Codie A. Sanchez

Investing millions in Main St businesses & teaching you how to own the rest | HoldCo, VC fund, Founder

On a mission to create financially free and free-thinking humans.I founded a advisory and investment company called Contrarian Thinking that helps owners buy and scale businesses.Our newsletter has over 1M+ weekly readers, here → contrarianthinking.biz/liOur community has taught 9,000+ members biz buying, biz growing, and doing deals. We value experience over degrees.Betting on yourself over building someone else's dream.Main Street over Wall Street.My mission is less suits, more boots. Meaning: we the people holding the power… and the purse strings.🔗Join 1M+ others who get our free newsletter: contrarianthinking.biz/li🔗YouTube: @CodieSanchezCT🔗Instagram: @codiesanchez🔗Twitter: @Codie_Sanchez🔗Weekly business-buying newsletter Main Street Minute: contrarianthinking.biz/minute-li

Founder

We help free minds and build bank accounts.

Investing millions in Main St businesses & teaching you how to own the rest | HoldCo, VC, Founder | NYT best-selling author

My husband said five words to me that made my worldview flip on never missing a chance to see a loved one: “Measure in times, not years.”

We were debating whether to go home and see our family for Thanksgiving and my husband said...

If your parents are 65, it’s not 20 or 30 years you might have with them, it’s maybe 20 or 30 visits you get with them.

One in four Americans don’t live in the same hometown as their family. How would you change your decisions if you’d only get to see your loved ones for 20 or 30 more days?

You’d change everything to be with them, wouldn’t you? Same if it was six months. And yet when those days are separated by years we let them slide through our fingers.

Next time don’t count the years, remember the days… and treasure them.

3 harsh truths I've been thinking about a lot lately...

1. Most successful people I've met aren't that smart. They move fast, they take risk, they work a lot. That's it.

2. The world is run by C students & failed employees. You can't underestimate yourself.

3. Managing what you choose to sell, do and focus on is more important than how hard you work or how smart you are.

Example:

You can, for the next 40 years:

- Climb up the corporate ladder
- Grind for a mission you don't believe in
- Spend 50hrs/wk+ away from your family

All for a 401k and a white picket fence at the end to show for it.

OR

You can learn how to buy a business and:

- Own a cashflowing biz in your community
- Touch your work with your own two hands
- Disconnect your money from your time
- Spend more time on the things that matter
- Become one of the few... an Owner.

Ownership is not for everyone.

But it could be for you.

I don’t blame you if you're nervous to take the first step on your own.

If that’s you, I’m hosting an event that's just what you need to start acting on business-buying…

Get details & sign-up here → https://lnkd.in/g3V6NrTZ

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Arfan Iftikhar

A hard truth I've learned in business.

It's always who not how.

1. There's only so much time in the day.
2. There's always going to be someone smarter and better than you.

These aren't problems. They're levers.

Every time you struggle with an issue, don't try to figure out how to solve it. Instead, ask yourself what type of person could solve it for you.

You don’t have a HOW problem, you have a WHO problem.

Solve that and you solve everything.

↓ ↓ ↓

This is a strategy I think of as “stealing someone’s 10,000 hours.”

And I’m letting you take my 10,000 hours for free at my Main Street Millionaire Live Event…

I’ve bought & sold 20+ small businesses. I’ve failed a couple, scaled several, and I’m sharing a condensed version of how to buy a biz over 3 days. 

It’ll be beginner-friendly and perfect if you're still in your 9-5.

Save your spot here today → https://lnkd.in/g7mjjqYQ

My coworker got the promotion over me.

Numerically worse at the work. Great at politics.

I brought in deals. Fixed messes. Hit all goals

He was 10x better than me at managing up.

He got the title. I got “keep doing what you’re doing.”

It took 10+ years for me to click that most companies reward politics, not performance.

So I left. Started buying boring businesses and building my own thing.

Now I make many times what my old bosses did. No corporate games.

The best operators don’t usually climb the ladder. They are the ladder everyone else climbs.

Corporate optimizes for compliance. Owners optimize for competence.

If you’re elite at the work but trash at politics, don't give up, I was just like you.

Take the risk in 2026.

↓↓↓

If you want to learn how to buy a business in 2026 and become an owner, I’m doing this 3-day virtual workshop for you: https://lnkd.in/dYP5dr-T

21 tips to be the first gen wealth builder in your family:

1. The Law of Two Hours: 2 hours of dedicated work is worth more than most people’s 8 hours.

2. How to never fail with a business: Start as a side project. Keep your job. Use your salary to fund. Quit when you have enough cashflow.

