Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast The Purse Podcast

Abby Davisson is an award-winning Fortune 200 leader-turned-author and entrepreneur. Prior to founding the Money and Love Institute, her social impact career included nearly a decade at global retailer Gap Inc., where she served as president of the Gap Foundation and co-founded the company’s employee resource group for working parents.

Abby’s prior professional experience includes strategy-focused roles across the public, private, and non-profit sectors, as well as a stint (alongside her day job) as an alumni career advisor and coach at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business.

Abby holds a BA from Yale University and an MBA and MA in Education from Stanford University.

We cover the following in our conversation:

02:37 Why focus on money and love?

08:09 A lesson learned the hard way

10:46 Why decisions feel zero sum

12:57 Clarity and the "Five Cs"

16:41 Scenario 1: choosing a mate

23:09 Scenario 2: family and career

34:54 Scenario 3: breakup or divorce

39:02 Courage and better communication

44:46 Final advice.

****

Shaz Bishop is a wealth manager at RBC Brewin Dolphin. With over 21 years of expertise in financial services, Shaz advises private clients on comprehensive wealth strategies, including tax-efficient investments, pension planning, inheritance tax mitigation, trusts, and international investments.

Her holistic approach empowers individuals and families to navigate complex financial landscapes with confidence.

Beyond her advisory role, Shaz is a dedicated advocate for financial literacy and women’s empowerment in wealth management.

As a mother to two young daughters, she champions diversity and inclusion in the industry, striving to create a future where equitable representation is the norm.

She’s passionate about educating underserved communities and breaking down barriers to financial access, ensuring the next generation inherits a more inclusive financial ecosystem.

We cover the following in our conversation:

02:22 Money origins story

03:24 Cash ISA changes explained

05:04 Women and investing shift

08:05 Retirement barriers for women

10:37 Choosing the right adviser

11:45 One size policy limits

13:50 Cashflow planning tool

15:18 Risk and advice framing

17:57 Reviews and life events

18:59 Family planning and pensions

22:37 Measuring success beyond markets

24:02 Industry gaps and wealth transfer

26:54 Closing

***

Kirsty Gibson is an Investment Manager in the US Equity Growth Team and has been a portfolio decision maker since 2016. She joined Baillie Gifford in 2012 and became a partner in 2025. Prior to joining the US Equity Growth Team, Kirsty also spent several years in the small and large-cap global equities departments. She graduated MA (Hons) in Economics in 2011 and MSc in Carbon Management in 2012, both from the University of Edinburgh.

We cover the following in our conversation:

01:57 Kirsty’s path to investing

04:49 Why culture matters in growth

06:52 Foundational vs created culture

09:27 When founders return

11:47 Architecting culture on purpose

14:49 Shopify’s AI pivot

19:06 Stripe’s culture in execution

20:47 Acquiring Bridge and the opportunity in stablecoins

22:38 AI shockwaves and market panic

29:31 What winners look like by 2030

31:34 Final takeaways.

See: "The cultural architects: how great founders shape exceptional companies in changing times", written by Kirsty Gibson.

***

Amy Diehl, PhD, is an award-winning information technology leader, currently serving as Chief Information Officer at Wilson College in Chambersburg, PA. She is also a gender equity researcher and author of the new book Glass Walls: Shattering the Six Gender Bias Barriers Still Holding Women Back at Work. Her writing has appeared in numerous scholarly journal articles and book chapters as well as in Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, and Ms. Magazine. She is also a sought-after speaker, consultant, and lawsuit expert witness. Her passion is universal gender equality so that society and organisations can thrive and women can succeed.

We cover the following:

01:50 Defining gender bias

02:52 How gender bias affects money and power

05:15 Six barriers overview

06:11 Male privilege and constraints

07:20 Support and devaluation

08:36 Hostility (including female hostility)

13:35 Acquiescence and opting out

16:19 Business case and examples

21:00 Leadership accountability and ERGs

22:44 Measuring bias

24:44 Gender bias incident example

26:55 Don’t internalise gender bias

29:13 Build support networks

30:06 Toxic workplaces

33:15 Leaders must own change

34:03 Stories that wake up leaders

36:59 Male norms and work design

39:24 Allies taking action

40:45 LinkedIn as safe space

43:29 Kamala Harris double standards

48:21 Progress and hope.

***

Symmie Swil is the UK General Manager of Europe’s leading investment infrastructure provider, Upvest. With nearly twenty years of banking and fintech experience, Symmie is passionate about broadening access to investing. Symmie has previously held positions as Deputy Chief Operating Officer & Chief of Staff at Investec, and Head of SME Banking at Starling. 

We cover the following:

01:09 Symmie Swil: From banking to building investing infrastructure

02:41 What still holds women back from investing?

04:14 The gender wealth & gender pension gap explained.

07:41 What UpVest actually does (The ‘Stripe for investing’ behind the apps)

09:33 Fractional investing 101: Why lower minimums change everything

11:33 Trust in embedded investing: Transparency, security & regulation

12:53 UpVest’s UK expansion: The opportunity, the data, and responsible scaling

14:28 Five to ten year vision: Women designing the future of wealth tech

16:28 Final thoughts.

Simon Glass is the Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of Qodeo, a platform created to address the challenges he observed while working across the venture ecosystem. Qodeo matches venture and private equity investors with entrepreneurs, with a particular focus on founders from diverse, regional, and female communities.

Simon has previously worked at two UK venture capital firms, including Amadeus Capital Partners, the first backer of ARM Holdings. His broader career includes roles at EY in academia and media, at WPP as Deputy Chair of a publishing house, and in project finance where he supported Roy Hill, the world’s largest private iron ore mine, in raising $9 billion.

Simon has written for the Financial Times, holds a BA, MA, and MBA from the University of Cambridge, and completed training in corporate finance at London Business School.

We cover the following:

00:11 Meet Simon Glass: CEO of Qodeo

01:13 Exploring the venture ecosystem

02:35 Challenges for underrepresented founders

05:55 Platform: matching investors and entrepreneurs

14:05 Addressing unconscious bias in investing

19:32 Comparing UK and US startup ecosystems

28:40 Entrepreneurial boom in Europe

32:01 Cultural shifts in entrepreneurship

32:38 Moving the needle in who VCs invest in

36:58 Challenges with angel investors

49:28 Improving the startup funding ecosystem

53:43 Final thoughts.

***

For more information on Qodeo, see: https://qodeo.com/ 

***

Julie Angeles is an Investment Manager, Partner at Baillie Gifford. She has been a member of the International Growth Portfolio Construction Group since 2017.

She joined Baillie Gifford in 2008 and became a Partner in 2022. She previously worked as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company, advising firms in Denmark, Russia and Hungary. Julia obtained a BSc in 1999, an MSc in 2001 and a PhD in 2005 in Economics from the University of Aarhus, Denmark. She is fluent in Russian and Danish.

We cover the following:

00:56 AI and long horizon investing in healthcare

05:24 The evolution of Moderna and platform science

13:19 AI's impact on healthcare access and efficiency

21:45 The untapped potential of women's health

24:27 The need for more women in investing

24:59 The disparity in female health investment

25:29 Male allies in women's health

26:53 Gameto: revolutionising fertility

28:15 The science behind Gameto's innovations

29:42 Ethical considerations in biotech

31:14 The future of female longevity

31:45 Brain health: the next frontier

32:42 Progress in neurodegenerative disease research

36:21 The role of AI in healthcare

37:30 Addressing gender disparities in health research

42:13 The promise of personalised medicine

43:15 The future of human health: prevention and early detection

47:18 Final thoughts and optimism for the future.

Dr Victoria Bateman is an economic historian whose latest book is Economica: A Global History of Women, Wealth and Power.

Victoria has twenty years’ experience teaching macroeconomics and economic history at the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge and has spoken extensively on radio and television, including as resident economic historian for BBC Radio 4’s “Understand: The Economy".

