Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve been doing live masterclasses (Blueprint to VP) all about what it takes to move into senior leadership and thrive there.
Over 3,500 women signed up for these masterclasses. That’s WILD! And it tells me something really important:
Women are no longer willing to work hard with our heads down and hope someone will notice. We’re ready to take control of our careers and make things happen.
And ladies, I could not love this vibe any more… I am SO here for it.
On the calls, I got a ton of great questions about leadership, being perceived as VP-ready, the right time to invest in yourself, and so much more.
So in today’s newsletter, I want to share three of my favourites and answer them for you here, in case you missed it!
These questions were often asked in relation to my “Own Your Seat At The Table” group program, but you can apply them to my program or for any investment you want to make in yourself. It’s really the same!
Here we go:
1. I’m unemployed/was laid off this year: Is this really the right time to invest in development?
As we know, the last few years have been crazy when it comes to layoffs, and many women I meet have been affected, so this question comes up a lot. And I love this question because you can look at your situation two ways:
1. Because you’re in between opportunities, you should only focus on the job search and not focus on anything else.
2. Right now is the best time to invest in your development because you have the time! Not to mention, it will set you up for success in the next role and help you find the best opportunity out there.
Depending on the way you look at it, the answer is completely different.
I personally believe that waiting to invest is a mistake. Often, these thoughts come from a place of scarcity. Because you’re between opportunities, you’re afraid to spend any money. And I totally get it because it can feel scary to spend money on your development when you’re not bringing in a paycheck!
But despite this, I’m in the second camp. Many women have come into my group program between opportunities, using the community and resources for support while searching for their next role, leveling up, preparing for interviews, building their confidence, and then landing the best possible role for them (sometimes with competing offers!).
Think about it this way: Do the best athletes in the world wait to be number one before hiring a coach?
2. I feel like I’m too young/too old and not getting opportunities
Ageism is a real thing, and women in my community and out in the world share experiences that are both sides of the coin.
Either they’re earlier in their career (or they look really young for their age), and people don’t take them seriously. They might be in a director position, and as soon as they walk into the room, people assume they’re taking notes and getting coffee.
On the flip side, I meet older women who have been part of a redundancy and are struggling to find their next role because they’re in their late 50s or 60s and feel that they are facing discrimination.
If either of these is you, I just want you to know I feel you, and I’m putting my virtual arm around you right now.
But if you’re in either of these situations, please do not let it stop you from going after what you want. We know that bias exists, and it’s harder for women to land the roles we want compared to our male counterparts. But you can develop skills, habits, and behaviours that give you an unfair advantage and increase the chance that you will end up in those leadership roles.
This is a key thing that I teach in my group program. I help you to show up with confidence, composure, and credibility so that, whether you look too young or too old, the moment you open your mouth, people know that you’re a person they need to listen to.
3. I’m already overloaded: I can’t add one more thing to my plate
This is probably the most common reason I hear women hesitate to invest in themselves. They’re worried about the time commitment, and I totally get it because I’ve signed up for courses and even enrolled in programs that I’ve been unable to finish because of the time requirement.
The first thing I want to share is a little tough love. This might feel counterintuitive, but if you are already overwhelmed and overloaded, you probably need to invest in something that is going to help you get on track. I know that adding an hour or two to your week feels impossible, but the truth is, investing in the right thing is going to allow you to learn how to focus on what really matters and free up more of your precious time.
The reason I emphasize the right thing is that I have signed up for programs that I thought were an hour or two a week and ended up requiring an extra 10 hours of homework outside of the sessions!
So do your homework and ensure that the thing you invest in gives you a clear idea of what the time requirement is. For example, in the Own Your Seat at the Table program, you are committing to the time it takes to join the sessions, and that’s essentially it. There’s no required homework outside of the sessions intentionally because I know you are busy women and don’t have time to watch hours of videos and fill out pages of homework.
The second thing I’ll share is this: Again and again, I get women saying, “I’m too busy right now, but I’ll join in the winter.” Then “I’ll join in the spring.” Then “I’ll join in the fall.”
What I’ve noticed is that most of these women never take the opportunity to join at all, and when I see them two years later, they’re almost always in the exact same position they were when we met originally. Frustrated. No promotion. No progress.
Here’s the cold, hard truth: If you don’t change anything, your circumstances are unlikely to change, and if you’re waiting for the perfect time to do it, that time will probably never come.
You’re the CEO of your career
I think one of the biggest mindset shifts you can make when it comes to your career, your development, and creating the life you really want is to acknowledge that you are the CEO of your career and your life. You are the one who gets to call the shots, make the choices, take the risks, and try to build something truly rewarding.
Whether you choose to invest in working with me (which is a great decision) or something else, I believe that investing in yourself and in your career is one of the best decisions you can make.
If you have questions about what it looks like to join my program and be on the inside, you can book a 15-minute call here.
And if this newsletter spoke to you and you’re ready to make a change, here’s the link to join. Doors close Sept. 22nd, and then you’ll have to wait for 2026 for your next chance!
But either way, I hope you choose something to invest in for Q4 that’s going to get you closer to the life and career you want. I’m always cheering you on from here!
Until next time friends… ✌️💜
Katy