3. It's not about time. It's about the F word. Focus. You don’t need 24 hours a day to build a business.

4. Think about your salary like a Silicon Valley investor. Treat every single dollar you give to your side business like an investor would.

5. Hope is not a strategy. “Pray like it’s up to God, but work like it’s up to me.”

6. You don't need more time, you need a deadline.

7. Decrease the time between having an idea and getting it done. Money loves speed. Poverty loves waiting.

8. Small & consistent beats big & sporadic. Long hours at a desk is counterproductive.

9. If you want to make more money, be more useful to people who have more money.

10. It is very hard to change the world when you are broke. So don't apologize for chasing money.

11. Nobody cares about your life...They think about you for one second and then think about themselves again. So you might as well do what you want.

12. You must be just dumb enough to believe in yourself, just smart enough to execute.

13. If you say you will do a thing, then actually do the thing. 90% do not do this.

14. No one is coming to save you. You want a better life, go build it.

15. You must learn to be disliked or you’ll find yourself stuck in a prison of other people's desires.

16. Tasting freedom can make you unemployable. Get that initial momentum, and watch your life start to change.

17. You are paid exactly as much as the problems you solve are worth. Bigger problems = bigger $$$

18. Parkinson’s Law: Work expands to fill the available time. Just because you quit your job doesn't mean you'll magically have all of these hours.

19. If you're not currently doing whatever that thing is inside of you, you're not going to do it after you quit your job.

20. Startups are for masochists. If you want that life, I commend you. If you want a slightly less rocky path to ownership, buy a business instead of starting one.

And lastly, there are 2 types of people:

Those who build wealth through ownership. and those who work to make others wealthy.

The dividing line isn’t talent or luck. It’s action.

↓↓↓↓

P.S. If you have yet to take action in 2026 but are interested in becoming an owner...

Come to my business buying masterclass tomorrow. 

It's free. 90 minutes long. And walks you through how to find the right business for you.

Find all the details here: https://lnkd.in/g3V6NrTZ

I sometimes pinch myself. I don't deserve this life.

Knew nothing about finance.
Public schools.
Parents who worked nonstop.
Party school for undergrad.

But my family taught me about hard work, God, responsibility, and never quitting.

It makes no sense, except for the grace of God. Grateful.

I’m 39.

27 lessons I wish I learned in my 20s: 

1. As soon as you hit your 30s, you’ll understand... Your 20s actually suck. If you feel like it sucks right now, guess what? It’s supposed to. It gets better.

2. Your first job is like the DMV. Awful. Everyone’s mad. Nothing works. But the key is.. You are not supposed to stay there.

3. It is very hard to change the world when you are broke. So don't apologize for chasing money.

4. Meet everyone. Say yes to everything. You narrow the field later.

5. Do it all. Because you’ll die eventually and life will make you slow down. But up until then, eat the world.

6. You are not everyone’s cup of tea, that’s a good thing.

7. The most lucrative things you can do in your 20s: 1) learn how to invest, 2) apprentice in PE, real estate, or venture.

8. If they’re not interesting when you’re sober, don’t drink until they become it.

9. Never buy to impress. Being wealthy > looking wealthy… even when that first big-kid check hits your bank account.

10. The most important question you can ask yourself often: Does this bring joy?

11. Do favors, don’t take them. There’s often a hidden price.

12. If I was in my 20s, I’d try to work for one type of company… One where they reward outcomes not hours. Winning > running really hard for a really long time.

13. Seed is only as good as its soil. Where you live during your 20s matters. Take some time away from your hometown.

14. If you feel cynical about the world… I don’t blame you. But always remember the number one superpower for your generation is HOPE.

15. If you’re prone to loneliness and isolation.. do NOT work a remote job. A small team with sleepless nights and shared goals is a powerful thing.