In her spare time, Victoria also works as a historical consultant for period dramas, including The Forsytes (which is currently airing in the UK and comes to PBS America in 2026).

We covering the following:

00:11 Meet Dr. Victoria Bateman

02:20 Victoria's journey to feminist economics

05:08 The myth of male-dominated economic history

07:22 Women in economic history: key figures and contributions

10:11 The impact of excluding women from economic narratives

20:12 Historical examples of women in finance

26:26 Non-Western female economic pioneers

32:51 Modern financial systems and women

38:31 The backlash against women's economic progress

50:34 The importance of rewriting economic history

51:55 Final thoughts

***

Vicky Pryce is Chief Economic Adviser at the Centre for Economics and Business Research and Visiting Professor at King's College London.

She was previously Director General for Economics at the Department for Business Innovation and Skills and Joint head of the UK Government Economic Service. Vicky has held senior roles across the private sector, including senior managing director at FTI consulting, Partner and Chief Economist at KPMG, and Partner at London Economics, following earlier positions in banking and the energy sector.

She's also co-founder of Good Cooperation, a frequent media commentator, and the author of many books, including Women versus Capitalism. Her latest book, Mismanaged Decline, co-authored with Andy Ross, will be published by Biteback in November of 2025.

We cover the following:

01:16 Discussing 'Mismanaged Decline'

02:51 The UK's economic challenges

04:41 Policy missteps and industrial decline

07:09 Service sector and underinvestment

11:15 Industrial strategy and government role

16:26 Impact of Brexit and COVID

25:04 Honesty in economic policy

32:25 Regulatory developments in the UK and Europe

33:58 The role of UK leadership in crypto adoption

34:45 Concerns about crypto and global positioning

37:09 The politics of economic growth

39:20 Challenges in economic policy communication

50:11 The importance of gender inclusion in economic strategy

56:57 The need for long-term industrial strategy

01:00:12 Final thoughts on building a resilient economy

***

 Trish Costello is the Founder and CEO of Portfolia, a micro venture capital firm and investing community built to activate women's capital. Portfolia launches thematic funds designed by and for women from women's health to FinTech and sustainability, engaging accredited investors who seek both strong returns and meaningful impact.

Trish previously co-founded the Kauffman Fellows Program in 1994 where she created the first training programme for venture capital partners. And helps launch a new generation of investors.

We cover the following:

00:11 Meet Trish Costello: Founder of Portfolia

00:53 The birth of Portfolia: a new venture model

06:11 Portfolia's growth and achievements

07:22 Pioneering women's health investments

10:15 The impact and future of women's health innovation

14:07 The role of research and AI in women's health

22:41 Gameto: revolutionising fertility and longevity

28:48 Empowering women investors

29:22 Investment accessibility and inclusivity

30:18 Understanding venture capital returns

31:24 Innovative approach to venture funds

32:16 Engaging with Portfolio companies

35:37 Sourcing and evaluating deals

38:25 Collaborating with other funds

44:26 Scaling women's participation in VC

51:33 Future vision for Portfolia.

****

 Vicky Pryce is Chief Economic Advisor at the Centre for Economics and Business Research and Visiting Professor at King's College London.

She was previously Director General for Economics at the Department for Business Innovation and Skills and Joint head of the UK Government Economic Service. Vicky has held senior roles across the private sector, including senior managing director at FTI consulting, Partner and Chief Economist at KPMG, and Partner at London Economics, following earlier positions in banking and the energy sector.

She's also co-founder of Good Cooperation, a frequent media commentator, and the author of many books, including Women versus Capitalism. Her latest book, Mismanaged Decline, co-authored with Andy Ross, will be published by Biteback in November of 2025.

We cover the following:

01:15 Current state of the UK economy

02:28 Business confidence and investment

06:17 Employment trends and challenges

13:29 Impact of AI on productivity

19:57 Inflation and monetary policy

22:41 Domestic price issues in the UK

23:06 Energy costs and market structure

25:42 Trade, global headwinds, and tariffs

30:06 Pensions for growth

32:42 Autumn budget concerns

39:42 Risks and hopes for the UK economy.

***

Derek Shaw is Director of Entrepreneurship and Investment, where he leads the teams supporting Scotland's spinouts, startups, and scaling companies with wrap-around support and commercial investment. Under his leadership, Scottish Enterprise co-invests more than £50 million annually, making it Scotland’s most active early-stage investor, and the UK’s fourth largest by volume.

The portfolio includes around 330 high growth companies, valued at approximately half a billion pounds.

Alison Loveday is part of the extended management team and leads the National High Growth Entrepreneurship team. She focuses on ecosystem development, partnerships, and leadership programs for founders — including Pathways to Scale, a flagship initiative inspired by the 2023 Pathways Report, which supports female founders by upskilling leadership and investment readiness.

Together, they're helping to shape Scotland's innovation economy.

We cover the following:

00:11  Meet Derek Shaw and Alison Loveday

02:16  Overview of Scottish Enterprise

03:08 Scottish Enterprise's strategic missions

07:03 Supporting ambitious Scottish businesses

12:06  Collaborations and female founders

14:28  Challenges for deep tech companies

20:31  Case Study: ZOEX and Ash Penley

26:04 Working with universities and research centres

28:21  Metrics and measuring success

30:12  Supporting female founders

35:17  Lessons from recent successes

43:27 The future of Scotland's innovation economy.

****

 Lorine Pendleton is a seasoned venture capital investor and former media and entertainment lawyer with deep expertise across sports, media, entertainment, and technology.

In 2024, she launched 125 Ventures, a New York based VC fund, investing in women's sports, media and tech at the intersection of AI, data and the creator economy. Previously, a partner at Portfolia, she co-launched the Rising America Funds, top performing VC funds with net IRRs in the top 5% of their vintage, and has invested in more than 35 innovative companies as both an angel and VC.

We cover the following:

00:10 Meet Lorine Pendleton

02:17 Lessons from Prince: The power of ownership

04:59 Launching 125 Ventures

10:30 The solo GP Experience

15:01 Barriers in venture capital

24:20 Female founders and investment strategies

24:41 Unique perspectives of female investors

25:16 Learned experiences

27:27 Due diligence in investment

29:11 The rise of women's sports

30:40 Media rights and market growth

31:25 Challenges and opportunities in women's sports

33:31 The future of women's sports investment

37:48 Engaging with LPs and shifting capital

40:25 Encouraging women to invest

44:05 Final thoughts

***

 Ashley Penley is the founder and CEO of ZOEX, the UK's only female founded wave energy company. She transitioned from 15 years in offshore oil and gas complex installation projects to marine renewables, where she developed a modular wave energy converter that tackles the sector's biggest challenge, high cost.

She's also a mother of two, Zoe and Alex, and became a British national after moving to Scotland 25 years ago for her original oil and gas career.

We cover the following in our conversation:

00:11 Meet Ashley Penley

01:45 The challenges of wave energy

03:30 The 'Aha moment': Realising the gap in wave energy

05:29 Innovative solutions for wave energy

07:55 The business model and market potential

12:32 Designing ZOEX for real-world conditions

19:49 Partnerships and raising capital

23:02 Trials and commercial rollout in Turkey

25:22 Project setback and recovery

27:17 Validation and success

27:35 Global attention and future plans

28:30 Challenges and personal sacrifices

30:08 Company vision and funding

31:56 Navigating a male-dominated industry

33:29 Balancing family and career

37:12 Advice for entrepreneurs

***

Tiffany Irving joined Mesirow Wealth Management in 2021 and has 25 years of financial experience. She is a Senior Vice President, Wealth Adviser and a member of the Mesirow Inclusion Council. She provides comprehensive wealth management planning and advice to high-net-worth individuals, families and non-profit organisations.

Tiffany is a member of the National Association of Women Business Owners, and Legacy Partners, an association of the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago Foundation. She is a Board Member for the Caring Place and the Women’s Impact Fund for the Porter County Community Foundation. She is a frequent speaker on the WGN radio show “Your Money Matters.”

