Why I Built Ascend5 for you.
I've spent more than 20 years at the intersection of talent, marketing, and leadership development - working with Fortune 500 companies, high-growth startups, and higher education institutions. And in all of that time, the problem I kept running into was the same one, at every level.
The leaders who get passed over are often the most capable in the room. What they're missing is the one thing no one teaches at the executive level - how to build the case for what they're actually worth. The executives who command the highest compensation have figured out that results alone don't get you paid. Positioning does. And positioning is how the market perceives your value before you ever walk into the room.
That's why I founded Ascend5 in 2016.
Since then, I've worked with thousands of mid-level leaders and executives — from directors on the rise to C-suite leaders from small to Fortune 10 companies - and the through line is always the same. The ones who accelerate fastest aren't always the most credentialed. They're the ones who stop waiting to be recognized and start positioning themselves with intention.
I think about careers the way investors think about assets. Your career is the highest-returning investment you will ever own - and most people manage it passively and wonder why the results feel average. When you start treating it like the asset it is, everything changes. The roles get better. The compensation reflects what you've actually built. The trajectory starts to compound.
Henry Ford said it best: "Whether you think you can, or you think you can't - you're right." I've watched that play out thousands of times. Mindset is the first domino. When you start seeing your career as your own business - when you stop chasing jobs and start aligning with opportunities that actually fit your strengths, your mission, and your market value - the search becomes a completely different experience.
At Ascend5, we don't just help you find a role. We help you understand what your career capital is worth, position it to command that in the market, and move with the kind of strategic clarity that most executives don't find until much later in their careers - if ever.
When I'm not working with clients, I'm in the Colorado mountains with my family - chasing altitude and all the beautiful chaos that comes with it.
Most people wait for the market to discover them. We make sure it can't miss you.
-Aimee Marcelo Founder, Ascend5
Why Choose Ascend5 Reverse Recruiting? Because you want strategic career and salary acceleration - not just a new role.
I founded Ascend5 in 2016 to help mid-level to C-suite professionals accelerate their careers, salary growth, and leadership impact. Working with executives from startups to Fortune 10 companies, I’ve learned what truly drives career success and want to share those insights to help others strategically scale their careers while building a supportive, level-specific network.
Henry Ford once said, “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t, you’re right.” Your mindset defines your success. If you wait for someone else to push your career forward, you risk settling for less than your potential. You are the driver of your career. When you think of yourself as "YOU, Inc.," you stop chasing jobs and start aligning with opportunities that amplify your strengths, mission, and value.
We all have a choice: Let our careers be shaped by chance or take control with intention. When you lead with purpose, you become invaluable to your company, earn what you're truly worth, and create a ripple effect of positive change - on your colleagues, your company, and even your industry.
At Ascend5, we help professionals like you clarify your strengths, define your mission, and execute a strategy that accelerates your career growth and attracts better roles and higher salaries. Whether you're looking to advance internally, take an entrepreneurial approach within a company, or transition to a role that fully aligns with your expertise, we’ll guide you in making intentional, high-impact moves—with no regrets.
Your future is in your hands. Let’s build something extraordinary together.
I wish you the best,
Aimee Marcelo
Ascend5, Founder
Aimee has worked with 1,000s of mid to executive-level leaders from Fortune 500s to smaller companies, branding their unique value to attract high-quality roles and executive coaching so they can thrive in their careers. She has 20+ years in marketing, training, and recruitment for primarily tech, Fortune 500 companies, and startups. She works continuously to help high-level executives and motivated individuals market themselves well to find the right jobs. She has an M.A. in Adult Training & Learning Technology and specializes in executive coaching, job search, executive recruiting, and executive brand strategy. In her off time, she spends time in the mountains with her two fantastic boys, enjoying the gift of life and all the messiness that comes with it.