Over the past couple of months, we’ve shared interviews with members of our DAPPER Tribe, a community of awesome humans we’re proud to call our old friends, new friends, clients and confidants. Last in our series (but by no means least) is Gill Wells, an old friend of Em’s who is a product manager, speaker, underground comic and all round bundle of fun.
Tell us a bit about yourself.
Hey! My name is Gill and at my core, I’m Zimbabwean. Having lived in numerous places across the globe I’m currently settled in Amsterdam. I work in Fintech, specifically Payments, as a product manager delivering value add products to some of the biggest online players in the world. It’s a super impactful role which I love but my passion lies in driving DEI initiatives in my industry supporting women, the LGBTQ+ community and other underrepresented communities.
What values/ words do you live by?
Fearlessness. Honesty. Humour. Loyalty. Fairness.
Where do you call home, and what makes it special to you?
Zimbabwe will always be my home. All Zimbabweans have a shared experience of a certain way of life that transcends demographic boundaries. We had to rely on each other during difficult times and this created a unique cultural identity that allows a beautiful global community to exist.
What is your favourite personality assessment, and why/ what did you learn from it?
I’m never sure how much salt to take with these assessments but the Myer Briggs test says I have the same personality as Obama so it could be worse. 😉
What impact has your DAPPER book had on you?
I love that DAPPER really helped crystallise how I wanted to present myself in terms of what’s important to me. Having that North Star of what’s important really helps with decision making. If I think of what’s important in my career, crystallising that helping others is important to me empowered me to pursue more DEI focused endeavours. Getting more involved with and driving our Women@Adyen community strategy really exemplifies this.
While working with DAPPER on your personal brand, what shifted in your thinking or approach to how you show up in the world?
Firstly, realising that you need to just sit down and take the time to think about you and what’s important to you is such an important step to take control of what kind of impact you want to have in your life and to others.
What did you find most inspiring/ motivating/ relevant from the DAPPER process?
Again it’s about identifying that North Star of how you want to present yourself and being clear on your values. My DAPPER book sits on my bedside table and I often refer to it when I am wondering if I’m making the right decision about something.
Why are you excited to be part of the DAPPER Tribe, and what value do you bring?
I love the idea of the POTENTIAL of a new business! DAPPER is such an exciting concept of helping people that can really expand in any direction. Contributing in any way that helps realise this potential is hugely rewarding.
I also LOVE that DAPPER is female founded! Supporting your female network is fundamental to me and these ladies deserve all of it.
Why do you think it’s important to have an authentic personal brand in today’s world?
What is a personal brand without Authenticity anyway? I think authenticity allows for trust and if people can trust you they will believe you, they will follow you or they will use your services or products. It’s not the only important thing but it’s definitely up there.
What book or podcast has influenced the way you see the world, and why?
I love the ‘How I Built This’ podcast. I’m no entrepreneur but I love learning about people’s success stories. It shows how different people have found different ways to be successful. Those personal insights and drivers reveal that authenticity makes them relatable and makes you think, hey maybe I can also be successful with my own ideas own ideas – with a bit of luck. 😉