Tiffany earned her degree in Finance from DePaul University and her MBA from the University of Phoenix. She is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional, Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA®) and holds FINRA licenses.

We cover the following:

• 02:09 Tiffany's early money experience
• 03:28 Generational differences in financial perspectives
• 09:28 Financial literacy and confidence among women
• 11:39 Common misconceptions about women and money
• 17:01 Challenges in the financial services industry
• 23:01 The Great Wealth Transfer: are we ready?
• 25:13 The importance of high EQ in financial advisory
• 25:20 Building trust with female clients
• 26:18 Legacy planning and generational wealth
• 29:33 Values-based and impact investing
• 35:42 Female investment in female founders
• 43:05 Closing the gender wealth gap
• 47:15 Final thoughts

Heather Ettinger is the Founder and CEO of Luma Thrive, a boutique coaching and consulting firm dedicated to empowering women of wealth and purpose—and the advisers and institutions that serve them.

With over 35 years as a trailblazing adviser and former CEO in wealth management, Heather created Luma Thrive to redefine how women engage with their wealth through life visioning, values alignment, and legacy planning.

She is the author of the best-selling book Lumination: Shining a Light on a Woman’s Journey to Financial Wellness and a nationally recognised speaker and thought leader featured in The Wall Street Journal, Barron’s, and Bloomberg.

Her trademarked Lumination Process™ underpins transformative coaching, keynote speaking, and consulting programs that guide women in aligning resources with purpose, while helping institutions build stronger, more meaningful relationships with female clients.

A recipient of the “Women to Watch,” “Icons and Innovators,” Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Savvy Ladies Changemaker awards, Heather has also co-authored pioneering research on women of wealth.

She lives in Shaker Heights, Ohio, with her husband and is most proud of raising three community-minded children.

We cover the following:

01:53 Welcoming Heather Ettinger

03:34 Shifts in women's approach to investing

08:45 Challenges in the financial industry

17:35 Demographic and cultural trends

24:44 Women in business and career challenges

30:50 The impact of diversity in leadership

32:35 Financial planning for women: a holistic approach

37:11 Rethinking financial adviser incentives

41:12 The role of fintech in closing the gender investing gap

45:33 Women using capital for social impact

50:18 The influence of US administration on women's financial power

53:04 Final message to women.

***

Julie Perkins is an accomplished entrepreneur, business owner, purpose-led coach, and growth advocate. She founded Wyseminds after spending 20 years growing Specsavers Opticians in the Netherlands.

Through her experiences, both good and bad, she discovered the transformative power of a purpose-driven approach to business growth.

This insight inspired her to establish Wyseminds, a platform dedicated to empowering women entrepreneurs, helping them achieve growth with greater joy and freedom.

We cover the following:

• 00:00 Introduction

• 01:53 Julie’s career journey: From Specsavers to Wyseminds, cancer diagnosis, and finding purpose
• 04:15 Emotional journey: Loneliness, transition from corporate to founder, and the importance of mentorship
• 06:49 Passion to purpose: How founders can reconnect with their vision and values
• 11:12 Value-based recruitment: Building the right team and letting go of misaligned people
• 13:31 Lessons from Specsavers: Purpose-led growth, partnership, and culture
• 16:18 Funding and credibility: When to raise money, bootstrapping, and financial confidence
• 19:22 Stakeholder mapping: Communicating with family, friends, and supporters
• 22:24 Strategy vs. purpose: Diagnosing founder frustration and the importance of realignment
• 24:93 Letting go: The founder’s journey, growth, and the power of release
• 27:33 Mindset shifts: Freedom, release, and realigning with purpose
• 29:53 Personal energy & recovery: Routines, rest, and sustaining long-term entrepreneurship
• 43:33 Final advice: Vision, growth, guardrails, and support for female founders.

***

 Sam Smith is a trailblazing entrepreneur, board advisor, and is a passionate advocate for inclusive, purposeful business. Best known as the founding CEO of FinCap, the first female led stockbroking firm in the city, she led the business from a startup within JMFinn to a £50 million investment bank, supporting hundreds of growth companies along their scale and exit journeys.

Over 24 years, Sam built what became Cavendish Financial on principles she still champions today: empathetic leadership, inclusive culture, and high impact governance.

Her bestselling book, the Secret Source, captures the mindset behind super scaling, empowering talent while staying true to purpose. It's no surprise that one of her favourite reads is Grit by Angela Duckworth, a philosophy she's lived by through every deal, boardroom and pivot points.

She now holds multiple NED roles across a range of sectors. In 2023, she co-founded The SuperScalers alongside Rosaleen Blair, CBE, and Ollie Barrett, MBE, a global community on a mission to help underrepresented founders grow from £1 million to £50 million+ in revenue. By connecting high potential entrepreneurs with those who've already scaled, The SuperScalers is shifting the narrative of who gets to build big.

Sam is also a committed voice for equity in entrepreneurship. She's advised the UK Government's Taskforce for women-led high growth businesses, contributes to the Scale Up Institute's work on female-led scale-ups, sits on the Everywoman advisory board and is a patron of the Entrepreneurs Network.

She's currently campaigning to integrate entrepreneurship into the school curriculum, giving every young person, regardless of background, the tools to shape their own future.

This podcast interview was recorded on 18 June, 2025.

We cover the following:

• 00:11  Meet Sam Smith

• 02:33 The UK scale-up story for women
• 03:18  Challenges and opportunities for female founders
• 04:44 The importance of community and the ecosystem
• 04:57 Leadership styles and cultural shifts
• 05:51  Blind spots
• 08:31  Funding and capital issues
• 11:02  The role of government
• 17:09  Inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem
• 26:33 The power of community
• 29:38 Building an inclusive innovation ecosystem
• 29:55 Challenges faced by female founders
• 30:29 A new financial system for women
• 31:12  The importance of inclusion in entrepreneurship

• 34:27 The potential of the UK in the global market
• 38:03 The need for a coordinated entrepreneurial ecosystem
• 40:41  Future vision for the UK scale-up ecosystem
• 42:49 The importance of education in entrepreneurship
• 51:44  Action plan for supporting female founders
• 56:06 Final thoughts.

***

Vicky Pryce is Chief Economic Adviser and a board member at the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR), and one of the UK’s most respected voices on economic policy and reform.

She was previously Joint Head of the UK Government Economic Service, Director General for Economics at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), and Senior Managing Director at FTI Consulting. Earlier in her career, she held senior economic roles in banking, the oil sector, and was a Partner at KPMG.

Vicky is a Fellow of the UK Academy of Social Sciences and the Society of Professional Economists, and sits on several advisory boards, including the Economic Advisory Group of the British Chambers of Commerce and the central banking think tank OMFIF. She is also a Patron of Pro-Bono Economics and Working Chance.

She is the author of several influential books, including "Women vs Capitalism", "Greekonomics", and "Why Women Need Quotas", and is a frequent contributor to media and public debates on the economy and gender equality.

We cover the following:

00:52 UK Economy: growth and contraction

04:15 Inflation and interest rates

07:42 Unemployment and labour market pressures

12:43 Tax reform and wealth flight

18:07 Spending review and defence budget

24:37 Economic challenges and future outlook

32:45 Challenges of an aging workforce

34:46 Government's role in workforce adaptation

36:26 Corporate strategies for inclusivity

42:28 HR's role in modern workplaces

43:41 Government R&D: how women-led ventures and SMEs can access this

48:33 Trade and energy security

55:34 UK: economic threats and optimism

*The interview was recorded Friday, 13 June*

***

Melissa Cheong is a Managing Partner of Blackhorn Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm focused on catalysing and scaling industrial resource efficiency investment opportunities. In this role, she balances her time between managing the firm’s strategic goals, partnering, and working with talented and inspiring portfolio company founders, and developing the firm’s investment strategy for current and future funds.

