Leadership that lasts: Marloes Mantel’s approach to building strong foundations at Loop
As Loop's VP People, Marloes Mantel is flipping the script on traditional leadership. Rather than making herself indispensable, she's creating systems that allow Loop to thrive – with or without her presence. In a fast-moving environment, she’s preserving the company's human-centered culture while building the frameworks needed for sustainable growth. Welcome to her philosophy of leadership that outlasts the leader.
"If you were to leave tomorrow, how would your function continue?"
This provocative question is one Marloes Mantel often poses to team members, emphasizing that true leadership isn't about being indispensable but about ensuring that growth, effective decision-making, and impact continue, regardless of who's in the room.
What makes Marloes' approach refreshing is her openness about the uncertainty that comes with leadership. "I don't have all the answers," she admits. "Leadership isn't about having a fixed playbook—it's about constantly adapting, learning, and sometimes questioning your own instincts."
She believes doubt is actually part of good leadership: "I actually think the fact that I doubt myself sometimes is what helps me grow. It forces me to listen more, reflect more, and improve." For Marloes, leadership is a learning process, not a perfected skillset. "I just do something that fits me—but sometimes, I don't know if it's the right thing, and that's okay."
This philosophy has served her well through various stages of her career. From navigating Ticketscript's rapid growth and acquisition to helping Eventbrite through its successful IPO, Marloes has consistently relied on her ability to sense underlying dynamics and create systems that address root causes, not just symptoms.
When she joined Loop in August 2024, this same intuition quickly alerted her to a fundamental challenge: the company's approach to decision-making lacked the structural foundation necessary for sustainable growth.
Building systems that outlast individuals
"We were making so many decisions ad hoc, addressing situations as they arose without a consistent framework," she says about her early days at Loop.
She didn't rush to make changes though. "I always strive to analyze challenges from a systems perspective, seeking sustainable solutions that address the underlying processes in order to benefit the entire organization."
This approach has led her to introduce the Leader-Leader Model – shifting away from traditional hierarchies toward a framework that empowers people while providing necessary structure. The model distributes responsibility across the organization, encouraging every team member to think and act as a leader.
"If a critical task relies solely on one person, that's a sign that we need stronger systems," she explains. For Marloes, sustainable leadership means building robust processes while developing people who can propel the company forward independently.
"I prefer to lead from within – or even from behind. I don't need credit – I just want to make sure we get there together."
Marloes emphasizes that empowerment alone isn't enough: "My goal is to create frameworks that allow teams to make decisions confidently on their own."
Context over control: Finding the right balance
For Marloes, sustainable leadership means providing context rather than imposing control.
"It's not about dictating every detail. It's about providing context – helping people understand the 'why' so they can figure out the 'how' themselves," she explains. "If you give people control without context, they feel lost. If you give them context but no control, they feel powerless. You need both. In the right amounts, of course."
She acknowledges that some level of structure is necessary, but it must be intentional. "Control isn't inherently bad – what matters is that it's intentional. We need a framework that provides clarity without dictating every decision."
This philosophy also reflects her ongoing effort to integrate “masculine” strengths like decisiveness with “feminine” qualities such as patience. "Some moments require direct action, while others call for pausing and letting things unfold. Even this week, I questioned whether I should make a firm decision or step back. Knowing when to lean into each is an ongoing challenge."
She actively invites her team to push back. "I constantly tell my team: challenge me on this. If I'm stepping in where I shouldn't be, call me out. I don't want to create an illusion of having all the answers. I'm figuring it out just like everyone else."
Bringing a product mindset to people leadership
With a background in sales and business operations, Marloes applies a product-driven approach to people leadership – applying the same data-driven mindset used in customer experience to employee experience.
"We gather data, test, iterate, and optimize the customer journey—why don't we do the same for our employees?" she explains. "I embrace the unknown—using AI as an extension of my brain to transform gut instincts into real, measurable connections and solutions."
