Amazon VP: The Magic Loop Framework to Get Promoted

Product Growth Podcast

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Amazon VP: The Magic Loop Framework to Get Promoted

Ethan Evans rose to VP at Amazon. In today's episode, he shares his Magic Loop framework so that you can follow his insane career trajectory, as well as how he now makes $950K/ year part time.

Aakash Gupta

and

Ethan Evans

Mar 18, 2025

Transcript

Listen now on Apple, Spotify, or YouTube.

Ethan also runs a 5-week course How to Break Through to Executive. Use code AAKASHxMAVEN for $100 off.

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Today’s Episode

This podcast is special for both of us, but for different reasons.

For you: Ethan takes you inside his 15+ years at Amazon, breaking down how he climbed from Director to VP faster than most.
For me (and my fellow creator nerds): Last year, Ethan made $950K working part-time after retiring by building scalable income streams.

But don’t worry, we spent 70 minutes (because your career matters more) out of 89 minutes podcast, talking about the real strategies that lead to leadership promotions.

No theory. No recycled advice.

Just raw, experience-backed insights that might make you unlearn everything you thought you knew about getting ahead.

Check It Out

Key Takeaways

1. How Ethan Went from Amazon Director to VP (And Why Most People Never Do)

Going from Director to VP is one of the hardest jumps in corporate life.

Ethan cracked the code by playing the long game:

A. He picked the right VP to work under. He chose one who could mentor him, advocate for him, and get him visibility.

B. He took on extra responsibilities before getting the title. By the time he was promoted, he was already operating at a VP level.

C. He solved problems leadership actually cared about while most people just do their assigned tasks and rush to go home.

You don’t get promoted to VP because you asked.

You get promoted because the company finds it the best possible move for the whole ecosystem.

2. He Made $950K Last Year Working Part-Time After Retirement

Most people slow down after retirement. He did the opposite.

He traveled for five months and still pulled in $950K last year.

Here’s how he did it:

$600K+ from courses → Scalable, one-time effort, infinite earnings.
$150K from coaching → High-ticket, but selective.
$150K from a newsletter → Audience = leverage.

This is why I keep suggesting PMs of all levels that they should start building their personal brand on LinkedIn.

I’m the biggest proof as well in front of you — writing every single day on LinkedIn changed my life in a way I had never imagined!

3. How He Achieved Leverage (Without Working More)

Most people think earning more = working more.

But he flipped the script because after all, he doesn’t want to work as hard after the retirement.

He moved from hourly coaching to scalable products, so his time wasn’t tied to his income.

Here’s how he bought back his time while making more:

Transitioned from coaching to courses → Same knowledge, 10x the reach.
Built a newsletter → LinkedIn has limits; email lets him own his audience.
Hired a COO and an editor → Delegation = more time, bigger impact.

I made the same shift last year — stepping away from solo work and building a team.

And the difference? More freedom, more impact (as I get ample time to write Newsletters), and more value.

4. The Magic Loop: The Framework That Got Ethan Promoted

Most people wait for promotions. He engineered his.

His career strategy is simple but brutally effective:

Master your current job. You can’t ask for more if you’re barely keeping up.
Ask your manager how to help. Not with busy work — with high-impact work.
Actually do it. Ideas don’t get you promoted. Execution does.
Align extra work with your long-term career goals. Do more of what moves you forward.
Repeat. Keep stacking wins, and career growth becomes automatic.

If you’re still going to wait for permissions, it’s going to be very hard for you to get promoted.

You’ve to go out there, create your own opportunities, and literally own the outcomes for everything you do.

5. Spending More Years in a Role Doesn’t Guarantee Career Growth

If you think just spending years in a role will magically earn you a promotion, I have bad news for you — it won’t.

Promotions don’t happen with time. They happen with impact.

You need to step up, create undeniable value, solve leadership’s biggest problems, and make yourself impossible to ignore.

Here’s what separates fast-track PMs from those who stay stuck:

High-growth environments = more opportunity. He climbed the ranks because Amazon was scaling fast. Growth creates leverage.
Your manager’s success = your success. If you help them win, they’ll make sure you win.
Titles follow impact. You don’t get promoted for working hard. You get promoted for making the company better.