You're Overqualified Podcast - Career and Leadership Strategies for Women

Dani Tan - Leadership Coach and Speaker

Details

I'm Dani Tan, Founder and leadership coach of She Belongs Here™, a leadership and culture organization for women ready to get promoted, lead on their own terms, and redefine what leadership looks like. I coach high-achieving women through the strategy, visibility, and positioning moves that actually move the needle, and I work with organizations building cultures where their best talent can lead. Former VP, first-gen, 11 promotions in 11 years, I've lived this work before I built it. Learn more about me and my mission at danitan.com

Recent Episodes

OCT 1, 2026
143. Your Promotion Is Already Being Decided, Here's What to Do About It
In episode 143, we're talking about why your promotion decision happens months before your review, not during it. This one's for you if you're executing, delivering, doing the work, and still watching the title and the pay stay stuck. I'm breaking down the real timeline behind promotion decisions, the one bias working against you without you knowing it, and the exact first moves to make right now before performance cycle season hits. In this conversation, I break down why waiting for review week is already too late, and what to do instead. In this episode, I cover: → Why the promotion decision is made months before your official review conversation → How recency bias quietly works against even your best quarters → Why one single champion (just your manager) is never enough, and what I call the "leadership ecosystem" → How to start building your business case today, not the week before your review Key Takeaways: – Promotion decisions are made long before the performance review conversation happens – Recency bias means your manager won't remember your February wins by October – You need more than one person vouching for you across your organization – Waiting until review week to build your case means you've already waited too long Chapters: 00:00 Welcome + who this episode is for 01:07 Your promotion is already being decided 02:18 The real timeline: why cycles start months earlier than you think 03:23 Recency bias and why nobody remembers your February wins 05:33 The leadership ecosystem: why one champion isn't enough 06:47 Two client wins: new offers, new titles, in one week 09:07 Why this isn't common knowledge, and why it's not about hustle 10:07 Start now: build your business case before cycle season How to work together - book a call or DM with questions on IG or LI. Book a Discovery Call ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to learn what it's like to work together Connect and DM on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/dani-tan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect and DM on IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.instagram.com/danitani/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ My site: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.danitan.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join my weekly newsletter
11 MIN
SEP 24, 2026
142. Do It Scared: Betting On Yourself with Stacey
In episode 142, we're talking about what happens when you stop waiting for permission and start trusting your gut, even when you're scared. This episode is for the first-gen high performer who has been playing it safe in rooms she's already earned a place in, and is ready to see what's possible when she bets on herself. My client is Stacey, a corporate professional and the owner of Sip N' Slay, and her story is proof you don't have to choose between showing up fully at work and building something of your own. In this conversation, I break down how Stacey went from staying private and playing small to landing a feature on WGN News and getting into Matcha Fest Chicago in her drinks business's first year, all while doing the work in corporate at the same time. In this episode, I cover: → What actually led Stacey to invest in coaching as a first-gen eldest daughter → The difference between corporate's individualistic culture and the collective "we" she grew up with, and how she learned to flex between them → Why nobody knows your wins if you don't share them → How Sip N' Slay started at a farmers market with her niece and nephew → What it looked like to say yes to visibility before she felt ready Key Takeaways: – Your own experience already makes you an expert, you don't have to be the loudest person in the room to have influence – Confidence isn't waiting for someone else's green light, it's trusting your own gut – You can hold both: excelling in your corporate role and building something creative on the side, for the joy of it – Rejection is part of putting yourself out there, and you put yourself out there anyway Chapters: 00:00 Intro 00:58 Meet Stacey 02:28 What led her to coaching 04:52 The tipping point to invest in herself 07:23 Confidence as the real goal 09:09 Individualistic vs. collective culture at work 10:57 Trusting her gut over waiting for a green light 13:06 The shift to being visible 16:21 How Sip N' Slay started 19:18 Holding corporate excellence and a creative business at once 20:35 WGN news, Matcha Fest, and betting on herself 23:47 What's different about Stacey now 25:49 Her advice: do it scared How to work together - book a call or DM with questions on IG or LI. Book a Discovery Call ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to learn what it's like to work together Connect and DM on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/dani-tan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect and DM on IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.instagram.com/danitani/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ My site: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.danitan.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join my weekly newsletter
28 MIN
SEP 17, 2026
141. How to Start a Business While Working Full Time (Without Quitting Your 9 to 5)
