Anne-Sophie Martin’s journey from McGill graduate to business leader and mental health advocate is one marked by ambition, resilience, and self-discovery. In the most recent episode of McGill Management Insights, she shared her experiences navigating high-pressure environments, her own mental health struggles, and her mission to foster open conversations about well-being in the workplace.
After graduating from McGill with her BCom degree in 2016, Anne-Sophie began her career at Oliver Wyman, a prestigious consulting firm. Eager to learn and work alongside top professionals, she thrived in the fast-paced environment but soon realized something was missing.
“I had hit a plateau in my learning curve,” she reflected.
Seeking more meaningful work, she transitioned into social entrepreneurship, founding a microfinance company in Kenya that provided small business loans and mentorship to local entrepreneurs.
While her academic journey gave her the tools to lead, her personal experiences with mental health reshaped her perspective on success and resilience.
Anne-Sophie’s advocacy for mental health stems from her own struggles. In 2018, during her time in consulting, she began experiencing signs of severe anxiety—persistent fatigue, frequent illnesses, and overwhelming stress.
One Monday morning, she walked into work feeling off, as she had been for weeks. There was work to do, and lots of it, so she went and tried to push through but quickly realized it was not going to happen, and shortly after found herself in a doctor’s office, diagnosed with adjustment disorder with anxiety.
“Basically, my anxiety levels that day were as if I was being pursued by a murderer—but obviously I was just at work,” she recalled.
The experience forced her to take a medical leave, something that initially filled her with shame.
“I always thought that with mental health crises, you were either born with mental health issues or you sort of develop them at 40 years old, when you were overwhelmed with family and work, but not at 23, not when you were an overachiever,” she said. “I really thought I was invincible.”
A year later, she decided to share her story publicly. She published an article in La Presse and spoke about her experience to 5,000 employees at Oliver Wyman, hoping to break the stigma around mental health in corporate settings.
“There were two main reasons for me wanting to be public with my story,” she explained. “The first one was a lack of conversation on the topic, especially in the environments that I was in. There were not a lot of people showing vulnerability, and I found that by sharing my story, so many other people were encouraged to share theirs.”
“The second reason was that I wanted to offer a different perspective to the mainstream narrative,” she added. “Or at least what I perceived to be the mainstream narrative, which was that if you end up on medical leave or if you have a mental health issue, you need to work less hours, you need to do less. And that just really did not resonate with me.”
Anne-Sophie believes companies must take active steps to support employee well-being. She outlined three key strategies:
- Creating open conversations – “I think leaders should show more vulnerability. By them doing so, it gives employees permission to do the same.” She also emphasized the need for managers to be trained in active listening and emotional intelligence.
- Reframing mental health – “Mental health is often seen as this big thing, but it can also be a small thing that is really important. I just want to lower the bar for what it means to struggle with mental health.”
- Removing barriers to care – From offering mental health resources to financing therapy, she urged companies to make it easier for employees to seek support. “Any little thing that stands between a person and care can make them turn away and not seek it,” she said.
Anne-Sophie’s personal experiences with health challenges ultimately led her to join Coral, a women’s health company focused on supporting individuals experiencing menopause where she currently serves as the director of operations.
“I am not in menopause, at least yet,” she said. “But I am a woman who has experienced hormonal, gender-specific issues and who has been given treatments that only deal with the symptoms without making me better,” she said.
Coral’s mission is to provide accessible virtual care for women dealing with symptoms like insomnia, anxiety, and depression.
“Women end up leaving the workplace because of the symptoms that they’re having, at a time when they’re most productive,” she added. “What we want to do at Coral is really revolutionize women's health and help women thrive in their prime years and beyond.”
Despite her demanding career, Anne-Sophie now prioritizes self-awareness and balance. “I no longer wait for permission to take care of myself. If I need to go for a walk or step away, I do it,” she shared.
Her definition of success has evolved, shifting from external achievements to personal fulfillment.
“For me, success is about having fun in my work, at home, and with the people I love.”
For students and young professionals navigating pressure and self-doubt, she offers this piece of advice: “You are the best judge for what you need and what you want, and what makes you happy and what makes you proud. It’s not about making the right decision but making the decision right.”
Anne-Sophie’s journey is a true testament to the importance of prioritizing mental health, fostering open conversations, and redefining what it means to thrive in both career and in life. Tune into the latest episode of McGill Management Insights to hear the full interview, hosted by recent MMR graduate, Jessie Lin.
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