16. Touch grass. A walk outside will be better for your brain than anything you find on your phone.

17. Burnout doesn’t come from working too hard. Burnout comes from working too hard, on things that don’t light you up.

18. Learn how to save now, but understand that saving isn’t what makes you rich.

19. If you want to make more money, be more useful to people who have more money.

20. You must learn to be disliked or you will find yourself stuck in a prison of other people's beliefs.

21. Most successful people I've met aren't that smart. They move fast, they take risk, they work a lot. That's it.

22. If old you doesn’t make you cringe, you haven’t grown enough.

23. Do something hard every day. Then watch that “something” evolve as you become stronger and stronger.

24. If you haven’t done it, you just have an opinion.

25. Marrying well is the biggest life hack of all. Marrying poorly is a costly path to misery. Choose wisely.

26. Working smarter not harder is a beautiful lie. You will not know how to work smart until you've worked very hard for an irrationally long time.

27. Take notes from old people… Waking up early, being married, reading books, going to bed at 10pm, and drinking less is actually amazing.

Ramota Oladejo

There’s no such thing as the right or wrong business.

There’s only the business that’s right or wrong for you.

One of the most common DMs I get is:

"Should I buy a laundromat, car wash, or storage units?"

But that's totally the wrong question to begin with...because everyone has different goals.

That’s why I created the Contrarian Deal Clarity Framework to help first time owners buy a biz.

You need to define 5 components:

1. Your Ideal Owner Experience

Saying “I want to leave my 9-5” is too wishy-washy.

To trade in your W2 form, your vision board needs to be specific on three things:

- Personal goals (do you want more family time or grind for yourself)
- Income goals (replace your $75k salary or build an empire)
- Business goals (be a hands-on operator or absentee owner)

2. Your Zone of Genius

Think of this as the intersection between:

- Passion (what you love)
- Skills & Experience (what you’re good at)
- Network (who you know)

Most people ignore this and buy businesses they eventually hate running.

Don’t be most people.

3. Business Size

It’s easy to fantasize about buying a Fortune 500 company.

But we’re not playing the billionaire game here.

As a first-time time buyer, look for micro acquisitions:

- <$1M cost
- $50K-$200K profits
- 1-3X multiples

Less competition, more opportunity, fewer headaches.

4. Profit

Remember...you’re not just buying a business for the sake of it.

Your acquisition MUST be an income stream that can cover:

1. Debt service
2. Operator salary (if relevant)
3. Growth/working capital
4. Your earnings

Use these two tests to evaluate if a deal is worth looking at:

The SOWS Test

Before I buy anything, I ask if the business is:

- Stale - Does the owner still use fax machines
- Old - Is it 5+ years old with repeat customers
- Weak - Does competition suck at marketing
- Simple - Can an 8-year-old could understand it

The more boxes it checks, the better.

The BRIT Test

Then I check to see if it’s BRIT:

- Buy - Must be a cashflow, not cash-suck businesses
- Resist - Recession-proof
- Increase - Can I raise prices (most owners undercharge by 30%)
- Tech - Can I add simple technology to improve it?

5. Industry

There are certain industries you should avoid for your first biz.

Think restaurants or hotels...

On the flip side, these are my favorite businesses for first-time buyers:

- Digital Businesses (build once, sell forever)
- Home Services (roof repair / lawn care)
- Professional Services (e.g CPAs)
- Real Estate Enhanced (laundromats/car washes)

Once you get clear on your Deal Box, you stop wasting time on deals that don’t fit your criteria and get closer to buying the biz that FEELs right.

↓↓↓

Want to go even deeper than this post did?...

Next week, I'm running a Masterclass breaking down exactly how to buy the perfect business for YOU. 

Check it out: https://lnkd.in/g3V6NrTZ

6 other traits of rich people no one tells you:

1. Rich people want you to sell them something.

2. Something 99% of rich people have in common: they own. Most often, they own businesses & real estate.

3. Most people complain about taxes, then pay them. Rich people study taxes then outsmart them.

4. In my experience, almost all successful people are competitive. More competitive you are, more likely you are to succeed.

5. Most rich people I know don't care about their title at all. Business owner > visionary, industry disrupter, startup CEO

6. You'll learn the most from asking rich people this question: "When did you almost lose it all? What did you learn?"

💥 For more like this, feel free to follow me → Codie A. Sanchez

Story from my dad today.

If you’re a business owner, it may hit you as deeply as it hit me...

He said, you know you’ve met another builder or doer when they’ve felt that flinch at the second Friday of the month.

My father has never bounced a check.

But he remembers this…

It was payday, his business was owed money, and they couldn’t bridge the gap between the two in time.

He could just picture the guys’ faces.

Those last two workers, who had done more than anyone else, stayed later than anyone else…

And they were about to be punished for that by not getting paid.

