Want more growth? Start with this one relationship

A friend once told me she got her dream role—a marketing lead position at a global tech company—because she reached out to someone outside her department.

Not her boss. Not HR.

It was a guy in Product she chatted with once at a company offsite.

Over coffee, she learned he ran a monthly meeting where different teams demoed internal projects. She asked if she could present something her team had built.

She nailed the presentation.

Two months later? She had a job offer in his department.

We often think "who can help me?" and immediately default to the most obvious person.

But the real magic happens when you zoom out.

That one "non-obvious" person might hold the key to your next big opportunity. They're the hidden door to a new role, new clients, or new visibility.

The trick is to give yourself the quiet time to think strategically. Who are you overlooking?

Take career growth, for example.

If you're inside a big company, don’t stop at your direct manager. Who else is doing work that excites you? Who has access to the rooms you want to be in?

Maybe it’s someone in another department. Maybe they can invite you to collaborate, speak, or shadow.

Or if you're building a business—look at your extended network. Who already has the audience you want to reach?

An adjacent entrepreneur? A podcast host? A community builder?

Instead of cold pitching, create something mutually beneficial.

Like:

• Offering a free mini-course they can share with their list

• Promoting them on your platform in exchange for visibility

• Referring clients to them first

You move the needle by moving first.

If you’re feeling stuck or ready for a leap, try this:

1. Block 30 quiet minutes.

2. Make a list of 5 people who could change your trajectory.

3. Pick one.

4. Find a way to help them first.

If you can do that? Then your career momentum won’t be far behind.

To your continuing momentum!

Cassie

P.S. Want to grow your audience (and opportunities) on LinkedIn? I put together a free email course to help you do exactly that…whether you’re climbing the corporate ladder or building your own thing. Grab it here.