Karolína Kuchařová had spent more than 15 years in marketing, at Vodafone and SAZKA among others, and still found herself learning a new craft: leading people. She joined Femme Palette’s mentoring program as she began leading a team at Form Factory, hoping to avoid micromanaging, give people more ownership, and get comfortable with honest feedback. What she found was an outside perspective on situations that felt much bigger when she was in the middle of them, the realization that her instinct to help can limit someone else’s chance to learn, and a mentor who helped her understand herself as a leader.
This month's Mentor Spotlight is all about Katya, VP of Customer Success at Intento and a passionate Femme Palette mentor. In this interview, she opens up about what inspired her to start mentoring women in leadership, what she loves about the Femme Palette community, and the practical ways she helps mentees grow from navigating first leadership roles to landing new jobs. Honest, grounded, and full of real insight, it is a great read for anyone thinking about mentorship from either side of the table.
Barcelona has a vibrant and international professional community, and mentoring is one of the most effective ways to find your place in it. Whether you are navigating a career change, stepping into leadership, or simply looking for people who get what you are going through, the right platform can make all the difference. If you are looking for structure, genuine connection, and a community that goes beyond Barcelona, explore Femme Palette's mentoring program and the Barcelona community.
Berlin has a strong and international professional community, and mentoring is one of the most effective ways to tap into it. Whether you are navigating a career transition, stepping into leadership, or building your own business, the right platform can make a real difference. If you are looking for structure, genuine connection, and a community that goes beyond Berlin, explore Femme Palette's mentoring program and the Berlin community.
Welcome to our Mentee Spotlight of Femme Palette, where we share inspiring growth journeys from women in our mentoring program. In this interview, we meet Aleksandra Bratek, UX & UI Designer at Tietoevry and a graduate of Interaction Design from the Architecture and Design School in Oslo. Originally from Poland and now based in Norway, Aleksandra joined the Femme Palette mentoring program at a pivotal moment - leading teams as a junior designer while navigating imposter syndrome, rising expectations, and the growing pressure to connect design with business impact.
The end of the year has a certain quiet power. Christmas lights soften busy streets, inboxes slow down, and many of us finally pause long enough to ask an important question: Where am I actually heading in my career?
Amsterdam is often celebrated for its canals, bikes, and coffee culture, but beneath that aesthetic is something equally compelling: a city full of ambition. With international companies, startups, research institutions, and creative industries, it attracts people who want to build meaningful careers. Yet for many women working here, locals and internationals alike, the reality can feel complex. We arrive expecting connection, clarity, and direction, only to discover the opposite: professional transitions, cultural differences, and uncertainty about how to grow or who to turn to. That’s where mentoring and community become more than “nice to have.” They become tools for navigating a global city in a grounded way.
Olga Maximova has built a career in international diplomacy and crisis management, and after nearly a decade she shifted into mission-driven work, helping organizations secure sustainable funding and guiding women to grow with confidence and self-trust. As she says, “I don’t measure success only in money raised, I measure how confident my clients become, how boldly they can articulate their value, and how they grow as leaders.” Today, as a longtime mentor at Femme Palette, Olga supports women in defining their own meaningful version of life and leadership, grounded in self-sufficiency, resilience, and community.
Setting clear goals is one of the most important steps in making mentoring effective. Goals provide direction, make progress visible, and help both the mentee and mentor stay aligned. Yet, many people enter their first mentoring relationship unsure what to focus on or how to articulate what they need. This guide outlines how to set meaningful mentoring goals and includes 12 concrete examples tailored to different stages of your career. Whether you are just starting out, navigating a transition, or developing as a leader, these examples can help you define direction and get the most from mentoring.
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