Most people who broke into six figures didn't start there — and thinking they're somehow "different" is the first barrier to getting there yourself. Liz, the voice behind Chief Mom Officer, spent years in a low-paying call center role before systematically hacking her way to a six-figure IT career. Her climb wasn't luck or overnight success — it was strategic use of company education reimbursement, relentless volunteering for high-visibility projects, and knowing when to jump ship for better pay. Here's how she did it, and what you can borrow from her playbook. Key Takeaways: Utilize Education Reimbursement: Leverage company benefits like education reimbursement to further your career. [00:05:54] Volunteer for Growth: Take initiative by volunteering for projects to build skills and enhance your network. [00:14:36] Research Your Worth: Understand your value in the job market to negotiate better salaries. [00:33:09] Embrace Change: Each change in Liz's career led to new opportunities and salary increases. [00:36:26] Continuous Improvement: Improvement is a lifelong journey; success comes from strategic hard work. [00:21:25] Chapters: [00:00:41] Introduction and Listener Question [00:03:01] Liz's Career Journey [00:05:54] Company Reimbursement Insights [00:14:36] The Importance of Volunteering [00:25:03] Lifelong Learning and Negotiation Skills [00:36:55] Embracing Change and Growth [00:41:06] ChooseFI Hot Seat Key Quotes: "When I started my career, I thought people who made six figures were different people than I was." [00:03:43] "You can always get better. You can always improve." [00:02:09] "Each change has brought about new opportunities as well as in many cases, jumps in salary." [00:36:26] "If you want to work towards something else, you have to work hard strategically." [00:21:25] "Most of us, it's going to take a lot of work, a lot of time, some level of luck, and being positioned." [00:39:01] Terminology: BATNA: Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement; helps identify your alternatives. [00:32:47] ZOPA: Zone Of Possible Agreement; the range where an agreement is satisfactory to both parties. [00:33:09] Career Hacking: Using strategic approaches to leverage education and experience for career advancement. [00:01:30] Guest: Liz from Chief Mom Officer, a six-figure breadwinner who shares insights on career development. Connect at ChiefMomOfficer.org or on Twitter @LizOfficer and Instagram @Liz_ChiefMomOfficer.