Start Getting Paid What You’re Worth

The Truth About Career Growth No One Says Out Loud

In 18 years, I earned 11 pay grade promotions across four companies.

I led large teams including a powerhouse team of 125 HR leaders.

Ran recruiting strategies that powered a hiring engine screening 3M+ applicants and hiring 100K+ a year.

Supported a 12 billion dollar business with 25,000 employees.

All while earning multiple six figures.

But here’s the part nobody tells you…

Early on, I spent years trying to be someone I thought they wanted me to be. Quiet. Palatable. Perfect. Then I realized the system was never built for women like me to win by shrinking.

So I stopped doing that.

Once I owned the room and stopped apologizing for my ambition, everything changed.

And here’s what I need you to know:

If you’re underpaid, it’s not because you’re not valuable.

It’s because somewhere along the way, you were taught to be grateful instead of confident.

To settle instead of negotiate.

To keep your head down instead of raise your voice.

You get to change that.

What to Do When You’re Qualified But Still Underpaid

Over nearly two decades in corporate leadership, I’ve sat on hiring panels and reviewed thousands of candidates. I’ve seen what works, what gets overlooked, and what actually moves women forward.

And I can tell you this with absolute certainty:

You do not need another degree.

You do not need to go into more debt.

You do not need more years in the same chair hoping to be noticed.

You need the right language.

You need the right strategy.

And you need the confidence to use both.

That’s why I started sharing my playbook publicly, especially after 2020, when the layoffs hit and so many women were left questioning their worth.

If that’s you, you’re not alone.

You’re not behind.

You’re not asking for too much.

You’re just asking the wrong people or using the wrong script.

The Salary Mistakes You’re Probably Making (And How to Fix Them)

Let’s talk about the common traps high-achieving women fall into when it comes to salary:

1. Waiting for the raise instead of asking for it

Too many women assume their work will speak for itself. But in corporate, silence rarely gets rewarded. You have to articulate your value clearly and often.

2. Asking without proof of impact

Telling your manager you’ve “worked hard” isn’t enough. You need data, wins, and outcomes that tie directly to business results.

3. Thinking it’s not the right time

You keep holding off until after the next review, the next project, the next reorg. But what you’re really doing is delaying the inevitable: a conversation you should’ve had months ago.

4. Accepting vague praise instead of concrete compensation

If they say you’re “doing a great job” and yet your paycheck doesn’t reflect it, something’s off. Learn how to turn praise into pay.

Want the exact words to ask for more?

Download the Salary Script that’s helped women ask for, and receive, ten, twenty-five, even fifty thousand dollars more.

How to Ask for a Raise Without Sounding Awkward

Now let’s get into the part most people avoid: what to actually say.

Here’s a starter script you can tailor:

I’d love to have a conversation about my current compensation. Over the past [X months], I’ve taken on [list specific responsibilities or results], and based on market data and the impact I’ve delivered, I believe an adjustment is appropriate. I’ve put together some details to help guide the conversation.

Sound too bold? It’s not.

It’s strategic. It’s professional. And it works.

If your voice shakes, that’s okay. Say it anyway.

You’re Not Asking for Too Much. You’re Just Asking the Wrong People.

If you’ve ever driven home after a meeting thinking, “Is it just me?”

If a colleague ever repeated your idea louder and got the credit.

If you’ve been told to wait your turn while watching less qualified peers move ahead,

You’re not crazy.

You’re not imagining it.

And it’s not because you didn’t work hard enough.

Sometimes the people holding the keys to the next level were never going to open the door for you.

That’s why you need the strategy to open it yourself and the community to remind you you’re not alone.

Inside The Vault, these are conversations we have every month.

We don’t just talk about what to say. We rehearse it.

We don’t just talk about executive presence. We build it.

We don’t just hope for better. We negotiate for it.

Want to lead with confidence that’s built, not borrowed?

Watch the free training: Confidence at Work: The 3 Shifts That Changed Everything

Let This Be the Last Time You Undervalue Yourself

If your voice still shakes when you ask for more,

If you keep writing “just checking in” emails and hoping they notice your effort,

If you’re stuck between wanting more and not knowing how to ask for it,

That stops here.

The raise doesn’t happen when someone else finally deems you worthy.

It happens when you decide to lead the conversation.

And if you’re not sure where to start?

Download the Salary Script and get the words, the mindset, and the confidence to walk in bold and walk out paid.

You’re not asking for a favor.

You’re asking for what you’ve earned.

And around here,

We don’t settle. We strategize.