I didn’t think so. After all, without a question preceding it, it’s easy to see what “no” truly is… a word. It’s just a word. So why are you letting fear of one tiny, two-letter word keep you from asking for the raise you deserve? Yes, the raise you deserve.

(for the answer, check out my conversation with Lynn Smith of HLN below)

If you just had the thought, “But I don’t deserve it,” that doesn’t mean that you don’t. Rather, that thought is a symptom of a mindset that isn’t serving you. It’s a symptom of a mindset that could be holding you back. It’s a symptom of a story you often tell yourself, and spoiler alert: in this story, you’re not the heroine and there is no happy ending. So why do you keep telling it?

The truth is: as long as you tell yourself that story, you tell it to everyone else, too. No, not literally with your words. But energetically? Yes. Through the nuances of your daily actions and conversations? Yes. Through the way you interact with your colleagues and your boss? Yes. They’re hearing that story, too—the story that lists all the reasons why you’re not worth more.

I WANT TO MAKE THIS EASY FOR YOU.

ARE YOU WORRIED ABOUT WHAT TO SAY?

YOU’RE SMART.

YOU’RE TALENTED.

SO WHY DO YOU FIND IT HARD TO FIND THE “RIGHT WORDS” TO SAY” AND LATER DOUBT THE WORDS YOU CAME UP WITH?

AT LAST, HERE’S AN EASY WAY TO SPEAK WITH CLARITY AND CONFIDENCE.

Everyone loves “scripts and tips.” We want direction on what to say in those difficult conversations  —

• "Annette, do you know any scripts for getting a raise?”

• “What kinds of questions do I ask when I’m in a sales meeting for the first time with a huge potential client?”

• “I’m meeting a potential investor, what do I say?"

— because those "strategies" make us feel comfortable.

MY GIFT TO YOU.

TAKE SOME COMFORT. TAKE MY WORDS.

YOU READY?

HERE’S THE GOOD NEWS…

When you change the story you’re telling, you also change the story everyone is hearing. And what better day to change it than today? Whether or not you’re able to rewrite your mindset on the spot, whether or not you’re able to believe that you deserve more, there is no question that you deserve at least as much as your male counterpart.

Equal Pay Day this year was April 2, 2019. This date symbolizes how far into the year some women must work to earn what men earned in the previous year. For African-American women, Equal Pay Day won’t be recognized until August 22. For Native American and Latina women, Equal Pay Day won’t be recognized until September 23 and November 20!! And there is no sad story in the world, no insidious mindset, no negative self-talk that your brain could use to convince you this doesn’t affect you. The gap between men’s and women’s wages is an undeniable fact.

Kamala Harris says companies that fail to achieve pay equity should have to pay a fine. I say AMEN... plus a lot more... on national television!!

Check out my CNN debut for some quick tips you can use now to start getting paid what you're actually worth.

HINT: tip #1 is admitting to yourself you're worth a lot more than you think.

WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?

You can start by asking for things to change. I made these scripts and tips just for you; consider them concrete tools you can use to not only stand up and face the fear in “no,” but also open yourself up to the possibility that that “no” might actually turn out to be a “yes.”

You’ll never know if you don’t ask.

And trust me: you are brave enough to ask.

they did it.
so can you.

#beasmartask