WOMEN IN SECURED FINANCE 2020
RECOGNIZING EXCELLENCE
A MEREDITH CARTER Context Business Lending
s president and CEO of Context Business Lending, Meredith oversees the strategic direction and day-to-day operations of the business. An alumna of Villanova University School of Law and the University of Delaware, Meredith has more than a decade of experience as a corporate transactional lawyer representing growth companies and investors and as managing director of business development of an alternative finance company, also integrally involved with its strategy, deal negotiation and diligence. Meredith is a member of the Executive Board of the Villanova Law J. Willard O’Brien American Inn of Court and has held multiple Board and Management positions for the Junior League of Philadelphia. Meredith has served as a guardian ad litem to represent the best interests of children in proceedings in the Delaware Family Court and as a co-chair of the Arthur Ashe Youth Tennis Center’s annual auction. She is also a member of the Board of Trustees of the Overbrook School for the Blind.
Studies have shown women are more reluctant to tout their accomplishments in the workplace. What advice would you give to help women be more comfortable with speaking up? Many women don’t communicate their accomplishments because they think that, if they just do good work, people will take notice. Or many feel that it would be in poor taste to draw attention to their successes. Unfortunately, more often than not, people do not notice. Your coworkers are likely focused on their own day-to-day responsibilities and will not notice the specifics of your contributions. My advice would be to take appropriate opportunities to share summaries of your work and your accomplishments with colleagues. Many women are also hesitant to communicate when they feel that they are being treated unfairly. I would remind them that their bosses are not mind readers and they probably don’t know how you feel. If you have an issue to raise, raise it in a professional manner without being defensive. Start with the assumption that the other person is reasonable and take the opportunity to share facts rather than emotions. What do you know now that you wish you knew in the beginning of your career?
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THE SECURED LENDER APRIL 2020
Carefully observe someone senior in your profession/role. See if you like what “the Ghost of Christmas Future” has in store for you. If not, it’s ok to make a change. Figure out what motivates you and pursue a career that fulfills those motivations. We spend a lot of time at work so make sure you are doing something gratifying. How have you approached big career decisions? Each time I have made a career change, the most important factor to me has been the people with whom I was going to work. At the
time of the decision, I considered what I knew about the integrity of my potential new employer as well as what I knew about the way my potential new colleagues and bosses think. For example, during my last transition from litigation funding to asset-based lending, I was faced with the choice between joining a new company in an industry vertical I knew well or continuing with people I knew well in a new vertical. I chose the people. It was hands down the right decision. I knew I respected their ethics and had seen them turn down many opportunities to profit in favor of doing the right thing, even when most in their situation would have chosen a potential monetary gain. There are plenty of ways to earn a living but, to me, the more important consideration has always been with whom and in what way you want to spend most of the waking hours of your life. How can commercial finance organizations attract and retain more women? Promote a culture where people feel safe to talk about their families. I remember reading one of the first annual reports after Jamie Dimon took over JP Morgan and he referenced the importance of family as part of the ethos and culture he was building for his executive team. Family is the most important thing in most of our lives yet many people, especially women, feel they need to hold back in talking about their families at work for fear of being perceived as unprofessional. Many women opt to leave the workplace when their children are young so that they don’t have to miss out on things like occasional classroom volunteering or running home when a child is sick. Let women (and men) be there for their families during those important times, and retention rates should rise.