# Executive Presence & C-Level Influence

> Executive Presence & C-Level Influence is a self-paced course by Vin Vashishta, with 14 sections and 71 lessons, on building rapport with executives and constructing narratives that match how deciders make decisions.

URL: https://www.datascience.vin/course-executive-presence.html  
Format: Self-paced  
Price: $400  
Enroll: https://learn.datascience.vin/purchase?product_id=6755335  
Updated: January 2027

- **Format:** On-demand video + exercises
- **Content:** 14 sections · 71 lessons
- **Access:** 1 year, with office hours
- Frameworks for rapport and trust with executives
- A real case study on disrupting an existing narrative
- Office hours and email support
- Optional 1:1 sessions with Vin

## Why this course

Being right isn't enough if you can't communicate it the way executives decide. This course builds the Disruptor's Mindset for influence: build rapport before the ask, map how each decider thinks, and construct narratives that align with their decision-making framework.

## The shift

| Old pattern | Disruptor's Mindset |
|---|---|
| Lead with the evidence and hope it persuades | Lead with the answer, framed for the way this decider decides |
| Make the ask in the first meeting | Build rapport and trust before you ever make an ask |
| Answer the question you were asked | Answer and ask questions the way a CEO does |
| One presentation for every executive | A narrative mapped to each decider's profile |
| Defend the narrative that isn't landing | Disrupt it and rebuild it |

**If you're technical: Get your ideas past the technical translation gap.** Present to executives and the board in their language, without losing the substance that makes the idea right.

**If you lead strategy or product: Build buy-in that holds.** Align initiatives with how the C-suite actually makes decisions, so support survives the first objection.

## Course outline

From building rapport through advanced frameworks for asking and answering questions like a CEO, mapping decider profiles, and a real case study on fixing a broken narrative.

1. Introduction (4 lessons)
2. Building Rapport & Gaining Trust (4 lessons)
3. C-Level Communications Foundations (6 lessons)
4. Advanced Communications Frameworks (7 lessons)
5. Answering Questions Like A CEO (4 lessons)
6. Asking Questions Like A CEO (7 lessons)
7. Decision-Making Frameworks & Comms Alignment (7 lessons)
8. A New Approach To Influence (6 lessons)
9. Case Study: Disrupting Narratives (2 lessons)
10. Mapping Decider Profiles (4 lessons)
11. Fixing The Narrative (4 lessons)
12. Operationalizing Influence: The Basics (5 lessons)
13. Unethical Persuasion: The Dark Arts (4 lessons)
14. Defense Against The Dark Arts (7 lessons)

## Questions

**What is Executive Presence & C-Level Influence?**

Executive Presence & C-Level Influence is a self-paced course by Vin Vashishta, with 14 sections and 71 lessons, on building rapport with executives and constructing narratives that match how deciders make decisions.

**How much does it cost, and what's included?**

$400 for the full course. It includes frameworks for rapport and trust with executives, a real case study on disrupting an existing narrative, office hours and email support, optional 1:1 sessions with Vin.

**How long does it take?**

It's self-paced, so you set the schedule. There are 14 sections and 71 lessons. Start immediately after you enroll; access runs for a year, with office hours for questions along the way.

**Do I need a technical background?**

No. It's built for anyone who has to influence executives, from technical leaders presenting to the board to product and strategy leaders building buy-in.

**Can I expense it?**

Some students use an employer learning budget. Approval depends entirely on your employer's policy.

**Which course should I take?**

Take this course if your ideas are right but aren't landing with executives. It pairs well with any of the core courses. The course matcher can help you choose one.

## Instructor

Vin Vashishta is the author of From Data to Profit (Wiley) and has applied every framework in this course with clients including Airbus, Walmart, Siemens, and JPMorgan Chase. More than 9,000 professionals in 47 countries have taken his courses.