Dream to Done Ops

You’ve built success.
But now it’s costing you.

You’re a visionary founder or high-achiever with a big mission.
Your business is thriving on the outside—but inside, something feels off.

👉 You’re stuck in the hustle, even though the money’s flowing.
👉 You’re the bottleneck, and the business depends too much on you.
👉 You crave freedom, but feel trapped by what you've built.

Here’s the truth: You don’t need to work harder. You need to realign.

When your nervous system, business model, and leadership identity work with you—not against you—you stop surviving and start soaring.

That’s where I come in.
I’m Cassie Shea, Somatic Business Coach + Identity Strategist.
I help high-performing leaders unlock their personal magic and systemize their inner genius—so they can share their gifts with the world, without sacrificing their time, energy, or freedom.

Together, we’ll unlock the next chapter of your leadership: one where ease, alignment, and expansion are the norm.

🚀 Choose Your Path 🚀 

1️⃣ Private Coaching
“I need deep, high-touch support to shift FAST.”
If you're ready for a personal, high-level container to make quantum leaps in identity, income, and leadership, this is for you.

✅ Shift who you are as a leader
✅ Design a business that doesn’t burn you out
✅ Step fully into your next level of power
💼 1:1 Coaching + Unlimited Voxer + Weekly Check-ins

2️⃣ The Kingmaker Foundry (90-Day Group Accelerator)
“I want structure, momentum, and support to scale without the burnout.”

For high-achievers ready to lead with clarity, scale with systems, and grow with ease—inside a powerful group container.

🔥 Regulate your nervous system for calm, confident leadership
⚙️ Build scalable systems so the business runs without you
📈 Grow your revenue while working way less
💼 12 Weeks of Live Coaching + Elite Peer Community

You don’t have to choose between success and sanity.
Let’s build a business—and a life—that feels as good as it looks.

Somatic Business Coach | Radical Alignment of Identity, Nervous System, and Revenue 

Agency Builders

At Agency Builders, I’m the Coach-in-Residence for founders and operators who are done playing small. We’re building more than agencies—we’re building lives that win at home and at work.

Inside our community, we trade ego for collaboration, hustle for harmony, and empty metrics for real momentum.

We believe in:

✨ Collaboration Over Competition – We grow faster when we grow together.
🤝 Rich in People, Not Just Pixels – Because real success is built on trust, not transactions.
⚖️ Healthy Work-Life Blender – We blend ambition with alignment, so your work fuels—not fights—your life.
💰 Profit with Purpose – We’re here to make money and a meaningful difference.

This is where agency leaders come to build businesses they actually want to run—with a tribe that’s in their corner for every messy, magical step.

Coach-in-Residence | Collaboration Over Competition Champion 

Interactive Education Concepts, Inc. dba IMPROVLearning 

CXO leading Biz Dev and Product Ops for an $8MM / year company in the eLearning industry. 
☑️ Exceeded June 2021 business development goal by 30% through relationship-building partnerships. 
☑️ Spearheaded new brand, website, and marketing launch to activate a new 1M/year audience online. 
☑️ Achieved a 4.0 internal eNPS rating with internal communications and benefits program analysis.
☑️ Communications officer in charge of all corporate and external communications including website copy, marketing / sales collateral, email marketing programs, and internal communications.

Chief Experience Officer

Brainjolt

COO for a $30MM / year media company doing 5B ad impressions monthly. 
☑️ Saved 32% on operating overhead by migrating the team fully remote in 2019. 
☑️ Built HR program from scratch and deployed full-stack people operations programs + engagement plan to global workforce. 
☑️ Coached 7 employees in 12-months, or 28% of the company. 57% of the coaching clients were promoted within 12-months of coaching, receiving an average 10% raise to accompany an enhanced job title and set of responsibilities.

