Gentle Power

Gerta and Alex at YourNegotiations.com
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Join Gerta Malaj & Alex Choi as they share negotiation playbooks, dissect real deals, and reveal life bootstrapping a husband-wife business in SF. As co-founders of YourNegotiations.com, they’ve added 5-6 figure raises to job offers and guided founders through investor, vendor, and customer negotiations - B2B contracts, fundraising, co-founder splits, and more. Gerta (MIT MEng, Wellesley Math) spent 10+ years at LinkedIn, Salary.com & VC firms. Alex, a USAF veteran, ran GTM for Meta’s #2 revenue team at Instagram and is a 3× founder with Wharton MBA & Harvard MPA.

  1. 40. What does being creative in negotiations look like?

    1D AGO

    40. What does being creative in negotiations look like?

    This week, we talk about a type of negotiation most people deal with far more often than job offers: negotiating with hotels, airlines, and everyday services. The conversation was sparked by a real hotel booking situation that arose from Gerta’s upcoming MIT masterclass. Our conversation covers: Why everyday negotiations still benefit from a clear askHow light preparation works better than rigid scriptsHow human connection plays a role in low-stakes negotiationsWhat creativity looks like when you are not extracting valueWhy small acts of generosity can go a long way This week’s conversation reminds us that clarity, kindness, and genuine engagement often outperform clever tactics in every situation, not just high-stakes conversations. For more: Book free consultation call with Alex: Calendly Get our free negotiation worksheet: YourNegotiations.com Read our weekly newsletter: Newsletter Instagram: @yournegotiations LinkedIn: Gerta | Alex

    20 min
  2. 39. What can negotiators learn from decision science and poker?

    12/26/2025

    39. What can negotiators learn from decision science and poker?

    This week, we’re sharing Gerta’s interview with Meredith Baker of the Powerful Stuff Podcast, a podcast for cheeky self-development. Their conversation is a refreshing reminder that negotiation doesn’t have to feel like a cage match. Gerta breaks down the mindset that makes negotiation work better (collaboration, goodwill, and even playfulness), plus a handful of tactics you can use immediately, whether you’re navigating comp, co-founder equity, rent, or just everyday life. Our conversation covers: What can negotiators learn from decision science and poker? How to decide whether to negotiate? Expected value and resulting. Why negotiation works best when it’s collaborative, not when you play “hard to get” The first step most people skip: clarifying priorities and non-negotiables Why you shouldn’t give the first number in job offer conversations The power of silence, time, and not pushing for answers on the spot Everyday negotiations you’re need to try: rent, flights, seats, even concert tickets For more: Book free consultation call with Alex: Calendly Get our free negotiation worksheet: YourNegotiations.com Read our weekly newsletter: Newsletter Instagram: @yournegotiations LinkedIn: Gerta | Alex

    1h 18m
  3. 38. Negotiating in love and dating

    12/16/2025

    38. Negotiating in love and dating

    Most weeks on Gentle Power, we talk about power dynamics in professional settings like job offers and negotiations. In this episode, we focus on negotiations in none other than… love and dating! We explore how vulnerability, power dynamics, and behavioral psychology shape connection and influence, often in ways people misunderstand. Our conversation covers: Vulnerability feels like weakness but it’s actually a strong marker of power  People will like you more if you ask them for a favor - the Ben Franklin effect How to tell if someone likes you by looking at their body language How to regain power when the other party is being aggressive  For more: Book free consultation call with Alex: Calendly Get our free negotiation worksheet: YourNegotiations.com Read our weekly newsletter: Newsletter Instagram: @yournegotiations LinkedIn: Gerta | Alex

    36 min
  4. 37. Real estate negotiations: making offers is how you get intel

    12/15/2025

    37. Real estate negotiations: making offers is how you get intel

    This week we sat down with our friend Victor Hsu, a New York - based real estate broker who works with global families, primarily Chinese, navigating the U.S. housing market. Victor’s perspective blends cultural nuance, decades of on-the-ground experience, and a front-row view into how real people behave when the stakes feel high. The overlap between real estate and hiring negotiations turned out to be even greater than we expected. Our conversation covers: How Victor’s client negotiated over $3M off the asking price of a Manhattan townhouse Why showing enthusiasm from Day 1 can make sellers more flexible, not less What great real estate agents actually do behind the scenes Practical tips for buyers in today’s market and renters in competitive cities Find out what he meant by ““Making offers is how you get intel”. For more: Book free consultation call with Alex: Calendly Get our free negotiation worksheet: YourNegotiations.com Read our weekly newsletter: Newsletter Instagram: @yournegotiations LinkedIn: Gerta | Alex

