Let's talk about the gap

Let's talk about the gap.

No, not the trendy, fast-fashion brand - rather the missing bit that happens when leaders are talking to their people after they've really forgotten what it's like to be living paycheck to paycheck.

When I started working - first it was babysitting, then I was a waitress at a local burger place, pretty soon I was a bartender at a busy downtown hotel, then a waitress at a fancy steakhouse. I remember working so hard and getting a paycheck for almost nothing (because tips and servers make $2.15/hour) - it was a challenge to make rent, pay for my car + gas + all the things that cost money.

Under federal law, employers can pay tipped workers as little as $2.13 an hour in direct wages, as long as tips bring them up to at least the $7.25 federal minimum.

The federal tipped cash wage of $2.13 has not increased since 1991, meaning its real value has eroded for more than three decades.

I still remember being super broke and thinking this is too hard to keep doing forever. So I got my degree and started making better money. Then got some more experience and made better money.

That went on for about 24 years...but I have not forgotten how scary it was to worry about anything else going wrong, because I couldn't afford to fix anything extra.

Around two-thirds of Americans say they’re living paycheck to paycheck in 2025, up from about 63% the year before.

This brings me to the gap I see in lots of corporate environments today. That gap that separates the leaders & what they know - from the workers & what they need.

Among people earning under $50,000/year, roughly 73% report living paycheck to paycheck. About 20% of households making $150,000 or more say they’re still stuck in that cycle.

I really think there a bunch of leaders who may have forgotten what it's like to be a worker keeping the lights on. Many C-suite execs started on the factory floor, or in entry level analyst positions, or maybe even in the mail room.

Recent surveys show around 60–66% of employees say financial stress negatively affects their work and personal lives.

The problem starts showing up when people with Sr VP, President or Chief so-and-so titles talk over the heads of the people who are DOING THE WORK. They forget what kind of worry those employees struggle with, the things that matter to the team doing the work, as well as what keeps them up at night.

Estimates suggest U.S. employers lose roughly $250 billion annually in productivity because employees are distracted or burned out by money worries.

Leaders don’t have to guess what this feels like, but they do need a partner who can translate strategy into real, human language for the people keeping the lights on.

That’s the gap I help close. I work with executives and HR teams to design clear, empathetic change communications that meet employees where they are, reduce anxiety, and protect productivity.

If you’ve got change on the horizon and you’re not sure how it will land with your people, reach out—I’d love to help you get the message right. Plus, everyone gets a free discovery call!