Meet the Team, Jo

Name: Jo Stroud

Position: Founder

Favourite Mantra: 'Go confidently in the direction of your dreams, live the life you have imagined' - a misquote from H D Thoreau

What’s on your myMantra Necklace? I have a few! On my Silver 'Ornate Lotus' - ‘Change my thoughts, and I change my world’ – inspired by something Norman Vincent Peale wrote. It reminds me that I can choose how I react to events, and make my world a better place if I choose more positive thoughts. And on my Gold 'Moon and Sun' - 'A peaceful, easy feeling' - a line from an Eagles' song, which sums up how I want to feel in my business

How do you relax? Working out at home, or running – often simply on a treadmill, watching TED talks; reading; and going to art galleries and exhibitions – I feel inspired and uplifted when I lose myself in paintings that I love

Dream holiday destination: No matter where else I go, the South of France pulls me back. The warm, honey-coloured buildings, villages like St Paul de Vence and St Tropez, the sweeping forests against the brilliant blue of the sea, the warmth and sunshine, the food, and the culture, the Impressionist painters who were inspired by the light… I love it all!

I’m at my happiest: When the sun is shining, and I’m outside

Guilty pleasure: Champagne! Just hearing the cork popping always puts me in a good mood and makes me smile

If you could give your young self some advice…Never worry about your career when you are first setting out. You will do so many different things in your life, and it’s all great experience you will use in the future

What does Mantra mean to you? I truly believe in the power of words to motivate and inspire. Just catching sight of an uplifting phrase through a busy day or in tough times reminds us to be strong and stay positive. And jewellery for me is very special – precious, personal, lasting. We created Mantra to combine the two, which I think is very powerful – jewellery which inspires you every day