“I hope we start calling ourselves just entrepreneurs – so that the social elements and sustainability element just becomes a natural part of how we build.”
These are the words of Giselle Gonzales, who was among the winners of the Ignite UK student impact startup competition in 2024, and joined this year as a judge.
EqualReach is a platform that connects businesses looking for tech freelancers with high-skilled teams of tech professionals in refugee communities. The social enterprise handles contracts, payments and impact reporting, ensuring it offers dignified work and protects – rather than exploits – displaced communities.
EqualReach was formally launched two years ago but had been in the making for a decade. For much of her time after graduating, Gonzales worked in corporate jobs in large companies ranging from Amazon to Disney, while keeping some time to volunteer.
This led her to the refugee route from Syria to Germany as millions of people fled their war-torn country in 2015-2016. Gonzales was tasked by a small nonprofit with documenting the reality of the refugees’ journey. “That one experience really shaped the trajectory of the last 10 years,” she says.
I hope we start calling ourselves just entrepreneurs – so that the social elements and sustainability element just becomes a natural part of how we build
After completing a master’s degree researching the role of digital work among refugees, Gonzales eventually took the leap and left her comfortable, safe salary for social entrepreneurship. “I decided to do it because I realised I would regret it for the rest of my life if I knew that a model like [EqualReach] could change things for better, and I didn’t do anything about it.”
She describes the first few months navigating setting up the business, bootstrapping initial projects and the sense of achievement when she finally could hire EqualReach’s first employee. She had to deal with the fear of failure, too.
“No founder can build quietly… At some point you have to vocalise and talk loudly and proudly about what you’re building, or else no one will know. It’ll just stay a pitch deck on your computer.”
Since its inception, EqualReach has built a network of tech talent in refugee communities in 13 countries and has created 150 freelance contracts – typically lasting a few months each.
Listen to the podcast to hear Giselle speak about:
How a life-changing experience started the story of EqualReach
How she first established her social enterprise, from finding a name and deciding on the organisation’s legal form to measure impact
The dangers of thinking you can do everything and never ask for help
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