The Compensation Pyramid
Every profession has a compensation pyramid:
Top 1% - Market Makers: $500K+ - Set industry standards - Create new categories - Visible thought leaders
Top 10% - Specialists: $200K-500K - Solve specific, expensive problems - Known within their niche - Direct revenue impact
Top 25% - Senior Professionals: $100K-200K - Broad expertise - Proven track record - Some specialization
Bottom 75% - Generalists: <$100K - Interchangeable skills - Limited differentiation - Competing on price
The Market Intelligence System
David built a systematic approach to understanding his market:
Weekly Market Scan (30 minutes): 1. Review 10 job postings in target roles 2. Note recurring requirements and keywords 3. Track salary ranges and requirements 4. Identify emerging skills and tools
Monthly Competitive Analysis (2 hours): 1. LinkedIn research on professionals in target roles 2. Analyze their backgrounds and positioning 3. Identify gaps in the market 4. Study career trajectories
Quarterly Positioning Review (4 hours): 1. Update market value proposition 2. Refresh online profiles 3. Adjust skill development priorities 4. Plan visibility activities