Managing Director

Vendo

Led Operations, HR, Customer Delivery and Product Teams for a $14M / year company. 
☑️ Built end-to-end operations, and a full-cycle talent strategy, including an internship program for a team doing $14MM yearly in product sales on Amazon.
☑️ Launched CRM, onboarding checklists, reduced project kickoff time from 2+ weeks to 48 hours.
☑️ Introduced team to Asana, increasing task visibility and reducing reporting time by 20%.
☑️ Sales Operations - built Salesforce, implemented Yesware for automated email marketing and launched DocuSign
☑️ Sales Enablement - developed sales KPIs, and created reporting for activities/pipeline

Director Of Operations

☑️ Sourced 500+ leads and trained 2 new sales hires

Business Development Associate

StackCommerce

Led strategic direction for channel expansion and championed go-to-market strategies for eCommerce content marketing company. 
☑️ $6mm book of business built, enabling the company to acquire new JV & distribution outlets
☑️ 75% increase in leads generated and 15% lift in leads converted QoQ, 115% to goal on $1.3mm+ quota for Q4
☑️ 40% MoM revenue growth for new vertical, increasing vendor earnings by 6x in the women's vertical
☑️ Developed the sales operations playbook from scratch including: creating process, adopting new tools (Salesforce, Looker, DocuSign), and streamlining reporting to the executive team. Designed training programs and scripts.

Sales Operations | Account Executive, Partnerships

☑️ 147% to Q3 goal for deals closed 
☑️ 168% QoQ growth for deal size (revenue generated per deal)
☑️ 193% QoQ growth for deals closed

Digital Account Manager

CS Management Service

Business management firm provided bookkeeping, HR, and CFO services.
☑️ Added 25% recurring monthly revenue through referrals & onboarding new clients 
☑️ Streamlined reporting led to closing EOM books on avg. 5 days sooner, allowing for more analysis time
☑️ Trusted advisor to executives on HR best practices, compliance, and performance management tools

Redgate Software

Account-based selling for technology change management and data base administration. 
☑️ Generated over $2m revenue from existing accounts and signed new accounts from M&As
☑️ Launched a new sales playbook that started with emails, which increased close rate by 300% month over month. 
☑️ Continually exceeded monthly $300k+ sales targets at 105-158% 
☑️  Set a global customer retention record in October 2014, with the best close rate for 3-year agreements out of 13 person team 
☑️ Influenced performance of team having led skill labs, mock demos, training bootcamps, and a team book club.

AMER Account Manager

Azusa Pacific University

Recruited top-tier candidates for nationally-recognized health and science graduate degrees. 
☑️ Achieved 95% retention from Fall '13 - Spring '14 and exceeded 80% enrollment goal per semester
☑️ Maintained top application volume by program out of a team of 8 recruiters in Q3 & Q4 2011
☑️ Increased matriculated students by 20% in 2012 for key graduate program 
☑️ Conducted market research reports that were used by the board of the university to set tuition rates

// Titles Held // 
Student Services Coordinator  |  Sept 2013 - June 2014 
Recruiter & Program Representative | June 2011 - Sept 2013

Recruiting & Operations 

Code To The Future

☑️ Composed storytelling and marketing materials to promote the after-school program
☑️ Represented the brand by hosting a presentation at the ACI Chess Conference 
☑️ Market research included phone surveys, in-person interviews, and collecting testimonials 
☑️ Organized a free, family-friendly event for the City of Azusa to come and play chess

Marketing Operations Specialist 

Helping online founders overcome the trap of over-working + under-earning | 4 Day Work Week + Resource Optimization to help founders buy back time ⏰ and increase their revenue 💰 | Revenue Accelerator + Fractional COO

You Built the Business. But Are You Thriving?
👉 From proving your worth → to leading in full alignment.

You did it. 📌 Built the business. 📌 Created security. 📌 Hit the milestones. 📌 Checked every damn box.

By all accounts, you should feel fulfilled. At peace. Enough.

But in the quiet moments, you feel it. That subtle ache that whispers:
"This isn’t it. Not all of it."

