Unlocked: Your Career by Design

How One Cold Message Led to a Surprise Job Offer with Zita Vagujhelyi

Imagine feeling directionless, uninspired, and doing everything "right" while your spark quietly fades. That's exactly where Zita Vagujhelyi was before everything changed.  In this episode, I sit down with Zita, AI Implementation Lead and ElevateYou alumna, to talk about what it really takes to pivot your career when you don't even know what you want next. From feeling stuck in her first corporate role to leading AI transformation at a philanthropic organization, Zita's story is proof that the best opportunities don't come from doing more. They come from becoming more. ✨ Inside This Episode, You'll Discover: * The Fading Motivation Problem: Have you ever wondered why your drive quietly disappears even when you’re doing everything "right"? (And why it’s actually the first step to your next breakthrough) * The Expat Layer: How navigating a foreign work culture (hello, Dutch directness) added another dimension to Zita's feeling of not fitting in and the one book that helped her decode it. * The Community Unlock: Why Zita says being surrounded by like-minded women going through similar struggles was more powerful than any one-on-one coaching session. * The Meetup That Changed Everything: How one cold message to a stranger led to drinks, a conversation, and a job offer without even looking for one. * The Interview Shift: What Zita did differently walking into her final interview that landed her the role (hint: she stopped over-preparing and started showing up). * The AI Future: Discover what workplaces will look like in five years, and how mastering this shift now will create a ripple effect of opportunity across your entire career.  * The Belief That Had to Break: Why Zita, a self-described analytical over-preparer, had to learn to trust herself before any strategy could work. * The Impact Fellow Journey: How Zita is now exploring what AI could mean for non-profits as an Impact Fellow at the University of Amsterdam. 🔥 Reflection Questions: * Are you pushing harder in an environment that may no longer fit who you're becoming? * What would you do differently if you trusted that what you already know is enough? When you connect with Zita on LinkedIn (link below), you’ll see firsthand the impact of a truly aligned career. 💫 If You Loved This Episode... Connect with Zita on LinkedIn and let her know what stood out to you the most (see link below). And if you're ready to stop feeling directionless and start building the career that actually fits you, I'd love to hear from you. Resources & Links  📖 Book mentioned: The Culture Map by Erin Meyer 🔗 Connect with Zita on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zitavagujhelyi/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/zitavagujhelyi/] Connect with Samantha: LinkedIn: Samantha Van Hoof Flores  [https://www.linkedin.com/in/samanthavhflores] Instagram: @samanthavhflores [https://instagram.com/samanthavhflores] YouTube: Samantha Van Hoof Flores [https://www.youtube.com/@samanthavhflores]

Episode 030: Why Your "Great Work" is Actually Keeping You Stuck

If you've ever sat across from your manager, heard "you're doing great work," and walked away wondering why nothing is actually moving, you're not alone. And more importantly, you're not the problem. Here's what most career advice gets wrong: it gives you better tools without asking whether you are ready to use them differently. It’s like giving a faster car to a driver who is still afraid to go above 40mph—the tool isn't the problem, the operating system is. The real question isn't what strategy you need next. It's this — what does your career need from you? In this episode, I break down the one shift that separates the women who keep spinning from the ones who break through. And it has nothing to do with working harder. ✨ Inside This Episode, You'll Discover: * The Passed-Over Professional: How an alumna with glowing reviews and a career coach still got passed over three times — and the one "invisible" shift that finally changed everything. * The Internal Narrative Problem: The invisible script running in the background that sounds like "safety" but acts like a ceiling. * The Context Trap: Why new strategies fail when your internal operating system stays the same — and how you can actually upgrade yours today. * The Michael Jordan Principle: What happens when the greatest basketball player of all time tries to become a baseball player — and what that has to do with your next $20k raise.  * The Nike Decision: The role I was offered overseeing 300 stores and 200K in unvested stock — and why I said no. When you hear this story, you'll begin to realize why your "dream offer" might actually be your biggest distraction.  You have a choice right now: you can either keep doing what you’ve been doing and keep working way too hard with little to show for it… OR you can listen to this episode and finally meet the version of you your goal requires. 🔥 Reflection Questions: * What is your career asking you to let go of right now — a belief, a habit, a "safe" choice? * Are you working toward your goal from where you are, or backwards from who you need to become? 💫 If You Loved This Episode… I want to hear from you. DM me on Instagram or LinkedIn and tell me: what does your career need from you right now? P.S. This question doesn't just apply to your career. Ask it about your health, your relationships, your business. The version of you on the other side of your goal is already waiting — the only question is whether you're willing to meet her there. Connect with Samantha: LinkedIn: Samantha Van Hoof Flores  [https://www.linkedin.com/in/samanthavhflores] Instagram: @samanthavhflores [https://instagram.com/samanthavhflores] YouTube: Samantha Van Hoof Flores [https://www.youtube.com/@samanthavhflores]

Episode 029: Ambition Redefined: Going After What YOU Want (Not What Others Expect)

