"You can grow your ideas here." — How (and why) to get a job at GeoComply

Earlier this year, Anna Sainsbury moved forward. She hadn’t ventured far — the founding CEO of GeoComply had moved to the role of chairman at the company — yet it was an advancement all the same. That got us thinking about the gravitational pull of sticking so long with the company: What makes the day-to-day of working at GeoComply so appealing? So, we reached out to Sainsbury for her insights. Here are the highlights from our conversation, as part of our How to get a job series.

This interview was condensed and lightly edited for clarity.

James Matthews: Where did the idea for GeoComply come from?

Anna Sainsbury: While consulting in Washington, D.C., I first encountered the following issue: How do you use technology to confirm someone's actual location when interacting online?

For the previous five years, I worked with legislators and regulators across the European and Australasian markets to ensure standards were set and complied with by online gaming industry operators. This allowed me to see from the ground level what markets would likely regulate online gaming next and what technologies would be needed to achieve these requirements. It was evident in 2011 that the U.S. was the next big market due to come online, yet iGaming in the U.S. posed some interesting challenges.

Transmission of gaming data between states was banned, so it was imperative to determine the accurate location of players. This wasn't easy, with tampering tools being used to mask people's locations. At this inflection point, I had the idea to create compliance-grade virtual fences, and GeoComply was born.

JM: In your role as CEO, how do you lead, or how do you set culture?

AS: From inside our organization, I see that we are all equal. Moreover, we depend on each and every one of our teams. We're all owners, meaning you can be accountable for your work and show your excellence. You can grow your ideas here. We also expect a deep sense of integrity on personal and collective levels.

We deliver and enhance our products by analyzing what the market needs to improve, what statistically would make our products better for our clients and the end user, and what end users are looking for to enhance their security and data protection. Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection, we can catch excellence.

JM: How would I go about joining the team?

AS: We keep all our current open roles up to date on our careers page. I urge you to go take a look and see if we're hiring in your area of expertise. I would also encourage anyone interested in GeoComply to reach out and connect on LinkedIn – there, you can get a sense of our vibrancy and identity as a company. Our recruitment team is always open to having coffee chats or intro calls. We love to connect with great people.

We're rapidly growing and continuing to add talent to our teams. We look forward to hearing from you!

JM: Does the team predominantly work remotely or in person?

AS: We've just moved to a brand new office space in downtown Vancouver. The team is enjoying this new work environment, and it has been great to have everyone back in the office. We value hybridity and flexibility, but I find you can't beat meeting in person, having lunch together, and seeing each other's faces each day. At GeoComply, we require our teams to be in the office for 70 percent of the work week, as we find this time together leads to excellent communication and provides the most effective learning environment.

JM: Macs or PCs? What about other workplace tools?

AS: It's a case of personal preference, with each employee deciding what they prefer to use. I am an Apple person through and through. Across the office, Apple tends to be the preference, but there are many Windows lovers here too. As for tools, Jira, Confluence, Slack, Zoom, and Grammarly are a few of the main ones we use daily.

JM: How are work hours managed?

AS: We take a pragmatic and flexible approach to completing our tasks while ensuring we meet all of our objectives and key results. We try our best to help employees integrate life and work in ways that benefit both.

JM: How does the work at GeoComply make an impact?

AS: We at GeoComply are a group of activists working to make the internet a safer, better, and more trustworthy place. Fraud and exploitation are enormous drains on society, yet far too often, they are issues that remain unaddressed. From undermining business revenues to fostering crime, we are long overdue for action against fraudsters online. Working at GeoComply is a purposeful experience: from our work on child protection to investing in communities via our IMPACT Division, we are genuinely committed to our values. It's a fantastic place for risk-takers, builders, and those looking for transformative growth. If this sounds like an environment you will thrive in, apply! You'll fit right in.

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