Client Case Study

FROM NUMBERS GUY TO STRATEGIC LEADER.

Alberto Rocha was Udemy's top national sales director, but nine years in the same production mindset had him fearing conversations with the very executives he needed to impress. He rebuilt his mindset and his language, and walked into a promotion.

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The Challenge

Nine years without updating his resume or LinkedIn, running on a scarcity mindset carried over from 'up or out' consulting culture, and fearful of engaging C-suite leaders despite being the top sales performer.

The Shift

Reworked his language from 'hit your numbers' producer talk to strategic-leader positioning tied to what executives actually need to hear.

The Outcome

Promoted from senior manager to senior director at Udemy, with a pay increase and stock options, while his company navigated a full acquisition.

Olivia Gamber

A Note From The Founder

Olivia Gamber, CEO

When Alberto and I first started talking, he was already the guy everyone pointed to. Top national sales director at one of the biggest names in ed-tech, the one who always hit his numbers, always got his team to president's club. On paper there was nothing to fix.

But underneath the results, Alberto was running on survival mode. Years in consulting firms that would cut people the moment they slipped had wired him for scarcity, step on or be stepped on. His resume hadn't been touched in nine years. His LinkedIn had the bare minimum. And despite being the top performer in the room, he told me he got fearful at the thought of talking to a CMO or a CEO as an equal.

Then an external director role he was excited about went to someone else, and his company announced it was being acquired. It could have felt like a setback stacked on a setback. Instead, it became the reason he finally sat down and did the work he had been putting off for nearly a decade.

Nine Years In One Bubble

Alberto

I had joined Career Evolved. There are some leadership opportunities, potentially opening up here at Udemy that got filled with someone with a new leader... I need to get my resume up to date. I haven't updated it in like nine years. My LinkedIn has just the minimum basics.

...a company called Magic School AI had reached out for a director level role... what I just found out Friday, they had moved forward with another candidate who was earlier in the process. The recruiter still wants to keep in touch and all the things. So I'm not heartbroken about that at all. I've been in survival mode through all these consulting firms that will cut you really quick if it's up or out. And so it's always this competition, step on or be stepped on.

“It was a blessing in disguise, because I really need to update my resume, my LinkedIn profile, keep my network warm.”

Changing The Language

Alberto

When you're like an IC moving into a leadership role... you're used to your customer base, you're in there, the moves are hitting your numbers. And then when you become a leader... you're not the executor. You're like the strategic thinker to help your team succeed, help your team not just learn the skills, but also think like leaders themselves too.

I need to get the numbers out of my language because I've been there, done that already, have that branding. I already know how to do that. And now it's like elevate my thinking to a new horizon... So yes, Alberto, the numbers guy always hits his numbers, always going to club, yada, yada. But it needs to be Alberto's helping changing the way we do things differently here at Udemy across the globe. And it's like that next level strategic thinker.

Olivia Gamber

I think that, you and I have spoken a few times and I know from your perspective, going from being seen as producer to leader or executive, do you feel like you've changed that perception at this point at Udemy?

Alberto

I think I'm on my way there... I feel like I'm armed with a new lens or a new checklist... here are the things I need to hit on. Here's my flight plan, my flight list before I get up in the air... Hence the pay bump and the equity and the things along those lines. So I think those are very positive signals, but it's not a light switch. It's going to take some time to continue to develop it.

“What's the difference between a hundred thousand dollar horse and a million dollar horse? The answer is an inch. The mindset component is so critical that you don't want to skip on that because once you have the right foundation, it's going to accelerate your growth 10 times.”

The Inch That Changes Everything

Alberto

What I really appreciate about Career Evolved, it gives you the roadmap. You're not having to reinvent it or figure it out. This is a proven way to go... again going back to am I thinking in abundance or through scarcity, that in and of itself is super important.

Some other really important things like forgiving yourself, like holy smoke, who would on their own figure that out? Because some of that stuff yourself, without knowing it, you could be self-sabotaging yourself... we internalize some of that stuff and we carry that with us in our heavy backpack and not knowing that that's holding us back.

I think some of us, especially myself included, we're so caught up in our own bubble, our own ecosystem, have been at Udemy for nine plus years.

“Forgiving yourself, like holy smoke, who would on their own figure that out? ... without knowing it, you could be self-sabotaging yourself.”

