What if climbing the corporate ladder isn’t about working harder, but about learning the rules no one ever taught you? In this episode of the Career Slay Podcast, Kelly Poquiz Burke sits down with Kendall Berg, founder of That Career Coach and author of Secrets of the Career Game, to unpack the unspoken rules that shape real career growth. From sneaking into job fairs and telling a CFO his strategy was flawed (at 19), to earning five promotions in six years, turning down a C-suite role, and building a nationally recognized coaching platform, Kendall shares the highs, lows, and hard-earned lessons that reshaped how she thinks about success. This conversation dives deep into self-advocacy, managing up, building influence as well as your own brand, and redefining success as your life evolves. Whether you’re ambitious, burned out, or questioning what “next” really means, this episode offers practical wisdom for navigating your career with intention. Key Topics & Takeaways Why being great at your job isn’t enough as you move upThe importance of educating your boss about your impactHow self-advocacy and personal branding accelerate promotionsTurning down a C-suite role and trusting your gutBalancing a demanding corporate role with entrepreneurshipThe mental load behind content creation and visibilityWhy success eventually becomes about owning your timeLearning when to push forward and when to pivotChapters 00:00 – Introduction 01:18 – Growing up driven, entrepreneurial, and type-A 02:56 – Studying math and economics without a clear path 04:21 – Sneaking into job fairs and landing a career-defining role 06:03 – Telling a CFO the hard truth (and getting hired anyway) 08:27 – Rapid promotions, tech leadership, and learning soft skills 11:58 – Turning down a C-suite role and redefining ambition 15:00 – What a Chief of Staff role really looks like day-to-day 17:38 – Balancing corporate leadership and That Career Coach 20:42 – Content creation, controversy, and building thick skin 26:45 – Writing Secrets of the Career Game 28:14 – “Your boss has no idea what you’re doing” 30:15 – Advocacy, promotion strategy, and managing up 34:44 – How Kendall defines success today 38:05 – Advice to her 20-year-old self 39:27 – Career in three words 39:56 – Where to find Kendall Guest Resources Follow Kendall: @ThatCareerCoach (LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube)Website: thatcareercoach.netGet Kendall’s Book: Secrets of the Career Game https://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Career-Game-strategies-workplace/dp/1804091111Keywords career growth, career coaching, self advocacy at work, managing up, promotions, leadership development, personal branding, career pivots, women in leadership, content creation, work life alignment, executive communication, influence at work, career strategy, Career Slay Podcast Enjoying the show? Please consider subscribing, leaving a rating, and sharing to help us #slaythefearincareer. And if you're looking for one-on-one career coaching, connect with Kelly: Website: careerslay.com LinkedIn: Kelly Poquiz Burke Instagram: @careerslay
