Meet Dr Victoria -
'The Success Smith'

My Story...

I grew up in a very average working-class home. Nothing about my early life suggested I’d do anything extraordinary – especially after dropping out of school. But I refused to settle. I went back to college, applied myself, and somehow landed a place at Oxford University.

That experience changed everything. By my mid-thirties, I had executive shareholding, a Deputy CEO role before 40, three wonderful children, and the full ‘executive lifestyle’.

From the outside, it looked like I’d “made it.”

But on the inside, something was missing.

My life revolved around work, and all my best energy went into the office, leaving little for home or myself. Then, during lockdown in 2020, a coach asked me a question that hit like a lightning bolt:

“How will you know when you’ve done enough?”

I had no answer. Years of striving and achieving, and still it was never enough. I realised I’d been climbing a ladder that could never give me the sense of ‘enoughness’ I craved.

So we made a radical choice. My husband, our three kids, and I left the boardrooms, the mortgage, and the corporate pressures behind – and relocated to a little bungalow in rural Ireland. It had 12 acres of forest nestled between a lakefront, and mountains. We have chickens, a dog and a life that’s slower, quieter, and richer than I could ever have imagined.

Those first 18 months were disorienting. Without the VIP badge, the big responsibilities, or hundreds of people looking to me for direction, I had to ask:

Who am I without all of that achievement and status?

It was uncomfortable, humbling – and profoundly freeing.

Slowly, I rebuilt my identity, discovering a life defined not by achievement, but by presence, creativity, and joy.

Now, I help ambitious, high-achieving women do the same. I guide them to release the pressure of “not enoughness,” reconnect with themselves, and create lives that feel aligned, fulfilling, and truly their own.

If you’ve been striving, achieving, winning – and yet it still doesn’t feel like enough – that’s where I come in.

My promise to you

I’m a coach – you’re here because something in your life or leadership needs to shift. I’m not going to tell you I’m the perfect coach for everyone. But I believe the right coach for you is someone whose story resonates with you and whose energy feels like a ‘fit’. That’s why I’m open about who I am and how I work – so you can decide if I’m that person.

Three pillars of how I coach

1. Deep experience in leadership, business, and personal transformation

I’ve led multi-million-pound businesses as an Executive Director and later a Deputy CEO. I’ve been a boardroom executive in multiple sectors. I’ve hired, trained and led hundreds of professionals in strategy, branding, leadership and influence. I’ve worked in fast-growth companies and built my own businesess from scratch.

I’ve also managed chronic stress. I’ve walked away from successes that didn’t feel like mine. And I’ve rebuilt a career and life aligned with my values. I don’t expect you to want the same things I did. I do expect you to want more from yourself, your life, or your work.

I can help you navigate strategic, emotional or practical turning points – whether that’s reinvention, performance, clarity, or healing.

2. Psychological depth

I bring psychological expertise and nervous system awareness to my coaching. My work is grounded in mindset and emotion, subconscious reprogramming, NLP, Timeline Therapy, breathwork, and trauma-sensitive practice.

Many clients come to me feeling stuck, unfulfilled or on the edge of change. Some have hit external success but feel empty inside. Others are driven but feel like they’re pushing through constant resistance. Often, they’re carrying self-doubt, trauma, chronic stress, people-pleasing, or an overdeveloped inner critic.

I create a calm, honest space for us to explore what’s driving you – and the expertise to surface and release what’s been holding you back. Together, we’ll create a space that heals, unlocks potential and gives you the tools to step into next-level freedom and clarity.

3. Creative and intuitive

I bring creativity and intuition to my work. I’m a singer, speaker and writer. I work with energy and emotion as much as I do logic and strategy.

I’m trained in multiple transformational methods have a gift for being able to feel and explain what’s happening under the surface and beyond your day to day awareness.

I don’t believe you need fixing. I believe you already hold the answers. Sometimes, those answers are buried under years of noise.

When it’s helpful, I use visualisation, embodiment, energy healing or breathwork to reconnect you with yourself. Insight comes when you’re ready to hear it – and I’ll be right there when it does.

