In celebration of Father’s Day, we are spotlighting our founder and CEO, Jared Pope. Jared is a father of two, whose entrepreneurial journey was molded by early lessons in hard work, a passion for helping others and goal of creating a safer workplace for generations to come.
Raised in a single parent home, Jared and his brothers were taught early about the importance of teamwork, as everyone pitched in financially to help the family stay afloat. From bussing tables and staining decks, to running his own lawn business and selling books, Jared took pride in helping any way he could, no matter how desirable the job. Jared attributes his work ethic to these experiences, recognizing that if he worked hard and controlled the things he could control, he could make an impact.
Upon graduation from Texas Christian University, Jared attended law school at Southern Methodist University where he developed an interest in benefits, ERISA and income tax law. He was intrigued by the processes surrounding business standards for employee benefits and felt this sector aligned perfectly with his longing to do work that would benefit others.
After starting his own law firm, Pope Legal Groupe, Jared’s entrepreneurial spirit began to grow as he gained valuable insight into the struggles of his clients with harassment at work. With this information, Jared recognized where workplaces were falling short and that change was necessary. Thus began a new venture: Work Shield.
Work Shield offered businesses and entities something previously unavailable: a platform for protecting employees by providing a safe space to report incidents of workplace harassment and misconduct. Jared had also begun a family of his own, and with two young children at home, he felt driven to do something that would invoke change in workplaces for generations.
“There is no greater gift than being a father and knowing that I bear responsibility for shaping my children’s beliefs, actions and values,” said Pope. “I hope my actions enable them to be proud of the work that Work Shield is doing to change workplace culture. I know someday soon they will be grown and navigating their own professional lives.”
Work Shield implements a third-party portal and reporting solution, giving employees a safe space to be heard and report harassment, while creating a workplace culture of respect, equity and inclusion by removing toxicity from organizations. Work Shield ensures that employees’ voices are heard without the fear of retaliation, in order to create a better and safer workplace culture for generations to come.
Pope continued, “We want employees to work for organizations that foster work environments in which they feel empowered to use their voices to speak up. And I want the same for my children. I want them to know the importance of speaking up, not just for themselves, but for others who are wronged or are unable to speak for themselves. My hope is that by the time my children begin their professional careers, workplaces will be much safer and inclusive spaces for them, and for all.”
Work Shield aims to create an inclusive, representative and equitable society for all. As a father, husband and CEO, Jared understands the positive impact Work Shield’s solutions can have on businesses and entities throughout communities to create a safer, more inclusive future for all. For more information on Work Shield, contact us here.
About Travis Foster
Travis heads up Work Shield’s legal department and is known to be something of a jack of all trades – he is an experienced entrepreneur, as well as an attorney with a mechanical engineering background who designed and managed projects in both the energy and public utilities industries. Travis also contributes his wealth of capital knowledge and growth strategies for businesses to the Work Shield team.
Follow him on LinkedIn.