Have you ever looked at the "hustle culture" around you—the late nights, the elbowing to the top—and whispered to yourself, "But what if I’m just not that ambitious?"  If you’ve ever felt like you didn’t fit the "corporate shark" mold, I agree! The traditional definition of ambition is often a hollow shell that doesn't account for what's actually happening beneath the surface.  Maybe that little voice in your head is telling you that because you don't want the corner office, you must not have "the drive" required to succeed.  But here’s the secret top executives know: Ambition isn’t a one-size-fits-all uniform. The person climbing the ladder fastest might not care about titles at all; they might be driven by an unconscious need to break a generational cycle of scarcity or to prove something to a parent.  In this episode, we reveal what’s really fueling the people around you and—more importantly—what’s fueling YOU. ✨ Inside This Episode, You'll Discover: * The Scarcity Story: Why Samantha saved 50% of every paycheck (Hint: It wasn't about the money, it was about childhood trauma). * The "Three Whys" Technique: A simple but devastatingly effective tool to find the real purpose beneath your goals. * The 3 Career Drivers: Are you fueled by Ambition, Fulfillment, or Legacy? * Ambition at Every Stage: How your "drive" evolves as your life changes. Imagine finally understanding the "invisible hand" that has been pushing you to work late or settle for less, and then using that clarity to go after what you actually want.  As you begin to apply the "Three Whys" to your own career, you’ll quickly begin to realize that you ARE ambitious—you’ve just been using someone else’s dictionary.  🔥 Reflection Questions: * Why is your current goal important to you? (Now ask "Why?" two more times). * What does a successful career look like when you stop performing for others? 💫 If You Loved This Episode… It’s time to stop chasing someone else’s version of success. Let me know in the comments: What is YOUR definition of ambition? P.S. Understanding your real driver doesn’t just help you at work; it creates a ripple effect of peace and confidence in every other area of your life. Connect with Samantha: LinkedIn: Samantha Van Hoof Flores  [https://www.linkedin.com/in/samanthavhflores] Instagram: @samanthavhflores [https://instagram.com/samanthavhflores]YouTube: Samantha Van Hoof Flores [https://www.youtube.com/@samanthavhflores]

Episode 028: "You're Not Dreaming Big Enough": The VP Conversation That Changed Everything

If you look back at the last 12 months of your career, does it look exactly the same as it does today?  You may be sitting there thinking, "I’m just keeping my options open until the next reorganization finishes," or "I'll set a bigger goal once things settle down." And while that feels like a safe strategy, it's actually the very thing keeping you stuck, stagnated, and demotivated.  What is the real cost of spending another year without a laser-sharp vision for where you’re actually going?  Most high performers are making a fatal mistake: they’re trying to play the World Cup with five different goals on the field. Imagine trying to score when your energy is diluted in five different directions—you end up exhausted, but the scoreboard still says zero.  Inside this episode, you’re about to witness the exact moment Samantha’s career trajectory shifted forever. You’ll hear the "3rd Party Advice" from a VP that changed everything: "You're not dreaming big enough." ✨ Inside This Episode, You'll Discover: * The "Options Trap": Why having five goals is the same as having none. * The 10x Vision: How Samantha shifted from "keeping her head down" to landing the Senior Director role she actually wanted. * The 3 Reasons Your Career Vision is Stuck: From limiting beliefs to the "waiting for external factors" fallacy. * The "One-Sentence Test": Can you answer "What do you want?" in one clear sentence? As you listen to this success story, you’ll quickly begin to notice where you’ve been placing an "inner ceiling" on your own potential.  🔥 Reflection Questions: * Are you running TOWARD a vision or just trying to run AWAY from a situation you hate? * Are you shooting at one goal or five? 💫 If You Loved This Episode… It’s time to stop waiting for things to "settle down" and start building. Let me know in the comments: What is the ONE goal you’re committing to today? P.S. Remember, top executives know that you can’t score without a goal. If you don't have one, you're just a spectator in your own career. Click play to get back on the field.  Connect with Samantha: LinkedIn: Samantha Van Hoof Flores  [https://www.linkedin.com/in/samanthavhflores] Instagram: @samanthavhflores [https://instagram.com/samanthavhflores]YouTube: Samantha Van Hoof Flores [https://www.youtube.com/@samanthavhflores]

Episode 027: Why "Be More Visible" Is Terrible Advice (And What to Do Instead)

Have you ever received the feedback that you just "need to be more visible," only to walk away feeling more confused and frustrated than before?  You're doing excellent work and getting great feedback—yet you’re told you need to be "more visible." Maybe that little voice in your head is saying, "But I’m not a loud person, and I don't want to pretend to be someone I'm not just to get noticed!"  If that's you, I agree! Shouting the loudest or being in every meeting is actually a trap that can keep you stuck exactly where you are.  In this episode, we expose why visibility for the sake of visibility is working against you. Think of it like this: Chasing visibility is like shouting in a crowded room hoping someone hears your name. Strategic positioning is like being the only person in the room holding the map while everyone else is lost.  How could you attract that next promotion or high-level project without ever having to "perform" or be someone you're not?  Inside, we’ll dive into: * The "Sally Trap": Why being everywhere and in every meeting is actually killing your promotion chances. * The "Sammy Struggle": Why introverts cringe at visibility and the "Unlock" that changes everything. * The Myth of the Loudest Voice: Why the C-Suite doesn't care about who is the loudest, but who is best positioned. * Your Unique Talent DNA: How to identify what makes you the ONLY choice for the role you actually want. By the time you finish this episode, you’ll have the exact shift you need to move from "doing your job" to "positioning for your future."  🔥 Reflection Questions: * Are you "performing" for visibility or positioning for power? * What is the next role you actually want, and does your current "visibility" match it? 💫 If You Loved This Episode… You'll immediately stop performing for visibility and start positioning strategically. Let me know in the comments visibility or positioning—which have YOU been chasing? P.S. If you’ve been avoiding the spotlight because it feels "fake," this episode was written specifically for you. You don’t have to be louder; you just have to be smarter.  Connect with Samantha: LinkedIn: Samantha Van Hoof Flores  [https://www.linkedin.com/in/samanthavhflores] Instagram: @samanthavhflores [https://instagram.com/samanthavhflores]YouTube: Samantha Van Hoof Flores [https://www.youtube.com/@samanthavhflores]