So he called up his banker, told him he needed a line of credit, and pulled out $100,000 give or take to make sure that every single one of their checks cleared.

At the time, my dad had a business partner who was a different type of guy.

He was the sort to make excuses, pay himself first, and not particularly care if everyone else’s checks cleared as long as he got his.

That partner has since had many businesses fail - and many more employees go without a paycheck.

And my dad has never in all these years had a business fail, or lost anyone a dime.

He often attributes his business success to the fact that he would never let his hardest working guys go hungry...

People will always be your biggest struggle and your greatest gift in business. Treat ‘em right.

↓↓↓↓

P.S. I’m hosting a free masterclass next week covering 4 practical growth levers that help maintain healthy cash flow and predictable payroll.

Sign up here (for free): https://lnkd.in/gSfvX_AF

Nish Thakker

If you have had:

• a terrible boss
• workplace ptsd
• a bankruptcy
• a huge failure

GOOD.

Chips on shoulders > easy roads.

The more you do hard things, the more you'll get what you want.

Because doing hard things, makes hard things easier.

If you're doing it right, the failure that leveled you last year, won't even register this year.

↓ ↓ ↓

If you're ready to seek out your next hard thing, let's buy a business this year ;)

Here's a list of 130 boring biz's I'd start with → https://lnkd.in/eGpHZtx3

You aren’t here to be liked.

You’re here to be respected.

Don’t be easy. Be hard.

Be righteous in what you do and believe.

Don’t be less for other people.
Don’t let them bend you or break you.
Don’t be a doormat walked upon.

Be a f*cking pointed nail… they’ll remember you.

If you’re bringing this energy into 2026, feel free to repost this.

And if the way you want to do it is by trading in your 9-5 for financial freedom without starting from scratch? Come to my Main Street Millionaire Live next month. 

All you need is determination & desire…. and 72 hours of your time.

You’re invited, just reserve your spot here → https://lnkd.in/gf6hPHdF

This is the hiring framework most small business owners never figure out:

Unicorns vs Donkeys

Unicorns = A players, high performers, self starters... aka, the person you WANT to hire for every role at your company.

Donkeys = B and C players, lacking initiative, unmotivated, task-oriented.

The truth every business owner knows but hates to face:

Donkeys are common.

Unicorns are rare.

Unfortunately, MOST people are donkeys. And as a smaller-level business, it's very hard to build the profit needed to attract unicorns.

So you're left with 2 options. You can either:

1. Build a business that can actively search for unicorns.

2. Build processes so good that donkeys can win the race.

Many problems in your business are a WHO problem. But you'd be surprised that solving the HOW often enables the people you have now to succeed.

Processes are your secret weapon.

Decrease the time between having an idea and getting it done.

Money loves speed. Poverty loves waiting.

How I like to start my week.

The 1 in 60 Rule:

↓ ↓ ↓

Feel free to follow me Codie A. Sanchez if you found this useful.

This Routine Will Change Your Life

How to never fail with a business:

- Start as a side project
- Keep your job
- Use your salary to fund
- Don't use debt
- Quit & go all in ONLY when enough cashflow

15 years of biz & life lessons in <500 words:

↓ ↓ ↓

1. Marrying well is the biggest life hack of all.

2. Be the type of person who reaches out to others... when you don't need something.

3. The greatest muscle you can build is urgency.

4. Most successful people move with this mindset: Entitled to nothing, willing to earn everything.

5. Pray like it's up to God. Work like it's up to you.

6. You don't need more time, you need a deadline.

7. The success you are looking for is waiting for you in the work you are currently avoiding.

8. Biographies of billionaires teach you more than self-help books.

9. Your lack of focus will kill you before your competitors ever get a chance.

10. Winning isn't an accident, it's earned.

11. Underrated superpower: Just dumb enough to believe in yourself, just smart enough to execute.

12. Complexity makes you seem smart. Simplicity makes you money.

13. Surround yourself with owners, the conversation is just different.

14. The more you learn about money, the more you realize most of us play with Legos while the really rich play chess.

15. Beginners do too much. Pros do only what's needed.

16. Underperformers want ease. Midperformers want credit. Winners want pressure.

17. Your most expensive mistake will be a "who," not a "what."

18. If you've survived this far, the odds are actually are in your favor.

19. The formula is: keep going after it gets hard.

If you liked this post and you're NOT signed up for my newsletter... you're seriously missing out. Get it here → https://lnkd.in/ggN9g-BX

The greatest muscle you can build is urgency.

