transparently

Why did you apply for the Female Founder Accelerator?

The structure of the Accelerator is appealing and works for me; being able to work through a different aspect of my business each week, with time to consider each section properly, alongside a mentor is inspiring.

Do you think there's a need for programmes like this for Female Founders?

Most definitely. There are many programmes out there but one that is able to support me, whilst allowing me to run my business, deserves my attention.

Why did you want to start your business?

I founded transparently as a direct result of my experiences as a private legal client. Where technology solutions were used they seemed to have been built for lawyers, to automate existing tasks; few of them changed the system and they did not address my needs as an individual. The cost of legal services is a significant barrier to accessing justice; the average person needs to work for two full days to pay for just one hour of solicitor time. I want to remove this barrier and enable people to access legal services cost effectively.

What are you looking to get out of this programme?

I am at something of an inflection point with the company now. We have built our prototype and are starting to get the first expressions of interest from law firms to support our beta test programme. This programme would provide immense support to me, looking at all aspects of the business from this new vantage point and supporting me to scale.

Which entrepreneur inspires you the most and why?

The story of Margaret E Knight inspires me the most. She was a true innovator and from the youngest age saw the opportunities for improvement in every day activities. One of her inventions was a machine that automated and enabled the mass-manufacture of the cutting, folding and gluing of paper, to form flat-bottomed paper bags. Her design has stood the test of time and is still in use today. What inspires me most about her story is that she overcame such adversity to do so.

Charles Annan, a machinist who visited the machine-shop where her model was being built, stole her design and patented it first!

When Margaret then attempted to patent her work, she discovered what Charles had done and was left with no option but to file suit against him. Charles argued that Margaret "could not possibly understand the mechanical complexities of such a machine”. Margaret persevered; presenting her evidence over a 16-day hearing. Her determination paid off; she won her case and received her patent in 1871.

What has been your biggest win in your entrepreneurial journey?

First investor, Microsoft partnership, first feature developed… it's difficult to differentiate between the importance of each “win”, as their significance was dependent upon the context at the time. Although its not our biggest win, its the most important to us now: we have signed up our first law firm to beta test our platform! Even with all of the research, it’s great to be able to demonstrate that people are interested in our product!

What has been your biggest challenge?

Our biggest challenge is right now; to move our product forward, to have it "accepted" by the industry and finding the right people who are willing to invest time and money to support the next stage of our journey.

Where did you go for business advice and how did it help you?

To date, business advice has been a mixture of working with my mentors (who I have met by networking and through Innovate UK) and working with my Legal & Commercial Advisory Boards. In addition to this transparently is supported by a group of investors, who have all achieved great success in their own right.

What drives you to make your business a success?

Having experienced first hand the difficulty of not always being able to afford full legal representation, but also knowing how valuable legal advice is, I am extremely passionate about finding a way to make legal services more affordable for people.

What advice would you give other founders thinking about starting their own business?

I love being a founder. It certainly is a rollercoaster; you will experience the highest of highs and the lowest of lows and no two days are ever the same. I have learnt so much; not just about different aspects to the business (such as sales, marketing, project management, design), but also about myself too.

At times it can feel overwhelming and sometimes you just have to have the courage to jump off the cliff edge and work out how to open the parachute on the way down, but I would never have had the opportunity to do learn about every aspect of a business in this way in a "normal" 9-5 job.

I believe that to survive this "game" you have to have resilience and an unwavering determination to keep going.