Client Case Study

FROM HOLDING ON TO STANDING FIRM.

Jana Sellers refused to lower her standard in one of the toughest executive markets tech has seen in a decade. She rebuilt how she showed up, who she connected with, and landed a global director role on her own terms.

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The Challenge

Competing in one of the toughest tech executive markets in a decade, against an unprecedented volume of highly educated, top-tier talent.

The Shift

A defining CE session surfaced how she was actually presenting herself, sparking a mindset and positioning overhaul she could not unsee.

The Outcome

Now a global director managing multi-billion dollar companies in tech, using data and AI to drive revenue strategy.

Olivia Gamber

A Note From The Founder

Olivia Gamber, CEO

I met Jana in Dallas, and even then, in the middle of one of the hardest tech markets in recent memory, there was something steady in her. Not naive optimism. Something earned.

Jana was a tech executive doing the thing so many strong leaders were forced into that year: fractional work to make ends meet, while she held out for the full-time role she knew she was built for. The market wasn't cooperating. Layoffs had flooded the field with more highly educated, top-tier talent than anyone had seen, and Jana was competing against all of it.

She never hid the hard days from our group. She told us plainly there were mornings it was difficult to get out of bed. What she didn't do was let those mornings define the story. She showed up every week, gave to other people in the room, and kept working on the thing most people skip: how she was actually coming across.

That's the part of Jana's story I want people to sit with. The turn wasn't a new resume template. It was a moment she looked at her own feedback and said, this isn't who I want to be. Everything after that came faster than she expected.

A MARKET UNLIKE ANY OTHER

Olivia Gamber

There's been so many layoffs the last few years, you guys have been hit hard... for the first time in history, we have more highly educated, top tier talent in the market than we do entry-level talent, which is crazy, right? So when you were in that space, it's so easy to get discouraged and feel like you're not enough to compete with that level of elite talent.

Jana

No, it's not easy. I found passion in when I lifted up others and I felt lifted up... it was really having the faith that I know it's going to turn out okay. And I know no matter what I do, I'm going to give it my all. And I didn't want this moment in my life to define me.

Jana

I had bad days where it was hard to get out of bed and you're like, oh, I just can't even imagine doing this one more day. But at the same time, when you have a community of people who are lifting you up and supporting you and encouraging you, it makes it where you can get up that next day and keep moving forward.

THE MIRROR MOMENT

Olivia Gamber

So how did you shift your mindset from where it was when you just started? Because obviously it was in the more old school approach, then you quickly evolved and you were in a better flow once you got in that strategic thinking, right? What did that shift look like for you?

“This is not who I want to be. And this is not how I want to present myself to the world or whomever I'm working with.”

VALUE OVER VOLUME

Olivia Gamber

I know for you, you could have easily gotten an offer a lot sooner if you had lower standards, right? So how are you able to maintain that conviction that this is my standard and I'm not going to lower it no matter what?

Jana

Fortunately, I was in a spot where I could make that decision and stand by it because I knew of my value. I knew my worth and I really wasn't going to take less than that. And I felt like if I took less, then I was just giving up and I didn't want to do that. So I did do some fractional work to help make ends meet from time to time... but I just did not want to settle.

“I knew of my value. I knew my worth and I really wasn't going to take less than that.”

Jana

People are saying they put out hundreds or thousands of applications. In my job search, I did not do that. I was very selective and if I applied for a role, it was only after I'd networked through a company and I knew exactly where my resume was going... blindly applying, I did a lot of that at the beginning with very little results.

“When you're able to not only bring value, but then connect others, that's when I felt like it really changed for me.”

THE ARRIVAL

Jana

I was probably busier looking for a job than I was now that I have a job. And I have to say, I kind of miss now I'm sitting behind my desk all day long. I miss getting out and being busy and connecting with individuals... you have to get your mindset right, surround yourself with like-minded individuals, and really have a clear direction on what it is you're looking for. And you just don't settle for anything less.