Credentials

| The Break Fellowship 2023 |Dr Victoria Stakelum was selected to take part in The Break fellowship programme in 2023. Funded by the European Union, this acceleration programme helps female entrepreneurs towards their business goals. ‘Breakers’ collaborate with like minded women and meaningfully support the local community.

| ANLP |All of the NLP Coaching conducted by Dr Victoria and The Success Smith aligns to the ANLP code of conduct and ethics.

| EQ & Team Dynamics |DISC profiling and 360 degree feedback for team and individual effectiveness and the keys to team success; engagement, personal development, improved communication and emotional intelligence development.

| Master’s Qualified Psychologist |With a specialist research interest in the neuroscience and social effects of mindfulness, Victoria was awarded a Distinction in Psychology by Arden University, Accredited by the British Psychological Society.

| Chartered Institute of Marketing |With over a decade of Chartered Marketer status, Victoria knows strategy and commerical leadership inside and out, and can mentor commercial leaders as well as coach them.

| The CPD Group |The Success Smith is an accredited provider of CPD. Accredited With The CPD Group CPD Provider Number #781275

| Breath Work Coach |Breath and how we use it can be a powerful mechanism for managing personal energy, stress, sleep and emotions. I regularly incorporate breathwork into the programmes I deliver to clients, simply because it is such a powerful, simple and rapid means to improve lives!

| Energy Healing |Victoria trained with the Institute of Pranic Healing during 2020 and became accredited in delivering Pranic Healing in person and at distance. She works intuitively to incorporate healing modalities into her Timeline Therapy release work and some NLP work depending on the needs and requirements of the client.

| Positive Intelligence Coaching |Victoria uses the PQ Coach approach (founded in the heavily researched Positive Intelligence operating system) as required with clients. Find out more about Positive Intelligence and PQ here.

| Master NLP Coach |Having originally trained in NLP in 2001, Victoria re-certified as an NLP Practitioner in 2020 with ‘The Coaching Academy’ and went on to receive her Master NLP Coach Certification from Beyond Coaching in 2022. She is a member of the ANLP.

| Master Hypnotherapist and Timeline |Therapist Victoria began exploring more subconscious approaches to releasing emotional blocks during 2021 and Certified as a Master Hypnotherapist and Timeline Therapist with the American Board of Hypnotherapy and Timeline Therapy Association during 2021 and 2022.

| I Am Remarkable Facilitator |Victoria has facilitated over 300 people through the #IamRemarkable experience, and receives an average feedback rating of 4.8/5. She has been a Platinum tier facilitator since 2022. Get in touch if you would be interested in having a #IaR workshop delivered in your workplace.

| Leadership Coaching |With a 20 year background in corporate leadership and a passion for developing high integrity and impactful leadership in others, Victoria brings deep lived experience and insight to her leadership coaching practice.

Qualifications

20+ years in commercial leadership and executive roles
Founder of The Success Smith coaching practice
NLP Master Practitioner & Coach
MSc Psychology with Distinction (BPS accredited)
Certified in Timeline Therapy, Breathwork, and Energy Healing
Platinum Tier Accredited #IAmRemarkable workshop facilitator (300+ sessions delivered)
The Break EU Fellow (2023) for Women Entrepreneurs
Trauma Sensitive Mindfulness Certified Meditation and Breathwork teacher
Certified in Mindshifting and Belief Clearing

Let’s work together

If you think I might be the right coach for you, or for your team, get in touch and let’s start a conversation.

Feedback & Reviews

Discover what some of our clients have to say about their experience with The Success Smith.

“”…I got 7 job offers on the table. I was seeing the rewards even before I’d finished the programme… It is really worth the investment…””

Komal K

“I would like to thank Victoria for the time spent with me during this transition process. I started the journey with set of emotions that were holding me to comfort zone in different aspects of my life, then ended the journey with different set of emotions that is allowing me to keep expanding and growing. It was incredible shift in my life done together.

I’m genuinely grateful to Victoria.”

Hala AlGarni

People & Organisation Manager

“Vicky very quickly – and with empathy – grasped the complex situation I faced and offered me a completely fresh perspective. Her experience leading a multi million pound business meant she was able to lend an unparalleled practical insight and advice alongside useful theoretical models – which ultimately translated into a promotion for me – an incredible result during lockdown.”

Karina Khizner

Managing Director, London School of Business and Finance

Meet Dr Victoria - 'The Success Smith'