Maybe you’re stuck in the success you built—so much so that stepping into what’s next feels impossible.
Maybe the business relies too much on you, and no matter how much you delegate, it’s still in your orbit.
Maybe you’re realizing that more achievement ≠ more freedom.

👉 The version of you that got you here won’t be the one that takes you where you want to go.
📌 You don’t need a strategy.
📌 You don’t need a productivity hack.
📌 You need an identity shift.

This is where I come in.

I Don’t Do “Coaching.” I Do Magic.

(Not sleight of hand magic. The kind that shatters what’s keeping you small and shifts you into expansion.)

💡 I see what’s keeping you stuck before you do.
💡 I ask the exact questions that unlock what’s next.
💡 I help you remove every single thing standing between you and aligned success.

The Truth About Me (That I Used to Be Embarrassed to Say Out Loud)

I spent my life chasing gold stars, thinking if I just achieved enough, I’d finally feel safe.

I was the overachiever. The “figure-it-out girl.” And for a long time, that worked.

Until it didn’t.
💡 My second marriage ended.
💡 My “dream job” turned into a gilded cage.
💡 My body started keeping score.

I had built an identity around achievement, not alignment.

So, I walked away. From the penthouse. The titles. The “shoulds.”

And that’s when I finally found it—the thing I’d been looking for my whole life.
👉 Not another job.
👉 Not another strategy.
👉 Not another achievement.
✨ It was ME. Fully expressed. Fully aligned. Fully free.

Now, I work with ridiculously talented people who were already successful—we just unlocked a version of success that felt effortless.

✅ Dustin → From $50K to a $1M run rate in 2 years. Biz now runs without him.
✅ Jordan → Went from stressed and stuck to $100K months—with ease.
✅ Natalie → Built a 5X more profitable biz and took paid maternity leave.
✅ Clay → Closed $2M in new business within 60 days.
✅ Christine → Launched her financial community after 10 years of “sitting on the idea.”
✅ Michelle → Went from drowning in work to working 75% less—and making 66% more.

💡 Their businesses didn’t just grow. They did.

So, what’s the story we’re going to write about you?

Cassie Shea ✨

AGK Career Services Limited

Talent Strategies & Leadership Consultant

Leadership Career Coach

Executive Coach

Workshop Facilitator & Speaker

Sutherland

Secured as the first talent senior manager to drive talent strategies in Jamaica.  Earned early promotion within 12 months to Director, supervising training delivery managers.  Worked with CEO and business leaders to gain insights into needs, opportunities and business priorities while positioning the appropriate talent strategies to drive business results.

➡️Built and deployed learning and development content for multigenerational workforce. 
➡️Talent Lead for Sutherland/UWI project developing tertiary educational programs for the  business process outsourcing industry 
➡️Consulted with leaders and delivered several employee engagement initiatives in career development, executive coaching, mentorship and managing teams in a virtual environment.  
➡️Led performance management, succession planning and talent review programmes aligned with Global strategy

Director Talent Management and Development

Talent Manager

National Commercial Bank Jamaica Limited (NCB)

Retained to support NCB/AGIC successful integration of HR.  Armed with broad HR experience and the diverse capabilities, was able to drive results in an expanded talent role - talent acquisition, talent management, change management and employee engagement.
▶Spearheaded people adoption of change as a member of multifunctional project teams integrating the principles of PROSCI change methodology 
▶Developed learning strategies and managed the end to end execution of learning events targeting schools of Client Relationship Management and Banking and Application Risk Management in alignment with the Bank’s key business strategy.  
▶Executed employee engagement strategies to bring alive the employee engagement philosophy – Included training engagement officers and implementing on-the-ground execution of organization health and engagement initiatives.
▶Built strong relationships with hiring managers to support their talent acquisition needs.

