Is 2026 the new 2016? Can sincerity make a come back? And what this means for cult brands.
Release Date: 01/17/2026
Is 2026 the new 2016? Can sincerity make a come back? And what this means for cult brands.
The Unschool by Andi Alleman
Everyone keeps saying “2026 is the new 2016” like it’s just another aesthetic cycle. Hand-drawn typography, messy collages, analog hobbies making a comeback. But this isn’t nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake. In this solo episode, Andi unpacks why the return to analog is really about resistance—to AI sameness, algorithmic exhaustion, and a culture that’s been stuck in constant performance mode. 2016 was the last moment before being “tapped in” became mandatory. Before every brand had to have a stance. Before sincerity started feeling risky. What we’re seeing now isn’t a...
info_outline
The Shonda Structure: How to Create Bingeable Content Using Open Loops
The Unschool by Andi Alleman
Andi breaks down the storytelling pattern behind the world’s most bingeable shows — the same structure Shonda Rhimes uses to keep you glued to Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal, and Bridgerton. It’s a framework you can steal for your content to hold attention, build emotional investment, and make your message unforgettable. Inside, Andi shares: • What an open loop hook is — and why it’s more powerful than a standard hook • How Shonda builds cliffhangers that keep viewers (and your audience) coming back • The psychology behind unfinished stories — the Zygarnik effect • How to...
info_outline
Year Zero: The Quiet Work Behind Building an Indie Brand the World Hasn’t Met Yet
The Unschool by Andi Alleman
Andi takes you behind the scenes of Casa Noon’s pre-launch season — from hand-packing 65 boxes at her kitchen table to navigating early PR, pre-orders, and the slow, unseen work of building an indie beauty brand from scratch. She breaks down what most people miss about “year zero,” why visibility often comes after years of grind, and how creators and founders can reconnect to the story beneath their work when the noise gets loud. You’ll hear: • What it really looks like to prep for launch without celebrity backing or big budgets • Why indie brands deserve more energy than...
info_outline
Founder Lore: The Story Only You Can Tell — And the Three Steps to Building Your Mythology
The Unschool by Andi Alleman
Get the Unschool News: From founder lore and brand mythology to the rise of magnetism-as-metric, Andi breaks down how story, presence, and point of view shape modern founder brands. She walks through how to build your own lore — the emotional logic behind your work — and why “anti-feed” content and second accounts are quietly becoming the most compelling spaces on the internet. But first, Andi shares what’s happening inside the studio: ✨ The Cult Brand Blueprint Accelerator is now in Week 4 — and founder lore is one of the most transformative lessons of the cohort. ✨ A new ...
info_outline
Micro Moves, Big Deal Energy: 5 Shifts That Change Everything
The Unschool by Andi Alleman
From the proof-optional mindset to the Life Edit method, Andi breaks down how tiny, deliberate “micro moves” shape your next era. She walks through the first five moves in her 20 Micro Moves to Become a Big Deal Before 2026 series in more detail. These are the small shifts that create clarity, momentum, and identity-level upgrades over time. But first, Andi shares what’s new behind the scenes: ✨ The Unschool newsletter is now officially rolled into the Unschool brand — welcome to The Unschool News + Pod, your shared home for creativity, intuition, and founder conversations. ✨...
info_outline
Excavation Season: Micro Moves + Vibes, Virality, and Value Bombing
The Unschool by Andi Alleman
Andi unpacks how tiny shifts, online and off, create big-deal momentum, plus the content framework that’s rewriting brand growth. From high-performance mindset and “micro moves” that shape identity to the three-post content system powering cult-brand growth, this solo episode is your reminder that becoming a big deal starts with small, deliberate shifts. But first, Andi shares what’s new behind the scenes: The Unschool newsletter + podcast are now fully aligned under one name—your weekly dose of creative strategy and identity-centered, IYKYK factor brand building. ✨ The...
