#128 Crafting Your Brand, Mastering Work Culture, and Innovating Your Career w/ Tammy Alvarez
Hey everyone, I recently had a fantastic conversation with Tammy Alvarez (LinkedIn) on the podcast, and she really got me thinking about how we approach our careers. She is also the author of “Escaping the Career Trap,” a guide to taking charge of your career and getting excited about Monday mornings again. Get it on Amazon Listen now on Apple and Spotify. Tammy has been through the corporate grind on Wall Street and now runs the Career Winners Circle; they shared game-changing insights on how we can break free from the corporate rat race and really own our career paths, even if it’s in-house. Here are some of my thoughts from this episode: Actionable Takeaways Table of Contents ✅ Failure is only a moment, not an identity ✅ Your personal brand is key to having career agency ✅ Be the CEO of your own career ✅ Build your power base, your personal board of directors Failure is only a moment, not an identity. Instead of tying everything to success or failure, she suggests viewing every career move as a chance to try new things and learn. It's all about experimenting, seeing what works, and tweaking your approach until you hit your stride. "Too often we think we're either success, fail, pass, good, bad, black, white. Whereas when you do everything in your career, in your life, in your business, taking that experimental mindset, knowing that you're going to iterate." -Tammy Alverez Takeaway: Failure is only a moment, not an identity; if we define ourselves by our bad moments, we will never achieve mastery. Mastery takes grit, resilience, and being willing to keep trying until you master your craft. Your personal brand is key to having career agency Even if you're not big into self-promotion, your reputation—or personal brand—is constantly being shaped. Tammy pointed out that if you’re not defining how people see you, someone else will. So, why not take charge? "You always have a brand, whether you want one or not. And so who would you rather influence your brand, you or other people?"Tammy Alvarez Takeaway: Think about the top three words you want people to associate with you. Make sure your actions at work reflect those qualities every day. Be the CEO of Your Own Career Tammy’s advice to treat your career like a business really hit home for me. Imagine you're the CEO of your own life: you set the goals, figure out the strategy, and pivot as needed to reach your aspirations. By taking ownership, you can align what you do with what truly excites you. "Congratulations, you just got promoted because now you are the CEO of your career and you're the CEO of you incorporated." Tammy Alverez Takeaway: Start seeing yourself as the CEO of You, Inc., and make decisions that align with your personal and professional goals. Every action you take raises or lowers your stock price and your market value. Act accordingly. Build Your Power Base Networking isn’t just about LinkedIn connections; it’s about nurturing real relationships with people who have your back. Tammy calls this your power base—the folks who will champion your ideas when you’re not in the room and help propel you forward. "Who are your sponsors and who are the people who are saying good things in the room when you're not there?" Tammy Alverez Takeaway: Identify key allies both inside and outside your organization who can support your growth, and do the same for them. In short, Tammy’s approach is all about empowerment—finding your voice, nurturing your strengths, and making bold decisions to get where you want to be. If you're itching to shake things up in your career, her insights could be just the push you need. Catch the full episode if you haven’t already, and feel free to share your thoughts on how you're taking control of your career. Happy exploring! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wayofproduct.com