Learning and Development Specialist

Advantage General Insurance Company Limited

Lead learning and development, performance management, culture change, strategic planning and succession planning priorities 

▶Overhauled the performance management appraisals process and improved compliance rates, improved quality of ratings feedback from managers.
▶Collaborated with executives and external consultant to manage and execute the annual strategic planning process including cascaded strategy 
▶Developed content and coordinated an 18 month leadership development programme aimed at building leadership bench strength through Mona School of Business and Management for high potential leaders
▶Led key HR initiatives that drove culture change programme, talent acquisitions and career development

Learning & Development Specialist

Training Consultant

▶Facilitated, coordinated, monitored and assessed the Tourism Flagship certification program Team Jamaica as per contractual agreement with TPDCo and HEART Trust NTA.
▶ External examiner specializing in Hospitality and Tourism related courses at the tertiary level . 
▶Developed training needs assessment and program evaluation instruments for a leading financial education company.
▶Developed training materials for Community Based Organisation’s Leadership Development Programme and facilitated sessions in Meeting Management, Running a Successful Community Based Organisation, Team Building, Conflict Management, Partnership Building and Networking

Independent Training Consultant

Island Grill

▶Designed, developed, coordinated and partnered with subject matter experts on companywide training and learning initiatives 
▶Recalibrated and rebranded the onboarding and orientation program that  improved  on the job socialization 
▶Forged strategic partnership with the national training agency HEART Trust NTA and trained and certified over 100 staff in Customer Service Level 1 
▶Monitored and evaluated human resources and training effectiveness using the Balance Scorecard strategy map
▶Facilitated all training courses from Orientation, Supervisory Management  to Leadership Development

Training Manager

Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo)

▶Managed  Team Jamaica and its implementation in 100+ HEART Trust NTA institutions within the Kingston and Metropolitan Resort Area
▶Trained and certified 2000+ tourism employees in 20+ Team Jamaica and other Skills  programs
▶Recruited, selected and developed training and administrative  support staff of the Tourism Training Division
▶Facilitated 60+ hours of hospitality and tourism training courses as part of the TEAM Jamaica certification program
▶HRD representative on the Tourism Work Permit Committee, NCTVET Public Relations and Promotion Committee, and Resort Board Committees.

▶Facilitated training programs in the Kingston region surpassed targets by 50%
▶Collaborated with the National Council on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (NCTVET) for the joint certification of Team Jamaica training program which was endorsed in 2004
▶ Subject matter expert on Community Tourism, Cultural Awareness & Tourism Awareness matters

Training Officer

Tourism Product Development Company - (Special Projects) Roaring River Park Attraction

▶ Spearheaded the process for the first JTB license being granted to the  Attraction in 5
       years of operation
▶ Fueled revenue growth by 20%+ through robust market strategies 
▶  Managed 15+ staff across the  Restaurant, Accounting and Tour Guide operations
▶  Arbitrated matters of interest between TPDCo and the Roaring   River Citizen’s Association

Operations Manager (Local Attraction)

Tourism Product Development Company - Roaring River Park Attraction

Restaurant Manager

I guide senior managers, directors, and AVPs in the financial services industry who are either struggling to break into the C-suite or have been identified by their CEO for advancement but need to sharpen their leadership skills.

My clients often feel stuck despite strong track records. They either get passed up for promotions repeatedly or have C-level support but need targeted development to secure the role. I bridge this gap by enhancing their strategic visibility, emotional intelligence, and communication skills—key elements for leading at the highest levels.

I offer personalized coaching that equips leaders in financial services with the frameworks and support needed to navigate corporate dynamics, build buy-in from decision-makers, and confidently step into VP and C-level roles. My clients consistently achieve promotions, significant salary increases, and the influence needed to become impactful leaders.


𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘀

1.  𝗦𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗗𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻:  A senior manager in finance felt overlooked despite his track record. After six months of coaching, he strengthened his communication skills and built key relationships with senior leaders, leading to a director promotion and a salary increase.