Shrink your timelines...

When you say next quarter, push for next 60 days.

When you say next month, push for 2 weeks.

When you say next week, push for 24 hours.

Not everything will get done on the new timeline, but you'll build a habit that will make you more successful than other people.

Decrease the time between having an idea and getting it done. Everything changes.

↓ ↓ ↓

If you want to push forward serious financial goals in 2026, you should look into this…

It’s live event on what I think is the single greatest skill you could learn this year to change your financial future forever.

It’s called a 3 day live event called Main Street Millionaire where we’re going deep on exactly how to find, buy, run, and scale a profitable small business.

If this sounds remotely interesting, save your spot here → https://lnkd.in/gf6hPHdF

The #1 killer of businesses is bad cashflow.

15 other harsh business truths for you:

1. The greatest muscle you can build is urgency. Bureaucracy is business poison.

2. Decrease the time between having an idea and getting it done. Everything changes.

3. Never sacrifice reputation in the name of business. You can always start another company. You can never create a new reputation.

4. Long-term games and long-term people compound. Resist shiny objects.

5. Hire smart people, pay them well, set them up for success... Then leave them the hell alone.

6. “There’s nothing worse than being sick, fat, tired and trying to run your business.” - Dana White

7. The highest ROI investment founders & owners can make is in themselves. Health shapes mindset. Mindset shapes action.

8. You're better off learning negotiation than financial modeling. Business is less spreadsheets than words.

9. The best business of all time has only you, a computer, and the send button.

10. Every additional employee increases complexity. Hiring is a last resort.

11. The best advice comes from those just a couple steps ahead of you. These people still vividly remember the problems you're facing today.

12. Sell painkillers, not vitamins. There's more money in needs than wants.

13. No discounts. Compete on value, not price. Any biz with $$$ can enter your market and bleed you out. Differentiate beyond commodity.

14. A happy customer is the most powerful marketing. Prioritize reviews. Humans are social animals.

15. If no one thinks you’re crazy, you’re too late. If everyone thinks your idea is good? Even worse. Outsized returns lie in non-conformism.

↓↓↓↓

P.S. I'm running a free masterclass for business owners (next week).

What we'll cover? 4 growth levers to increase cash flow in your biz. 

Grab your spot here (for free): https://lnkd.in/gSfvX_AF

Steven Yeh, EIT

#1 for Career Coaching on LinkedIn. I help senior-level ICs & people leaders grow their salaries and land fulfilling $200K-$500K jobs —> 300+ placed at top companies.

Ranked The Top Career Coach Worldwide On LinkedIn | Helping Senior ICs & People Leaders Land $200K-$500K Dream Jobs

Ready to grow your salary and land a role you actually love?

I've helped over 300 professionals break through salary ceilings and land life-changing positions at Google, OpenAI, Microsoft, LinkedIn, Apple, Nvidia, Amazon, and other top companies.

Here's what makes my approach different:

Most job seekers waste months applying to hundreds of jobs with no results. My clients land multiple offers in 6-12 weeks using "The Simple Success Method" - my distilled 5-step system that focuses only on what gets you hired. After 300+ successful placements, I've learned that executive-level results come from doing the RIGHT 5 things perfectly, not overwhelming yourself with complicated processes.

My track record speaks for itself:
✓ 300+ clients placed at dream companies  
✓ Average salary increase: 40-80%  
✓ 300M+ content views helping job seekers  
✓ Featured in Forbes, Fast Company, Business Insider  
✓ Built my own 7-figure business using these exact strategies
✓ Ranked the top job search coach on LinkedIn (#1 in the U.S. and Worldwide by Favikon)  

What you get in Career Leap:
→ The Simple Success Method™ (my battle-tested 5-step system)  
→ 1:1 coaching sessions with me personally  
→ Exclusive access to proprietary AI job search tool  
→ Group coaching with other high-performers  
→ Private community of ambitious professionals  
→ Complete confidentiality throughout your search  

This isn't for everyone. I only work with senior-level individual contributors and people leaders who are serious about making a major career move and ready to invest in themselves.

My guarantee: If you don't land a $200K-$500K role within 90 days, we'll keep working with you until you do. That's how confident I am in this system.