In episode 141, we're talking about how to start a business while working full time, without quitting your 9 to 5. This one is for you if you've been carrying a business idea and a job you're proud of at the same time. You've built skills, you've earned your position, and there's still an itch to build something of your own. Both can be true, and this episode shows you how to honor both. In this conversation, I break down the black-and-white thinking that keeps so many of us from starting, where the guilt actually comes from, especially for first-gen professionals, and the one-hour exercise that turns "someday" into a starting point. In this episode, I cover: → The "just go all in" advice and why it sparks financial scarcity instead of action → The extremes we attach to building something: escape, ingratitude, or all-or-nothing → First-gen conditioning: why the "good job, 401k, don't veer" script made sense for a prior generation and how to honor it while writing your own → How I built my business alongside my 9 to 5 for two years before stepping out → The one-hour exercise: what would you build, who would you help, and what do people already come to you for → Portfolio careers and why you're allowed to be great at more than one thing Key Takeaways: – You can love your job and want to build something for yourself. Both can be true. – Wanting more means you're evolving and growing, and the itch means you're someone who builds. – The same drive that made you great at your job is the drive that will build your business. – Nothing about your job has to change for you to start. Give the idea one hour and write it down. – Building alongside your paycheck creates the runway to step out without risking everything. Chapters: 00:01 Welcome + my story: 11 promotions, 5 pivots, and leaving it all to build this 02:17 The "go all in" advice and the extremes that keep us stuck 04:43 First-gen conditioning and the guilt of wanting more 07:04 Wanting more means you're evolving: legacy, family, community 09:24 The one-hour exercise + the renaissance woman era 11:47 An era of opportunity: start before the year ends How to work together - book a call or DM with questions on IG or LI. Book a Discovery Call ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to learn what it's like to work together Connect and DM on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/dani-tan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect and DM on IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.instagram.com/danitani/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ My site: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.danitan.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join my weekly newsletter
11 MIN
SEP 10, 2026
140. What a Promotion Actually Buys You: Money, Leverage, and Options
In episode 140, we're talking about what a promotion actually buys you, and why "I'll just wait for my company to promote me" is costing you more than you think. This one is for the woman telling herself she'll just wait for them to notice. I break down the real math behind that decision, and why a single raise you don't ask for doesn't just affect this year, it compounds for the rest of your career. In this conversation, I walk through what a promotion really buys you (it's not the title), the math on a delayed raise, and how one client turned a promotion into an $18,000 runway to leave corporate and build her own consulting business. In this episode, I cover: → Why a promotion is a tool, not the end goal → The math behind waiting to ask for more → How one client used her promotion to fund her exit into consulting → Why money and financial safety are not shallow reasons to want more Key Takeaways: – A raise isn't a one-time bump, it's a new base that compounds through every job after it – "I'll just wait for them to promote me" is the most expensive plan you can run – Promotions can fund the life you actually want, not just the title on your LinkedIn Chapters: 0:54 What a promotion actually buys you 2:19 The math on waiting 4:16 Client story: the $18,000 consulting runway 7:27 Promotions as freedom, not just status 9:37 Book a discovery call How to work together - book a call or DM with questions on IG or LI. Book a Discovery Call ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to learn what it's like to work together Connect and DM on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/dani-tan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect and DM on IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.instagram.com/danitani/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ My site: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.danitan.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join my weekly newsletter
9 MIN
SEP 3, 2026
139. It Would've Taken Me 5 Years" | Liz on Unstalling Her Promotion and DMing CEOs
In episode 139, we're talking about what actually unsticks a stalled promotion, told by my client Liz, in her own words. You've probably had a season where you knew you could figure it out yourself, eventually. Liz had one too. This episode is for every woman doing great work in a role with no playbook, no benchmarks, and no clear next level. In this conversation, Liz shares her pivot from physical therapist to health tech, how we mapped her workplace ecosystem to unstall a promotion that had been stuck for months, and how she went from nervous to cold-DM anyone to conversations with 20+ CEOs. In this episode, I cover: → Why non-traditional backgrounds need a map, not more effort → Mapping the people who actually influence your promotion → Building a network you can leverage without cold applying → The permission piece of coaching nobody talks about Key Takeaways: – Your manager can be great and still not be enough, you need champions beyond her – The relationships have to exist before the promotion conversation happens – CEOs are just people, and reaching out is a skill you can practice – You could figure it all out alone, the question is whether you want it to take five years Chapters: 0:00 Welcome + who this is for 1:12 Liz's pivot: physical therapist to health tech 3:29 The moment she decided to get support 5:50 How she chose a coach 8:37 The promotion that stalled for months 12:37 Mapping her workplace ecosystem 15:38 What came after the promotion 20:24 From nervous to DM to 20+ CEO conversations 25:18 "It might have taken me five years" 26:51 Liz's advice if you're on the fence How to work together - book a call or DM with questions on IG or LI. Book a Discovery Call ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to learn what it's like to work together Connect and DM on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/dani-tan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect and DM on IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.instagram.com/danitani/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ My site: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.danitan.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join my weekly newsletter
28 MIN