This business-first approach has led to several key initiatives at Loop:
- Employee feedback loops to enable the People team to make decisions based on insights
- HR service models with tracking systems to provide faster, more effective support
- Personalized career paths that align individual aspirations with business goals
"If an employee has to ask the same question twice, that's a system failure. We should be optimizing HR processes just like we optimize customer experience."
Reading the room: A leadership superpower
Growing up in the Netherlands with three brothers, Marloes quickly developed a heightened sensitivity to unspoken dynamics—a skill that would become fundamental to her leadership philosophy.
"I had to learn how to read the room fast," she explains. "I could tell when something was off before anyone said a word."
That early knack for sensing unspoken dynamics has evolved into one of Marloes' most valuable leadership skills. "That instinct has continued to guide me in my working life," she reflects. "It's about sensing energy and understanding what's not being said."
This emotional intelligence, paired with her business acumen, allows her to spot misalignments before they become roadblocks. Her leadership philosophy is a blend of decisiveness and awareness – knowing when to push forward and when to pause and listen.
"I used to think leadership was about making fast decisions and pushing things forward. But I've realized there's so much power in stopping, sensing the energy in the room, and asking: 'What does this moment need?'"
This perspective was shaped by her experiences advising scale-ups at Techleap and leading people operations at InShared—two roles that deepened her ability to balance structure with flexibility. Just as importantly, she understands her own strengths—and the areas where she needs others to complement her.
"I'm great at seeing the big picture, but I need people around me who thrive in execution and detail. That's why I focus on building teams that complement my skills. And not just for me: that's something we can apply company-wide, to create an organization that truly thrives."
Well-being without compromise
Marloes' belief in balanced systems doesn't only apply to the workplace—she brings the same intentionality to her personal life. She's purposeful in both her routines and how she engages with her day-to-day.
"If you're present, be present," she explains. "When I'm with my kids, I'm with my kids. When I'm at work, I'm at work."
This deliberate approach extends to how she maintains boundaries. Her morning routine incorporates intentional self-care, including exercise, reading, and preparing for the day ahead.
"I'm quite proud to say I don't have a lot of guilt about getting a babysitter in," she states. "I know that I'm a nicer person to my partner, to my kids, when I prioritize myself."
Marloes describes herself as a "change addict” who embraces new experiences. She loves bringing people together over good food and conversation, while also protecting time for personal renewal.
"Every quarter, I block time for a mini-retreat. I go somewhere alone – whether it's a city or the countryside – just to reset. It makes me a better leader and a better person."
The same principles guide how she encourages Loop employees to take ownership of their growth. She recalls a talent acquisition team member who invited her to a meeting and then delivered a full presentation about their own strengths, goals, and questions.
"I loved it," she says. "Own your career, be direct, and ask for what you need."
Why Loop? Freedom to shape strategy
Marloes joined Loop because she wanted the freedom to design people strategy herself, rather than executing a founder's vision.
"I wanted to lead from my own principles, not just execute someone else's vision," she explains.
What she values at Loop is the genuine human connection she feels with her colleagues. "What I love about Loop is that people genuinely care," she says. "It's not just about hitting targets – it's about how we work together, how we grow, and how we show up for each other."
She thrives in the culture of debate – even when it's challenging. "I love the debates – even though, of course, that also has its downsides! But it shows that people care enough to engage, to ask questions, to push for better solutions."
Above all, she appreciates the optimism that pervades the company culture. "There's this optimism at Loop every single day – it's contagious."
Building Loop's future – together
For Marloes, leadership ultimately comes down to trust, empowerment, and cultural alignment.
"Culture isn't just words on a wall," she says. "It should be something we use daily to make decisions, build teams, and navigate challenges. We can't just make isolated decisions and hope they align. We need to take a step back and ask: What do we stand for? What are the non-negotiables in how we work and grow?"
As Loop continues to grow, she's ensuring that its culture scales at the same pace; a balance of preserving the company's human-centered values while adding the structure needed for sustainable success.
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