The Purse Podcast

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 story03:24 Cash ISA changes explained05:04 Women and investing shift08:05 Retirement barriers for women10:37 Choosing the right adviser11:45 One size policy limits13:50 Cashflow planning tool15:18 Risk and advice framing17:57 Reviews and life events18:59 Family planning and pensions22:37 Measuring success beyond markets24:02 Industry gaps and wealth transfer26:54 Closing ***

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 bias02:52 How gender bias affects money and power05:15 Six barriers overview06:11 Male privilege and constraints07:20 Support and devaluation08:36 Hostility (including female hostility)13:35 Acquiescence and opting out16:19 Business case and examples21:00 Leadership accountability and ERGs22:44 Measuring bias 24:44 Gender bias incident example26:55 Don’t internalise gender bias29:13 Build support networks30:06 Toxic workplaces33:15 Leaders must own change34:03 Stories that wake up leaders36:59 Male norms and work design39:24 Allies taking action40:45 LinkedIn as safe space43:29 Kamala Harris double standards48:21 Progress and hope.***

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 Qodeo01:13 Exploring the venture ecosystem02:35 Challenges for underrepresented founders05:55 Platform: matching investors and entrepreneurs14:05 Addressing unconscious bias in investing19:32 Comparing UK and US startup ecosystems28:40 Entrepreneurial boom in Europe32:01 Cultural shifts in entrepreneurship32:38 Moving the needle in who VCs invest in36:58 Challenges with angel investors49:28 Improving the startup funding ecosystem53:43 Final thoughts.***For more information on Qodeo, see: https://qodeo.com/ ***

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 Bateman02:20 Victoria's journey to feminist economics05:08 The myth of male-dominated economic history07:22 Women in economic history: key figures and contributions10:11 The impact of excluding women from economic narratives20:12 Historical examples of women in finance26:26 Non-Western female economic pioneers32:51 Modern financial systems and women38:31 The backlash against women's economic progress50:34 The importance of rewriting economic history51:55 Final thoughts***

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 Portfolia00:53 The birth of Portfolia: a new venture model06:11 Portfolia's growth and achievements07:22 Pioneering women's health investments10:15 The impact and future of women's health innovation14:07 The role of research and AI in women's health22:41 Gameto: revolutionising fertility and longevity28:48 Empowering women investors29:22 Investment accessibility and inclusivity30:18 Understanding venture capital returns31:24 Innovative approach to venture funds32:16 Engaging with Portfolio companies35:37 Sourcing and evaluating deals38:25 Collaborating with other funds44:26 Scaling women's participation in VC51:33 Future vision for Portfolia.****

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 Loveday02:16 Overview of Scottish Enterprise03:08 Scottish Enterprise's strategic missions07:03 Supporting ambitious Scottish businesses12:06 Collaborations and female founders14:28 Challenges for deep tech companies20:31 Case Study: ZOEX and Ash Penley26:04 Working with universities and research centres28:21 Metrics and measuring success30:12 Supporting female founders35:17 Lessons from recent successes43:27 The future of Scotland's innovation economy.****

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 Penley01:45 The challenges of wave energy03:30 The 'Aha moment': Realising the gap in wave energy05:29 Innovative solutions for wave energy07:55 The business model and market potential12:32 Designing ZOEX for real-world conditions19:49 Partnerships and raising capital23:02 Trials and commercial rollout in Turkey25:22 Project setback and recovery27:17 Validation and success27:35 Global attention and future plans28:30 Challenges and personal sacrifices30:08 Company vision and funding31:56 Navigating a male-dominated industry33:29 Balancing family and career37:12 Advice for entrepreneurs***

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 Ettinger03:34 Shifts in women's approach to investing08:45 Challenges in the financial industry17:35 Demographic and cultural trends24:44 Women in business and career challenges30:50 The impact of diversity in leadership32:35 Financial planning for women: a holistic approach37:11 Rethinking financial adviser incentives41:12 The role of fintech in closing the gender investing gap45:33 Women using capital for social impact50:18 The influence of US administration on women's financial power53:04 Final message to women.***

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 Smith02:33 The UK scale-up story for women03:18 Challenges and opportunities for female founders04:44 The importance of community and the ecosystem04:57 Leadership styles and cultural shifts05:51 Blind spots08:31 Funding and capital issues 11:02 The role of government 17:09 Inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem26:33 The power of community 29:38 Building an inclusive innovation ecosystem29:55 Challenges faced by female founders30:29 A new financial system for women31:12 The importance of inclusion in entrepreneurship34:27 The potential of the UK in the global market38:03 The need for a coordinated entrepreneurial ecosystem40:41 Future vision for the UK scale-up ecosystem42:49 The importance of education in entrepreneurship51:44 Action plan for supporting female founders56:06 Final thoughts.***

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 capital02:33 Melissa's investment philosophy and career Insights05:40 The role of family offices in sustainable Investment07:51 Understanding risk and building effective teams11:26 Blackhorn Ventures: focus on resource efficiency15:05 AI and digital infrastructure in heavy industry17:43 Current market challenges and opportunities26:34 Supporting portfolio companies and success stories31:08 Gender diversity in venture capital45:42 Engaging more women LPs in venture52:49 Closing comments

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 expert02:14 Anthony's journey into the industry04:15 Defining digital assets and ICONOMI's role05:49 The macroeconomic climate 10:19 US administration's impact on digital assets13:19 Business adoption and why it matters16:26 Bitcoin as a hedge against currency debasement19:50 Institutional approach to crypto25:12 Women in crypto: opportunities27:39 How a business start engaging in digital assets

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 Capital02:06 Cate's journey to wealth management05:24 The founding principles of Tribe Impact Capital08:08 The gender Investment gap and female investors14:26 Values-driven investing and impact investing23:20 Defining sustainable investing and its performance33:52 Separating the noise from long-term trends34:24 Exploring asset classes in sustainable impact investment34:59 Exciting developments in the debt space36:42 Challenges and misconceptions in sustainable investing42:50 Political and economic pushback on ESG & DEI51:00 The future of sustainable investing55:17 Encouraging female-led ventures and angel investing59:57 The role of AI and fintech in wealth management01:02:45 Final thoughts ***