Unlocking Career Success: How to Use the ‘Freemium’ Model to Grow and Thrive at Work

Have you ever downloaded a free app and discovered that the best features are locked behind a paywall? This model is more common than ever, but it’s not just limited to software. It’s a strategy I’ve been using in my career long before it became a trend.

The Free Version: Starting Out

I began my career as an analyst at one of the largest insurance companies. Initially, my role involved a lot of data entry. However, I quickly became proficient with Microsoft Excel, streamlining my tasks and creating extra bandwidth for myself. With this extra time, I started assisting my peers, building my reputation as a problem solver.

The Grayed-Out Buttons: Going Beyond Basic

Around this time, the company implemented a new investment accounting system that required many existing reports to be re-created using Crystal Reports. I took the initiative to learn this tool and soon became the go-to person for creating and fixing reports. My colleagues relied on me more and more, and I showcased my capabilities beyond my job description.

Unlocking the Full Version: Asking for More

Once I established my reputation and demonstrated my value, I wrote an email to my manager titled “Top 10 Reasons Why I Deserve a Salary Increase.” This marked the beginning of a pattern: entering a role, demonstrating additional value, creating dependence, and then asking for appropriate recognition and reward.

Over the next eight years, my responsibilities and salary steadily increased. By the time I left the company, I was managing a team of six.

Why This Strategy Works

The “free version” of an app lets users experience its basic features, just as I demonstrated my core competencies and extra capabilities. The grayed-out buttons represented the potential value I could offer. By showing up and consistently delivering more, I built trust and relationships with my peers and managers.

Applying This Strategy to Your Career

This approach can work in almost any aspect of life: enter, create dependence, and then ask for your reward.

What does your career path look like? Do you want to grow, earn a higher salary, or take on more responsibilities? It’s time to show up, go beyond the basics, create dependence, and ask for the value you deserve.