Lisa-Nicole Dunne – Mantra Strategy – A finalist in the Sodexo WMB Female Newcomer Award Category
21st March 2022
Over the coming weeks, we will be introducing you to our WMB Award Finalists. Ultimately there will be one winner in each of our five Award categories, to be announced at our Conference & Awards on May 16th. If you’d like to attend our Conference & Awards, you can book now>>
Here, we introduce you to Lisa-Nicole Dunne of Mantra Strategy, a finalist in the Sodexo WMB Female Newcomer Award Category.
Title and company name
Managing Director, Mantra Strategy
Sector & size of operation
Strategy Consulting is a start up with 3 employees and 5 associates.
You originally hail from
Killester in Dublin
Single or relationship
Married to Alan Dunne
What is the best part of your job
Getting to help people, companies and charities who want to make the world a little or a lot better than they found it.
Learning every day, and getting to pick and choose excellent projects and clients we want to work with.
And the most challenging
Building from scratch, and figuring it all out – without a big team to help you do that. Patience is not my forte.
Your definition of success
Success for me has always been being happy, liking what I do, making it work for everyone involved, and having enough time to help and enjoy my children as we navigate life.
Having a positive impact on the world through fulfilling work.
Best trait
Caring and daring. I am told I help others to feel brave(r) too by empowering and believing in them.
Worst trait
I am, by nature, an ideas person – my brain jumps endlessly. I often interrupt and don’t remember personal details (but can remember finite details on a budget from years ago!). I am more visionary, than implementer, which is why I work with a great team, but I am sure it can be difficult to stay on the journey.
Biggest ‘win’ to date
The biggest win was reflecting on the first 18 months and realising that practically all our clients were referrals, and almost all our clients have been back for repeat work. Mantra is like a magnet for great people, consultants, clients, and organisations with ambitions to do better for communities and employees.
Who inspires you most
Sr. Stan is such a big inspiration, always wanting to solve problems, but also a realist with a great sense of humour. I am also genuinely inspired daily by so many of my social enterprise and charity clients who for very little “financial” reward work tirelessly day in day out, slogging away trying to raise money to improve our lives and our children’s futures.
Name two things on your ‘bucket list’
Bringing my son and daughter to Japan (which is my son’s dream destination but it is so expensive to get there) where we would meet up with their sister (who is in Australia). As someone who doesn’t have good executive functioning skills, my other bucket list item is to have a folder with all the key information in my life for if I was beamed off the planet tomorrow.
What does it mean for you to be a woman in business today
Being a woman in business today for me is all about taking opportunities, working with great people, and having a clear vision.
It is about shaping my own destiny and getting the balance right at home for my little ones who need me. I think for myself, and create a culture where all the team can be our whole selves and do effective and purposeful work as part of that.
Best advice to pass on
I remember my mother used to say, Be good, and if you can’t be good, be careful.
My advice is be good – good is better than perfect – and to ensure your organisation can be great, surround yourself with great people and listen to them and learn from them.
Have a guiding star, a clear purpose and a mantra.