Director, And Still Building

Olivia Gamber

That's awesome. Congratulations... you're in the biggest growth ed tech space in a highly disrupted market... I think your value is just going to go up as education keeps getting reformed and people can't keep up with it.

Alberto

Right. Yeah, exactly.

Olivia Gamber

So that's awesome to be in a space that's like on the edge of it... I think it's a huge opportunity for you to rebrand with all these new leaders. So you get to tell the story versus them putting you in a box.

But I know that you want to keep working your network and still plan to build your brand, right?

Alberto

Right, right. Got to hit on all cylinders.

Alberto

By investing in myself, like with Career Evolved, it helps not just me, but helps me serve as a better leader for them too... I find this strengthening my ability to inspire my team and help them see around corners, help them uncover their blind spots.

Olivia Gamber

Well, I'm so happy to hear you got the promotion and that you're feeling good. And hopefully it sounds like you're still going to keep in touch with us. And I'm excited to see where you go from here.

Alberto

Yeah, still more work to be done. Got to get to VP.

“Still more work to be done. Got to get to VP.”

Ready to Stop Applying?

Alberto was already the top performer in the room. What changed his trajectory was the mindset and the language behind it. If you are ready to reposition how leaders see you, book a diagnostic.

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Read the full transcript

Alberto: I need to get my resume up today. I haven't updated it in like nine years. My LinkedIn is, you know, just has the minimum basics that

Alberto: I've been in survival mode, you know, through all these consulting firms that will cut, you know, like, they'll cut you really quick if, you know, it's like, up or out. And so it's always this competition, you step on or be stepped on.

[Question shown on screen]: What would you do if you had it?

Alberto: I think some of us, especially myself included, we're so caught up in our, you know, own bubble, our own ecosystem, have been at Udemy for nine plus years. Now

Alberto: I had joined Career Evolved. There are some leadership opportunities, potentially opening up here at Udemy that got filled with someone with a new leader.

Alberto: it was a blessing in disguise, because like, gosh, I really need to update my resume, my LinkedIn profile, keep my network warm.

Alberto: They've updated our titles to director, which is really cool. That's nice. And then my in performance reviews, my manager gave me like a nice, nice pay bump, which is really

Alberto: So yes, Alberto, the numbers guy always, always hits his numbers, always going to club, yada, yada. But like, it needs to be Alberto's like helping changing the way we do things differently here

Olivia: do you feel like you've changed that perception at this point at Udemy?

Alberto: the pay bump and the equity and the, and the things along those lines. So I think those are very positive signals,

Alberto: some stock options, which is nice. We'll see what that's worth.

Alberto: so the mindset component is so critical that you don't want to skip on that because once you have the right, once you nail that foundation, it's like you're going to accelerate your growth 10 times, in my

Alberto: am I thinking in abundance or through scarcity, that in and of itself is super important.

Alberto: forgiving yourself, like holy smoke, who would on their own figure that out? Because some of that stuff yourself, without knowing it, you could be self-sabotaging yourself. And you might be thinking it's other external environmental factors that are holding you back, but it might not be. It's probably things that you're doing subconsciously that are pulling you down. And so being able to go through some of the exercises in there to help surface and identify some of that stuff

Alberto: And what I really appreciate about Career Evolved, it gives you the roadmap. You're not having to reinvent it or figure it out. Like, this is a proven way to go.

Alberto: I need to think, you know, Ryan, the example you brought up, I need to get the numbers out of my language because I've been there, done that already have that branding. I already know how to do that. Um, and now it's like elevate my thinking to a new horizon. And I

Alberto: I need to make sure that I'm linking that back to the organization's bigger vision. They're bigger OKRs, uh, here at Udemy have a lot of new leaders. And so they have a lot of pressure and I need to make sure that I'm clearly understanding what, you know, what does success look like for them? Um, and how I'm speaking in that language to tie what I'm doing back to that so that they look at me in a totally different light.

Olivia: where they finally are like, mindset's everything, where they finally get it because you see that there's not much left to compete on, right?

Alberto: I find this like strengthening my ability to inspire my team and help them see around corners, help them uncover their blind spots and

Alberto: investing in myself, like with Career Evolved, it helps not just me, but helps me serve as a better leader for them too. And