Why You’re Underpaid And How To Fix It

Raises go to those who ask, not those who wait.

Here’s the cold slap of reality:
Most people stay underpaid for years.
Not because their work isn’t good.
Not because they’re not “due” for a raise.
But because they’re passive as hell about their pay.

They wait.
Hope their boss notices.
Think loyalty will magically pay off.
It doesn’t. (Spoiler: loyalty mostly pays your boss.)

I’ve coached hundreds of pros through this. The only ones who actually break the cycle?
The ones who stop hoping and start treating their salary like a business negotiation - because that’s exactly what it is.

Here’s how to flip the script:

-Start with receipts.
Keep a doc of every big result.
Money saved. Revenue generated. Bottlenecks you blew up.
Your raise lives there; not in vague “hard work.”

-Know your market.
Use Levels.fyi, Blind, and LinkedIn ranges to figure out what people like you actually get paid.
Not what you think they make. What they actually make.

Time it right.
Don’t ask for more money when you’re burned out and desperate.
Ask right after big wins. During performance cycles. When budgets get locked.

Make it about business value.
Raises aren’t charity. They’re a transaction.
Frame your ask around ROI, not your feelings.

Practice the silence.
Most people talk themselves out of thousands because they can’t stand awkward pauses.
Say your number. Shut up. Let them sweat.

We’ve seen clients jump 30, 50, even 100K this way.

And the best part?

It’s repeatable. Every promotion. Every new job. Every negotiation.

I read every single response.

Tell me - what’s the biggest raise you’ve landed (or hope to land next)?