Meet Veronika, a dedicated marketing professional who has called Prague home for over 15 years. Originally from a small town near Prague, she moved to the city for university and quickly fell in love with its vibrant atmosphere. Her hard work and dedication have propelled her from a coordinator role to the Head of Marketing for a large shoe company, overseeing seven markets across Europe.
Outside of work, Veronika is an avid traveler, book lover, and movie enthusiast. This year, after experiencing significant changes in her personal and professional life, she returned to the role of a mentee, seeking fresh perspectives and support.
In this spotlight, Veronika shares how mentorship has been a transformative force in her life, helping her navigate challenges and prepare for the next big step in her career.
Hi all, I'm Veronika, originally from a small town near Prague but now living my best life here in Prague for more than 15 years. I studied at the university here, which is why I moved to Prague in the first place. I fell in love with the vibe and the beauty of the city. It's a bit cliché, but I’ve always wanted to work in marketing, and thanks to my hard work, dedication, and a few lucky circumstances, I got to be where I am now.
I work as the Head of Marketing for a large shoe company, overseeing 7 markets in Europe. I enjoy every part of it, every day. I started my 10th year with the company this August. It’s been quite a long journey, but having moved from a coordinator position to where I am now, I haven’t had a chance to get bored.
Outside of work, I love traveling, seeing new places and people, and trying new food. I’m a huge book fan, and I’m also a movie freak.
My first mentee experience happened a long time ago – it really did affect me a lot in the most positive way. Since that time, I’ve become a mentor, and I’ve mentored many amazing women during that period. In the past few years, I've experienced mentoring from the other side and have seen the positive outcomes on both sides again. I love mentoring.
At the beginning of this year, a lot changed in both my personal and work life. I felt like I could use some support and talk to someone who understood what I was going through, someone who might have had similar experiences, could offer objective input, and maybe push me in the right direction. It was time to go back to basics and be the mentee this time.
It may sound very indefinite, but my goal was to listen to what the mentor had to say and to get a different perspective, too, as we all eventually feel stuck in our own bubbles from time to time. I love hearing personal stories, getting inspired, and basically letting all those things and conversations help me decide what to do next with my career. Sometimes the goals don’t need to be very specific, but it’s better to go with the flow, and that is exactly what I was doing on my path.
Thanks to my amazing mentor Kira, I am able to see things from a different perspective, and I can act accordingly.
I felt overwhelmed with all that was happening at the same moment in my life, but my sessions got my blood pumping. In general, it really kept my spirit up, and I desperately needed it. No need to say that if you feel good, everything around you is good, so you can imagine the impact!
Absolutely, and that was something I didn’t expect at all. My mentor had an experience in her personal life with something that I am currently going through, and this personal layer made all the sessions the most honest talks that I could imagine. It all worked out in a miraculous way for me, and I can't be more grateful for my match with Kira.
The match with Kira was perfect for me. We had a great time together, and I love her personality. It’s always a pleasure to meet a woman who has a hell of a career and is both very empathetic and nice.
The opportunity to speak to and get feedback from someone who was in the same position/situation back then gave me the perspective I needed. In my mind, I plan to make a big step in my future career, so I feel definitely more confident now, and I’m looking forward to the future.
I would recommend mentoring to everyone who is in doubt, doesn’t feel confident in something, or needs a push at any stage of their life and career. Sometimes we are so focused on the problem that we can’t see the solution, which is right in front of us, and having an extra pair of eyes could help us see it faster.
We have mentors all over the world to help you explore your options, set development goals, build your network and identify resources you need to level up your skills. You can apply to get 1:1 mentoring from an industry expert with us.
