Meet our Medahuman, Gemma…
What is your biggest accomplishment in your career?
Making partner by the time I was 34 was a great milestone to pass, particularly given that I specialise in commercial real estate which is a very male dominated sector and that whilst women make up almost 50% of all lawyers in the UK, we are still very underrepresented at Partner level (approx. one third).
How do you set your goals?
I have tended to evaluate where I am in terms of my career at any given point and then decided which direction I want my career to go in; salary expectations, geographic location, promotion. I then consider how quickly I want/need to achieve that goal in order to feel a sense of accomplishment, and then I work out what I need to do in order to achieve it.
What is the best advice you have been given?
“This too shall pass”. Nothing is ever as bad as it seems. When things look bleak, focus on the positives that exist in your life. They always are there.
Where do you draw your inspiration?
Suits. (Joking). I draw my inspiration from my parents and how hard they worked in their business to ensure that I had the opportunity to pursue a successful career. I also take inspiration from two female lawyer friends of mine. We all worked at the same firm in the early stages of our career, albeit in different specialisms. We remained very good friends when we each moved to separate London firms and watching them forge successful careers in their chosen field drives me to try and be as good as they are in my own field.
How important is nutrition?
Having a balanced diet has such a positive experience on your physical and mental wellbeing.
Tell us about your experience integrating MEDA into your daily routine?
I tend to have MEDA whilst sitting at my desk working, mid/late morning. Initially I was drinking it in the afternoon but I feel that I experience a greater benefit from drinking it in the morning.
What does being a Medahuman mean to you?
Sometimes it can be stressful in my work managing lots of different plates in the air at once. Being a Medahuman has helped me to not get overwhelmed by that and address my work in a calm and balanced manner which ultimately has the positive effect of reducing any feelings of anxiety.
What would be your ultimate achievement? How are you going to get there?
Having it all. For me that means, a successful career in which I am respected by my contemporaries, a beautiful forever home that I can relax in and a happy and loving relationship and family life. Quite often I have felt that I might have 2 out of 3 in the bag but I was nowhere near to achieving the elusive 3rd. Maintaining a consistent approach to all three is how I intend to achieve that, and not focusing on 1 or 2, to the detriment of the 3rd. They are all equally important and deserve equal amounts of my effort. It’s all about balance.