More about me: Currently living in Chicago. I worked at LinkedIn for 4 years helping Fortune 500 companies hire top talent, then founded my own 7-figure recruiting start-up. Now I use that complete 360° perspective - platform insider knowledge + hiring expertise + entrepreneurial success - to help people land jobs they actually love.

Ready to transform your career?
  
Send me a DM with "CAREER LEAP" or book a free job search strategy call: https://lwspuk8wil4.typeform.com/to/LeHkspKC

P.S. - Spots are limited. I only take on a select group of professionals each month to ensure everyone gets the attention they deserve.

Reno Perry

Before you say yes to the job offer... 

9 real signs a company values their people:

↳ Transparency in Action
• Regular town halls with honest financial updates
• Clear communication about company direction
• Open discussions about challenges and wins

↳ Feedback That Creates Change
• Employee suggestions become actual policies
• Regular pulse surveys with published results
• Visible improvements based on team input

↳ Recognition That Matters
• Spot bonuses for exceptional work
• Public acknowledgment of contributions
• Peer recognition programs that work

↳ Market-Leading Compensation
• Regular market adjustments without asking
• Equity at all levels
• Benefits that actually support life needs

↳ Real Growth Investment
• Dedicated L&D budgets
• Clear promotion paths
• Internal mobility programs that work

↳ Work-Life Integration
• Unlimited PTO with minimum requirements
• Mental health support
• No-meeting days

↳ True Inclusive Culture
• ERGs with executive sponsors
• Pay equity audits
• Diverse leadership at all levels

↳ Accessible Leadership
• Skip-level meetings
• Open office hours
• Transparent decision-making

↳ Trust & Autonomy
• Freedom to experiment
• Budget authority
• Flexible work arrangements

The difference? These aren't just policies.
They're actions I've seen work.

What would you add to this list?

Reshare ♻️ to help someone in your network.
And give me a follow for more posts like this.

#1 for Career Coaching on LinkedIn. I help senior-level ICs & people leaders grow their salaries and land fulfilling $200K-$500K jobs —​> 300+ placed at top companies.

73% of employers expect you to negotiate.
55% of professionals don’t.

That’s a costly silence.

Negotiation isn’t about being difficult.

It’s about showing up prepared and knowing your value.

Here's how to do it right:

1. Research what’s fair
↳ Know the going rate for your role and level.

2. Know your impact
↳ Have proof of what you’ve led, built, or improved.

3. Define your range
↳ Set your target and your bottom line.

4. Look beyond salary
↳ Include PTO, bonuses, equity, flexibility.

5. Practice out loud
↳ Once is better than never. Confidence shows.

Common missteps to avoid:

🚫 Accepting an offer on the spot
🚫 Leading with your lowest number
🚫 Ignoring the full compensation picture

Smarter ways to respond:

🗨 “Based on what I bring, let's revisit the package.”
🗨 “What flexibility is there in total compensation?”
🗨 “Thanks. Can I take some time to review this?”

Coaching 100s of people into roles they actually love 
has taught me: 

You don’t get what you deserve.
You get what you negotiate.

Your new boss is expecting it.
You just have to be ready.

🔖 Save this for when the offer comes in.
📤 Send it to someone who’s due for a raise.

Reshare ♻️ to help someone in your network.
And give me a follow for more posts like this.

(73%, 55% Stat Source: CareerBuilder)

You don’t get what you deserve.
You get what you negotiate.
And most people negotiate poorly.

Staying silent can cost you up to $1.5 million over your career.

After coaching hundreds of professionals into $200k+ roles, here’s what I’ve learned:

Most people don’t get underpaid because they lack experience.
They get underpaid because they use language that weakens their leverage.

One weak phrase can cost you $50k+ instantly…and that compounds over time.

❌ Lower raises
❌ Smaller bonuses
❌ Less equity

Your negotiation language sets the baseline for everything that follows.

If you catch yourself saying things like “I’m flexible on compensation,” stop right there.

Here are 3 powerful phrase swaps that changed the game for my clients:

❌ Never: “I just really need this job.”
✅ Instead: “I’m excited about the opportunity and want to ensure compensation aligns with the value I bring.”

❌ Never: “I’m currently making X at my job.”
✅ Instead: “Based on market data for similar roles, I’m seeing a range of X–Y. How does that align with your budget?”

❌ Never: “I’d be willing to take less to get started.”
✅ Instead: “I’m very interested in this position and would like to work together to finalize the compensation.”

