Victoria Cramer, a trailblazing leader and keynote speaker from Arizona, United States, has spent over three decades transforming the hospitality industry. As the CEO of Victoria Cramer Inc., she empowers individuals and organizations to overcome challenges and live life to the fullest. Whether speaking to audiences or coaching individuals or teams, Victoria believes in empowering people to reach their full potential, tailoring her approach to each context, inspiring large groups through keynote speeches, and providing personalized guidance and support through coaching.
Drawing from her experiences as a global leader, athlete, mother of twins, and cancer survivor, Victoria inspires audiences worldwide through captivating keynote speeches, strategic planning, coaching, and training.
Battling Cancer Three Times: How Adversity Shaped Leadership
Battling cancer three times has intensified a passion in Victoria for setting boundaries, embracing adventures, and confronting fears head-on—whether it’s with herself, her family, or the best people in her life. She believes in curating happiness through a “no-settling” mentality, making each day count, and ensuring that every moment is epic.
Unleashing the Warrior Within
For Victoria, being a warrior is about showing up even when the going gets tough. It is about selecting the hard path that leads to growth and resilience. As she shares in her book ‘Living Live Loudly,’ being a warrior means building habits and discipline that bring consistency and reliability. It is about determination and discipline. By choosing the hard path, individuals can develop the resilience to tackle life’s hurdles, whether that is hitting the gym at 4:15 am or facing tough days with courage.
Unstoppable Spirit: Victoria’s Battle with Cancer
Victoria’s ability to juggle being a competitive athlete, mother of two, and top executive while battling cancer was possible due to one key factor: teamwork. Being a natural driver, she found it very hard to accept help from others. However, she came to realize that assembling a talented team and support network was crucial for her survival and success. By creating a list of things that let others contribute, from simple companionship to leveraging professional connections, Victoria could cope with her challenges and also empower those around her. Her experience has taught her that accepting help is not a sign of weakness, but rather a way to help everyone around her to rise.
Leadership Lessons: Victoria’s Hospitality Experience
Victoria’s experience at Marriott and Choice Hotels shaped her approach to team building and company culture. At Marriott, she learned the power of a supercharged team and the importance of culture in driving success. By recognizing the unique value of each team member and fostering a sense of belonging, Victoria creates a collaborative environment where magic happens by combining her strengths with those of others. Her experience at Choice Hotels further enhanced her entrepreneurial spirit, demonstrating that decades of industry experience can enhance, rather than limit, one’s abilities.
Transformative Coaching: A Memorable Tale of Success
One of Victoria’s most memorable coaching successes is a technical industry executive who faced significant personal and professional hurdles. With a strong desire to change, he committed to a coaching journey that spanned several years. Together, they focused on building his physical fitness and emotional well-being, nurturing his leadership skills, and creating a business case for a C-suite role. Through dedication and hard work, this individual not only secured the coveted role but also experienced remarkable growth, with a profound increase in both happiness and confidence.
Human-Centered Leadership: Victoria’s Distinctive Philosophy
Victoria‘s coaching philosophy focuses on the human side of leadership, prioritizing personal growth and self-awareness. By empowering individuals to understand themselves better and create habits, Victoria helps them unlock their full potential. With a foundation in brain plasticity and internal joy, clients can then apply these tools to drive business success. As Victoria emphasizes, ‘Fun isn’t a luxury—it’s fuel.’ By focusing on well-being, leaders can create a more passionate and effective approach to achieving their goals.’
What Distinguishes Victoria’s Coaching Approach
Victoria has a unique ability to listen deeply and hear what truly matters, even when others aren’t clear on it themselves. What sets her apart is her capability to go into people’s heads. She doesn’t just listen; she asks the questions that no one else asks, sparking introspection and pushing individuals to explore their thoughts and motivations in ways they never have before.
The Philosophy Behind Building Winning Teams
Victoria believes that building a winning team boils down to three foundational principles: 1. Evaluate to have the right, most epic people on the team. There’s zero room for mediocrity. 2. Give them the right tools to do the job. 3. Light them up with an aligned mission and inspire them to want to show up every day in an epic way.
Leaving a Legacy of Reliance and Purpose
Victoria’s legacy is one of empowerment and inspiration. She hopes to leave behind a world where individuals recognize the capacity to handle life’s challenges and curate their happiness. By showing up with intention and a proposal, people can make a positive impact on those around them and the planet. She gives a simple message: strive to be epic every day, and collectively, we can make this place a better place.
The Travel Industry in the Next Five Years
For Victoria, ‘Living Life Loudly’ means embracing every moment with intention and joy. Despite facing stage 4 cancer, she chooses to dance, laugh, and soak up adventures. Her approach includes putting mini-vacations into daily life, finding ways to make tough tasks more enjoyable, and prioritizing herself. She aims to live a more epic life by setting boundaries and exercising. Her philosophy is centered around choosing joy and making the most of every sunrise and sunset she is blessed to experience.
Pearls of Wisdom by Victoria
Victoria emphasizes the importance of setting boundaries, saying, “You can’t pour from an empty cup.” “Learn what boundaries you need and how to communicate them effectively. By prioritizing your well-being, you will be a more empowered and supportive presence in the lives of others,” she further adds.