2. 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 & 𝗦𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗣𝗿𝗲-𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿: A leader in financial services who was pre-selected for promotion struggled with emotional and confidence challenges. In six months of coaching, she developed emotional intelligence and strategic influence skills, securing her promotion and increasing her salary from $70k to $100k, becoming a key decision-maker.


𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽?  If you want to break into the executive level, message me directly to inquire about coaching and schedule your free consultation. Together, we'll create a customized plan to elevate your career.

Alicia Knight,  MBA

If you’re not invited to the meeting but still get the action items...


You’re not overlooked, you’re just under-positioned.


I learned this the hard way.

There was a point in my career when I kept finding out about meetings after decisions were already made. Then an action list would land on my desk from someone who didn’t understand the process, missed low-hanging opportunities, or couldn’t see the risks I spotted immediately.

It didn’t feel good. But it revealed something I needed to face:

I wasn’t in the room where decisions were made, only in the space where decisions were executed. And that was the signal something needed to change.

So instead of sitting in frustration, I decided to show up differently.

Every time I got an action list, I did three things:

1️⃣ Shared progress 
2️⃣ Highlighted risks, gaps, and opportunities they missed 
3️⃣ Asked clearly and confidently to be included in the next meeting

Because I knew my insight could accelerate outcomes, protect the business, and prevent avoidable mistakes.

It worked. Suddenly, I was invited into rooms I didn’t even know existed.

Then something interesting happened, I started getting invited into too many meetings.

That required new discipline.

As a functional support leader, I realized quickly: Your agenda slot is the easiest one to cut.

So I created a practice that changed everything:
If I had 15–20 minutes on the agenda, I prepared a version I could deliver in 3–5 minutes.

That discipline:
• engaged executives instantly 
• sparked follow-up conversations
• built a reputation for clarity and altitude 
• positioned me as someone who understood the business, not just my function

People looked forward to my updates, even when the meeting was running behind.

Because here’s the truth:
People don’t remember the whole presentation. They remember the insight that changes how they think.

In every organization, there are two types of leaders:

1️⃣ Informers They share updates and activity. Accurate. Dependable. But forgettable.
2️⃣ Insight Leaders They connect the dots. Contextualize the implications. See around corners. Elevate the conversation. Make decisions easier.

They don’t need to fight for the room; the room pulls them in.

Smart leaders share information. Strategic leaders share insight.

Insight isn’t about brilliance, it’s about perspective. And perspective comes from exposure, curiosity, and alignment with the business.

If you want to move from being looped in after decisions… to being in the room before decisions are made:

Stop trying to say more. Start saying what matters.

Lead with the why. 
Support with the what. 
Offer the how, only if asked.

Insight builds trust. Trust builds access. Access builds opportunity.

Which insight shift are you committing to this week?

Promoted to Executive in Under 7 Months | DM for the Playbook Executive Coach helping ambitious leaders land C-Suite roles, even in new industries, without more qualifications, certifications, or working longer hours.

A promotion into the executive ranks isn’t just a title. 

It’s financial protection.

Protection for your future. 
Protection for your family. 
Protection from living your life in “almost” and “not yet.”

Because for many leaders, a promotion isn’t about ego, it’s about options:
🏠 buying that investment property 
🎓 sending your children to university debt-free 
✈️ taking the trips you’ve had on your bucket list 
💰 building wealth instead of hoping the next pay cycle cooperates

That’s why I tell my clients:
Your next promotion isn’t just career growth. It’s a financial turning point.

And when I evaluate a C-suite role, for myself or for leaders I coach, I walk through this checklist in a very specific order:

1️⃣ Can I do the job?
Not “am I perfect?” Not “have I done every detail before?”
But: Do I have the capability, judgment, and capacity to lead at this altitude?
Because your income is directly tied to your readiness, not your résumé.


2️⃣ What value and impact can I add?
Not “how hard do I work?”
But: What measurable impact can I create? Revenue. Cost. Risk. Culture. Speed. Strategic clarity.
High performers talk about effort. Executives talk about impact.