See the difference?

You’re not being difficult.
You’re being clear.

You’re not demanding more.
You’re defining your worth.

Weak phrases cost you for decades.
Strong language changes everything.

($1.5M stat source: Forbes & Business Insider)

📌 Negotiation is just one piece of the bigger picture. Inside my Career Leap Accelerator, I help sr. level ICs and people leaders position themselves for high-level roles and navigate interviews, offers, and comp strategically. 

If you’re targeting a $200K+ role and want support at that level, fill out the short form in my Featured section and, if it’s a fit, we can talk.

I see people spend 20 hours perfecting their resume.

Then blow the interview in 20 seconds.

After coaching hundreds of professionals into $200K+ roles, I've seen the same pattern:

They know WHAT to say.
They don't know HOW to say it.

Here's the truth:
AI is a huge advantage for jobseekers.
It's replacing outdated interview prep.
Making it way better.

The people landing dream roles aren't smarter.
They're using AI to practice scenarios you'll actually face.

Take this prompt that helped a client land a VP role at Microsoft:

"My potential weakness is [X]. Create an authentic response that shows self-awareness, growth mindset, and proactive improvement. Include specific actions I've taken."

Or this one that generated a $40K higher offer:

"I'm interviewing for [role] at [company]. Market rate is $[X]. Generate 3 counter-offer data points and negotiation phrases that maintain the relationship while maximizing value."

These aren't generic templates.
They're precision tools for high-stakes conversations.

While others memorize canned answers, you're building dynamic responses.

While they hope for easy questions, you're ready for curveballs.

While they accept first offers, you're negotiating with data.

The gap between good and great isn't talent.
It's preparation.

And preparation is now 10x easier with AI.

Your competition is still using 2010 strategies for 2026 opportunities.

That's your advantage.

Every interview has predictable moments:
• The weakness question
• The salary discussion  
• The "why should we hire you"
• The cultural fit probe

Master these moments and you'll dramatically increase your chances of landing the offer.

Doing well in interviews isn’t about memorizing answers.
It’s about preparing for the moments that actually decide offers.

That’s the work we do inside my Career Leap Job Search Accelerator.
I work with a handful of professionals each month who are targeting $200K–$500K roles and want to prepare at a higher level.

If that sounds like you, fill out the short form in the featured section of my profile to book a strategy call to learn more.

I can tell when someone's networking out of desperation.

So can everyone else.

Here's the pattern I see after coaching 300+ people:

Most people only reach out when they need something.

They lead with what they want, not what they offer.

They disappear the second they land a role.

Then 24 months later? They're back. And it's obvious.

Look - if you need a job right now, you still need to network. I get it.

But HOW you do it makes all the difference.

The people landing $200K+ roles (even when they're actively searching)?

They network differently.

They still give value even while asking for help.

They're genuinely curious about the other person.

They build real relationships, not transactional connections.

Things like:
→ Targeting weak ties (research shows 70% of jobs come through loose connections)
→ Asking for advice instead of "are you hiring?" (opens way more doors)
→ Mastering the 30-minute coffee chat framework that feels like a conversation, not an interview

I put together 10 specific strategies in the graphic below 👇

Whether you're happily employed or actively searching, these work.

The difference is: one group builds relationships as insurance. The other builds them as lifelines.

Both work. One's just a lot less stressful.

Start today: Pick 3 people you haven't talked to in 6+ months and send them something useful.

An article. A congrats on a win. A simple "thinking of you.”

No ask. Just value. 

That's how you build a network that's there when you actually need it.

📌 P.S. This is exactly the kind of strategic networking I help clients build inside my Job Search Accelerator. We focus on outreach that compounds over time and leads to senior-level opportunities.

If you’re targeting a $200K–$500K role and want to approach your job search more intentionally, fill out the short form in my Featured section and if it’s a fit, we’ll talk.

Most candidates lose interviews even when their answers are “right.”

Here’s why.

Good candidates just answer questions.

The ones who get hired answer what's really being asked.

Coaching 100s of professionals into roles they love has taught me:

Every interview question has a hidden concern behind it.

Here's how to translate the questions into what they actually want to know:

❌ "Tell me about yourself."
✅ Can you connect your story to this role?

❌ "Why should we hire you?"
✅ What makes you stand out from everyone else?

❌ "Why are you leaving your current role?"
✅ Are you moving toward growth, or running from problems?

