Give to Gain: The Power of Women Lifting Women

With Intentional women’s day approaching and this years theme of give to gain, I have been thinking about how I “give to gain in my life”.

At first glance, it feels counterintuitive. We’re taught to protect our time, guard our energy, and climb carefully. But when I reflect on my own journey professionally, personally, within community I can see a clear pattern: every time I’ve given, I’ve gained far more in return.

Professionally, when helping and giving to others, I have gained reverse mentorship, powerful feedback and growth opportunities and in some cases friends. Outside of work through volunteering with my local scout group, I have gained a village and community, something we lack in the modern world.

By giving I often find peace and fulfilment but it makes me wonder how we can give to gain and what it really means, as women.

 When we talk about giving, mentorship is often the first place my mind goes.

Mentorship doesn’t have to be formal. It can look like:

• A coffee with someone navigating a career pivot

• A voice note of encouragement before a big interview

• Sharing your salary openly to close a pay gap

• Recommending someone for an opportunity in a room they’re not yet in

And here’s the magic, mentorship is never one-way.

When I support another woman, I’m reminded of my own growth. I sharpen my thinking. I expand my empathy. I learn new perspectives. I reconnect with the courage it took me to take leaps in my own life. Giving knowledge doesn’t diminish it. It multiplies it.

If we truly want to build a gender-equal world, we must move from competition to collaboration.

Here are ways we can actively give to gain:

• Share opportunities loudly. Don’t hoard the job lead or panel invite.

• Celebrate publicly. Promotion? Launch? New idea? Amplify it.

• Be radically honest. Offer constructive feedback with kindness.

• Invest in each other’s ventures. Time, money, skill, network.

• Model boundaries. Show younger women that success doesn’t require burnout.

When one woman rises, the ladder should stay down for the next.

So how do we “give to gain”. This question has been sitting with me. Giving doesn’t always look glamorous. It’s often quiet. Consistent. Sometimes inconvenient. But I’ve learned that the gain isn’t transactional,  it’s transformational.

You gain:

• Confidence

• Community

• Perspective

• Purpose

• Unexpected opportunities

And perhaps most importantly, you gain the deep knowing that you are part of something bigger than yourself.

For me, I choose to show up and give in a couple of different ways:

Scouting-Through volunteering in scouting, I see young people building resilience, confidence, and leadership skills. I give my time and energy — and in return I gain hope, perspective, and the grounding reminder that community shapes futures.

Moon House- Moon House was built on shared stories, shared strength, shared support. Every event, every brunch, every conversation reinforces that when women gather intentionally, growth happens. I give space. I give intention. I give belief. And what I gain is connection beyond measure.

“Give to Gain” is not about self-sacrifice. It’s about collective power. It’s about recognising that equality is not built in isolation. It’s built in rooms. In conversations. In recommendations. In generosity.

This International Women’s Day, I’m asking myself:

• Who can I mentor?

• Who can I recommend?

• Who can I encourage?

• Where can I give without keeping score?

Because when women give to each other, we don’t just gain individually.

We gain momentum.

We gain equity.

We gain change.

And that’s the kind of world I want Moon House to help build.