Career Growth Through Change: Why Some of the Best Opportunities Start with Uncertainty

by Maria Nunez, Sales Director, Strategic Projects

If there’s one thing I’ve learned throughout my career, it’s that growth rarely happens when everything feels comfortable.

Some of the most defining moments in my professional journey came from stepping into environments where I didn’t feel fully prepared, taking calculated risks before I had all the answers, and learning how to adapt quickly in fast-paced situations.

As a first-generation immigrant who moved to the United States at 15 years old, and the first person in my family to graduate from college, I spent many of my early college years believing success came from having a perfectly mapped-out plan. But little did I know that this wouldn’t be the case. 

Early in my career, I joined the nutraceutical industry through a customer service role working for one of the top capsule suppliers in this industry. I had recently graduated with an accounting degree and was still trying to figure out where I fit professionally. What I did know was that I wanted to learn, grow, and prove myself.

I started my first job during a major ERP transition and was also responsible for supporting a large territory that was completely unfamiliar to me, which quickly taught me that adaptability is often more valuable than immediate expertise. About a year and a half later, my manager and mentor encouraged me to apply for an opening within their inside sales team — a move that initially intimidated me, especially after I had grown comfortable in customer service.

I Took the Leap Anyway

Suddenly, I was exposed to trade shows, customer development, sales strategy, and lead management, all of which helped me discover how much I enjoyed building processes, solving problems, and helping drive growth.

A few years later, another major opportunity presented itself. The same mentor who had at this time already played a significant role in my development accepted a position with a contract manufacturing company in Oregon, and eventually an opportunity opened for me to join the team.

Moving across the country along with my husband away from family and familiarity felt overwhelming, but deep down I knew staying comfortable would not help me continue to grow.

This new chapter became one of the most transformative periods of my career. It was there that I truly discovered what energized me professionally: taking a product from concept to commercialization. Working in contract manufacturing taught me how to navigate every stage of the process, set the right expectations upfront with customers, and the ability to think ahead when challenges arise.  

The environment was demanding and constantly evolving, but I realized I thrived in it. I loved navigating the moving pieces required to bring products successfully to market and learned that adaptability is not simply about reacting to change — it’s about remaining solutions-oriented while change is happening around you.

A few years later, I accepted another opportunity, this time with a company in the Atlanta metro area that combined contract manufacturing with a portfolio of branded ingredients. While I had developed a strong understanding of commercialization and manufacturing, I realized I wanted to deepen my understanding of the ingredients themselves and the clinical science supporting them.

Once again, my husband and I packed up and moved across the country — this time back to the East Coast — just as COVID was beginning to reshape the workplace entirely.

During this transitional period, I found myself navigating remote collaboration while simultaneously supporting multiple territories early in my new role. It was another reminder that growth often comes disguised as pressure. I had to adapt quickly, step into unfamiliar situations, and help stabilize fast-moving environments when support was needed most. Instead of viewing those moments as obstacles, I approached them as opportunities and embraced the new challenge.

Eventually, I was given the opportunity by another wonderful mentor to step into my first leadership role and help build an inside sales team from the ground up.

This is where I learned that leadership requires an entirely different mindset than what I had been used to as an individual contributor — one focused not only on performance, but on developing others, building trust, and helping people recognize potential in themselves that they may not yet fully see.

That Experience, By Far, Has Been One of the Most Rewarding Chapters of My Career

Building and mentoring a team of ambitious individuals reminded me so much of the mentors who had once believed in me early in my own journey. It reinforced how important strong leadership and mentorship can be in shaping someone’s confidence and career trajectory.

Most recently, I made another significant career decision by accepting a new opportunity with Vidya USA as Sales Director for Special Projects.

What excites me most about this next chapter is the opportunity to help contribute to a growing manufacturing organization at such an important stage of its evolution. It also feels like a culmination of so many experiences I’ve gathered throughout my career — process building, contract manufacturing, innovation, strategic growth, operational collaboration, and leadership.

There is still uncertainty, of course. Every new chapter comes with unknowns. But I’ve learned that some of the greatest professional growth happens when you are willing to step into environments that challenge you to evolve once again.

While I’ve now spent over a decade in this industry, I still consider myself early in my professional journey. There is still so much I want to learn, so many experiences that will continue to shape me, and mentors I continue to lean on for guidance. One of the biggest realizations throughout my career so far has been that growth does not stop once you reach a certain title or level of experience. The most successful leaders are often the ones who remain curious, adaptable, and willing to keep learning- I have seen this firsthand through my mentors and many other leaders in this industry. 

Looking back, none of my biggest career moves happened because I felt completely ready or because there was a perfectly mapped out plan. 

They Happened Because I Was Willing to Trust My Ability to Learn, Adapt, and Grow Through Change

And if there’s one message I hope others take away from my story, it’s this: some of the most impactful opportunities in your career are often the ones that initially feel the most uncomfortable. Growth does not always come from having all the answers. Sometimes it comes from being willing to take the next step forward — even before you can fully see where the path may lead.