Sometimes, life throws you a curveball—the kind of challenge that forces you to step up and discover what you’re truly capable of achieving. For Karlie, that pivotal moment came when she moved to a new country, was just weeks into a new role, and her boss was unexpectedly fired.

Karlie, a 32-year-old originally from North Carolina, has always been passionate about two things: soccer and art. After earning a scholarship to study both at university, she moved to London to complete her Master’s degree in Art. Over the next nine years, London became her home and the launchpad for a successful gallery career.

In early 2024, Karlie took a leap of faith, accepting a global operations role at an international gallery in Paris. It was a big transition—her first leadership-level role in a country where she didn’t speak the language and had no support system of friends or family. But Karlie was ready for the challenge.

Just as she was settling into her new role, the unexpected happened: her boss was let go without warning. Without clear guidance or leadership, Karlie found herself navigating uncharted territory. Weeks turned into months with no replacement in sight, and she realized she’d have to take charge on her own.

Karlie discovered Worthmore, and the resources she found helped her not only manage her situation but also prepare for her year-end review. She kept meticulous notes throughout the year, documenting achievements and above-and-beyond moments in quarterly emails to herself. Using Worthmore’s “76 Things” list, she transformed her notes into a clear and compelling script that outlined her goals and “asks.”

She prepared a mix of “gimmes” (what she knew she deserved, backed by data and results) and “reaches” (aspirational asks).

When her year-end review arrived, Karlie was ready. The stakes were high: it was her first one-on-one with the gallery’s president—the same person who had let her boss go without hesitation. As the meeting began, Karlie was caught off guard when the president revealed their plan to replace her former boss with her—and wanted an immediate answer.

Karlie thanked them, asked for 24 hours to consider, and regained her footing to speak in hypotheticals, for which her full script still held true.

She led them through her seven asks:

• A higher salary  
• Biannual bonus appraisals  
• Increased travel  
• More remote work opportunities  
• Continued French classes  
• Guaranteed support to build her team  
• Executive coaching  

After the meeting, Karlie went through her evening plans as usual but walked home the long way without headphones to clear her head and think through an email draft.  

She composed a formal response, which was succinct but captured all the core tenets of what she needed to be successful in the role. She slept on it, took one more walk, made a few adjustments, and then sent the email.

An hour later, the president replied, accepting all seven of her requests.

Today, Karlie is celebrating her promotion to Chief Operating Officer at her gallery, a role she earned through preparation, self-advocacy, and thoughtful negotiation.