Share

Mentoring to Build Confidence: Meet a handful of mentors who can help you overcome self-doubt

Written by
Femme Palette
Published on
April 16, 2024

Are you struggling with low self-esteem and searching for ways to boost your confidence? A mentor can provide personalized support and encouragement tailored to your unique goals and aspirations. Through honest feedback, shared experiences, and skill development, our mentors will help you to gain valuable perspective, set realistic goals, and cultivate the confidence you need to thrive in any endeavor. To give you a glimpse of the diverse mentor community at Femme Palette, we introduce to you some of our mentors who can help you unlock your full potential.

Lenka Kožiaková

Group Aftermarket Program Manager

Poclain Hydraulics

Brno, Czechia

Lenka Kožiaková is an experienced senior manager and mother of one, skilled in automotive business, machining, assembly, heat treatment processes, project management, and product design. She thrives in a male-dominated area, leveraging her cost and business-oriented mindset to lead and motivate teams effectively towards targets. Lenka possesses a strong personality, adept at connecting people from various backgrounds, identifying weaknesses, synthesizing solutions, and executing actions. She finds joy in witnessing the growth of those she works with.

Laura Kressmann

Associate Director at the Office of the CTO / Leadership coach

EssenceMediacom / Aspirationelles

London, the UK

Laura Kressmann, a MarTech leader, coach, and mentor, embodies the essence of enabling passion to meet innovation. With over 8 years of experience in the Entertainment & Digital industries across Europe and the US, Laura has led large teams globally in launching innovative digital solutions, businesses, and creative content. As the founder of Aspirationelles, she is committed to guiding women in aligning their passions with their professional lives through transformational coaching and integrating creativity into their careers.

Josef Starychfojtu

Chief Product and Technology Officer

Mews

Prague, Czechia

Josef Starychfojtu is a passionate product and engineering leader with a focus on people, learning, and continuous improvement. Currently serving as CPTO at Mews, a SaaS and Fintech hospitality scale-up, Josef brings a wealth of experience in driving organizational growth and technological innovation.

Jan van der Spoel

Concept thinker | Coach, writer & speaker

Grip on Trust

London, UK

Jan van der Spoel, a Creative Strategist and Concept Designer with over 30 years of experience in corporate communications, is fascinated by human behavior and the intricacies of motivation and trust. Through workshops, insight programs, and speaking engagements, Jan helps individuals and organizations gain a deeper understanding of trust dynamics, unlocking the secrets to more successful and fulfilling lives.

Sandra Dostalíková

Senior Manager, Search Data & Quality

KAYAK

Berlin, Germany

Sandra Dostalíková, leading a team of analysts at KAYAK in Berlin, shares her journey of advancement in a male-dominated industry. Starting as a junior individual contributor, Sandra's rise to leadership provides valuable insights for women navigating similar paths.

Alaia Calleja

Statutory Outsourcing Lead

Kyndryl

Bratislava, Slovakia

Alaia Calleja, a finance and accounting professional based in Vienna, brings positivity and expertise to the corporate world. With a passion for stress management and a love for presenting and public speaking, Alaia is dedicated to helping individuals and teams thrive in their professional endeavors.

Nikola Šraibová

Coach and mentor

Soulmio

Prague, Czechia

Nikola Šraibová, with over a decade of experience in psychology and coaching, specializes in improving communication, emotional stability, and confidence in both personal and professional relationships. Her diverse background includes work with renowned companies such as Redbull, Adidas Group, and Staropramen, shaping her approach to company workshops and individual mentoring.

Anca Trandaf

Tech Strategy and Portfolio Director

GSK

London, the UK

Anca Trandaf, a seasoned professional in the pharmaceutical industry with a passion for technology and coaching, excels in delivering transformative strategies and investments. As an internal business coach, Anca finds great satisfaction in enabling individuals to unleash their full potential and achieve peak performance.

Meng Ting Shi

Product Marketing Manager

Gen

Prague, Czechia

Meng Ting Shi, a results-driven marketer with a penchant for innovation, storytelling, and community support, brings over 8 years of experience from global brands like Heineken and Google. Currently serving as a global product marketing manager at Gen (formerly Avast/Norton), Meng Ting is committed to driving impactful product launches and communication strategies.

Kate Funk

Co-owner

FUNK ENGINEERING

Fort Lauderdale, the US

Kate Funk, a passionate developer of personal and organizational productivity management, thrives in fast-paced startup environments. With a focus on servant leadership values, lean processes, and teamwork, Kate excels in building thriving HR teams and cultivating high-performance cultures.

Are you looking for ways to advance in your career and improve your confidence? Check out our Mentoring Program and get matched with your personal mentor from Femme Palette’s global community of professionals.

Join our newsletter
Receive the newest blog posts, event invites, and more
Read about our privacy policy.
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Popular guides
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
See more guides

Latest blog posts

Mentoring

Leading with empathy: How mentorship helped Daniela stay true to her leadership values

Meet Daniela, a global marketing leader with more than 17 years of experience helping technical and industrial brands grow internationally. Having led marketing teams across Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and APAC, she has always believed that great leadership is about developing people, not replacing them. In this interview, she shares how mentoring helped her navigate challenging leadership decisions, build resilience, communicate with greater confidence, and stay true to her values while leading international teams.
Femme Palette
August 13, 2023
Stories

Rooted in Prague, scaling the globe: The Apify story

From a small Prague-based consulting firm to a global leader in AI tools, Apify has achieved rapid growth without compromising its core: a culture built on absolute freedom, trust, and radical transparency. This post goes behind the scenes to explore how we maintain a "small-team" feel with over 200 people, why we value curiosity and mindset over traditional degrees, and how our team across 36 nationalities is using AI to redefine what it means to be a "technical" professional. Whether you're a coder, a marketer, or looking to pivot your career, discover why Apify is a place where you can genuinely help shape the future of work.
Femme Palette
August 13, 2023

From psychologist to people leader: How mentorship helped Liina navigate leadership with confidence

New role. New responsibilities. New perspective. Liina Adov shares how mentorship helped her navigate the challenges of becoming a first-time manager, develop a more strategic mindset, and build the confidence to lead through uncertainty. From tackling everyday leadership challenges to stepping back and seeing the bigger picture, her mentoring journey equipped her with practical tools, fresh perspectives, and lessons that continue to shape her growth long after the program ended.
Liina Adov
July 17, 2026

Sky rocket your career now!