In your own words – what do you do?

I am the CEO of a company called Gapsquare. Gapsquare is a leading provider of fair pay, pay gap and pay transparency analysis software. Our software revolutionises how companies measure and end unfair pay. We are creating a world where work is fair and inclusive, where pay meets value, and where diverse talent thrives.

 The Gapsquare team is made up of data, tech and AI experts and experienced equality and diversity practitioners who have built self-use software to allow companies to move forward to build the fairer workplaces of the future.

Where did your business idea come from?

I co-founded the company after hearing the World Economic Forum predict that it would take 217 years before the Gender Pay Gap could be closed. At the same time, the WEF said that by 2030, we’ll be in self-driving cars, healthcare would be automated and remote, and we’d be on our way to Mars. Yet, we would still be 200 years away from closing the Gender Pay Gap. I realised that there was potential to harness the power of tech, data and artificial intelligence to accelerate social change and achieve fair pay for everyone.

What’s the most exciting thing about what you’re doing?

It’s incredibly exciting to empower business leaders to utilise tech and AI to create the fairer world that we want to see, to use data in a human way. Now in our fourth year of helping businesses achieve fair pay, we are really able to notice the impact of our work – it’s very exciting to see our clients be proactive rather than reactive on their journey to fair pay.

We also pride ourselves in being dynamic and adaptable, and in our ability to really understand what our clients need. For example, we’ve recently launched a COVID-19 workforce management package and an online dashboard of insights from business leaders to help companies make the right decisions during the crisis, and always have fairness and their employees well-being in mind.

What is your proudest moment so far?

I’m most proud of the impact we are currently having on the global stage. Towards the end of 2019, we went on a trade mission with the UK Department of Trade to India, to the World Economic Form annual meeting in Davos, and to facilitate a global meet up with Insight22 and world-leading People Analytics professionals in Amsterdam. We constantly learn from our global partners and peers and are proud to see our work having an impact, and our voice being heard, on this level. We’re aiming for the moon in 2021.

What was your biggest challenge when you started your business?

I co-founded Gapsquare because I saw a market opportunity and knew that we could offer a real solution. Sometimes the market needs a little help preparing for a new way of doing things. It takes grit to turn the market around and enable individuals to embrace change and prepare for a better, fairer future.

What would you do differently if you started now?

Everything that we’ve done has been a learning process and a journey of self-discovery. There are lots of things that I would have moved faster on and lots of processes that I wouldn’t have taken so much time over but these things taught me and my team a great deal.

I think we’re stronger now because we know when to act and when to park a piece of work that’s not going to pay off for our customers and the wider community.

Does your original business plan reflect where you are now?

The beauty of working in a small team is the dynamism it affords us. Gapsquare have always worked quickly and run with ideas, and that is a way of working which suits us. This means that our direction shifts based on what our clients tell us they need, based on the wider context, based on demand – but our fundamentals have, and always will, remain the same. 

We are still passionate about bringing together tech and data to create a fairer world of work. We have expanded and adjusted as legislation and demand has changed, for example by building executive pay functionality into our tool, and working in new parts of the world, like New Zealand recently.

What’s your vision for the next 12 months?

We will continue to empower businesses to build equality into everything they do. We will help them support their employees. We will encourage them to use the current crisis as an opportunity to rethink and reshape workplace inequality, and to emerge in 3, 6 or 12 months more resilient and more equal.

Who motivates you the most to do what you do?

My team and the other women who I work and collaborate with – many of whom have been on the journey since the beginning. They have not only thrown themselves into the work and the cause, but they have also been incredibly adaptive and quick to learn.

Can you recommend any useful tools/networks /services to someone looking to start a technology business?

SETsquare’s Women’s Founders’ Network is a fantastic forum which utilises the collective power and knowledge of female tech founders from the South West. It’s an essential network for any women looking to start a technology business. The London Mayor’s International Business Programme is great as well.

What’s the one event you make sure you attend every single year?

We love the Sparkies, run by the amazing TechSpark. It’s an inspiring event which celebrates the best people, products and companies in the South West tech sector. We always enjoy feeling inspired by the incredible work which is going on around us, and are so happy to be part of this network and this community.

Can you give one top tip for effective networking at events?

Be prepared: I always make sure to go in with an idea of who I want to talk to and what I want to talk to them about.

In your opinion, what’s the number one thing founders need to look out for when growing a business?

Great talent – it’s essential to seek out talented individuals, collaborators, and partners, and to hang onto them.  But you must also challenge how you’re finding this talent, and how you’re measuring talent. It’s about seeking out great talent in a fair and unbiased way.

In our sector, who is the next big game-changer coming through?

We think The Social Detail are one to watch. They are a social media marketing agency who deliver effective online media strategy, management and training, with a big focus on diversity and inclusion.

Thanks Zara! Where shall we go to find out more about you?

You can find out more on our
website: Gapsquare.com
Twitter: @gapsquare
Linkedin: /Gapsquare