Samantha Dockery joins She Thrives with Rhonda Coleman Wandel to share how she pivoted from a 13-year career in wedding planning into founding her own sparkling wine brand. Samantha Dockery opens up about career reinvention, trusting your vision, and building a purpose-driven business rooted in impact. This episode explores entrepreneurship, personal growth, and the courage it takes to pivot into something bigger.

Key Takeaways:

• You can pivot your career without starting from scratch—skills transfer
• Starting before you feel ready is often the key to growth
• Your network and visibility (even Instagram) can unlock real opportunities
• Profit and purpose can coexist in a meaningful business
• Comparison slows growth—focus on your own path
• Authenticity matters more than audience size in business

Meet Samantha Dockery

Samantha Dockery is the founder of LoveLuvv Sparkling Wines, a luxury sparkling wine brand rooted in culture, celebration, and storytelling. A hospitality entrepreneur and champagne educator, she’s been featured on local Chicago TV and partners with hotels, wedding professionals, and lifestyle brands to reimagine how people experience bubbles. From pop-ups to premium pours, Samantha blends business, joy, and intention—always with a glass raised.

Visit her website | Follow her on Instagram

How She Pivoted

After 13 years in wedding planning, Samantha Dockery realized she no longer wanted a business that required her constant physical presence. She began exploring how to stay connected to celebration while creating more freedom and long-term impact. That vision led her to launch a sparkling wine brand sourced from France and Italy.

“If you really believe in your vision, the provision will come.”

Instead of waiting for perfect conditions, she leveraged what already existed—partnering with winemakers and securing exclusive blends. Her pivot was both strategic and intuitive, proving that reinvention doesn’t require starting over—just thinking differently.

Insights for Ambitious Women

Samantha Dockery reminds women that growth often requires action before certainty. Whether in business or life, waiting until you feel fully ready can keep you stuck. Her journey highlights the importance of trusting yourself and moving forward—even when it feels uncomfortable.

“Do it afraid… but do it smart.”

She also emphasizes that success isn’t about doing everything alone. Building support, seeking guidance, and staying grounded in your own vision are what sustain long-term growth—especially during career transitions and reinvention.

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Subscribe to the newsletter and catch more episodes at RhondaColemanWandel.com

In this episode, Natalia Ombach joins Rhonda for a thoughtful conversation about career transitions, personal growth, and redefining professional purpose. Natalia Ombach, an executive coach and former corporate risk and compliance leader, shares how a life-changing family experience prompted her to rethink success, leadership, and connection. Together, they explore the messy reality of career pivots, the importance of community, and how coaching can help professionals move from siloed work environments toward more collaborative, human-centered leadership.

Key Takeaways:

• Why career transitions are often messy, emotional, and longer than we expect
• How personal life events can spark powerful professional reinvention
• The hidden challenges faced by “support function” leaders like legal, compliance, and cybersecurity
• Why collaboration often breaks down inside organizations—and how to fix it
• The importance of community and conversation during moments of career uncertainty
• How coaching helps leaders move from isolation to impact

Meet Natalia Ombach

Natalia is an executive and leadership coach, she works mostly with leaders of corporate support functions, like Legal, Risk, Compliance, or Cybersecurity in global organisations, helping them to reclaim ownership and direction of their function, be more impactful and be seen as strategic partner in their leadership team.

She brings 15+ years of international corporate experience, including leadership roles in legal, risk, compliance, and DEI.

Visit her website | Follow her on LinkedIn | Access her FREE Booklet here

How She Pivoted

Natalia Ombach’s career pivot didn’t happen overnight. After years of building a respected corporate legal and risk career while raising a family, she began to feel that something was missing. That feeling intensified after a traumatic accident involving her son, which changed how she viewed community, connection, and the role other people play in our strength during difficult times.

“You feel stronger just because other people wish for you to feel stronger.” shared Natalia on episode 36 of the She Thrives with Rhonda Coleman Wandel podcast.