3️⃣ What is my value?
Meaning: What income am I asking for, and what business outcomes justify it?
This is where fear shows up the loudest:
“They’re cutting costs.” “No one is hiring internally.” “They won’t pay me what I want.” “The economy is bad.”

Let me tell you something most leaders need to hear:
The economy doesn’t dictate your salary. Your value does.

And while you’re shrinking your ask, leaders around you are moving across industries and functions at 20%, 30%, sometimes 40% increases.

Promotions haven’t stopped. They’ve changed.

They’re going to leaders who:

✔ show readiness early 
✔ articulate value clearly 
✔ negotiate without fear 
✔ stop talking themselves out of opportunity

I don’t stutter when it comes to asking for my worth, and neither should you.

Because earning more doesn’t require grinding more. It requires operating differently:

✔ optimal work, not overwork 
✔ smart delegation 
✔ higher-quality decisions 
✔ clearer communication 
✔ stronger influence 
✔ visible altitude

This is how you grow your impact, and your income.
And that creates a ripple effect far beyond your role:

You protect your family. 
You expand your options. 
You build generational security. 
You stop surviving and start designing.

If you want 2026 to be the year everything shifts, preparation starts now.

Not after you’re promoted. Not when the economy feels “safe.” Not when someone finally notices you.

You don’t negotiate a salary. You negotiate your future.

If you’re ready to position yourself for executive opportunities, and protect the financial life you’re building, comment PLAYBOOK and I’ll send you the New C-Suite Playbook privately.

Your next level doesn’t arrive by accident. You prepare for it on purpose.

Six months in… 

It was supposed to be a routine check-up. 

Until one sentence pulled the floor from beneath me.


I remember sitting on the edge of the exam table, trying to steady my breathing.

Even as I prepared for the question, I knew Dr. G. would ask, I couldn’t find a polished response. 
There was only one honest sentence in my mind:
“I feel like I could have the baby at any minute.”

The discomfort was severe. The pressure wasn’t normal. And as much as I tried to act composed, something in me knew this wasn’t “just pregnancy discomfort.”

What grounded me was this: I trusted my doctor. He never dismissed my concerns. He always explored, questioned, and engaged.

So the second I described what I felt, he didn’t wait. He immediately checked.
And then I heard the words that shook me:

“You need a cervical cerclage.”

I was nervous. I was scared. But I was also eager, because acting swiftly could save her.

And I’m grateful I didn’t wait. Grateful I didn’t assume I understood the problem. Grateful I trusted myself enough to seek expert clarity.

Because the truth was simple:
I didn’t know what I didn’t know. And waiting could’ve cost me everything.

This is the same mistake I see ambitious corporate leaders make.

You know something’s off. Your progress has stalled. You’re being overlooked. Or you’re doubting your readiness after a promotion.

But instead of trusting that intuition, you talk yourself out of it:
“I just need more time.” “Maybe next year.” “They’ll notice eventually.” “I don’t want to seem too eager.”

You’re self-diagnosing your blind spots. And self-diagnosis, in medicine or leadership, is dangerous.

You don’t rise into the C-suite by “feeling ready.” You rise because you understand the gaps, patterns, politics, and executive signals you cannot see on your own.

The right expert sees what you can’t. Hears what you miss. Understands what executives pay attention to. And helps you adjust before it costs you opportunities.

If you feel ready for your next executive role, or if you’re stuck, insecure, or overlooked, the worst thing you can do is wait.

Trust your intuition. And trust yourself enough to seek expert guidance now.
The conversation you avoid might save your career. 

And the clarity you gain could be the difference between staying where you are… and becoming undeniable.

When high-performing leaders say, “I stay out of politics.” 


What they mean: “I’ve stepped out of the conversations that decide my future.” 

And no, you don’t have to play politics to navigate it. 
You just have to understand how power, perception, and priorities flow through an organization.

