S13 Ep2: From Counter-Trafficking to World Leading Voice on Gender Equality: Dr Zara Nanu MBE

Dr Zara Nanu MBE grew up in Moldova and she thought she’d work in education - however her path took her more towards social justice. But then she discovered something she knew she had to change.   She learned that while predictions show we’ll be driving driverless cars in just a few decades, it will take more than 217 years to close the Gender Pay Gap.   Zara knew she had to do something about this – I’ll let her tell you what, but it meant she entered the world of tech - which she said she knew nothing about. And as with all Next Chapters there were many ups and many downs. She pitched to investors more than 100 times and didn’t raise a single penny and on top of this she was mistaken for a waitress at some of these events. But Zara carried on and today her work is helping women all over the world. She’s now one of the leading voices in the world about gender equality, she’s been awarded an MBE and she sits on the Women’s Leadership board at Harvard University.     If there was ever anyone, I’d feel intimated by doing my first live event it would be Zara. But this couldn’t be further from the truth. She’s humble, open and so honest. We talk about her own imposter syndrome (especially when she’s at the Harvard Leadership Board next to Emmy winners), the importance of keeping going and how she’s dealt time and time again with knockbacks. Zara believes if we really open ourselves to our possibilities and the power we all have inside of us - anything is possible and we really all can create the change we need.   For more about Dr Zara Nanu MBE: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zara-nanu/?originalSubdomain=uk   To learn more about our wonderful hosts Setsquared and The Engine Shed you can find them here:  https://www.setsquared.co.uk/   https://engine-shed.co.uk/