers, more dashboards.

Tuning in for the Signals: In the Pauses and Inflections

So why this reflection?

Well, the most profound inflection point in my life-career-family journey showed up unexpectedly when Aditya (my son) was 6, and fate hit the brakes on my corporate path. I took a sabbatical and launched an agency — and surprise! It thrived. By my definition, at least. Then came the boomerang: I returned to corporate life and scaled the ladder, as one does.

Fast-forward: the pandemic. Aka, The Great Rethink. It nudged many of us to re-evaluate what we’re doing (besides baking banana bread). I leaned back into agency work, especially with non-profits. And it felt… good. Messy-good. Meaningful-good.

Then came the third wave of reflection earlier this year. (Turning 50 on the horizon might have something to do with it — my bestie reminded me, lovingly but firmly, that my “half-century innings” were approaching.) Cue: a reflective audit of my life and work. Travel, new experiences, journaling on napkins — the whole soul-searching shebang.

At the Drawing Board: Fitting the Puzzle Together

Here’s what surfaced:

When you’ve spent decades doing something, it stops being “just work.” It becomes who you are. It’s your rhythm, your reflex. And so, when you pause to reflect, you see the whole canvas — the wins, the stumbles, the what-was-I-thinking moments, the resilience, the reinvention.

You also see how you kept going — juggling parenthood, career, carpool duty, sick days, deadlines, and dinners. Through all of that, the love for what I did only grew stronger.

As Leonard Cohen once said: “There is a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.”

I now see those cracks not as flaws, but as entry points — for light, learning, and yes, the next chapter.

The Raison d’être: Content Sense and the Road from Here

Here’s the twist: while I returned to corporate, the agency work never really left me. It stuck — in the background, on weekends, through passion projects, global collaborations, and conversations with brilliant humans trying to build something from scratch.

Turns out, that “side hustle” was quietly becoming a calling.

Over the last decade, I’ve helped 20+ companies shape their story, find their voice, refine their product-market fit, and make bold pivots. And I realized: this is it. The work that feels like breathing. The kind that marries intuition, strategy, and sweat.

The Third Quarter Pivot: Marketing-as-a-Service (MaaS)

So here we are. A new chapter. Not a reset — a refinement. Not retirement — a realignment.

I’m launching Content Sense’s Marketing-as-a-Service (MaaS) model — to partner with startups and scaleups as they navigate the messy magic of growth.

Because sometimes what you need isn't a bloated team or a 50-slide deck. You need a sharp, nimble partner who gets it, rolls up their sleeves, and helps you turn chaos into traction.

This is purpose-built marketing for companies that are:

• Trying to crack product-market fit (and still sleeping with one eye on retention dashboards)
• In need of fractional leadership to guide and galvanize an in-house or offshore team
• Looking to launch, pivot, or tell a more compelling story
• Ready to experiment with new growth models — and scale what works
• In transition and seeking clarity on brand, voice, or positioning
• Wanting full-stack marketing execution without the corporate baggage

And maybe some who just want someone to ask the right questions — the ones that help you see the forest, the trees, and the north star.

“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” – Mary Oliver

Mine, for now, is this.

If you're in the thick of building, scaling, or rethinking your go-to-market — let's grab a coffee or a Zoom. Reach me at padmini@contentsense.ai.

So here’s to the glorious mess and to the pivots and pauses — the late-night brainstorms, the “what-was-I-thinking” moments, and the chaos of piecing it all together one imperfect iteration at a time. 

Because if life and marketing have taught me anything, it’s this: the magic isn’t in getting it perfect on the first try (spoiler alert: that never happens), but in trusting the mess, embracing the pauses, and showing up for the next pivot — coffee in hand, grit engaged, and a twinkle of stubborn optimism in the eye. 

Who’s ready to pivot with me?

About the Author:

Padmini Murthy is the founder of Content Sense, where she helps startups and scale-ups find their marketing fit through her Marketing as a Service (MaaS) model. With over a decade of experience guiding 20+ companies through product pivots and growth journeys, Padmini blends strategic rigor with a deep love for messy, meaningful work. When not untangling marketing challenges, she’s reflecting on life’s inflection points — and brewing a really good cup of coffee or serving a fine glass of wine to her fam and friends!