Here’s the playbook top companies wish you already knew.
Stop waiting for permission. Stop obsessing over fixing weaknesses. Going from mediocre to average still leaves you average.
This is the playbook to 10x your market value in under a year and become the tech leader top startups, scaleups, and corporates invest in.
Own your value
If you don’t know your value, why should anyone else?
That was a theme running through our first-ever Engineering Leaders Community 2025 conference. And no one delivered it better than David Pavlík.
David, now CTO at Rohlik Group and formerly at SpaceX and Netflix, opened the event with his talk, “From Growth to Impact: How I Scaled My Personal Value Tenfold.”
He didn’t do it by fixing every weakness. He did it by owning outcomes, doubling down on differentiators, and aligning his work to what truly matters: business impact.
If you want someone to create real value for your company, they need to know their own worth first. Otherwise, you’re just hiring another 9-to-5 robot.
This is why I mentor tech professionals to unlock their true potential , especially in soft skills and communication , and then connect them to the right role, company, or opportunity.
No vague self-help talk here. This post covers the exact steps I use to 10x your market value in less than a year. Here’s how it works:
#1: Clarify your vector
Where are you actually heading?
Most people at a crossroads have zero clarity. You’re mixing roles, passively floating between ideas: Tech expert? Team lead? Architect? PM? I help you define your vector — the path that hits your unique potential.
If you’re stuck in the wrong lane, these 10 questions will help you figure out if your current role is worth your time, or wasting it.
#2: Find your differentiators
What makes you irreplaceable?
Your superpower might be:
- Turning underperforming teams into high-performers in 3 months.
- Bridging the gap between business and devs.
- Being a magnetic force for top talent.
- Growing juniors into seniors within 2 years.
We identify these. We prove them.
#3: Master your 1-minute pitch
Show your value in 60 seconds — or lose their attention forever.
Can you explain your role, achievement, differentiator, and potential in 60 seconds — without sounding shaky or boring?
When you can do this, people want to work with you. It’s how you grow your network and get offers from people who remember you.
#4: Build a personal brand that scales
Your personal brand is the multiplier that amplifies everything.
It’s 2025. If your LinkedIn still looks like a timeline with titles, you’re invisible.
You need:
- Evidence of impact, not job history.
- Conference talks, podcasts, public presence.
- Content that signals your values and thinking.
You’re not just an employee anymore, you’re an asset. And assets need visibility.
If you want to build a real learning culture around yourself, not just toss the term around in meetings, this guide will help.
#5: Create a value-multiplication plan
Do you grow internally or jump externally? Either way, start by asking your manager one powerful question:
“How can I help you?”
That question alone can open more doors than an updated résumé.
#6: Fix your communication complex
Imposter syndrome, shaky voice, unsure body language? That’s your value leaking.
Until your confidence matches your competence, you won’t be convincing. I help you close that gap — for good.
To level up here, don’t just work on your words, work on your influence. I wrote about how to get your ideas heard when your manager isn’t listening. It’s not about talking louder. It’s about talking smarter.
#7: Own your job search
If there’s internal potential, double down. Overdeliver. Stick to your personal development plan.
If it’s time to switch jobs, we’ll rehearse interview dry runs until you’re bulletproof. I’ll challenge you. You might cry. Once you’re ready, I’ll start connecting you to CTOs and decision-makers for real opportunities over coffee, not just job boards.
#8: Build a real network
In five years, if you have no connections, your options will suck — period.
No one gets great roles these days without a network. You don’t need 100K followers. You need the right 10 people who will vouch for you.
One last thing: F*ck gaps
The fastest way to 10x your value is to amplify what already makes you great.
Too many people obsess over improving their weaknesses. Going from mediocre to average still makes you average. I’d rather help you go from great to legendary.
The aftermath: You become an asset
Only people who know they’re valuable create value. The rest? Just peasants.
After 2–3 months, you won’t just feel different. You’ll be different. You’ll become someone worth investing in. And once you believe that, others will too.
The strategies above were shared live at ELC 2025. The room was full of leaders ready to stop playing small and start multiplying their value.
If you missed it, no worries. You’ve got the playbook now. Ready to 10x your market value? Let’s talk. My DMs are open.
About Marian Kamenistak
Marian provides coaching and mentoring to engineering managers and leaders across various levels, helping organizations succeed in building products.
On top, Marian leads the Engineering Leaders CZ community, organizing 9 meetups a year for Engineering Leaders, Managers, Tribe leads, VPEs and CTOs in Central Europe.
Read more about Marian’s mission.
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