Melissa has over 20 years of industry experience, with her most recent roles focused on a range of sustainable investment opportunities. Prior to

Blackhorn, Melissa was Chief Investment Officer at ZOMA Capital, the private family office of Ben and Lucy Ana Walton, and held various positions at Treehouse Investments, Imprint Capital (now Goldman Sachs-Imprint), Plainfield Asset Management and Deutsche Bank. Melissa holds a BA in Political Science from the University of Chicago and received an MBA from Columbia Business School, with a concentration in Finance and International Development.

We cover the following:

00:10 Meet Melissa Cheong: A journey in venture capital

02:33 Melissa's investment philosophy and career Insights

05:40 The role of family offices in sustainable Investment

07:51 Understanding risk and building effective teams

11:26 Blackhorn Ventures: focus on resource efficiency

15:05 AI and digital infrastructure in heavy industry

17:43 Current market challenges and opportunities

26:34 Supporting portfolio companies and success stories

31:08 Gender diversity in venture capital

45:42 Engaging more women LPs in venture

52:49 Closing comments

Cary Carbonaro is an award-winning Certified Financial Planner™ professional with over 25 years of experience, and currently serves as Managing Wealth Advisor and Women and Wealth Ambassador for Ashton Thomas. She leads a multi-million dollar financial planning practice, specialising in empowering women to overcome financial challenges and increase their financial literacy.

Cary is the author of the bestselling book The Money Queen’s Guide: For Women Who Want to Build Wealth and Banish Fear,  Morgan James, Oct 2015. Cary’s second book.  Women and Wealth: A Playbook To Empower Clients and Unlock Their Fortune,  published by Wiley April 29, 2025.  

She serves as a CFP® Board Ambassador, representing the financial industry in the media, and has been honored six times on Investopedia’s Top 100 Financial Advisors list. In 2016, she was awarded the prestigious Investment News Women to Watch recognition. In 2024, Cary was appointed as the sole female member of the Nasdaq Advisor Council.

We cover the following:

00:13 Meet Cary Carbonaro: Financial expert and author

02:13 Cary's journey into wealth management

03:48 Empowering women through financial literacy

05:20 Challenges faced by women in finance

06:39 Cary's professional setbacks and resilience

08:19 The financial industry's gender bias

13:12 Misconceptions about women and money

18:10 The rise of female breadwinners

21:03 The Great Wealth Transfer

22:55 The future of financial services for women

24:43 Core principles of female-centric financial advice

25:48 The importance of female leadership in finance

26:27 Challenges and opportunities for women in the industry

30:29 Emotional ties and financial decisions

38:50 Women investing in women entrepreneurs

42:48 Rebuilding the financial system for women

***

Anthony Fernandez stands at the forefront of the evolving cryptocurrency landscape as the Head of Business Development and Sales at ICONOMI, an FCA-registered digital asset portfolio management firm. With a rich background in asset management, foreign exchange, and cryptocurrency mining & trading, Anthony has become a leading authority in blockchain technology, including DeFi, derivatives trading, and cross-chain solutions.

With over 8 years in fintech and wealth management, Anthony has transitioned into the alternative investment space, specialising in Bitcoin and various digital assets.

Before his role at ICONOMI, he honed his expertise leading a Bitcoin mining team, helping both professional and retail investors to earn passive income.

A sought-after speaker, Anthony illuminates financial seminars with his deep understanding of macroeconomics and the crypto ecosystem. His practical insights guide investors through the intricacies of blockchain investments and the ever-changing digital economy.

00:12 Meet Anthony Fernandez: crypto expert

02:14 Anthony's journey into the industry

04:15 Defining digital assets and ICONOMI's role

05:49 The macroeconomic climate

10:19 US administration's impact on digital assets

13:19 Business adoption and why it matters

16:26 Bitcoin as a hedge against currency debasement

19:50 Institutional approach to crypto

25:12 Women in crypto: opportunities

27:39 How a business start engaging in digital assets

Marcia Dawood is an early-stage investor who serves as the vice-chair on the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Small Business Capital Formation Advisory Committee. She is a venture partner with Mindshift Capital, a member of Golden Seeds, and the chair emeritus of the Angel Capital Association (ACA), a global professional society for angel investors.

She is the author of the award-winning book 'Do Good While Doing Well, Invest for Change, Reap Financial Rewards, and Increase Your Happiness'. She is also an associate producer on the award-winning documentary 'Show Her the Money'.

A TEDx speaker and the host of the award-winning Angel Next Door podcast, Marcia walks the talk and holds investments in over fifty early-stage companies and funds. She is committed to expanding support for diverse companies that overcome the world’s biggest problems and accelerate positive change. She is passionate about bridging the gap from early-stage inception to building thriving, profitable companies.

Previously, Marcia worked in sales, marketing, and operations for Kaplan Education for over sixteen years. She received an MBA from the University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School.

Marcia currently splits her time between New York City and North Carolina with her husband, Izzy, and she feels lucky to be the stepmom to three amazing sons.

We cover the following:

02:21 The evolution of angel investing

02:43 Investment strategies and diversification

04:01 Equity crowdfunding and philanthropic investments

07:46 Women in investing and healthcare

10:58 Evaluating deals and overcoming bias

14:56 Impact investing

19:49 Challenges and support for startups

22:31 Valuation, portfolio construction, and dilution

29:22 Exit strategies and economic conditions

34:03 The future of angel investing and alternative models

36:32 Encouraging more women to invest

38:18 Conclusion

Cate Quentin is a Partner and Wealth Manager at Tribe Impact Capital, the UK’s first dedicated Impact Wealth Manager. Cate’s client base of HNW individuals, families and charitable foundations is varied, but she has a particular focus on female wealth holders and inherited wealth. Cate strongly believes in the transformative power of money to achieve both financial returns and positive impact.  

Before joining Tribe, Cate spent seven years at Standard Bank Group where she managed the wealth of West African families and individuals and developed the Ghana wealth business from inception. Prior to Standard Bank, Cate worked in consultancy focussing on private sector development across Africa. Cate has an MSc in Development Studies from SOAS University and a PGCert in Philanthropy and Social Investment from Bayes Business School.

We cover the following:

00:10 Meet Cate Quentin: Partner & Wealth Manager at Tribe Impact Capital

02:06 Cate's journey to wealth management

05:24 The founding principles of Tribe Impact Capital

08:08 The gender Investment gap and female investors

14:26 Values-driven investing and impact investing

23:20 Defining sustainable investing and its performance

33:52 Separating the noise from long-term trends

34:24 Exploring asset classes in sustainable impact investment

34:59 Exciting developments in the debt space

36:42 Challenges and misconceptions in sustainable investing

42:50 Political and economic pushback on ESG & DEI

51:00 The future of sustainable investing

55:17 Encouraging female-led ventures and angel investing

59:57 The role of AI and fintech in wealth management

01:02:45 Final thoughts

***

Dr. Jelena Janjusevic is Associate Professor of Finance and Head of Accountancy, Economics and Finance at Edinburgh Business School, Heriot-Watt University Dubai. She teaches both Undergraduate and Postgraduate programmes in finance and economics. She has been a part of the University since 2017. In her 20-year-long working experience, Dr. Janjusevic has worked with government of Montenegro officials, municipalities, social partners, foreign government officials, and international institution representatives ie from the World Bank, IFC, EBRD, USAID, UNDP, CHF, EC.

Besides teaching, Dr. Janjusevic has strong managerial and research experience. She has previously been engaged with many different projects dealing with macroeconomics, sustainable development, and public administration capacity building (initiating several reforms in the energy sector, urban planning, financial, health, pension system, education system, investments, business environment, and legislation improvement).

We cover the following in our conversation:

01:40 Early experiences with money

02:17 The taboo of money and financial literacy

03:40 Understanding financial stress

06:23 Impact of the pandemic on financial stress

15:19 Women, financial stress, and caregiving

21:05 Seeking help for financial stress

33:28 Role of universities in financial literacy

36:52 Final thoughts

****

The Purse Ltd.