“I was probably busier looking for a job than I was now that I have a job.”

Ready to Stop Applying?

Jana Sellers held her line through the hardest tech market in a decade and it worked. If you're ready to stop competing on volume and start leading with value, let's talk.

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Read the full transcript

Olivia: was when you just started? Because obviously it was in the more old school approach, then you quickly evolved and you were in a better flow once you got in that strategic thinking, right? What did that shift look like for you?

Jana: I didn't realize in some of my conversations, maybe some negativity or my lack of value wasn't appearing right.

Olivia: how do you maintain that optimism when you're going through the storm and you feel like it's just nothing's lining up for you?

Jana: to get out of my head and focus so much on myself. Because sometimes you just can't move forward. And I mean, I had bad days where it was hard to get out of bed and you're like, oh, I just I can't even imagine doing this one more day.

[Question shown on screen]: Do you have a job? What did that shift look like for you?

Jana: it was a defining moment when I first signed up for CE and we walked through where I was in my mind at that moment. And when I went back and saw the notes and got the feedback, I'm like, this is not who I want to be. And this is not how I want to

Olivia: were really putting yourself under the microscope and doing the work of that identity transformation. I think a lot of people look for tactics and strategy when really they're buying your presence, right?

Jana: I was probably busier looking for a job than I was now that I have a job.

Olivia: were really key on getting around other executives that just get it because you can't rely on your own network alone to get this done, right? You have to expand it pretty quickly.

Jana: So I got connected with several groups for individuals that were looking for employees for fractional type work or maybe one-off consulting type opportunities and just even having discussions with them. One conversation leads to another. And I talked with individuals in all sorts of industries, healthcare, finance, insurance.

Jana: when you're able to not only bring value, but then connect others, that's when I felt like it really changed for me is that connecting individuals to newer open opportunities or and then bringing more value to the conversation. It just seemed to happen really fast after that.

Olivia: How did you leverage AI for you in your career? Like as an executive, are you using it heavily or, you know, I'd be curious to get your take on it. Like, how do you use it? How do you not use it?

Jana: I was very selective and if I applied for a role, it was only after I'd networked through a company and I knew exactly where my resume was going

Olivia: were just on, right? So how did you get to that point where you could just say that hook and it's just so clear and concise where most people are rambling about their resume, right?

Jana: you have to have that, you know, 10 second speech. You, you tell everybody to have their, their speech ready. You know, your elevator pitch, we need to have 10, 30, 60, 90 seconds ready to go at any moment.

Olivia: What would you say to these folks?

Jana: I'm a really good connector. I'm really good at relationships. And I'm also really good at thinking innovatively about different ideas and what I can do to help a company grow and

Olivia: do, right? So how are you able to maintain that conviction that this is my standard and I'm not going to lower it no matter what? And you really did.

Jana: I was in a spot where I could make that decision and stand by it because I knew of my value. I knew my worth and I really wasn't going to take less than that.

Jana: to believe in who you are, what value you bring to the table and what you want your career and journey to look like. People like that passion. They like the confidence. And they also like when you are thinking outside the box in terms of your value and helping others. You know, that's contagious is when you start bringing more to the table and then

Olivia: How were you able to get there? Because honestly, it's not easy, right?

Jana: what can I learn every day that's new? How can I share that? And how can I

[Question shown on screen]: How did you leverage AI for you and your career? How do you not use it?

Jana: AI, I am learning how to create the agents, how to manage projects, how to make me more efficient,

[Question shown on screen]: So how are you able to maintain that conviction that this is my standard and I'm not going to lower it no matter what?

Jana: I did do some fractional work to help make ends meet from time to time. But when holding out for that full time role and what that was going to look like for me, I wanted something that I would be set up for success and work with a company. I knew that I could make a big impact and it would continue to elevate the things that I've worked so hard for, especially in developing my personal brand and what I bring to my clients and how I think about, you know, innovation and strategy and AI. So I just did not want to settle.