Inspiring a New Era: Melissa Gauge's Award-Winning Strategy for a More Inclusive Workforce Melissa Gauge, founder of SpareMyTime, aims to disrupt the traditional staffing model by encouraging employers to enable their team members to embrace meaningful careers despite their personal circumstances.

In an interview with Entrepreneur UK, Melissa Gauge, the visionary behind SpareMyTime, the UK's fastest-growing virtual assistant agency, shares her journey of redefining flexible work environments.

Hot on the heels of winning the Inspirational Woman of the Industry award at the Hustle Awards, a London based event that recognises the leaders and teams who have challenged the norm, Gauge discusses the challenges and triumphs of being a female founder, her role models, and her dedication to creating opportunities for those sidelined by traditional work structures.

Well done in winning the Inspirational Woman of the Industry award ! What does this award mean to you personally and professionally?

Winning the Inspirational Woman of the Industry award is an honor for which I am deeply grateful. Creating and growing a business is hard work and can be exhausting, so receiving this acknowledgement is incredibly rewarding. It's a moment to embrace the team and say thank you!

It inspires us to remain committed to our vision of employing those otherwise unable to commit to a classic 9-5 office culture - mothers, carers and neurodiverse individuals to name a few. We believe in a flexible, understanding environment which allows our team to blossom and retains their skills in the workforce, despite their unique constraints.

Professionally, it signifies that our innovative approach to staffing is making a significant impact and challenging the status quo. We believe that all businesses can benefit from an efficient staffing stack giving the opportunity to employ the skills you need, for the capacity you require, from skilled individuals.

- What inspired you to enter, and who were your role models along the way?

I always prefer to enter awards from hosts that I'm aware of, that are open for all to enter, with an affordable entry fee. It means the competition is fierce but I can't see the point in winning an award that is not accessible to all! As a result, the finalists in this award ceremony included many businesses I admire greatly.

I have so many role models, from all walks of life. I often meet people and find something incredibly inspiring that I want to adopt myself – when the Olympics were taking place in the summer, I found the mothers returning to elite sport are a complete inspiration. Their ability to put aside 'mum guilt' and take pride in being able to show their children the rewards of hard work and leadership is so uplifting. Other role models have included my former investment banking boss who was such a supporter of bright, determined women – something not entirely fashionable at the time! His belief in my potential has given me immense confidence over the years, especially during tough times. My dad has also been a significant influence. Having been deeply involved in venture capital, he has always been keenly interested in the people behind businesses as well as the numbers. Understanding that it is the individuals who drive innovation, passion and resilience within a company is key to our success.

What gap does Spare My Time fill, and how has being a female founder shaped your approach?

At SpareMyTime we recognise that so much talent is being excluded from the workplace due to the lack of understanding around those who cannot work a traditional 9-5. To us, flexibility means so much more than working part-time or working virtually, it's an attitude and an understanding around skills, works styles, personalities and individual needs. By being an aspirational employer, we've created an environment where our team can embrace meaningful careers despite their personal circumstances – this is often motherhood.

We also firmly believe that the traditional staffing model needs adaptation. Studies show employees are only productive about 60% of the time, which is inefficient. With an ongoing increase in focus on efficiencies and the rise of AI, we consider each of our clients' requirements as a staffing stack - just as you would a tech stack - strategically assembling a fractional workforce that maximises productivity and efficiency. Our team works seamlessly together to provide the right mix of capacity, skills, tech knowledge and experience to meet each business's specific needs across admin, marketing and finance. The key is that we make this process as easy and instant as possible for our clients, with seamless flexibility around key areas: skills, capacity, experience and personality. The ability to effortlessly change the scope of your support is priceless.

As a female founder I've inevitably encountered headwinds throughout my career, particularly having worked for a long time in a male dominated environment. However, I've also seen that if you're good enough, robust enough and work hard enough, you can succeed. The female founder community is unique in its ability to embrace others' success, support one another, to empathise, multitask and lead with emotional intelligence. It's an amazing community to be part of and I feel all these advantages put us in a wonderful position to create inclusive and innovative workplaces.

How do you advocate for and support other woman in your industry?

I'm a true believer in karma – what you put in is what you get out. As such, I strive to act how I'd like my team to act, standing up for those who need our support or a little more understanding in their work life. I firmly believe that inclusivity, fairness and understanding in the workplace are essential to every business. Feeling that your voice is heard and valued goes a long way toward supporting mental health, happiness at work, productivity and loyalty. Our reputation as advocates for mothers in the workplace is spreading and we are fortunate to reap the rewards with a healthy pipeline of applications from those who want to join the team – crucial for a staffing business!

I also feel strongly about honesty in all that I do. I am determined to be honest about my experiences as a founder and a working mother. Being a working mum is hard but that does not make success impossible. Through our social media channels, articles and public speaking, we share our learnings with others, providing a platform and community for those looking to start and grow their businesses and those looking to embrace work alongside motherhood.

Opportunities have never been more available to women and neurodiverse individuals - another key area of interest for me - and this makes me excited for our future. However, I believe balance is key. We all matter, no matter who we are. By fostering a culture of understanding, support and inclusivity, I aim to inspire and uplift others, whoever they may be, to achieve their full potential.

What advice would you give to aspiring woman entrepreneurs looking to make their mark?

Just keep going. Often, it's the last person standing who is successful. It's easy to think others have a magic ingredient, but usually, it's just hard work!

What legacy do you hope to leave for future generations of woman in your industry?

I've never thought much about leaving a legacy, perhaps because I'm still deeply entrenched in the here and now with SpareMyTime! However, my goal is to show that women can be successful by leading with empathy, fairness and strength. I aim to inspire others to believe in their potential, embrace their abilities and to understand that we all have the power to make positive change—whatever that change may be. I want my daughter and son to never encounter the term 'mum guilt' and to recognise that working as a parent is empowering. It gives us the opportunity to encourage our children to embrace skills such as acceptance of others, hard work and leadership. I'd love to encourage all women to believe in the power of choice—whether they work or not—they can still form meaningful and effective relationships and positively influence the world around them.