October is your month - Step into Your Authentic Power


Cindy Gross

Befriending Dragons

Hi Reader,


What if clarity cost less than staying stuck?

Two weeks from now, you could already have clarity — or you could still be circling the same dragons.

What will it cost you to wait?


Yesterday, Pete Hegseth — an underqualified man posturing like a reality show host — turned a room of admirals and generals into a stage for political theater.

He lied about DEI. He distorted “woke.”
And here’s the truth: the opposite of what he said is real.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion don’t cost us — they save us.
Because unfair workplaces bleed talent.
Replacing one tech employee? Over $200,000 lost in productivity, recruitment, and retention.

DEI is risk management. DEI is retention. DEI is smart business.
And the best orgs already know it.


But let’s be real — whether the system shifts or not, the work begins within.

The self-doubt.
The dreams.
The coping strategies that now hold us back.
The brilliant ideas we’ve held too close.
The critic that says we’re too much and not enough.
The longing to be valued — in systems that weren’t built for us.

Fighting these dragons drains us.
Befriending them changes everything.

When we stop slaying or silencing our dragons and listen instead, we make room for something legendary.
That’s where clarity lives.
That’s where power begins.


It’s not a coaching commitment. It’s a conversation.

One hour to set something heavy down, explore what's possible, and see if coaching is right for you.

Bring a friend. Refer someone. Tag someone in.
However you need to show up — show up.


And here’s the truth:
Coaching underestimated leaders — whether that’s you or someone you lead — pays for itself.
Research shows an average 7x ROI.
And breakthroughs in clarity, confidence, and influence often happen in just 3–6 months.


3 ways to step across the threshold this October:

🔥 Clarity Call — Just you and me. Let’s talk.
👉 Book here

🌱 Befriending Dragons Roundtable (Oct 7) — Put something heavy down in community.
👉 RSVP here

🌀 Layoff Renewal Circles — A 6-week reset for folks between roles.
👉 Join here (payment options available)


Don’t lead like the people you don’t admire.
Don’t bleed energy into systems that were never built for you.
Lead like your dragons are your fuel.

I’ve got ~10 clarity call spots left before Oct 15 to explore coaching together.
Claim yours.
👉 Schedule here

Navigating with you,
Cindy Gross | Leadership Navigation System for High-Capacity Women in Tech
🐉 https://befriendingdragons.com

600 1st Ave, Ste 330 PMB 92768, Seattle, WA 98104-2246
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Befriending Dragons

For senior women in tech who are operating without a map in terrain that keeps changing. I'm Cindy Gross — leadership navigation coach, 25-year tech veteran, and the person who helps high-capacity leaders separate what's them from what's the system. Subscribers get tactical frameworks, named patterns, and honest intelligence on the dynamics most people won't say out loud: scope creep, political feedback, survival mode, and how influence actually works. Built for leaders who want precision, not pep talks.

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