CAREER & LEADERSHIP COACHING

Step into the next level of your career
and get paid what you’re worth.

Without second-guessing yourself, overworking, or waiting for someone to notice.

Apply to work with me

That big promotion. A massive bump in salary. Your dream role.

All way closer than you think.

You’re doing the work. But are you getting the recognition? Not so much.

You’re already doing the hard stuff.

Taking on responsibilities that weren’t in the job description.
Solving the problems no one else wants to touch.
Keeping everything running — even when the pressure’s on.

And somehow still flying under the radar when it comes to your title and pay.

Meanwhile, you watch colleagues (even less qualified ones) moving up while you're stuck wondering what you're missing.

Is this a you problem?
Is it confidence?
Do you just need to work that little bit harder?

Here’s the thing: this isn’t about working harder.

The gap between where you are now and where you want to be isn't about your capabilities. It's about how you position yourself.

And once you change that? Everything shifts.

“When Yota told me what I should really be earning, I literally called her delusional.”

That's what Haja said about our first conversation.

A year later? She had stepped into her first director role — with a HUGE salary increase to go with it.

"The most important thing wasn't even the money," she says now. "It was finally recognizing my own worth and stopping the habit of downplaying my achievements. I no longer question whether I deserve a seat at the table."

Read more client stories

My approach

I work with a small number of people at a time.

That’s intentional.

This work needs attention. And space to think.

So every 1:1 engagement is shaped around you: your role, your goals, and what’s actually happening at work.

Coaching is available in 3, 6, and 12-month packages, depending on what you’re working towards.

Who I work with

Most of the people I work with are senior individual contributors or leaders at Director level and above.

They’re already trusted, already delivering, and already operating with a high level of responsibility, but they want to keep growing. Some are preparing for their first Director role. Others are already there and want to move further, all the way to executive or C-suite level.

A big part of this work is leadership and executive coaching.

That means developing the skills, presence, and decision-making required at more senior levels — while continuing to progress, increase influence, and be compensated accordingly.

How it works

Once we’re clear on where you are and where you want to go, we get practical.

We look at the work you’re already doing, the impact you’re having, and from there, we build a clear business case for why promoting you makes sense for the business, not just why you want it.

Then we prepare for the conversations that actually change things. What to ask for, how to say it, and how to handle pushback without freezing or over-explaining.

And when the offer is on the table, how to negotiate pay and benefits without undermining yourself.

How I help my clients grow

  • Getting promoted and securing the pay rise you deserve

  • Building a strong personal brand that boosts your visibility and influence*

  • Creating a career path that aligns with who you are and where you want to go

  • Overcoming imposter syndrome so you can lead with confidence

  • Leadership and executive coaching for Directors and senior leaders

  • Stepping into your first Director role or breaking into the C-suite

  • Being seen and trusted as a leader, not just a high performer

This isn’t about one promotion.


Getting the promotion is one thing.
Knowing how to do it again is what matters.

This work is about giving you the tools to own your value, make your impact visible, and move forward with confidence — long after our work together ends.

Apply to work with me

Through working with me, my clients have had some pretty big wins.

Things like:

Being recognized as experts and thought leaders

Winning awards like CTO of the year, being invited to speak at some of the biggest conferences in tech, and being invited to become board members (paid!).


Making massive career moves

Like landing their first executive role (and more than doubling their salary in one go) or going from director to VP in under two years, with multiple promotions along the way.


Tackling imposter syndrome head on

And finding real, lasting confidence as leaders, going from self-doubt to knowing they can handle their role (and feeling like they actually deserve all the success that’s coming their way).

“I feel so lucky to have been coached by Yota for this last 6 months — and even luckier to continue this journey together for 6 months more!

We’ve been focused on developing my leadership skills, especially in creating an inclusive feedback culture, handling conflict and growing my strategic abilities. Yota has a lot of energy, and is an expert at bringing insights and an alternative perspective. She’s not a passive coach who will ask the same classic reframing questions. She’ll challenge you to grow, and hold you accountable to the plans you make. If you invest the time and energy, you’ll be repaid with generosity, empathy and the great reflections that Yota brings.”

Paul McKenna, Engineering Manager at Kry, Ex-Spotify

 

Meet your coach

Hi, I’m Yota — a software engineer turned coach with 15+ years of experience, a master’s in positive psychology and coaching, and a focus on leading with authenticity and heart.

I’m here to be your coach, your advisor, your mentor, and your biggest cheerleader. My approach blends coaching and mentoring — so I’m right there with you, brainstorming solutions, sharing my experience, and working with you to find your answers.

Insights are always partnered with action, so you leave every session with a set of next steps.

Here’s what makes working with me different

And what makes it possible for my clients to get such great results

 

I know tech

I started out as a software engineer, working my way into senior roles at Yahoo and Amazon before becoming a coach and the founder of a 5,000+ person tech community.

While I work with clients across industries, my corporate background means I know tech and fintech inside out — how decisions get made, how progression really works, and what it takes to succeed in fast-paced environments.

I’m an accredited coach with a master’s in coaching psychology

I have an MSc in Applied Positive Psychology and Coaching, and am accredited by the International Coaching Federation (ICF). Everything I do is evidence-based and rooted in the psychology of performance, so it gets real-world results.

I’m here to support all of you

That means creating an inclusive, non-judgmental space for you and your teams, and making space for your mental and emotional health, your overall well being, and your performance — at work and in life.

Want to know more? Learn more about me

Getting started

Interested in working with me? Here’s how to get started.

  1. Apply here and answer a few questions so I can learn more about you and where you are in your career.

  2. If I believe I can help, we’ll get on a call. This gives us a chance to connect, get all of your questions answered, and make sure we’re the perfect fit to work together.

  3. We get started! If it’s the right fit, we’ll get to work on a coaching plan. And if it turns out I’m not the right person to help you right now, that’s totally okay. I’ll share resources or a referral to help get you on the right track.

Apply to work with me

Not sure 1:1 is the right step yet?

RiseUp is a self-paced, lower-investment option that gives you access to my full method and the tools to implement it on your own.

What my clients say

  • "I got four pay raises, moved from senior individual contributor to Director, and finally started getting recognized for the work I was doing all along."

    Fatma Köstekli, Director of Product Design at Vinted

  • "Yota changed how I saw myself. She didn’t just help me get promoted 3 times and nearly double my salary — she helped me recognize my own potential."

    Pablo Sierra González, PhD, Medical Director at Blueprint Medicines

  • "After working with Yota, I was promoted to Director, grew my team from 2 to 20+ people, and increased my salary by over 30%"

    Melanie Bochman, Senior Director of Corporate Communications at Staffbase

  • “When Yota told me what I should be earning, I called her delusional. In a year, I increased my salary significantly and stepped into my first director role. “

    — Haja Cessay, Director of Communications at Adevinta

My goal is to make myself redundant after a few months 😉. 

I’ll help you develop the skills you need to tackle challenges on your own, and know you’re making the right decisions.