That experience reshaped how Natalia thought about leadership and relationships at work. She began exploring coaching as a way to help others navigate the same emotional and professional complexity she had experienced. What started as curiosity evolved into a new career focused on helping leaders better understand themselves, their teams, and the invisible dynamics that shape workplace culture.

Insights for Ambitious Women

One of Natalia’s most powerful lessons is that uncertainty during a career transition is completely normal. Many professionals believe they should have everything figured out by a certain age or stage in their careers. Natalia challenges that assumption, reminding listeners that questioning your path is often the first step toward meaningful growth.

“It is normal. There’s nothing wrong with you.” expressed Natalia on episode 36 of the She Thrives with Rhonda Coleman Wandel podcast

Want More Like This?
Be sure to subscribe to the podcast on your favourite platform so you never miss an episode.

And if you’re ready for even more honest stories, career inspiration, and powerful insights, join Rhonda’s monthly newsletter. It’s where ambitious women get the encouragement, tools, and behind-the-scenes wisdom to thrive—straight to your inbox.

Subscribe to the newsletter and catch more episodes at RhondaColemanWandel.com

In this episode, Laura Williams joins Rhonda for a powerful conversation about caregiving, career reinvention, and building solutions born from lived experience. Laura Williams, a long-distance caregiver and legal advocate for her mother, shares how navigating a broken system inspired her to create a new approach to caregiving support. This episode explores career pivots rooted in purpose, the emotional weight of caregiving, and how personal challenges can become the foundation for meaningful professional reinvention and impact.

Key Takeaways:

• Why long-distance caregiving adds unique emotional and logistical challenges
• How lived experience can spark purpose-driven career reinvention
• The importance of dignity, autonomy, and safety in caregiving decisions
• How removing friction and complexity creates better outcomes for families
• What it looks like to build a solution instead of settling for broken systems
• Why clarity and advocacy matter when supporting loved ones from afar

Meet Laura Williams

Laura A. Williams is the visionary founder of Respitely, the world’s first CareGifting™ marketplace—making it as easy to gift care as sending flowers or a meal. A former corporate leader turned caregiving innovator, Laura brings firsthand experience as a long-distance caregiver and court-appointed conservator for her mother. Her work bridges technology, compassion, and community, redefining how families support one another through life’s most challenging seasons with dignity and ease.

Visit her website | Follow her on Instagram

How She Pivoted

Laura Williams’ career pivot was driven by necessity, responsibility, and love. While supporting her mother from a distance, Laura found herself navigating fragmented caregiving systems, time-sensitive decisions, and overwhelming administrative hurdles. Acting not only as a daughter but also as her mother’s legal advocate, she saw firsthand how difficult it was for families to find trusted care quickly and with confidence.

“My job is not only to be her daughter, but also her legal advocate—and to make sure she can stay at home safely and with dignity.”

Rather than accepting the friction and inefficiency of existing options, Laura reimagined the process entirely. She built a platform that removes guesswork, pre-vets care options, and allows families to secure care when and where it’s needed—transforming a deeply personal challenge into a scalable, purpose-driven solution.

Insights for Ambitious Women

Laura’s story is a reminder that reinvention doesn’t always come from ambition alone—it often comes from responsibility. For professional women balancing caregiving, leadership, and personal growth, this episode highlights how clarity and conviction can guide powerful career transitions.

“Caregiving from a distance adds an additional layer of complexity—you can’t be there at a moment’s notice.”

Laura encourages women to trust their lived experience as expertise. By honoring emotional intelligence, practical problem-solving, and advocacy, ambitious women can build careers that

Want More Like This?
Be sure to subscribe to the podcast on your favourite platform so you never miss an episode.

And if you’re ready for even more honest stories, career inspiration, and powerful insights, join Rhonda’s monthly newsletter. It’s where ambitious women get the encouragement, tools, and behind-the-scenes wisdom to thrive—straight to your inbox.

Subscribe to the newsletter and catch more episodes at RhondaColemanWandel.com