Self-Advocacy

Your Guide to Getting What You Deserve at Work

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Elevate your career with the indispensable guide, “Self-Advocacy: Your Guide to Getting What You Deserve at Work.” Self-advocacy is the ultimate career skill in the modern workplace. Honing it unlocks the growth you desire for yourself and your teams. This book presents a practical guide that anyone can use to master self-advocacy and equips leaders with tools to train others effectively.

You’ll learn transformative strategies to dispel self-imposed limitations, propelling you toward your aspirations. Discover how to create a customized career plan that aligns with your ambitions, while gaining insights into promoting self-advocacy skills within your team. Whether you’re an up-and-coming professional or a seasoned leader, this guide is for you.

Uncover the secrets of effective negotiation, granting you the tools to navigate intricate conversations and secure coveted promotions, raises, and new opportunities. Armed with proven frameworks, you’ll orchestrate discussions that consistently yield the outcomes you seek. Embark on this transformative expedition today—grab your copy now and unleash the force of self-advocacy in your career!

Want to learn more?

About the Author Book Endorsements Book Excerpt Self-Advocacy Newsletter Invite Me to Speak Download the media kit

About the Author

Shailvi Wakhlu is a Technology Leader and International Keynote Speaker. She is the former Head of Data & Analytics at Strava and Komodo Health. Her sixteen-year data and engineering career has included companies such as Salesforce, Fitbit, and a software startup she co-founded. Shailvi’s self-advocacy expertise comes from being a practitioner at tech startups and large companies across 3 continents.

Wakhlu speaks on self-advocacy and data at twenty-five or more global conferences and Fortune 500 corporate events each year. She also teaches online courses on these subjects to a global audience.

Wakhlu offers individual and group coaching. She has helped hundreds of people grow their self-advocacy skills and reach important career milestones faster. She is also an investor and advisor to several high-growth startups.

Wakhlu grew up in India and studied Computer Engineering at Illinois Tech in Chicago. She loves to travel and has visited thirty-two countries. Currently, she lives in San Francisco with her husband, Govind, and their sixty plants.

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Book Endorsements

Mark Gainey, Chairman & Co-Founder at Strava

“A great read! Shailvi does a masterful job of bringing simplicity to a complex topic and outlining self-advocacy steps anyone can apply to their careers and life.”

Mike Micucci, CEO Fabric Commerce

“Shailvi's work on self-advocacy is more than mere guidance; it's a distillation of hard-earned wisdom and courage from years within the industry. Her masterclass on growing your career through self-advocacy is inspiring; it's essential reading for anyone seeking to grow their career with authenticity and strength.”

Lois Creamer, Book More Business

“We aren’t born with innate skills of self-advocacy. The author shares how to develop your personal skillset. Whether you’re hoping for the corner office, the boardroom, or personal fulfillment, this book will fast track your success. Stop allowing opportunities to slip away. Apply the insights within these pages and transform your work, and your life!”

Amy Waninger, CEO, Lead at Any Level

"Self-Advocacy by Shailvi Wakhlu not only empowers individuals but also equips leaders to cultivate diverse teams. This book provides actionable strategies for navigating career landscapes while embracing the power of advocacy and collaboration. A must-read for those championing workplace inclusivity."

Neil Thompson, founder of Teach the Geek

“Self-advocacy may not come easy for many, but it's the best way to let others know your value. Shailvi's book will help you grow from complaining to those who can't help you to influencing those who can. Definitely worth a read!”

Karen Catlin, author of Better Allies

"Developing self-advocacy skills is an important investment for our careers. And for women working in male-dominated fields, it’s essential. Wakhlu's book provides a framework for everyday self-advocacy, as well as for landing important milestones such as promotions, raises, and job offers.”

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Book Excerpt

Advocating for yourself is like making an investment in your career. And investing in your career is one of the most valuable things you can do for yourself. Because when you prioritize your career, all the effort and time you put into it becomes truly meaningful.

We have to be comfortable, confident, and genuine in advocating for ourselves.

For many of us, our careers play a crucial role in our adult lives. Our careers can affect our health, financial stability, where we live, and the people we interact with. It's important to develop the skills that enable us to have more control over our career path. Relying solely on others to manage our careers can be risky, as even well-meaning bosses or supervisors prioritize their own interests.

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Self-Advocacy Newsletter

Want to get better at self-advocacy? Sign up below! You will be notified of relevant information regarding the book including special promotions, and the final launch in September'23.

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Invite Me as a Speaker

Event organizers for speaking engagements, invite me to speak here. Your event (corporate workshop, conference etc) may be eligible for a discount on bulk orders of the book for all attendees of the talk. Learn more about my experience as an international keynote speaker. You can read more about the additional topics I speak on, and how I add value to corporations and conferences.

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Media Kit

Access my full media kit here.

The media kit contains book details, author contact information, author bio, book excerpts, book endorsements, book reviews, sample author Q&A, image links, and media links. This is all available in a pdf format.

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