Five minutes with: Zara Paul

You are the co-founder of web-based artificial intelligence video editing platform Choppity. What inspired you to found the business, and what services does it provide?

Traditional video editors are overly complex, while modern tools lack scalability. Content creators, marketers and businesses still rely on software like Premiere Pro for even simple tasks – editing a 30-second TikTok with movie-grade tools is overkill. Inspired by Canva and Figma’s impact on design, we built Choppity, an automated video editor that streamlines advertising, marketing, sales and training video creation. Choppity edits videos for you, making professional-quality content fast and effortlessly.

You are married to your business partner Aaron Morris. How does your personal relationship affect your work dynamic? Are there moments when your roles overlap, and how do you navigate any conflict that may arise?

Our work dynamic shapes our relationship. I mentioned on Dragons’ Den that we had set a rule during our anniversary dinner to not talk about work – and it was nearly impossible to follow. We love what we do, and working together has strengthened our communication. That said, there are tricky moments, like deciding whether to approach Aaron as a spouse or a chief executive. If he’s been working for 20 hours straight and there’s an urgent email, do I bring it to him or let him sleep?

As you allude, you recently appeared on BBC show Dragons’ Den, wherein Peter Jones tabled a £100,000 investment offer. However, as can happen with the programme, you subsequently chose not to pursue the financial proposal. What were the factors behind your decision, and what does it say about your long-term vision for the firm?

We were thrilled about the opportunity to work with Peter. After the pitch, he shared our excitement, talking about introductions and office visits. It felt like the beginning of something big – we even started imagining ourselves as his protégés. But in the weeks after filming, we heard nothing. Anxiety grew as our advisors highlighted the challenges of the proposed deal (15 per cent equity for £100,000, with an option to buy back 2.5 per cent for £100,000), which would have made future fundraising difficult. When Peter’s investment manager finally reached out, we were still hopeful. But it soon became clear his enthusiasm didn’t match that of Peter. We would have been just another portfolio company, not the hands-on mentorship we had envisioned. Communication faded on both sides, and eventually his manager assumed we no longer wanted to proceed. We apologised for the lapse but acknowledged the deal no longer made sense for us. It was disappointing; Peter would have been the perfect investor, if he had also invested his time and energy. As we said on the show, we were after the people, not just the money. Our vision remains unchanged: we want Choppity in every business, every marketer using it regularly and to transform how business videos are created.

In addition to Peter Jones, other Dragons – including County Durham’s Sara Davies – expressed significant interest in Choppity. Has the validation of such recognised entrepreneurs boosted your confidence, and has it influenced your strategy and decision- making?

The Dragons are ruthless, so to have received three offers was incredibly validating. The best outcome of the show was that they recognised us as strong entrepreneurs, despite Touker Suleyman and Sara admitting to not fully understanding the industry that we’re in. It’s made us more determined than ever to succeed and prove their trust in us was right.

What are your future plans for Choppity? Are there any specific goals you’re keen to achieve over the coming years?

We want Choppity to be used by every business and creator for their social media and marketing videos. Our goal is for Choppity to be synonymous with Canva in the video space.

www.choppity.com