Diversity and inclusion are important topics for any startup and it’s not an exception here at Gigapay! We celebrate diversity by having 4 women, and 7 different nationalities represented in our 9 person team. This is important because it helps us to think differently when approaching an important topic, like the future of work.
Today since it’s international women’s day, we would like to introduce you to the women in our team! We asked them the same questions to help you to get to know them a bit better.
First up, is Raiha:
We hear you’re a kiwi. What do you miss the most from New Zealand?
Well, firstly my family! I have three sisters and one brother, two nephews and one niece. All of them live within 20 minutes of my parents, so I am the only one that decided to literally live on the other side of the world. Besides them, it would have to be fejoas. They are a special fruit, from the guava family that are in season now and I am dead jealous when I see my family posting pics of them online. My parents have two big fejoa trees in their backyard, and if I were there right now I would be raiding those trees.
What do you do at Gigapay?
I’m the CEO at Gigapay, and to me besides making sure that we’re hitting to target and going in the right direction, being a CEO is being a cheerleader for the amazing people in the company. Helping them to be their best selves, so they can do great things.
Why do you love working at Gigapay?
Covid has left a lot of people without jobs, so more people are moving to task-based work, and even before Covid the gig economy was exploding. There are new businesses being created everyday within the space, and one of the biggest hassles when building their operations is how they’re going to pay their workers in a compliant manner. That’s when a solution like ours, that’s so easy to integrate, is really important for these business owners. On the other side, I think there’s a lot that needs to be done to improve the working lives for Giggers, and by having something as basic having tax, insurance and pensions covered really makes strides in the right direction! Besides this, I would definitely have to say it’s the team. They’re really passionate about what they do and we have a lot of fun, so it makes every day a delight.
Why do you think diversity is important?
If people with the same education, similar upbringing, ethnic and gender make-up look at the same problem, chances are that they’re going to solve the issue with a very similar approach. Diversity is important as it disrupts the way a group of people think, and can lead to greater creativity and improved problem solving. At the core, this is why I think it’s important, especially when building a startup.
What is one little known fact about you?
One little known fact about me, is that I am a trained classical musician. I started playing the violin when I was 2.5 years old, and also studied performance music at university. One of my favorite memories in life was competing in a local chamber music competition, playing Shostakovich’s piano trio no.2 in E minor. I hardly play anymore but the discipline and perseverance that I learnt from these early years is something that I’ve leaned on when building my career.
Next we have our amazing CCO Andrea:
Andrea, we hear that you come from Spain! What do you miss the most from your home country?
Definitely the sun! Especially at this time of the year in Sweden.
Why do you love working at Gigapay?
I feel I am part of the inevitable change that is affecting "the future of work". I get that feeling every time I talk to a client and it makes me happy to solve a big problem a lot of Gig & marketplaces face while we make the lives of giggers easier.
What do you do as CCO at Gigapay?
I am involved in everything related to sales but being a start up I end up helping other departments which help me nurture my knowledge on new laws and regulations that affect our clients and the gig economy in general.
Why do you think diversity is important?
I am a massive believer in diversity but I also believe you should be recognised and rewarded for your work and not for your gender. Having said that, I believe it is key to have a good balance of men and women as part of your workforce, as we are all good at different things. The best teams are those who complement each other well, which is one of the secrets of Gigapay's success!
What is a little known fact about you?
I am a social media & digital marketing enthusiast/nerd, and I built a 20K followers account on Instagram during 2019 which I have lots of fun with in my free time.
We’re really lucky to have Gaon, our frontend engineer on the team!
Gaon, so you’re from South Korea! Besides K.pop what do you miss the most from your home country?
It would definitely be convenience stores where you can buy beer anytime :) In that way, Sweden can be pretty limiting with the state-run alcohol company.
What do you do at Gigapay?
I work as a frontend engineer at Gigapay, and spend most time pondering how to implement better design and user experience for Gigapay users.
Why do you love working at Gigapay?
1. Great company mission to help everyone in 'gig world' be happier
2. Exceptionally talented and open minded colleagues
Why do you think diversity is important?
Because I believe diversity leads things to move forward further, broader and eventually better.
What is a little known fact about you?
I have an alter ego, very much dictator in Animal Crossing, it’s just a game… 😈
Last we have Julia, who is working on the commercial side of our team!
Julia, we hear you come from the mega city Sao Paulo in Brazil. What do you miss the most about your home country?
I miss having my family and friends nearby, of course. But also the great weather and amazing food!
Why do you love working at Gigapay?
I am fascinated by how work affects our society and the changes it had over time. Being a part of building the future of work with such an amazing team is really exciting!
What do you do at Gigapay?
My activities are quite broad – which I love! I am currently supporting the seed round and the Gigapod, but I also helped with lead generation and content creation.
Why do you think diversity is important?
So many reasons! It boosts creativity, helps generate different perspectives which is essential to a successful fintech and gives me the feeling of being connected and supported – a few of the many advantages of Gigapay!
What is a little known fact about you?
I was a gymnast for 8 years in Brazil. And I love adventure sports, like skydiving and bungee jump! I guess you could call me an adrenaline junkie.
.png)