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Introduction: My Commitment to Your Career

      Women of color are the most underrepresented group in the corporate pipeline. We are hired at lower rates. We are promoted at lower rates. We are retained at lower rates. We are paid at lower rates.

      Here's the irony. According to the United States Census Bureau, women of color are one of the fastest growing demographic groups in the United States. It has been projected that women of color will actually be the majority of all women here in the United States by 2060. But being a rapidly rising demographic isn't enough. We want opportunities. We want equal pay. We want promotions. We want to advance. What it takes to carve out a career is often debilitating and exhausting.

      When the road is this long, and this steep, we need all the support we can get. You might be at the start of figuring out your career, or you might have a deep bench of experience coupled with a proven track record. At every stage, we need support. I wrote Prep, Push, Pivot to help you find that support and help you to reassess, determine, and pursue your goals as you build your career.

Every day, whether it's in group sessions with hundreds of employees or in a one-to-one coaching session, I help professionals figure out how to do their best work. I'm the founder of a career coaching company called Twenty Ten Agency. I became a career coach because I'm passionate about the things most people don't see: the mistakes, challenges, and experiences that come before success. I'm passionate about helping people reconnect with their potential. My work is centered on supporting people who want to advance but feel stuck.

      Figuring out how to get unstuck is hard to do on your own, and not everyone has the opportunity to work directly with a coach. At Twenty Ten Agency, my team of coaches and I create career breakthroughs. Nothing makes me happier than hearing someone has finally achieved an important milestone. Our coaching is focused on understanding your values, getting real about obstacles, amplifying your potential, and reaching forward to pursue the next phase of your career.

      I wrote this book because I want you to know your worth, use your voice, and identify the best ways to find and do your best work. Whether you're looking for a new job, dealing with losing one, pivoting into something new, or returning from a career break, Prep, Push, Pivot delivers strategies to help you advance. This book is divided into three sections:

Some of the stories shared in this book are based on composite accounts of women who faced specific circumstances during their careers. Coaching conversations are strictly confidential, so the stories I share have been created with fictious details. But the perspectives and experiences shared in these stories derive from the opportunities, concerns, challenges, and accomplishments of women I've encountered who are striving to push forward.

      You'll also find Q&A sections within the book, sharing the frequent questions I've addressed during numerous coaching sessions and workshops. If you'd like to dig deeper, head to octaviagoredema.com where you will find a collection of Prep, Push, Pivot resources to help you accelerate.

      Knowing how to navigate your career at pivotal moments can be scary, lonely, and hard. The stakes are usually high, and we're often left to figure things out on our own. I wrote this book because I have one mission—to propel you forward. Prep, Push, Pivot is designed to help you achieve your goals at every stage of your career

      Know your worth. Land your next opportunity. Pay it forward. Never settle.

      Let's get started.