info_outline
The Productivity Detox: How to Heal the Need to Always Be Doing With Nine to Kind Founder, Lauren Ruth Martin
The Unschool by Andi Alleman
Join the Today Andi chats with , licensed therapist, speaker, and founder of , on burnout, productivity guilt, and what it really means to build a life that’s sustainable—mentally, emotionally, and professionally. After years of measuring worth through achievement, Lauren hit a wall that forced her to redefine success. What began as her personal healing journey became Nine to Kind: a planner and philosophy helping people move from urgency to intentionality. You’ll hear: The burnout wake-up call: how therapy and awareness helped Lauren untangle her identity from constant productivity....
info_outline
Fazit Glitter Freckles: How Taylor Swift Helped Turn a Cult Brand Viral (3,500% Surge + 7-Figure Weekend) with Co-Founder Aliett Buttelman
The Unschool by Andi Alleman
Today Andi chats with Aliett Buttelman, cofounder of Fazit, on the glitter-freckle phenomenon that leapt from TikTok to A-list status. After Taylor Swift (plus Rita Ora, Kacey Musgraves, and Lisa of BLACKPINK) wore Fazit’s Glitter Freckles Makeup Patches, the brand’s press pat peel ritual turned into a movement, spiking sales and cementing Fazit as a cult brand to watch. You’ll hear: The founding arc: from “patch peel” skincare content to the first-ever makeup patches built for instant transformation. The celebrity spark: how a Taylor Swift moment turned into +3,500% traffic and...
info_outline
How a Founder Built a Dress Rental Startup, Raised $1M+, and Pivoted From Burnout to Mentorship — with Emily McDonald
The Unschool by Andi Alleman
Get on the waitlist for Come to our NYC Andi chats with Emily McDonald, founder of The Stylist LA and mentor to female founders, for a real conversation on the highs, lows, and pivots that come with entrepreneurship. Emily takes us back to her first company, a pre–Rent the Runway dress rental business she started out of her living room with a single rolling rack. From scaling to showrooms in LA and San Francisco, raising over a million in venture capital, and dressing Bachelor Nation, Emily shares the bts truth of what it actually takes to build, scale, and reinvent. You’ll hear:...
info_outline
25 Things Cult Brand Founders Are Obsessing Over Right Now
The Unschool by Andi Alleman
From storytelling that feels lived-in (not polished) to founder POV diaries, retention over reach, cultural commentary in marketing, IRL brand house parties, and legacy thinking—this is the ultimate quick-hit list of the habits and strategies fueling today’s most magnetic founders. But before diving in, Andi shares some exciting updates: The Unschool was just named by the Female Founder Collective as one of the top podcasts for entrepreneurs ready to uplevel—alongside How I Built This, Second Life, Superwoman, Side Hustle Pro, and more. Their words? “This pod challenges business...
info_outlineEveryone keeps saying “2026 is the new 2016” like it’s just another aesthetic cycle. Hand-drawn typography, messy collages, analog hobbies making a comeback. But this isn’t nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake.
In this solo episode, Andi unpacks why the return to analog is really about resistance—to AI sameness, algorithmic exhaustion, and a culture that’s been stuck in constant performance mode.
2016 was the last moment before being “tapped in” became mandatory. Before every brand had to have a stance. Before sincerity started feeling risky. What we’re seeing now isn’t a desire to go backward—it’s a search for something real again.
This episode explores what that shift means for cult brands in 2026, including:
-
Why imperfect, hand-crafted aesthetics are becoming proof of humanity
-
The rise of analog behaviors as a response to digital fatigue
-
How cringe culture and constant optimization have exhausted audiences
-
Why “real” is now the scarcest resource in branding
-
What cult brands must build beyond the feed in a post-social era
This is the conversation cult brands need to be having—not about trends, but about how to build meaning in an increasingly artificial world.
🔗 Links & Mentions
Free Workshop → Cult Brand Blueprint
Join the Accelerator → Cult Brand Blueprint Accelerator Cohort
Community → Out of Office Club
Newsletter → The Unschool News