Mastering Executive Presence, Strategy & Career Growth with Andrea Wasserman
What if your next career breakthrough isn’t about doing more—but communicating it differently?
This week on Candid with Candidates, I welcomed Andrea Wasserman, executive coach and founder of The Executive Express. With a rich background leading within companies like Nordstrom, Verizon, Yahoo, and European Wax Center, Andrea now works one-on-one with rising leaders to help them step confidently into executive-level roles.
Andrea shares what she’s learned after two decades in corporate leadership: how to lead through influence (even when no one reports to you), why executive presence is more than just looking the part, and how strategy often comes down to preparation, perspective, and communicating one’s work.
Whether you’re a new leader navigating cross-functional dynamics or a seasoned professional preparing for a promotion conversation, Andrea offers proven tools to help you position yourself for growth—and communicate your value effectively.
Episode Highlights
(04:02) Why Andrea left the C-suite to coach high-potential leaders full-time
(08:47) Building “startups” inside established corporations: the dual challenge of stability and innovation
(12:13) How to lead through influence when your success depends on teams outside your reporting line
(16:43) Defining Strategic Thinking – Why meetings matter more than you think and how they shape your career trajectory
(22:48) The 333 Structure for Effective Conversations
(26:58) Time management for leaders: creating space for high-impact, strategic work
(30:53) How to approach a raise or promotion conversation—with preparation and clarity
(37:43) Understanding mentors vs. sponsors—and why both are essential
(41:36) Navigating internal dynamics and the role of relationships in upward mobility
(44:23) What hiring managers are actually evaluating during the interview process
“Doing your job well isn’t always enough. You need to connect the dots, communicate clearly, and show how you think—not just what you’ve done.”
What You’ll Learn from This Episode
Why being strategic is less about adding work and more about changing how you communicate it
How to map out key relationships across your company—and build influence without direct authority
What style flexing is (and why you should treat coffee with ops differently than coffee with marketing)
How to prep for one-on-ones that don’t waste your time—or your boss’s
A smarter approach to promotion and compensation conversationsHow mentors and sponsors contribute to long-term career growth
Connect with Andrea
Andrea Wasserman on LinkedIn
Stay Candid
Candid with Candidates shares real stories from inside major organizations—stories that don’t make it into the slide decks or LinkedIn highlight reels. Follow along for conversations that inform, encourage, and help you navigate your own path to leadership.
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