Alex Carter

Yes. I, early on in my career, was in a bunch of roles where things were mostly lockstep. So working for really large investment banks or law firms or places where your compensation is pretty much determined by your seniority and that's it. And I remember the moment that I then had to really advocate for myself. And I found myself being unexpectedly nervous, even more so when I went in.

Yes. I, early on in my career, was in a bunch of roles where things were mostly lockstep. So working for really large investment banks or law firms or places where your compensation is pretty much determined by your seniority and that's it. And I remember the moment that I then had to really advocate for myself. And I found myself being unexpectedly nervous, even more so when I went in.

And I got an offer that was a little bit above what I was expecting. And now I know I just got bad information. But back then, I had this internal crisis, right? You know, right, that if they come in above, there's a reason for that. I get this offer and internally, I feel myself at war with myself saying, maybe I should just accept this. This is a good offer. It's more than I thought.

And I got an offer that was a little bit above what I was expecting. And now I know I just got bad information. But back then, I had this internal crisis, right? You know, right, that if they come in above, there's a reason for that. I get this offer and internally, I feel myself at war with myself saying, maybe I should just accept this. This is a good offer. It's more than I thought.

Am I going to look not collaborative? Am I going to turn them off? But I had just enough sense to say, thank you. I'm going to run my numbers. I'll come back to you. And that's when I called a senior woman in my field. And I said, what advice do you have for me? Candidly, this is the offer. She said, I'm going to tell you what to do, Alex.

Am I going to look not collaborative? Am I going to turn them off? But I had just enough sense to say, thank you. I'm going to run my numbers. I'll come back to you. And that's when I called a senior woman in my field. And I said, what advice do you have for me? Candidly, this is the offer. She said, I'm going to tell you what to do, Alex.

You're going to get back in there and you're going to ask for more. And here's why. When you teach someone how to value you, You're teaching them how to value all of us. You are normalizing negotiation. And so if you're not going to do it for yourself, I want you to do it for the person who's coming after you.

You're going to get back in there and you're going to ask for more. And here's why. When you teach someone how to value you, You're teaching them how to value all of us. You are normalizing negotiation. And so if you're not going to do it for yourself, I want you to do it for the person who's coming after you.

And that was the moment, Ilana, that I thought, oh, no, now I have to negotiate all the time because... I think of myself as a collaboration-oriented person. I want to create more for other people in the course of creating more for myself. And up until that moment, I thought, if I ask for more, somebody else gets less. But it is not true. I realized that when I put myself in rooms

And that was the moment, Ilana, that I thought, oh, no, now I have to negotiate all the time because... I think of myself as a collaboration-oriented person. I want to create more for other people in the course of creating more for myself. And up until that moment, I thought, if I ask for more, somebody else gets less. But it is not true. I realized that when I put myself in rooms

I am then in a position to help the next person and to normalize what it's like. These days, occasionally I hear about somebody who's in my field, my line of work, as an author and a speaker who is underselling themselves. And I will sometimes, if I know that person, reach out and say, please.

I am then in a position to help the next person and to normalize what it's like. These days, occasionally I hear about somebody who's in my field, my line of work, as an author and a speaker who is underselling themselves. And I will sometimes, if I know that person, reach out and say, please.

Value yourself and raise your prices to the level of your value and know that when you are doing it, you are helping everybody in our industry elevate. Ilana, this is an issue in some sectors more than others, but truly, when you ask for more, not only do you help other entrepreneurs or other people who are job seekers, but you If you're an entrepreneur, you help your client. Hear me out.

Value yourself and raise your prices to the level of your value and know that when you are doing it, you are helping everybody in our industry elevate. Ilana, this is an issue in some sectors more than others, but truly, when you ask for more, not only do you help other entrepreneurs or other people who are job seekers, but you If you're an entrepreneur, you help your client. Hear me out.

Everybody on this podcast, perhaps listening now, has had the experience of underselling themselves. You undercharged. You maybe didn't define clear boundaries. You ended up overgiving. And how did you feel? You felt burnt out? You felt resentful? Was your client getting the best of you? No, they were not. And I always say to people, if you undersold, there's no need to harsh on ourselves.

Everybody on this podcast, perhaps listening now, has had the experience of underselling themselves. You undercharged. You maybe didn't define clear boundaries. You ended up overgiving. And how did you feel? You felt burnt out? You felt resentful? Was your client getting the best of you? No, they were not. And I always say to people, if you undersold, there's no need to harsh on ourselves.

You conducted an experiment. You experimented in what it was like to sell yourself at that level. And now we know the results of that experiment are you're overbooked and you're overwhelmed and resentful. When you fully value yourself, your client gets the best version of you and that's what they deserve.

You conducted an experiment. You experimented in what it was like to sell yourself at that level. And now we know the results of that experiment are you're overbooked and you're overwhelmed and resentful. When you fully value yourself, your client gets the best version of you and that's what they deserve.

Yes. And then when you get to that place where you are so rock solid confident in your worth that you're able to say, here's the investment to work with me either as an entrepreneur or here's what the investment is to bring me onto your team in corporate. And if that doesn't work for you, I understand. And you believe it. People smell that on you.

Yes. And then when you get to that place where you are so rock solid confident in your worth that you're able to say, here's the investment to work with me either as an entrepreneur or here's what the investment is to bring me onto your team in corporate. And if that doesn't work for you, I understand. And you believe it. People smell that on you.