You're not being passed over because you're not strong enough.
You're being misread.
And no one is telling you why. The market isn't seeing you the way it should — and most of the time, you can't name exactly where it's breaking down. That's what I fix.
See where to start →Getting interest but not at the level you know you should be
Advancing in processes but not closing
Seen as too tactical or too strategic, never quite right
Struggling to articulate your scope outside your current company
This isn't a capability gap.
The feedback is vague. The signals are inconsistent. And no one is telling you what actually happens after you leave the room.
I know what happens in that room.
- Unclear how the market is actually reading you
- Strong story internally — doesn't translate externally
- Materials don't reflect the level you're targeting
- No clear positioning or next move
- A precise diagnosis of where your positioning breaks down
- A narrative that gets you taken seriously at the level you're targeting
- Materials that reflect your actual level
- Clear direction on exactly what to do next — and why
Start where you are.
Most leaders don't need more effort. They need clarity on what's actually happening.
For leaders who need an honest read on how they're currently being perceived.
What's hurting you
What the market is seeing
What to fix first
For leaders who want to understand both their positioning and their opportunities.
Compensation insights
Geographic opportunities
Target company analysis
60-minute strategy session
Understand what's happening — and exactly where to go next.
Most leaders start here.
Purchase →For leaders who know their story no longer reflects their value.
We'll rebuild your positioning, narrative, and market presence so you're showing up at the level you're targeting.
Choose your starting point. The destination is the same.
You'll finally understand how you're being perceived in the market — and why opportunities may not be matching your actual capability. This is a candid, recruiter-level analysis of your positioning, strengths, blind spots, and market perception. You'll leave with clarity on what's helping you, what's hurting you, and what to fix first.
- See yourself through the eyes of hiring decision-makers
- Understand your true market position and value
- Identify the specific gaps costing you opportunities
- Receive a clear action plan for improvement
Know your positioning. Know your market. Know your next move. The Insider Brief combines your assessment with executive-level market intelligence and a live strategy session. Instead of simply understanding what's happening, you'll leave with a targeted plan for where to compete, what opportunities to pursue, and how to activate your search.
- Everything included in the Insider Assessment
- Compensation and market intelligence analysis
- Geographic and industry opportunity mapping
- Target company recommendations
- 60-minute strategy session with Kate
- Personalized activation strategy
For leaders who aren't in active search yet — but know the story needs to be right before they move. This is where we rebuild how you show up at the level you're targeting. We define your positioning, sharpen your story, and make sure it lands the way it should — so when you're ready to move, you're not starting from scratch.
- Resume, LinkedIn, and portfolio positioned for the level you're targeting
- Anchor statement, narrative framework, and recorded pitch
- Decision matrix so you evaluate every opportunity from clarity, not fear
For leaders with strong positioning who need full support executing the search. A search has a lot of moving pieces — and the cost of getting any one of them wrong is high. This is full search support, start to finish: strategy and outreach, interview prep and debrief, offer negotiation, and onboarding. Someone in your corner for the whole thing — not just the moments you think to ask about.
- Kate-produced positioning brief before your search activates
- Live prep before every interview round and debrief after
- Offer evaluation and full negotiation support
- Async access between sessions
For leaders who need both — story and search, start to finish. We start with your narrative: positioning, story, how you're being read and how that changes. Then we move into the search itself — strategy, outreach, interviews, offers, and onboarding — with full support across every stage. This is the only engagement that takes you from unclear positioning to the right seat.
- Full Insider Narrative — everything aligned before your search starts
- Full Insider Navigator — real-time support through to signed offer
- Story first, search second
Sometimes you don't need a full engagement.
You need a sharp read on one specific moment — an interview coming up, an offer on the table, a position you're building.
This isn't a program.
It's a partnership.
For leaders navigating a real transition — a level change, a market reentry, or a search that isn't moving. These engagements are selective. I work with a small number of leaders at a time.
I respond to every application personally — usually within 48 hours.
Tell me what you're navigating.
This is the beginning of a conversation, not a commitment.
Application received.
I'll be in touch within 48 hours.
Every application gets a personal response.
I know what's happening in that room after you leave.
I've seen exactly why strong leaders get passed on — and what makes someone an immediate yes.
I've spent 20+ years inside the decisions that shape design, product, and brand leadership — placing VP+ leaders at companies like JPMorgan Chase, Publicis Sapient, and McKinsey Design. I've seen why strong leaders get passed on. I've seen what makes someone an immediate yes.
The Insider Suite came out of a simple observation: most leaders I talked to were being filtered out not because they weren't excellent, but because their story wasn't landing the way it should. That's a solvable problem.
The waitlist is open.
Most leaders I work with say the same thing after we start: they wish they had done it sooner.
If something isn't landing — even if you can't fully name it yet — that's the moment to fix it.
Start with the Assessment or Brief →Or reach out directly: kbannister@hivetalentadvisors.com