This March, during Women’s History Month, EquiLend will be featuring Q&As with some of the EquiLend women who are helping to shape our business!
Gabi Mantle
Post Trade
Associate Director
London
Who are the women who inspire you the most, and why?
It goes without saying that my mum is a huge inspiration to me. While I was growing up, she was a single working mother, struggling to juggle work and childcare, but all I remember was a loving and happy childhood. She taught me to take everything in my stride and to take the positives from all of life’s challenges. And, I think, most importantly, she taught me how to correctly eat mussels from the ripe old age of 5! She’s now a wonderful “Grammie” to my two boys, who can get them to listen far better than I can!
I am also inspired by author J.K Rowling’s story. She had a really hard time in her 20s: losing her own mother, struggling as a single mother, living on welfare, battling severe depression, experiencing suicidal thoughts, facing numerous rejections by publishers, yet she never gave up. She now uses her good fortune to help others, supporting several charities and setting up foundations of her own. Hard work will pay off in the end!
What advice would you give your younger self?
Don’t overthink decisions… don’t always try to weigh pros and cons and follow logic. Do what feels right, take chances. It’s natural to want to consult other people, but deep down you know what you want. At the end of the day, even if you follow logic, you will eventually want to follow your heart.
As we’re celebrating Women’s History Month, what advice would you give to any women reading this?
Don’t wait to be invited to take opportunities. If you don’t ask, you don’t get!
“Nobody ever made history by playing it safe. Be bold!” – Dau Voire