We’re looking forward to introducing you to Kendall Berg. Check out our conversation below.
Good morning Kendall, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
I wake up early to journal, read my bible, and move my body. Then it is straight into school prep – cooking, checking backpacks, and making sure homework was done (or that it needs to get done) so that the kiddos can get off to school. then my husband and I go for our famous “Walkie-takies” where we walk around the neighborhood and catch up.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Kendall Berg—an internationally published author, TEDx speaker, and career coach who has helped thousands of professionals worldwide get promoted, strengthen their leadership presence, and confidently navigate corporate politics. My own career transformation—from being stuck at the manager level for 5+ years to earning 5 promotions in 6 years—ignited my passion for helping others accelerate their success.
This year, I released my book Secrets of the Career Game: 36 Strategies to Get Ahead in Your Career, which pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to advance—beyond technical skills. The book and my TEDx talk both highlight the often-overlooked “soft skill advantage” that separates those who stay stagnant from those who soar.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What relationship most shaped how you see yourself?
My relationship with my husband. He is a wonderful supporter and encourages me in so many ways (in fact – he encouraged me to start That Career Coach). He helped me heal a lot regarding my own insecurities and starting to step into my career and business leadership with more confidence.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Most mornings? haha. Honestly, I think there are always ups and downs in life (and in careers) and as I look back, most of the “downs” ended up being areas where I learned the most. Under a toxic leader in the early 2000s I learned self advocacy, how to be proactive, and the importance of self advocacy and communication. In an organization with shifting priorities and a lot of bureaucracy I learned the importance of networking, building a team of advocates, and being the CEO of your own career. even if I felt like giving up on my career in those moments, what I learned helped me push forward later and became the foundation at TCC.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. Where are smart people getting it totally wrong today?
They expect their work to speak for itself. I don’t know about you, but I’ve never had my excel spreadsheet (no matter how beautifully formatted and color coded) speak up in my performance review on my behalf. People are working so much harder today due to company efficiencies, AI demands, and “automation” standards and YET they aren’t getting credit, seeing growth/scale, or even being compensated fairly. Careers, and life, are about relationships. Getting to know Suzy in accounting, getting coffee with a former coworker, and building relationships with influential people in your company. You need to be good and competent at your job, but if you work hard and no one is around to see it…did it really happen?
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. Have you ever gotten what you wanted, and found it did not satisfy you?
Oh gosh yes. I worked for the first 10 years of my career towards a CFO title. I knew what I wanted and I worked on all the right projects, and for all the long hours, to get there. Then in my late 20s…I was offered the CFO role. I was over the moon (my husband bought champagne) and…I turned it down. When I looked at my life holistically at that time (mom to two young babies, recently married, in peak social commitments) the last thing I wanted to do was be on call 24/7 to a board and private investors, spend my weekends in the office, and “hustle” away the sweetest years in my kiddos lives. Instead I had the epiphany that a slightly more junior role (VP) with more support and flexibility was a better fit at that time.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thatcareercoach.net/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thatcareercoach_/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kendall-berg-347b5a40/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thatcareercoach_
Image Credits
Dustin Moon Visuals
