In this episode, I’m sitting down with Megan Garrett, an inspiring client and associate merchant, to talk about what it really takes to break through career plateaus, build confidence, and step into leadership.
Megan opens up about her path from store roles to the corporate office, the frustration of near-miss promotions, and how coaching helped her navigate internal politics, build authentic relationships, and grow into the leader she wanted to be.
If you’ve ever wondered, “Why am I not moving forward?” or felt stuck in your corporate career despite working hard, this one’s for you.
Listen to the episode here: Client Interview: From Stuck to Strategic: Megan’s Journey to Confidence and Leadership
Megan’s Journey to Leadership and Confidence
1. When Hard Work Isn’t Enough
Megan spent years moving from store roles into corporate retail. She loved merchandising but kept hitting a ceiling with promotions.
“I would make it to the second interview or even the VP interview, but I wasn’t getting the roles,” Megan shared. “I realized I didn’t know how to navigate the corporate side of my career.”
Instead of relying only on day-to-day relationships, Megan wanted to understand how to build a stronger internal network and present herself as a leader.
2. What Sparks the Idea of Coaching
Megan had always been good at talking to people but recognized she needed more strategy.
“I wanted to learn in a way that felt comfortable and practical,” she said.
Through coaching, Megan built confidence, strengthened soft skills, and started identifying roles that truly fit her strengths.
3. Choosing Coaching and Building a Plan
One of Megan’s biggest goals was to make career moves in a healthy, intentional way.
“In the past, I would leave a role without reflecting on what I wanted next,” she said. “Coaching helped me slow down, assess, and plan.”
Working together biweekly in one-on-one sessions and now weekly in group coaching gave Megan consistent support. She used the client portal and my podcast to deepen her learning between sessions.
4. Taking Action and Seeing Results
Megan put her plan into action by networking, volunteering for projects, and stepping into visible leadership opportunities. She broke into apparel — a goal she’d had for years — and gained experience as an interim merchant presenting to senior leaders.
“That interim merchant experience was huge,” Megan shared. “I practiced my presentation, brought my authentic self, even a little humor, and realized I could do this.”
5. Leading With Confidence
Today, Megan is an associate merchant on a larger business: bras. With more brands, more cross-functional partners, and her team on maternity leave, she’s been leading processes and keeping things afloat.
“I’m more mindful of who’s involved, what’s needed, and how to avoid burnout,” she said. “I still set high expectations, but I focus on sustainability and collaboration.”
Key Takeaways
Hard work alone isn’t enough — you need strategy and visibility
Coaching helps you slow down, assess, and create an intentional plan
Confidence grows by practicing leadership skills in real time
Networking and volunteering can open doors you didn’t expect
Leadership is about sustainability and collaboration, not burnout
Timestamped Overview
00:00 – Introduction and Megan’s Story
01:45 – From Store Roles to Corporate Retail
03:45 – Why Coaching Became the Next Step
05:30 – Building Confidence and Soft Skills
08:45 – Stepping Into Leadership Moments
13:30 – Leading on a Larger Business
16:00 – Shifting Leadership Style to Avoid Burnout
18:00 – Advice for Anyone Considering Coaching
20:00 – Final Thoughts
Want More Support?
Explore additional resources and tips on my website or connect with me on LinkedIn for insights into building your network effectively.
- Website: https://www.danitan.com
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/dani-tan
Read the podcast episode transcript below.
Read the full episode transcript
[00:00:00] Dani: Hi, hello! I’m Dani Tan. If you’re here, you’re in the right place. Today’s session is special because I have one of my clients, Megan. Megan first worked with me one-on-one and later joined my group coaching program, the Pivot Promotion Community. We’re going to talk about her coaching experience and hear straight from her. But first, in case we haven’t met yet — I’m Dani Tan, a speaker and leadership coach. I work with aspiring leaders, executives, and entrepreneurs who are ready to grow, build successful teams, or make their next pivot or promotion. I’m a former VP who pivoted careers five times — PR, sales, merchandising, e-commerce — and earned multiple promotions in 11 years.