Elisabeth Prager began her career in life and pension and then moved into private banking. Subsequently she transitioned to a strategy consulting firm, and later freelanced for various philanthropic and multilateral agencies. 

Nitika Vyas began her career in investment banking, and then moved into a hedge fund, before becoming the COO of a broker. Alongside her career, her interest in psychology prompter her to pursue a counselling qualification. 

Together they have over 30 years experience in financial services and have seen first hand just how underserved women are when it comes to their personal finances. 

They co-founded Aila Money, a fintech startup on a mission to close the gender wealth gap. Aila helps women plan, learn and get ongoing guidance on their finances. The free solution leverages behavioural science, AI, and expert advice to empower women financially.

We cover the following:

00:16 Meet Elizabeth Prager and Nitika Vyas

02:13 Identifying problems in financial services

05:37 The decision to start Aila Money

08:32 Challenges in financial services for women

12:09 Gender stereotypes in finance

17:05 The importance of women investing

20:24 Common money mistakes women make

23:48 The role of societal norms

25:09 Encouraging financial engagement

25:41 Aila Money's approach to financial fitness

26:37 Trends in women's financial behaviours

28:40 The rise of single women

29:25 The Great Wealth Transfer

30:20 Emotional decisions with inherited wealth

32:50 Building Aila Money

35:42 Personalised financial journeys

42:26 Fundraising and future plans

45:50 Challenges for female founders

55:26 Advice for women: how to lean into investing

59:05 Conclusion

***

The Purse Ltd.

Priya Parrish is Partner and Chief Investment Officer at Impact Engine, an institutional venture capital and private equity investor driving positive impact in economic opportunity, environmental sustainability and health equity.

She is also an Adjunct Professor of Strategy and Impact Investor in Residence at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

Priya is the author of "The Little Book of Impact Investing" published by Wiley.

Prior to joining Impact Engine, Priya served as Chief Investment Officer at Schwartz Capital Group, a single-family office investing across global markets.

Previously, she was Strategy Head at Aurora Investment Management, a multibillion-dollar hedge fund, and managed development of investment products that incorporated environmental, social and governance factors (ESG) at Northern Trust Asset Management and KLD Research & Analytics.

Priya holds a B.S. in Business Management from Babson College and an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

We cover the following in our conversation:

00:10 Meet Priya Parrish: impact investing pioneer

02:19 Priya's journey into impact Investing

05:29 Understanding impact investing

08:55 Impact Engine: a women-led venture capital firm

11:12 The growing demand for impact investments

14:07 Women and millennials driving change

21:02 Defining and measuring impact

23:49 Understanding measurement in impact investing

23:56 Two schools of thought on measurement

24:49 Investor-focused measurement

26:07 Challenges in impact investing

27:52 Financial performance and impact

31:01 AI and impact investing

33:00 Tools and resources for measuring impact

33:55 Supporting early-stage impact companies

36:11 Challenges and risks in impact investing

38:44 Avoiding impact washing

39:48 The Little Book of Impact Investing

42:36 Supporting female investors in impact investing

44:29 Final thoughts.

***

The Purse Ltd.

Carla Hoppe is the founder and CEO of Wealthbrite, whose mission is to help businesses cultivate financially and commercially savvy talent. Wealthbrite was born out of Carla's understanding of the critical need to bridge the financial skills gap, especially among early-career professionals. Carla is a passionate advocate for greater financial literacy to help young people entering the workforce so they can go on to become economically secure.

With a diverse career spanning law and financial services at prestigious firms like PwC and EY, Carla brings a wealth of experience to her role as the founder of Wealthbrite. Her journey as a mixed heritage woman and first-generation professional who went on to have a successful career in finance has given her unique insights into the challenges faced by young professionals navigating the complex world of personal and business finance.

We cover the following in our conversation:

00:12 Meet Carla Hoppe: founder of Wealthbrite

02:07 Carla's journey from corporate to entrepreneurship

03:33 The importance of financial literacy

09:12 Challenges of financial literacy in the UK

13:00 Financial resilience and mental health

18:38 Addressing the financial gender gap

21:49 Inside Wealthbrite: mission and training programmes

26:35 The realities of starting a business

30:50 Fundraising success: Carla's journey

31:05 Navigating the pre-seed round

31:44 Choosing the right investors

33:16 Diversity in startup investing

33:44 Leveraging personal networks

36:19 Investor event strategy

37:56 Key lessons from fundraising

38:46 Challenges with traditional investors

40:00 Current investment climate

41:11 Finding the 'right tribe'

42:28 Encouraging female investors

47:31 Vision for Wealthbrite

50:27 Personal financial strategies

54:58 Policy changes for financial Literacy

58:25 Conclusion

****

Jem Stein is the founder of Daring Capital, an impact investor syndicate supporting early-stage, purpose-driven founders who strive to make the world a better place. Since launching in September 2023, Daring Capital has facilitated over £1.5 million in investments into purpose-driven founders from underrepresented backgrounds. 

Prior to founding Daring Capital, Jem established and led The Bike Project, a social enterprise providing bicycles to refugees across England. Under Jem's leadership, The Bike Project scaled to £2.5 million in annual revenue and garnered multiple awards, including Social Entrepreneur of the Year and the EU Social Innovation Prize.

With extensive experience in raising social investment, Jem also serves on the social investment committees of two major charitable trusts.

We cover the following:

00:13 Meet Jem Stein: founder of Daring Capital

01:43 The journey to Daring Capital

02:56 Understanding impact investing

04:57 Daring Capital's 'founder-first' approach

05:19 Defining and measuring impact

06:23 Challenges and successes in impact investing

21:51 Supporting female founders

34:33 The future of impact investing

41:30 Closing remarks

***

Barbara Huson, formerly known as Barbara Stanny, is the leading authority on women, wealth, and power. A bestselling author, financial therapist, wealth coach, and founder of The Wealth Connection, Barbara's mission is to help women build their wealth and assert their power, as a woman.

With a diverse resume—including, business woman, journalist, teacher, financial therapist, along with a Master's Degree in Counselling Psychology, Certification in Trauma Treatment, author of 7 books, and her personal experience with money, she’s guided millions to live up to their financial and personal potential.

Her proven process quickly reduces her clients overwhelm and fear while increasing their confidence and motivation to build wealth. As the author of 7 financial books for women, including titles such as Overcoming Under-earning, Secrets of Six Figure Women, and Rewire for Wealth, Barbara serves as a trusted expert in women’s financial empowerment.

We cover the following:

01:39 Welcoming Barbara Huson

01:49 Impact of 'Sacred Success'

04:07 Barbara's personal journey with money

05:32 The Course in Miracles

10:27 The four prongs of financial success

16:24 Women and power

18:37 Sharing ideas and giving credit

21:20 Barbara's impact on feminine wealth

21:44 The importance of inner peace

22:07 Healing emotional blocks for financial independence

22:55 The power of words and thoughts

23:51 Addressing repressed emotions and trauma

28:27 The journey from survival to affluence

30:13 Surrounding yourself with supportive people

34:29 Living in integrity with money and wealth

38:15 Creating a feminine face of power

41:45 Final thoughts.

***

To learn more about Barbara click here.

 Dan Bowyer is a Partner at SuperSeed VC based in London. He is a four times exited entrepreneur now investing in technical founders who are transforming how the world works.

We cover the following in our conversation:

01:21 Dan Bowyer's career

03:56 Challenges faced by founders

08:21 UK vs. US startup ecosystem

12:55 Government's role in supporting startups

17:25 The future of AI, blockchain & crypto

25:00 Female founders and investing in women

36:59 VC: tech innovation and impact

38:49 Conclusion

***

Dr Amy Diehl is an award-winning information technology leader and gender equity researcher who has authored numerous scholarly journal articles and book chapters. Her writing has also appeared in Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, and Ms. Magazine. Glass Walls is her first book. She is also a sought-after speaker, consultant, and lawsuit expert witness. She resides in a small town in Pennsylvania.