❌ "What's your greatest weakness?"
✅ Do you know your gaps and are you actively improving?

❌ "Tell me about a challenge you faced."
✅ Will you fix problems or just complain?

❌ "How do you handle pressure?"
✅ Will you deliver or fall apart when things get crazy?

❌ "Where do you see yourself in 5 years?"
✅ Will you stick around if we invest in you?

❌ "What are your salary expectations?"
✅ Are we aligned on compensation?

❌ "Do you have any questions for us?"
✅ Did you research us, or could we be any company?

❌ "We'll be in touch."
✅ I haven't decided. Your follow-up could tip the scale.

And remember:
Great interviews aren't about giving perfect answers.

They're about showing you understand what really matters to them.

If you can hear the concern behind the question and speak to that....

You'll stop sounding like every other candidate.

And start sounding like the only candidate.

📌 P.S. Interview prep isn’t about memorizing answers. It’s about knowing how to think in the room. If you want support building that skill and targeting higher-level roles, check the Featured section of my profile for details on how I work with clients.

 What_Hiring_Managers_(Actually)_Mean

You checked all the boxes.

Salary. Title. The LinkedIn headline.

But something still felt off.

We’ve outgrown the old definition of success.
(And it’s about time.)

After coaching hundreds of professionals into
roles they actually love, one thing is clear:

The most fulfilled people?

They’re still ambitious.

But they’re aiming differently.

Here’s what they prioritize now:

1. Flexibility
→ Control over your time = real freedom
→ Autonomy fuels performance
→ It’s not a perk. It’s a priority.

2. Purpose
→ Your work should mean something
→ Impact > image
→ Purpose keeps you going when it gets hard

3. Work you enjoy
→ Energy is a signal (follow it)
→ Dreading Mondays isn’t normal
→ The everyday matters more than the highlight reel

4. Time for life
→ What’s success worth if you can’t enjoy it?
→ Space creates clarity (and longevity)
→ Your home life deserves your best.
Not your leftovers.

You can still aim high.
But you have to aim smart.

Make sure the target fits your life.
Not someone else’s.

What does success mean to you?

Wise words for those considering a change.

I took a pay cut to move into a new industry.

The result?

12 months later I 3x'd my previous salary.

4 years later, another 2x increase.

Worked for world-changing companies.

Met smart, incredible friends, mentors, colleagues.

Gained skills to start my own business and help others with their careers.

It was scary at first but it was an intelligent risk that paid off.

That was my choice but there are no "right" career paths.

What’s important is you do what’s best for you. 

Some questions to think about if you’re considering a change:

↳ What drives you? Are you chasing it in your current job?

↳ Long-term goals vs. current path - do they match up?

↳ Are you ready to leave your comfort zone for something new?

↳ How would you feel looking back in 5 years if you stayed in your current role versus making a change? What regrets might you have either way?

↳ What skills and experiences from your current role could transfer to your target industry in unexpected ways?

Whatever you decide...

Just make sure you're running your own race.

Not someone else's.

🏃

I’ve had jobs that look great on paper but still felt like I was in the wrong role. 

The smartest career move you can make this year?

Aligning your ambition with your energy.

If you're crushing goals but feeling completely off-track, you're not broken.

You're just misaligned.

I see this all the time with people “doing well”

Great title. Good money. Totally drained.

They think they need to blow up their career and start over.

But that's not it.

You don't need a career overhaul. You need realignment.

There's a Japanese concept called Ikigai - it means "reason for being."

It's basically the intersection of what you're great at, what energizes you, what pays well, and what fits your life.

I've adapted it into a career framework I use with clients to find that sweet spot.

It's four overlapping questions:

→ What are you trusted to deliver? (Your zone of mastery)
→ What would you do even if it didn't pay? (What drives you)
→ What's actually in demand? (Market reality)
→ What fits your life right now? (Not just your ambition)

The magic happens at the intersection.

That's where you get focus, clarity, and motivation without burning out.

I broke down the full framework in the graphic below 👇

Look at it. See where you're strong. Notice where you're missing.

That gap? That's what's making you feel off.

—

P.S. This kind of clarity work is what we do with clients inside my Job Search Accelerator. I help professionals align their skills, ambition, and energy so their next role actually compounds their career. 

If you want to explore working together, you can apply and book a strategy call here: https://lnkd.in/gCKpEsYg

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