Now this is my jam: helping people navigate change safely and successfully. Megan, would you introduce yourself? [00:01:45] Megan: Hi everyone! I’m Megan Garrett, an associate merchant at the world’s number-one retailer. I’ve been in retail a long time, from store roles to home office. I love merchandising — it’s been a passion for years — and now that I’m in the buying world, the possibilities feel endless. On a personal note, I’m fun, a great friend — everyone’s favorite friend, I like to say! Dani: I can attest to that. Megan is funny, kind, and caring. [00:02:30] Dani: Let’s start with why you decided to pursue private coaching. Megan: I felt like I kept hitting a brick wall. I was going for internal promotions, making it to the second interview or even the VP interview, but I wasn’t getting the roles.
I realized I didn’t fully know how to navigate a corporate career — it’s very different from getting promoted in stores — and I wanted to learn in a way that felt comfortable and practical. [00:03:45] Dani: Where did you feel most stuck — interviews, relationships, something else? Megan: Not interviews; I’m good at talking to people. But I was relying mainly on day-to-day relationships rather than building a broader internal network. [00:04:30] Dani: What goals did you have for coaching? Megan: Build confidence, strengthen my soft skills, identify roles that fit my strengths, and improve how I present myself and my ideas. [00:05:30] Dani: What was most helpful during coaching? Megan: The consistency.
Meeting biweekly one-on-one and now weekly in group coaching kept me on track. The client portal and your podcast were also huge resources — hearing someone share experiences and career strategies helped me learn faster. [00:06:30] Dani: You mentioned wanting to make career moves in a healthy way. Can you expand? Megan: In the past, I’d leave a role impulsively without reflecting on what I actually wanted next. This time I didn’t want to repeat that. Coaching helped me slow down, assess, and plan. [00:07:30] Dani: You’re extremely coachable. What made you choose coaching with me versus mentorship elsewhere? Megan: Internal mentors are great, but I felt like the advice I was hearing was repetitive.
With coaching, I could be candid, get unbiased feedback, and try specific approaches. That guidance has been invaluable and now feels second nature. [00:08:45] Dani: How has your confidence shifted? Megan: People think I’ve always been confident — like a duck gliding while paddling furiously underneath. I’m confident in many things, but presenting my strengths or strategy ideas was hard. Coaching helped me practice and improve. [00:09:45] Dani: What achievements stand out for you since we started? Megan: Networking and volunteering for projects. Leading a building tour that sparked a key connection. Making a lateral move into apparel, something I’d always wanted. Presenting confidently as an interim merchant to senior leaders.
I came in ready to go, tried everything, and it paid off. [00:11:00] Dani: Yes! You went from exploring networking to actually breaking into apparel, mentoring, and stepping into leadership moments. And you received positive feedback from senior leaders on your presentations. Megan: That interim merchant experience was huge. Presenting to an SVP, practicing beforehand, and still bringing my authentic self — even a little humor — made me realize I could do this. [00:13:30] Dani: Tell us about your current role. Megan: I’m still an associate merchant, but on a larger business: bras. More products, more brands, more cross-functional work with marketing and communications. My team’s been on maternity leave, so I’ve been keeping things afloat — learning new processes, working with different personalities, and stretching my leadership skills.
[00:15:00] Dani: How has your leadership changed? Megan: I’m more mindful of who’s involved, what’s needed, and how to avoid burnout. I still set high expectations, but I’m focusing on sustainability and collaboration. [00:16:00] Dani: What advice would you give someone considering coaching? Megan: Choose a coach whose career path you respect and whose style feels like a fit. Make sure they’re someone you can talk to, not just someone who talks at you. Invest the time — even 20–30 minutes a week — to implement the advice and exercises. It compounds. [00:18:00] Dani: Anything else you’d like to share? Megan: Coaching is a great investment, but you have to use it. I’m even considering starting a peer support group at work to continue growing and showing leadership.
[00:19:00] Dani: I love that. Megan is literally creating her own stage to showcase leadership. Taking consistent small actions each week is why you’ve grown so much. Megan: And we’re not done — there’s still time left in our cohort! [00:20:00] Dani: Thank you so much, Megan. It’s been a pleasure to work with you and celebrate your progress. com . When you’re ready, book a call so we can see if it’s a fit. Thank you for being here, and we’ll talk soon!