We cover the following in our conversation:

00:10 Meet Dr. Amy Diehl: gender equity advocate

01:50 Understanding gender bias

02:52 Impact of gender bias on women and money

05:15 The six gender bias barriers

06:11 Male privilege and disproportionate constraints

07:20 Insufficient support and devaluation

08:36 Hostility at work: manager sabotage

13:35 Acquiescence: internalising gender bias

15:26 The cost of gender bias in organisations

17:45 Victoria's Secret: a case study

21:14 The role of leadership in addressing gender bias

22:44 The gender bias scale: measuring and addressing bias

24:44 Personal experiences with gender bias

26:07 Understanding and identifying gender bias

28:47 Strategies for momen to combat gender bias

29:15 Building a support network

30:06 Considering alternatives in a toxic environment

33:15 The role of leaders in addressing gender bias

39:24 The importance of allies

43:29 Gender bias in politics: VP Kamala Harris

48:21 Concluding Thoughts

Hayley James is Senior Research Fellow in the Centre for Personal Financial Wellbeing at Aston Business School. Hayley’s research interests concern sociological perspectives on money, finance and value, and how they intersect with gender, ageing and the lifecourse.

We cover the following:

01:16 The importance of financial wellbeing

01:59 The asset economy and financial engagement

04:40 Gender and financial systems

05:50 Defining financial wellbeing

09:10 Subjective vs. objective financial wellbeing

11:54 Interdisciplinary approach to personal finance

19:07 Gender neutral to gender friendly finance

24:29 Challenges in retirement planning

26:20 Challenges of imagining later life

27:09 The Impact of financial literacy and support systems

31:30 Gender norms and financial decision making

35:42 Policy and financial education for women

39:41 The role of community in financial education

41:31 Implications of the recent UK budget

45:03 Future research in personal finance

46:21 Rethinking retirement

50:08 Conclusion and final thoughts

***

Vicky Pryce is Chief Economic Adviser and a board member at the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR). She was previously Senior Managing Director at FTI Consulting, Director General for Economics at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and Joint Head of the UK Government Economic Service.

Before that she was Partner at the accounting and consulting firm KPMG after senior economic positions in banking and the oil sector.

She has held a number of academic posts and is a Fellow and Council member of the UK Academy of Social Sciences, a Fellow of the Society of Professional Economists and a Companion of the British Academy of Management.

She was until recently on the Council of the Institute for Fiscal Studies and is a member of the Advisory Board of the central banking think-tank OMFIF and of the Economic Advisory Group of the British Chambers of Commerce.

She is also a Patron of the charities Pro-Bono Economics and Working Chance. Her books include: “Greekonomics:

The Euro crisis and Why Politicians Don't Get It”; “It's the Economy, Stupid- Economics for Voters”, with Ross and Urwin; “Redesigning Manufacturing”, with Nielsen and Beverland”; and “Why Women Need Quotas” and "Women vs Capitalism”, was published by Hurst in November 2019.

She is a frequent contributor to media broadcasts and debates on the economy and on the economic rationale for gender equality.

She is co-founder of GoodCorporation, a company set up to advise on corporate social responsibility, is a Freeman and Liveryman of the City of London, was the first female Master of the Worshipful Company of Management Consultants and has been sitting on the City’s Members Diversity Working Party.

We cover the following:

00:58 Overview of UK Budget and initial reactions

03:33 Post-budget market reactions and economic implications

06:37 Impact on businesses and investment

09:20 Technological advancements and productivity

12:54 Public services and long-term growth

22:07 Brexit and its ongoing impact

27:54 Training and apprenticeship levy

28:51 Diversity and inclusion in training

29:22 Supporting female founders

30:56 Investment in UK equities

34:52 Crypto, blockchain and CBDCs

44:47 Potential financial Shocks

48:38 Impact of US election on markets

51:28 Evaluating the success of the UK budget

52:42 Final thoughts.

***

Amy-Willard Cross is the founder of Gender Fair, the first consumer ratings system for gender equality which produces ratings on brands, colleges,  B2B vendors and nonprofits so people can align their dollars with their values of equality. She was named a Global Thinker by Foreign Policy for her work in “Economic Girl Power”. Cross was formerly an author, editor and writer, is the great-granddaughter of a suffragist and named for Frances Willard who supported unions, equal pay and regulation of business monopolies.

We cover the following:

• The Female Domestic Product (FDP)
• Women's growing financial influence
• How this is translating into broader social and political change for women
• The role women's focused investment vehicles play
• What strategies women can use to build and protect their wealth in today's economic climate.

***

Ayesha Ofori is the founder and CEO of Propelle, a pioneering investment platform designed to empower women to achieve financial independence.

As a former Executive Director and Private Wealth Adviser at Goldman Sachs, Ayesha personally managed over £500 million in client assets, working closely with ultra-high-net-worth individuals.

Motivated by a desire to bridge the gender investment gap and make investing more accessible to all women, Ayesha left her successful career in traditional finance to launch Propelle.

With an MBA from London Business School and a Master’s degree in Physics from Imperial College London, Ayesha combines deep financial expertise with a passion for helping women build wealth and securing their financial futures. To find out more, please visit https://propelle.io/

We cover the following in our conversation:

00:13 Meet Ayesha Ofori: From Goldman Sachs to Propelle

02:12 Ayesha's early money lessons

04:45 Women's relationship with money

09:52 The gender investment gap

16:05 How women think about investing

27:45 Challenges in financial services for women

34:24 Introducing Propelle: a female-focused investment platform

39:55 Fundraising challenges and successes

43:16 Understanding the gender gap in investment

43:42 Bootstrapping and early funding challenges

44:02 The impact of Google’s grant

44:23 Navigating the VC landscape

47:24 Building a strong team

52:17 The importance of advisors and mentors

57:49 Future roadmap and vision for Propelle

01:03 Encouraging women to invest

01:11  Final thoughts

***

Merryn Somerset Webb is a senior columnist for Bloomberg Opinion, covering personal finance and investment, and host of the Merryn Talks Money podcast. Previously, she was editor in chief of MoneyWeek. She published her second book, Share Power: How Ordinary People Can Change the Way That Capitalism Works - and Make Money Too.

We cover the following in the conversation:

• How have we become a nation of share owners and what does this give us the ability to do?
• What are the stats on the number of women who invest in the stock market? What has been the increase in/from 2020?
• Share Power: what is the main premise of your book?
• Should companies have a purpose and should they have a social responsibility?
• The fund industry: what role does it play in the markets and in representing the share owner?
• Are they doing a good job? How can we judge whether they are or not? 
• Women's wealth is growing. More women are investing in the stock market than ever before: what does this mean for businesses and institutional investors?
• What are the steps I need to take to become an active share owner in the companies I hold shares in?
• What are your final words to women investors who want to become much more active or activist even, in helping to build they world they want to see by voting with their money and exercising their vote?

Danish born Ida coined the term Femtech in 2016.
Ida Tin is the co-founder and former CEO and chairwoman, of Clue the most trusted female health app. Clue has more than 10m active users in over 190 countries.
Ida has been interviewed or featured in major media including The New York Times, New York Magazine, Forbes, Der Spiegel and Le Figaro. She was also a speaker at prestigious conferences such as TechCrunch Disrupt in San Francisco, LeWeb in Paris, Forbes Most Powerful Women in Montreal, Slush in Finland and many more.
Before starting Clue, Ida led motorcycle tours around the world for five years in the motorcycle touring company MotoMundo she cofounded with her dad Hjalte Tin. She guided tours in Mongolia, Cuba and Vietnam amongst other destinations.
Ida attended various art schools in South Africa and London, and graduated in 2004 from the progressive social entrepreneurship BA level business school The KaosPilots in Denmark. Ida currently lives in Berlin and has two children.
She is now working on a new book about Femtech and is an active voice in the Femtech space. She is running three series of Femtech courses, from June 2024.

