This is your leverage window. Q4 is when companies lock budgets, finalize promotions, set equity, and protect retention risk. Translation: decisions are being made about you—often without you. If you stay quiet, you’re already behind. In this episode, Dr. Renee Baker joins me to dismantle the myths and give you a real plan to negotiate raises, titles, and equity without begging or breaking.

We tear into the fear narrative—layoffs, headlines, “be grateful and wait your turn.” Gratitude without advocacy is servitude. Silence doesn’t pay. You are the CEO of you, and if you don’t speak up, you’ve handed away your leverage. We talk about why it’s cheaper to keep you than replace you, how bonuses and timing create retention pressure, and how to use that math in your favor.

Then we get tactical. Politics often beats performance, so study the breadcrumbs: who gets promoted, how, and why. Don’t bring a task list to a review—bring outcomes. Learn to quantify impact beyond sales, frame results the way your firm rewards them, and ask the right questions in your 1:1s so your leaders carry the right story into the room when you’re not there.

We close with two heavy hitters: titles and “no.” Titles drive pay bands and access—use them. If they say no, convert it into a timeline, criteria, and checkpoints. If that’s not respected, that’s your signal. This is not about ego. It’s about equity, mobility, and your next seat at the table.

Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/sN9-MechYpM
Connect with Dr. Renee Baker:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itsreneebaker/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ItsReneeBaker/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsreneebaker
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@itsreneebaker
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DrReneeBaker

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