    41 min
  5. 36. Why execs don’t win at negotiations

    12/02/2025

    36. Why execs don’t win at negotiations

    There’s one insight in our client work that many people would find surprising: mid-career professionals often land stronger increases, both in percentage terms and in absolute dollars, than do senior executives. At first glance, it feels counterintuitive. Senior leaders negotiate business deals, oversee large teams and budgets, and carry higher titles that signal experience and competence. But job offer negotiations draw on a different set of muscles, and the instincts that help people succeed at the executive level don’t always translate cleanly. Our conversation covers: How common executive instincts like decisiveness and transparency can cause leaders to move too fast and lose early leverage Why “executive presence” can backfire Why role scarcity raises the stakes for senior candidates, and how the pressure to land a rare role can push executives to accept terms prematurely If you’re a senior leader, mid-career professional, or simply someone who wants to negotiate with more steadiness and clarity, you’ll find a ton of insight in this episode about how to stay grounded and ask for what you actually need. For more: Book free consultation call with Alex: Calendly Get our free negotiation worksheet: YourNegotiations.com Read our weekly newsletter: Newsletter Instagram: @yournegotiations LinkedIn: Gerta | Alex

    19 min
  6. 35. Turning a job posting into a new client, and BTS on B2B negotiations

    11/25/2025

    35. Turning a job posting into a new client, and BTS on B2B negotiations

    This week we spoke with our friend Matt LeBaron, cofounder and CEO of Pocketbook. Matt helps large companies evaluate their software vendors, renegotiate contracts, and make smarter decisions about their tech stack. He also works as a part-time consultant with Adobe’s software procurement team. Our conversation covers: How Matt creatively turned a full-time job posting from Adobe into part-time client work for his business Why negotiations are more flexible than they appear, and how stated policies or pricing often function more as starting points than strict rules How timing, context, and business needs contribute to negotiation leverage Why relationships matter more than negotiations tactics taught in the classroom or in books Whether you’re a freelancer, you have your own business, or are a job seeker who’s having trouble finding that perfect role to apply to, you’ll find a ton of gold in this conversation with Matt. Learn more about Matt and Pocketbook here: Website | Matt’s LinkedIn | email: matt@pocketbk.com  For more: Book free consultation call with Alex: Calendly Get our free negotiation worksheet: YourNegotiations.com Read our weekly newsletter: Newsletter Instagram: @yournegotiations LinkedIn: Gerta | Alex

    48 min
  7. 34. Practicing saying no & smiling with your voice

    11/21/2025

    34. Practicing saying no & smiling with your voice

    This week on Gentle Power, we’re joined by Shawna Samuel, an executive consultant who focuses on supporting executive-working mothers in demanding roles.  Shawna began her career in global finance, where she spent two decades shaping partnerships across the US and Europe. When she became a mother, the structure that had supported her career started to feel less stable. Her responsibilities grew while the available support didn’t grow with them, and she began questioning the default assumption that people should simply adapt without help. That turning point led Shawna to create The Mental Offload, where she helps clients reclaim time, influence, and steadiness in both their professional and personal lives without sacrificing career trajectory. This conversation will be valuable to anyone who is career-focused but also has big responsibilities outside of the office. Our conversation covers: How to frame your asks around the business value you create rather than treating adjustments as favors Why silence can be a powerful tool and how to use it to guide a negotiation Practicing saying no in small, everyday ways so that boundaries shift from feeling uncomfortable to normal Why people do better work when the responsibilities they carry outside of the office are acknowledged and supported Learn more about Shawna and The Mental Offload here: Website | Spotify | Apple | LinkedIn For more: Book free consultation call with Alex: Calendly Get our free negotiation worksheet: YourNegotiations.com Read our weekly newsletter: Newsletter Instagram: @yournegotiations LinkedIn: Gerta | Alex

    45 min
  8. 33. Have you tried IFS therapy? It can make you a stronger negotiator

    11/14/2025

    33. Have you tried IFS therapy? It can make you a stronger negotiator

    This week on Gentle Power, we explore how Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy has changed the way we think about negotiations. The IFS school of thought is based on the idea that we all have different “parts” within us that try to protect us in different ways, and this framework offers surprising lessons for how we show up in high-stakes conversations. Our conversation covers: Why curiosity works better than confrontation when someone gets pushy or defensiveHow to stay grounded when you feel triggered or under pressureWhy advocating for your younger self (or for someone you care about) makes it easier to ask for moreThe link between self-awareness and business confidence, and why not negotiating can send the wrong signalHow responding with kindness helps you maintain your power while also getting a better outcome Negotiating from this mindset will feel less like a flight and more like a creative dialogue. When we understand our own reactions and stay curious about what’s happening on the other side, even tough moments can turn into opportunities for connection and confidence, and of course, better outcomes. For more: Book free consultation call with Alex: Calendly Get our free negotiation worksheet: YourNegotiations.com Read our weekly newsletter: Newsletter Instagram: @yournegotiations LinkedIn: Gerta | Alex

    11 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Join Gerta Malaj & Alex Choi as they share negotiation playbooks, dissect real deals, and reveal life bootstrapping a husband-wife business in SF. As co-founders of YourNegotiations.com, they’ve added 5-6 figure raises to job offers and guided founders through investor, vendor, and customer negotiations - B2B contracts, fundraising, co-founder splits, and more. Gerta (MIT MEng, Wellesley Math) spent 10+ years at LinkedIn, Salary.com & VC firms. Alex, a USAF veteran, ran GTM for Meta’s #2 revenue team at Instagram and is a 3× founder with Wharton MBA & Harvard MPA.

Information

  • Creator
    Gerta and Alex at YourNegotiations.com
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    41
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Gerta and Alex at YourNegotiations.com
  • Show Website
    Gentle Power