We cover the following in our conversation:

00:11 Meet Ida Tin: the pioneer of femtech

02:02 Ida's childhood

05:01 The birth of Clue: a revolutionary femtech startup

07:20 Challenges and vision in femtech

10:22 Understanding femtech and its impact

14:51 Addressing the gender health gap

19:58 The importance of diversity and inclusion

27:24 The impact of gender in leadership

28:19 The rise of femtech

29:30 Flo Health

31:22 Ethical concerns in tech

32:54 The importance of diverse leadership

36:35 Building trust and transparency

45:14 Imagining a new system

49:29 Leadership and emotional intelligence

***

Ozge Dogan is the Founder of Karman Beyond, Türkiye’s first independent multi-family office – democratising wealth management for families.

Karman Beyond’s goal is to guide families – together with experts – to manage the unique potential of their wealth. Karman Beyond guides them to personalised, globally-minded solutions and go beyond traditional financial services, including risk management; tax and legal; governance and legacy planning; and lifestyle / concierge services.

As a next-generation family leader, Ozge founded Karman Beyond in response to her own family’s wealth management needs and the lack of a single, central, advisory solution. They seek to provide Türkiye’s families with the best access to the guidance and expertise they need – much like her own family originally required.

She is a strong believer in enacting positive social change, and is a Board Member at Yanındayız Derneği – a rights advocacy NGO promoting gender equality in Türkiye via the prism of universal human rights.

We cover the following in the conversation:

• The definition of wealth
• What is a family office?
• How has it evolved over the last 10 years?
• Generational wealth and the dynamics at play
• Female inheritors vs female founders
• The impact women and the next gen have on money decisions
• Succession planning
• Women and money

***

Marypat Thenell Smucker, CFA, MA Economics, MS Finance, is Co-Founder and Principal of Parallelle Finance. She has published a range of research pieces on sustainable and gender lens investing, including Parallelle’s in-depth quarterly reports on sustainable investing and women in the global workplace. Her work has been featured on the CFA Institute's Enterprising Investor site. She has contributed to sustainable investing sites and provided numerous media quotes on gender lens investing. Prior to co-founding Parallelle, Marypat was a consultant in investment communications and editorial services for global asset management firms. She began her consultancy following a role as Managing Editor of institutional investment communications at T. Rowe Price. Before that Marypat worked in transaction services for KPMG. She began her finance career as an analyst at Emerging Markets Partnership, a firm which managed the first private equity funds for emerging markets infrastructure.Parallelle Finance is a leading provider of research on sustainable and gender equality-focused investing. The firm consults globally on sustainable and gender lens investing. Parallelle recently authored Gender Bonds: A Toolkit for the Design and Issuance of Gender Bonds in Africa, published in early 2024 by Financial Sector Deepening (FSD) Africa. Gender bonds are positioned for growth in global fixed income markets, driven by high growth in women-owned businesses and ongoing funding gaps. In addition, Parallelle provides investment advisory services to U.S. investors and an analysis tool for U.S. and global investors to score public and private investments with an equality lens.

We cover the following in our conversation:

• What is gender lens investing?
• Market update
• Gender bonds
• The gender lens scorecard
• Investing in gender equality
• Women in leadership
• Directing capital to gender lens funds

***

Christina Teo is the chief builder of SHE1K, which is the world's first C-suite executive angel syndicate. She has built a community of 170 C-suite and senior executives who have invested $6m+ in 30 startups.

Christina has built her career mostly outside of Singapore. She started in market research, she then took on regional sales, marketing, product and P&L roles in technology and in companies such as Acer, IBM, and 3Com. During the dot com boom, she became the first country manager at Yahoo! Singapore, followed by launching the world's first Windows smartphone at O2, where she single-handedly spearheaded the business from scratch to $300m in revenue.

Christina retired for the first time at the age of 41. She went on to New York to pursue her personal destiny but returned as CMO of Hong Kong's CSL, carrying half of the company's P&L with a 90 person team.

Christina has lived in Hong Kong, in Taiwan, France, Italy, and New York, and pursued a master's in psychology at NYU, with a bachelor's at National University of Singapore.

We cover the following in our conversation:

• Chris's successful corporate career
• How Chris immersed herself in the startup community
• Launching an angel syndicate
• The investment thesis
• Engaging female angel investors
• How to invest
• Important investment lessons
• And how do we encourage more women to engage with their money?

***

Vicky Reynal runs a London-based private practice that specialises in financial psychotherapy. She is the author of "Money on your Mind: the Psychology behind your Financial Habits", which recently won Best Book at The Money Awareness and Inclusion Awards. With a dual background in psychology/psychotherapy and an MBA from London Business School, she has worked with people from a range of industries, public sector, and creative professions. She has years of experience as a psychotherapist in the private and public sectors, including the British NHS and has lived and worked in nine different countries across three continents.

We cover the following:

• What is financial psychotherapy
• Gender roles and money
• Generational differences in women's financial behaviour
• Childhood influences on money habits
• Money avoidance and crisis points
• Money behaviours and self-sabotage
• Money dynamics in relationships
• Therapy sessions and overcoming financial issues
• How women can engage more with their money

***

Adeo Ressi is revolutionising global entrepreneurship and venture capital. As CEO of Decile Group, he helped launch nearly 50% of all new VC firms worldwide in 2023, and Adeo serves as Chairman and Co-Founder of the Founder Institute, which runs startup accelerators in over 300 cities worldwide and has over 7,000 portfolio companies. He is committed to solving the world's problems by having visionary limited partners back ethical investors to fund pioneering entrepreneurs. Adeo previously served on the Board of the X PRIZE, created the original SAFE note, drafted the Mensarius Oath for ethical investing, and founded companies with over $2bn in exits.

We cover the following in our conversation:

• How to invest ethically
• The impact of AI
• Investing in female founders
• How to invest in diverse founders
• Adeo's investment thesis
• And how to encourage more women with capital to invest in startups?

***

Linda Scott is Emeritus DP World Professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, University of Oxford, as well as a visiting professor at Brown University where she teaches gender and economics.  She is the author of The Double X Economy, a 2020 book that deeply documents the worldwide and historical pattern of women’s economic exclusion and makes a passionate argument for the economic and humanitarian reasons to eliminate this destructive inequality.  Recognised as an outstanding work of science and economics, the book has been translated into 14 languages. Scott continues her work as a gender consultant for a wide range of major world institutions, such as USAID and the World Bank.

We cover the following in our conversation:

• What is sexism?
• UK: The Equality Act -how effective is it?
• Financial services industry: the 'Sexism in the City' report
• How sexism shows up for women:
• the gender pay gap, the motherhood penalty, women in leadership and as women entrepreneurs.
• Men becoming allies
• Startups: female founders vs male founders.
• Investing in AI vs fixing organisations for women
• Economies grow by investing in women.

***

Grace O’Brien is an award-winning Creative Director at AKQA, an international creative and innovation agency. 

Over the last 10+ years Grace has worked with global clients such as Volvo, TikTok, Nike and Jordan. Her work has been recognised by Cannes Lions, the WARC Awards, Fast Company, the London Design Museum, The Earthshot Prize and more.

Beyond the creative industry Grace is an accomplished scholar with an academic background in economics and a passion for climate action and gender equality. In addition to building Pink Chip with colleague and founder Sam Rowlands, Grace leads communications for Generation Climate Europe, the region’s largest coalition of youth-led networks pushing for stronger climate action, and advises UN-led women’s economic inclusion projects in the global south. 

Sam Rowlands is a Multi-awarded Creative Lead and Art Director at AKQA. She has worked with many local and global clients, such as Gucci, Nike, Toyota, and Tourism Australia, just to name a few. Her work has been recognised on the world stage, including at the Cannes Lions, D&AD, The One Show and Webbys. With a wealth of experience, Sam has also served as a judge at leading award shows across many categories, including creative excellence, innovation and visual storytelling. 

