Ever had your work bestie get promoted… while you stayed exactly where you are?

Yeah. Awkward. Emotional. Sometimes a little painful.

In today’s episode, we dig deep into what REALLY happens when someone close to you suddenly moves up the career ladder — and the complicated mix of jealousy, pride, insecurity, and “what just happened??” that comes with it.

We break down:

✅ How to handle it when your friend becomes your manager

✅ Why promotions create resentment, disappointment, and existential crises

✅ How pay gaps start affecting friendships

✅ Balancing ambition with genuine connection

✅ Turning rejection into growth instead of self-doubt

✅ Whether men and women react differently to a friend’s promotion

…and why we accidentally showed up dressed the same for this recording (we swear we didn’t coordinate… but now we definitely will 😂).

Whether you’ve been left behind, promoted ahead, or stuck in the messy middle, this episode helps you make sense of the emotional rollercoaster.

Has your work friend ever been promoted before you?

How did you feel — jealous, proud, confused, motivated?

Tell us in the comments!

Timestamps:

00:00 – When your work bestie gets promoted and you don’t: the awkward emotions nobody talks about

00:09 – Why promotions between friends trigger jealousy, insecurity, and mixed feelings

00:23– When your friend suddenly becomes your manager and the power dynamic shifts

00:31 – Can friendship and workplace competition actually coexist?

00:51 – How being in different departments makes promotions easier to handle between friends

01:27 – The frustration of seeing an unqualified coworker get promoted over you

02:42 – How perceived incompetence fuels resentment toward promoted coworkers

03:24 – What to do with jealousy, anger, and disappointment when someone else moves up

03:57 – The fear of being left behind when your colleague grows faster than you

04:26 – Do you even want the same career path, or are you comparing yourself for no reason?

04:45 – When friendships blur professional boundaries and create entitlement (hairdresser example)

05:25 – How income and lifestyle differences after a promotion change friendships

06:50 – When someone equally competent gets the job: disappointment vs jealousy

07:24 – Turning rejection into growth: how feedback helps you come back stronger

08:06 – The bestie joke: “If you get rich, I’m coming with you!”

08:21 – Do you get jealous when your work friend gets promoted? Audience stories

08:33 – Do men react differently to promotions, or are women just more dramatic about it?