Seven years ago, I was scared sh*tless when I decided to ask for a raise and promotion in my former life as an Operations Director at a startup.

I was making ok money and doing well enough to become indispensable, but the lack of agency in my career had my soul feeling suffocated.

Until that decision to ask, I’d let other people decide the value of my potential.

Read more to find out what happened.

The other week, a sh*tty thing — HR oversight— happened to my client.

Because my client is smart and savvy and self-composed, she did not react to her anger in the moment.

But later when she revisited the event, her anger and frustration grew when she thought, "I’m not allowed to be angry, because then people will call me an Angry Black Woman and my career will end."

Read more to find out how I coached her.

I’ve seen countless smart women managers white-knuckle through work beyond the point of exhaustion, while under-communicating their wants and wins.

This is because as women and minorities in male-dominated workplaces, we’ve been socialized to de-prioritize ourselves.

These looping thoughts feel like an imperative rather than internalized oppression…

1 year ago, I celebrated my client Kay, a Director of Data Science, who submitted her application for her old manager’s role.

The ask for a promotion — hitting send on the application— was more momentous than the getting.

Asking is living into the belief: "I AM A PERSON OF POTENTIAL."

People often tell me, “I need to get comfortable with speaking up and asking for what I want.”

No, you don’t.

Comfort is not what creates confidence.

Courage is.

Courage feels awkward AF, vulnerable and thorny. Like in the best yoga stretch that starts with a groan but ends with a deep, releasing exhale.

How do you spend less time worrying about what others think and hit SEND on that brave and tough email?

How do you deliver bad news or share an opposing opinion WITHOUT second guessing your every word?

So that you have more time, faster results and the confidence of a professional?

This was the growth journey of my client Sarah Eadie who generously shares her coaching experience in this 8 minute video. Watch or read the transcript here.

No often means something even better is coming around the corner.

This is what my client Sarah Eadie took to heart from our coaching sessions.

After being told she didn't have adequate experience, she flipped no to yes and got hired into a higher-paying role.

A year into that role, she was promoted. Last year she earned a $30K bonus.

She spoke candidly with me in this video interview about how she did it.

In this client interview, Liz, Senior Director of Marketing and Communications at a national nonprofit, shares her experience learning to negotiate both a promotion and better work-life balance through coaching.

In this client interview, Kristine, who works as a software engineer, shares her experience building confidence through coaching.

In this client interview, Roseanne shares how she got promoted and better paid while working on the frontlines of the pandemic.

You’re a smart woman with ideas working in tech / finance / a male-dominated industry.

You share your idea at a meeting.

Here’s what to say when someone repeats your idea and takes credit for it, as if they didn’t hear you.

You have a desire to serve others. As a working woman, a leader, a mother, a daughter, a mentor to others. Your desire to serve is NOT at odds with your capacity to negotiate your career.

Here are 3 stories of my clients who negotiated as an act of service and generated win-win outcomes. This is possible for you, too.

Here's how my client Amy overcame impostor syndrome in six weeks.

This month, I'm helping my clients set impossible goals for 2021.

Going from newly hired associate director in 2020 to managing 2 PnL lines by end of 2021. From learning the ropes this year to raising $300MM in capital for a new investment fund. Ending next year as the first woman of color company executive. WITHOUT burnout.

Here are two things to say to increase your income for 2021. It may not be what you think!