Beyond her professional accomplishments, Sam mentors numerous female creatives, offering guidance and support in navigating the male-dominated industry. As the visionary founder of Pink Chip, an investment initiative challenging investor bias against female leaders, Sam is dedicated to enlightening businesses and investors about the economic power of having women at the helm.

The launch of Pink Chip and its US index on International Women's Day in partnership with UN Women has delivered exceptional performance.

Backdated for over three years, the Pink Chip US Index has outpaced US benchmarks like the S&P500 by over 80%. Featured on Bloomberg and in renowned publications such as Forbes, this milestone marks just the beginning of Pink Chip's journey toward challenging bias against female leaders. Sam has been on the path to creating Pink Chip for over four years.

We cover the following in the conversation:

• Investor gender bias
• The outperformance of female CEO leadership
• The Pink Chip Index -why we need it
• The journey to launch
• The criteria used for the Pink Chip index
• Performance vs standard indices
• The impact on promoting gender diversity and inclusion
• What's next for the Pink Chip?
• What do companies need to do to be included in the Pink Chip Index?

You can see more about Pink Chip via:

Website: pinkchip.org 

Instagram:@pinkchipofficial 

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pink-chip

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Rachel Cook is the Founder of Seeds (seedsgives.com), a cryptocurrency mutual aid ecosystem which has helped people in need in 30 countries and counting, with a focus on women.  When you help someone in need through Seeds, you receive SEEDS cryptocurrency in thanks, empowering people to build wealth *through* giving. Rachel was a career-profitable pro stock trader in Chicago and on Wall Street before the misogyny drove her to quit.  She began buying Bitcoin at ~$90 a coin, and was extremely excited about blockchain technology's potential to transcend the discrimination baked into the old system.  However, she was forced to sell her Bitcoin in 2013 to keep Seeds alive, largely because misogyny in venture capital means that 98.1% of investment dollars go to men. To help other women avoid this, anyone in need can redeem a single SEED to ask for the amount of funding they need, and receive it as a gift.  Rachel hopes that one day Seeds will render venture capital obsolete.  With the 4th Bitcoin Halving, the historical catalyst for the giant market surges we've seen in the past, she is working to help as many women as possible build wealth in cryptocurrency this market cycle.Rachel is nomadic, but recently built a tiny house from a kit, on land she owns in Western Massachusetts.  Both the land and the house were purchased with cryptocurrency.  Her travel buddy is her 9 year old rescue pup, Bowie.

We cover the following topics:

• Why did Rachel transition into crypto and Web3?
• Context: what is Web2 vs Web3?
• Bitcoin halving and the crypto market
• Seeds: building a new economic ecosystem based on abundance
• The challenges of being a female founder
• What is the future of Seeds?
• How do more women engage in Web3 and invest in crypto?

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Sharon Lechter is internationally recognised as a financial literacy expert, keynote speaker and business mentor. She is a 5x New York Times Bestselling author, successful entrepreneur, philanthropist, and enjoyed a 35 year career as a licensed CPA. She has advised two US Presidents on the topic of financial literacy. Sharon co-authored the international bestseller Rich Dad Poor Dad and 14 other books in the Rich Dad series. In 2008, when the economy crashed, she was asked by the Napoleon Hill Foundation to help re-energise the teachings of Napoleon Hill.

Her best-selling books with the Foundation include Three Feet from Gold, Outwitting the Devil, Think and Grow Rich for Women and Success and Something Greater. She is also featured in the movie Think and Grow Rich: The Legacy and on the national television series World’s Greatest Motivators. In 2021, Sharon’s title, Exit Rich was released to support entrepreneurs in building value and scalability in their businesses so they can be in the position of greatest potential. Her newest title, How Money Works for Women was released in July in cooperation with WealthWave Media.

We cover the following in our conversation:

• The importance of financial education
• Women's relationship with money
• What are the three biggest financial challenges for women?
• What is the money mindset?
• How money works for women
• Building financial resilience
• Creating multiple streams of income
• Investing in crypto and digital assets
• More+

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Pierre N. Rolin is Founder and CEO of Ankh Impact Ventures. A Canadian entrepreneur with over 35 years of real estate investment advisory as well as venture capital experience, Pierre was previously based in London, Frankfurt, and New York and has closed more than 550 real estate investments valued in excess of $17 billion and delivered an average 20% net IRR for his clients. Pierre was appointed Global Head of Credit Suisse International Real Estate based in London at the age of 35. Following his career at Credit Suisse, Pierre founded a global real estate advisory firm where he managed assets of $6.4 billion including 125 direct properties and four customised private equity real estate funds.

Pierre is currently Chairman and CEO of Ankh Real Estate, Inc., an independent global real estate investment advisory firm whose clients include ultra-high net worth private investors, foundations, private equity firms, alternative managers, and property developers. Pierre also advises real estate owners and operators on strategic projects including M&A, capital allocation and recycling strategies, take privates, joint ventures, recaps, roll-ups, and platform investments.

In 2006, Pierre established a private nonprofit grant-giving foundation that promoted learning opportunities for gifted underserved youth through art, education, and cultural heritage programs. From 2015 to 2020, Pierre advised and invested in over 20 venture-backed early-stage, growth and late-stage technology companies. Based on these experiences and a desire to create sustainable social impact beyond philanthropic giving, Pierre established Ankh Impact Ventures in 2020 with a new philanthro-capitalist business model to foster impact entrepreneurship by diverse agents of change from all global geographies.

Pierre has shared his experiences at numerous conferences and events globally, such as The World Economic Forum in Davos, The Milken Institute Global Conference in Los Angeles, and the Young Presidents Organisation in London.

We cover the following:

• Why Pierre started Ankh Impact Ventures
• Investing in female and diverse founders
• Investment thesis- patient capital
• Female pitch competitions
• Female founders are a better investment
• Why male investors need to back women.

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Vanessa Northway is the Deputy Vice-Principal for Learning and teaching at Heriot-Watt University Dubai. She has been working with the University since 2009. Over the years, Vanessa has directed the start-up and implementation of the Fashion, Fashion Marketing, and Interior design programmes. As part of her management role at SoTD, Vanessa has been responsible for resourcing and ensuring – along with the academic team in Dubai and Scotland – the development of programmes suitable for the market within Dubai and the MENA region and globally relevant skills.

We cover the following:

• Financial education as it relates to children, teenagers, and young adults.
• The role of schools and universities in teaching our kids about money.
• Why parents play a crucial role in how kids grow up thinking about money and how to manage it too.
• The impact of teaching girls about entrepreneurship and financial management.
• Why teaching financial independence and how to invest is crucial.
• How technology can be used to encourage children and young adults to become financially literate and financially confident.

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David Fogel is a seasoned VC and startup operator that has spent the last 20 years working with and advising more than 1,000 founders across Europe, Asia and Africa. The startups David has supported have raised more than $500m over the years. David Co-founded Bramble Club, a boutique Startup advisory firm, working with founders and venture capital firms across EMEA.David was CCO and COO at Wefarm scaling it to 3.5m users and 150 Employees. Before that David co-founded ADV, a £150m VC fund focused on early stage startups. David led the corporate venture arm for Telefonica and worked on M&A deals across the globe. Before moving into venture David built Fintech and Telco products in Israel. Where he grew the team from 4 to 60 employees and reached 70% market penetration.
David also co-founded Alma Angels, a diverse community of more than 300 people dedicated to supporting ambitious female founders. Over the last four years, Alma Angels has backed more than 180 women-led startups which have raise $160m in follow-on funding. 

We cover the following:

• Angel investing: US vs UK
• Male allies and eradicating 'bad behaviour' in VC
• Investing in female founders
• Gender bias in VC
• Raising capital as a female founder
• How to build a startup investment portfolio

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