Hi Reader,
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Ever have a company tell you “I don’t want to play games, just tell me your preferred salary and I’ll see what I can do”, and you felt silly for even considering playing the negotiation game? In the newest episode of our podcast, Gentle Power, we unpack why that “no‑games” line is itself a negotiation move, and how you can respond in a way that protects your leverage without coming across as hostile.

And some personal highlights from our week apart:

• Tulum Bachelor Blow‑Out: Alex was at a friend’s bachelor trip in Tulum, Mexico. Private‑chef dinners at a house with a see‑through pool window into a vibey basement. Plus, impromptu DJ lessons on the house’s built‑in decks and spinning till dawn.
• SF Co‑Living houses: Inspired by the book Designing Your Life which promotes experimentation as a way to learn what you are looking for, Gerta spent a week at the co-living house, The Muse, to learn more about the communities she wants to become a part of, discovering it was quieter (and cleaner) than the usual vibrant events there.
• Valentine’s Day Revelation: We usually shrug off “special holidays” - until one of us spent Feb. 14 solo, surrounded by singles events, and realized maybe we do care more about these sorts of holidays when we’re apart.
• Weird Wednesdays Movie Night: Gerta attended a screening of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind in a nonprofit theater - complete with tangerines (clementines - get it?) at every seat, a surprise gong that dispatched 10 attendees on a “side quest,” and memory‑themed letters mailed anywhere in the world, on the house.
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Exciting announcement before we dive in: Upcoming virtual event with our lawyer friend! (RSVP here)

We’re hosting a live Q&A next Wednesday, May 14 with our good friend, Alex Daniels. He’s an attorney who’s previously worked at Google and the renowned Silicon Valley law firm, Cooley, is a JD/MBA alum from Penn Law School and Wharton Business School, and now has his own private practice providing legal services to startups and job seekers. The three of us will deep dive on legal and negotiation considerations before accepting a job offer, as well as have a live Q&A portion for all your legal and negotiation questions. RSVP here.

Back to Negotiations: “I Don’t Want to Play Games”

When a company says they won’t negotiate, that’s exactly the moment to get tactical:

1. Redirect - e.g., ask about their budget

You: “Thank you! I’m really excited about this opportunity. What is the total budget you’re working with?”

• Why it works: You’re enthusiastic, you express gratitude, and you get them to show their hand first in the process.
• Pro tip: Ask for the budget for total compensation (salary + bonus + equity + other components), not just base salary.

2. Handle their “salary history” questions with poise
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​ If they ask about your past compensation:

• Assume best intent: they may not know it’s illegal in some US states to ask for compensation history.
• They might genuinely want to help. (However, remember that sharing your past salary or preferred compensation gives away your leverage anyway, even if they have the best intentions.)
• Or they may have been asked by leadership to ask candidates about their salary history, even if they wouldn’t want you to give away your leverage.
• Be graceful while not revealing your salary history: As always, stay cordial and professional while deflecting.

3. Know when to play your final card
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​ The only times to share your number are:

• After you’ve negotiated multiple times, you have a formal competing offer that’s better, AND they’ve said this is their best and final offer. It’s a very narrow edge case.
• In a true peer‑to‑peer partnership where both sides equally understand market value. (Even then, let them name theirs first and then educate them if needed.)

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Tune in to the full episode of Gentle Power here, then grab our free worksheets at YourNegotiations.com to practice these scripts in action.

Warmly,

Gerta & Alex
​Co-founders, YourNegotiations.com
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P.S. Know someone gearing up for salary talks? Intro us! If they end up working with us, they’ll get 10% off our services and you’ll earn 10% of what we make - just cc us on the intro email and we’ll take it from there.