I was doing everything right. I had the degrees, the certifications, the relationships. And when the perfect role finally opened up — someone was quietly working behind the scenes to block me from getting it.

This week, I'm telling the full story: how I went from administrative assistant to certified coach, three levels up. The gut instinct that made me turn down a role I'd already accepted. The coach who told me I'd be good at this when I didn't even know what coaching was. And the advocates who had my back when someone was trying to push me out.

This is a story about trusting yourself, building real relationships, and refusing to do more to prove what you've already earned.

In this episode:

• My real career story — from retail to biotech to coaching, and the moment someone tried to block my promotion
• Why I turned down a role 24 hours after accepting it — and why trusting your gut matters
• How advocacy showed up from every direction: a skip-level manager, a peer leader, and a manager who wrote the letter for me
• Why administrative assistants are some of the most strategic people in the building (and why people sleep on them)
• The difference between a mentor and a sponsor — and why one sponsor isn't enough

The 3 things I want you to focus on:

1. Build your strategy — get advocates from different angles (your manager, a skip-level, a peer who isn't your boss)
2. Know your non-negotiables — your title, your pay, your market value, and where you stand next to everyone else
3. Know your sell — learn to name the impact you create, because nobody else will do it for you

What I want you to walk away with: Your skills, your credentials, and your relationships are your leverage. Diversify them — don't put all your eggs in one basket. And remember, the goal isn't for everyone to like you. It's for them to respect what you bring to the table.

🔗 Work with me 1:1 — The Career Lab: Three months of weekly coaching for the woman who's ready to get promoted, navigate someone blocking her, or grow into a leader even without the title. Book a call: https://coachingwithtasheena.as.me/sales

📬 Read my Substack — Off the Org Chart: New research-backed articles every Sunday.

https://substack.com/@tbraxtoncoach

Connect with me:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coach_tasheena/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@coachtasheena

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tasheena-braxton-msod-cpcc-orscc-ccmp-pcc-11b14a69/

🎧 New episodes every Wednesday. Missed last week? Summer Series Episode 2 "Code Switching Is Not a Strategy. It Is a Tax." — is the perfect lead-in to this one.

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Media Credits: Images and visual content created with Canva and licensed via Storyblocks.