Helping high-performing professionals break through career plateaus
Former CIO | Career Coach | Technology Consultant
I HELP YOU STOP BEING THE BEST-KEPT SECRET IN YOUR COMPANY
Here's what I know about you:
You deliver excellent work. Your performance reviews are strong. You're reliable, capable, and trusted with important projects.
And somehow, you're still stuck.
You watch others get promoted around you—people who seem less thorough, less dedicated, less qualified. It's so frustrating, and you're starting to wonder what you're doing wrong.
Here's the truth: You're not doing anything wrong. You're caught in what I call the "visibility trap."
My Story (Because It's Probably Your Story Too)
Twenty-five years ago, I was troubleshooting computers in corporate training rooms. I made sure everything worked perfectly. I was always available, always helpful, always reliable.
I was also invisible.
While I was perfecting every detail, my colleagues were getting promoted. Not because they were better at the job—honestly, I often had to clean up after them—but because they understood something I didn't.
Being excellent at your current job doesn't make you promotable out of it.
That realization changed everything. Over the next 20 years, I figured out how to break free from the visibility trap. I advanced from IT support to manager, then director, VP, and eventually Chief Information Officer.
Not because I stopped doing excellent work, but because I learned how to make that excellent work visible and strategic.
What I Do Now
After reaching the C-suite, I realized my most fulfilling work was helping other people avoid the years of frustration I went through.
I help professionals like you:
- Break free from the visibility trap that keeps excellent performers stuck
- Position themselves strategically for the advancement they deserve
- Build the executive presence and influence that accelerates careers
- Navigate workplace politics and relationships authentically
I also work with organizations that need strategic technology guidance—helping them with digital transformation, technology strategy, and building high-performing teams. After 20+ years in corporate leadership, I know what actually works in complex organizations.
The Difference
Most career coaches teach theory. I share what actually happened in the rooms where promotion decisions get made.
I've been where you are (feeling overlooked despite great work) and where you want to go (making those promotion decisions myself). That perspective changes everything.
How We Work Together
We start with understanding exactly where you're stuck and why. Then we build a strategic plan that positions you for the advancement you deserve—without compromising who you are or asking you to become someone you're not.
This isn't about playing politics or taking credit from your team. It's about ensuring your excellent work gets the recognition it deserves.
Ready to stop being the best-kept secret in your organization?
Let's start with a conversation about where you are and where you want to go.
Email me directly: maryk@impactful-futures.com
"The same strategic thinking that took me from IT support to CIO now helps my clients achieve the career advancement they've been working toward."