Politics is never ever the problem. 
Silence is. 

They’re already built a reputation. 
And are known for reliability, always delivering, rarely disagreeing. 
They’ve been recognized with awards, finished an MBA, and built reputations as the ones you can count on when things fall apart. 

The mindset is, staying neutral keeps them safe. 
That performance alone will speak for them. That avoiding politics is the “professional thing” to do.

And they often say things like: 
“It’s above my pay grade.” 
“As long as they’re paying me, I'll do anything legal.” 
“I don’t do office politics.”
 “I let my work speak for itself.” 

But the same reputation you’ve been steadily building is now a brand, and silence has become your brand.
It just rarely sells. 

And the higher you go, the less your work speaks for you, and the more your words do. 

Neutrality rarely gets invited into succession conversations. 

While you’re focused on work, others are focused on influence. 
And influence is what determines who gets seen, heard, and promoted. 
At the C-Suite level, performance is expected. 
Perspective is what differentiates. 

Silence works when you’re managing tasks; But fails when you’re driving strategy. By “staying out of politics,” many leaders accidentally stay out of visibility. Decision-makers don’t know how they think, what they stand for, or what they’d challenge. 

When you learn to read the political landscape, you stop reacting to it and start using it to drive impact.

Avoiding politics doesn’t protect your integrity. It protects your invisibility. 

Executives can’t champion voices they never hear. And you don’t need to shout louder; you need to speak with strategy. 

Because the real game isn’t politics. It’s presence.

You don’t walk into the corporate world as a blank slate.


You walk in as every story, rule, and belief you’ve inherited…
And they’re shaping your career more than your qualifications ever will.

Most leaders think their careers rise on performance and qualifications.

But long before anyone reads your résumé, your identity is already doing the talking.

You show up carrying:
• the stories you were told
• the leaders you watched
• how you were socialized
• your early career experiences

These invisible imprints decide how you speak, how you lead, how much space you take up, and what you believe is “allowed.”

Most leaders never examine any of it.

If you want the C-Suite, auditing your résumé isn’t enough.

You must audit the habits, fears, rules, and assumptions that unconsciously guide your leadership.
Because many of the “professional rules” you follow aren’t corporate rules,
they’re inherited stories:

“Blend in.”
“Hard work speaks for itself.”
“Don’t draw too much attention.”
“Play it safe.”
“Respect authority.”

None of these rules build executives.

The moment I learned identity matters more than optics was early in my career...

I wore colored hair.
Red. Gold. Honey brown.
Even cultures that absolutely did not consider it acceptable.

I've seen leaders softened their stance,
not because they loved the color,
but because:
✔ my work was excellent
✔ my presence was strong
✔ my delivery was consistent
✔ my results were undeniable

Then came the moment that changed everything.
In an executive meeting, a colleague tried to provoke the CEO:
“Did you see Alicia’s hair color?”

The CEO didn’t even look up:
“Yes. And it doesn’t matter, as long as it’s properly groomed.”

That was it.
No lecture.
No judgment.
No policing professionalism.

Just: results > optics.

I’ve watched policies shift, norms break, and seasoned Black women rewrite outdated rules they once believed they had to follow.

Hair color was just one example.
For you, the identity barrier might be:
• your voice
• your ambition
• your ideas
• your presence
• your discomfort with visibility
• your hesitation to challenge norms

Your lived experiences are either leading you
or limiting you.

If you don’t pause to examine your identity,
you’ll keep following rules that were never designed to take you to your next level.

If the role you want requires a different version of you,
you must update the identity that’s leading you there.

What lived experience is still shaping how you show up at work today?

taplio

The Battle

Cassie Shea ✨

Alicia Knight, MBA

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Performance ScoreAlicia Knight, MBA's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Cassie Shea ✨

Alicia Knight, MBA

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Alicia Knight, MBA's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreAlicia Knight, MBA's LinkedIn Performance