Build a Promotion Case Your Leadership Can Act On
Promotion strategy for engineers, managers, and leaders, L5+ through VP — from someone who advised 200+ promotion panels and knows what they reward and what they quietly penalize.
Imagine…
Knowing precisely what your next level requires — in your org’s language, not the generic ladder doc.
Sponsors and stakeholders advocating for you in rooms you are not in.
Walking into the cycle with a case so well-evidenced the panel’s job is easy.
Without waiting another cycle for your manager to "fight for you" with a case you never shaped.
Without grinding harder at work that is invisible to the people who decide.
Without guessing at what went wrong on your own.
Advised by someone who sat on the deciding side
Promotions are decided in rooms most candidates never see, by criteria nobody fully writes down. I have been in those rooms: 200+ promotion panels advised, 25+ promotions secured for my own direct reports across 17+ years in tech, including at Amazon, Snap, and IMDb. I know what panels reward, what they discount, and what quietly kills a case.
We work backwards from the decision: map the real bar for your next level, close the evidence gaps, build your visibility and sponsorship deliberately, and sharpen the narrative that gets told about your work. If a promotion attempt previously stalled, we work out the most likely reason before we rebuild.
A Word on Timing
At senior levels, one level is often the difference of $50K–$200K a year in compensation — plus the compounding scope and title that follow you to every future role. A year that slips by without a promotion is not a delay; it is money and momentum you won't get back.
Questions I Get
My manager says I’m "almost there." Can you help?
"Almost there" usually means your case has gaps nobody has named precisely. We will translate it into the specific evidence your next level requires, then work on deliberately closing those gaps.
I was already passed over. Is it too late?
Not at all. Some of my strongest client outcomes started from a failed cycle. A stalled attempt is data, not a verdict. We will work out the most likely reason — evidence gap, visibility gap, sponsorship gap, or timing — and rebuild your case around it.
How long does this take?
Promotions in tech usually take one to two cycles. If your cycle closes next month, we can sharpen the narrative you give your manager to carry in — but the durable work (evidence, visibility, sponsorship) pays off in the cycle after. I will give you a straight read on your timeline after you reach out.
What does it cost?
Pricing will depend on how much ground we need to cover. The work we do keeps paying long after this promotion: making your case, building sponsors, and being visible at the right moments is how you get every level after this one. Some clients have their employer sponsor the engagement — if that is a possibility for you, tell me and I will help you put your case together. My coaching requires a significant investment of time and money, but it's small in comparison to what the next level is worth to you. I'll send exact pricing before you commit to anything.
What happens after I reach out?
I read every note myself and reply by email within 2 business days. Short email conversation to confirm fit, then details. If I'm not the right coach for your situation, I'll say so directly — and where I can, point you toward someone in my network who fits better.
Ready When You Are
Send me a note and I'll personally reply within 2 business days — or book a free discovery call if you'd rather talk it through first.