Accelerating your Career: The Dynamic Duo of Mentors and Sponsors
According to Gallup, currently, only 40% of employees report having a mentor in the workplace. Rates are even lower for sponsorship at...
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Merve Kagitci Hokamp
Oct 1, 20238 min read
What you should do NOW, if your career goal is to become a people manager
I regularly meet with and coach early-career professionals who aspire to step into people management roles. It's inspiring to see them...
Merve Kagitci Hokamp
Sep 27, 20234 min read
From IC to Manager: Showcasing Your Leadership Potential on Your CV
Last week I wrote about 10 Common Pitfalls Individual Contributors Must Avoid in Management Job Interviews and received some great...
Merve Kagitci Hokamp
Sep 16, 20236 min read
How to Become a People Manager
Are you a seasoned individual contributor with aspirations to step into a leadership role, but finding the path to climb the corporate...
Merve Kagitci Hokamp
Sep 10, 20235 min read
The Asshole Genius: Exploring the Myth of the Artistic Temperament
Good (and appropriate) song to listen to while reading this article I recently joined a book club, which was a new experience for me....
Merve Kagitci Hokamp
Sep 6, 20235 min read
Thriving in the Age of Transformation: Why Middle Managers Are the Heartbeat of Organizations
I am currently working with a coachee who has been a middle manager in a tech company for 4+ years. The other day, he candidly shared he...
Merve Kagitci Hokamp
Aug 21, 20238 min read
Navigating Summer Holidays with Kids: 10 Hacks to Manage Your Family Getaway like a Project
Embarking on a week-long vacation in southern Turkey was a much-needed escape for our family. As parents of young children, we recognized...
Merve Kagitci Hokamp
Jul 17, 20236 min read
Inside the Mind of Venture Capitalists: What VCs Look for When Evaluating Startup Opportunities
In the ever-changing world shaped by the Covid-19 pandemic, entrepreneurship has emerged as a powerful force, igniting the dreams of...
Merve Kagitci Hokamp
Jul 12, 20235 min read
Leaders Don't Climb to the Top, They are Carried to the Top: Tour de France & Thoughts on Leadership
Over the past 10+ days, we have been biting our nails watching Tour de France unfold. Thanks to my husband who is an avid cyclist, I've...
Merve Kagitci Hokamp
Jun 20, 202316 min read
From Novice to Ninja: 10 Common Mistakes New People Managers Make and How to Avoid them
I was both excited and nervous when I landed my first job as a people manager at Google. I had gotten promoted in my sales job but there...
Merve Kagitci Hokamp
Jun 4, 202311 min read
Navigating the B2B vs. B2C Conundrum: Insights for Start-up Founders
Are you a startup founder asking yourself this question: Should my business target businesses or direct consumers? If your answer is...
Merve Kagitci Hokamp
May 29, 20236 min read
The Value of Value: How Charging for My Yoga Classes Transformed the Experience
One of the best things about working at Google is being able to curate and offer your knowledge and skills as part of a program branded...
Merve Kagitci Hokamp
May 22, 20236 min read
The Go-Go-Go Mindset and Productivity Anxiety
I am writing these lines from a lovely spot in Copenhagen - 20G Cafe, where I paused to take a little break, enjoy a delicious breakfast,...
Merve Kagitci Hokamp
May 14, 202310 min read
Getting your First 100 Customers Part V: Perfect your Customer Service
I have been writing about how to get your first 100 customers the last four weeks. So far during this beautiful journey, we covered:...
Merve Kagitci Hokamp
May 8, 202311 min read
Getting Your First 100 Customers Part IV: Spread the Word by Doubling Down on Marketing
In Part 4 of the series "Getting your first 100 Customers", we will deep dive into marketing. At this point you have 1. Established what...
Merve Kagitci Hokamp
May 1, 20236 min read
Getting Your First 100 Customers Part III: Nail your Products
In order to get your first 100 customers, you first need to establish what your business stands for, then do the work to thoroughly...
Merve Kagitci Hokamp
Apr 23, 20239 min read
Getting Your First 100 Customers Part II: Understand your Potential Customers
Last week in the first article of the five part series, "Getting your First 100 Customers," I wrote about the first step which is...
Merve Kagitci Hokamp
Apr 18, 202311 min read
Getting Your First 100 Customers Part I: Establish What your Business Stands For
How do I get my first 100 customers? Start-up founders and marketeers I have coached and advised over the years have asked themselves...
Merve Kagitci Hokamp
Apr 2, 20239 min read
Pizza or Pasta? How to Turn Constructive Customer Feedback into an Opportunity to Grow and Thrive
Recently, I noticed some red flags at my daughter’s childcare center - more of some of the worrisome signs that had already presented...
Merve Kagitci Hokamp
Mar 25, 20237 min read
How to Write a Killer Curriculum Vitae (CV)
Let’s call it what it is. A Curriculum Vitae (a.k.a. Resume) is a sales tool. It’s one of the few ways—arguably the most important...
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