Talent Talks supported by Scottish Widows

Epizodes

• 
  Her Money. Her Work. Her Power - The psychology of money - why we do what we do 22.07.2026 42min

  Why do we make the financial decisions we do? In this latest episode of Talent Talks, host Sarah Sandle is joined by Ylva Baeckström - finance expert, psychotherapist and author - to explore the psychology of money and the beliefs, experiences and behaviours that shape our relationship with it. Together they discuss financial confidence, investing, the gender wealth gap, and the practical steps women can take to build greater control over their financial future. NB: Auto-enrolment is referenc...
• 
  Her Money. Her Work. Her Power: Breaking Down Barriers to Money 08.07.2026 42min

  In episode 3 of season 7, Sarah talks to Emily Boxall, co-founder of financial engagement app 2mins. Together they explore what is driving financial engagement for the younger generation and why people often choose to switch off from money conversations. Emily Boxall is the Co-founder of 2mins, the app turning financial education into engaging, bite-sized games. Her background spans marketing, communications and journalism, including freelance writing for the Investors’ Chronicle. She co-foun...
• 
  Her Money. Her Work. Her Power: From Survival to Independence 26.06.2026 41min

  Sarah chats to Lily McNally about her experience with money, what it means to be truly financially independent and how a frog and an elephant both feature! Lily is the design lead for the Scottish Widows app at Lloyds Banking Group. She’s all about designing experiences that are straightforward, engaging and delightful. To meet users where they are, help them do the things they want to do easily, and leave them feeling lighter. In the last few years, Lily has used her own lived e...
• 
  Her Money. her Work. Her Power. Money 101 for your first payslip 19.06.2026 29min

  In this first episode of season 7 Sarah chats with Rebecca Leiper, who is an Engagement Consultant at Scottish Widows, specialising in Workplace Pension engagement. She talks through getting her first payslip and why it pays to understand all of those different calculations, the importance of saving early into your pension and making and sticking to budget! Rebecca works closely with employers, advisers, and internal teams to design and deliver impactful campaigns, digital journeys, and...
• 
  Finding the bravery to be the change you want to see: How do we protect the future 28.05.2026 28min

  In this episode, Laura chats with Kate Monserrate, founder of Simplify Consulting, who shares her journey of building a values-led consultancy through risk-taking, resilience, and a strong commitment to people and culture. She reflects on personal challenges—including leaving an abusive relationship and navigating cancer treatment—and how these experiences shaped her mindset, driving her to lead with courage, prioritise wellbeing, and create a more inclusive workplace for women. ...
• 
  Preserving human values in the dawn of a new tech era: How do we protect the future 18.05.2026 44min

  This episode explores how artificial intelligence is reshaping the workplace, with Annabel Gillard emphasising the importance of preserving trust, ethics, and human value in an increasingly digital world. She talks to Laura about how AI is a powerful but imperfect “prediction generator,” highlighting both its opportunities and risks, including bias, job disruption, and the potential for dehumanisation if not carefully designed and governed. Ultimately, the conversation is a ...
• 
  Behind the Mic: Reflections From the Hosts - Growing in Your Career Journey 17.09.2025 35min

  This episode is something a little bit different. As hosts of this podcast we thought it would fun to turn the mic round and chat about what we've learnt from our guests, our favourites, funny moments and building our own confidence. This is much about pushing ourselves into our discomfort zone as it is about the podcast; so if you've enjoyed the 20+ podcast episodes take a listen and share your thoughts about it.
• 
  Career Growth Playbook: Advice for Women in Finance - Growing in Your Career Journey with Anna Lane 07.08.2025 57min

  Welcome to another empowering episode of Talent Talks, where we spotlight the voices shaping the future of financial services. In this episode, Sarah sits down with the dynamic Anna Lane, CEO of The Wisdom Council and President of Women in Banking and Finance (WiBF). With decades of experience driving innovation in the industry, Anna shares candid insights on ambition, visibility, and the power of sponsorship. Together, they explore what it really takes to stand out and thrive in a traditiona...
• 
  Rewriting Your Career Story: Pivoting with Purpose - Growing in Your Career Journey with Kevin Doran 24.07.2025 29min

  Have you ever thought about changing direction during your career, moving into a completely different role or industry? In this episode, Sarah chats to Kevin Doran, CIO at Lloyds Banking Group about pivoting with purpose. The conversation covers finding your golden threads, how to craft a story that connect the dots and what it really means to be authentic. A self confessed failed math teacher, Kevin has a passion for investing and encouraging the next pipeline of talent. Kevin previously hel...
• 
  Professional Network: Helping Grow Your Career Expectations - Growing in Your Career Journey with Jill Henderson 16.07.2025 26min

  In this latest episode Sarah dives into a topic that can truly transform your career - professional networking. Whether you're early in your career or looking to level up, the right network can open doors you didn't even know existed. Our guest, Jill Henderson, is Head of Workplace Strategic Relationships at Scottish Widows and new sponsor of Her Wealth Network. She was until recently, the Co-Chair for Women in Banking and Finance (WiBF) in Scotland, where she played a pivotal role in fosteri...
• 
  From Feeling Stuck to Finding Your Spark - Growing in Your Career Journey with Jess Harvey 09.07.2025 26min

  Every been in a role where you feel like you're going nowhere or perhaps you're just not 'feeling' the role any longer. So what do you do? In this episode Sarah Sandle is joined by Jess Harvey, the founder of the Female Mentoring Alliance to talk about why so many women feel trapped in their careers, bust a few myths that might be holding you back and explore what it really takes to move forward. Jess Harvey is a former Managing Director who specialised in Risk and Compliance and left a 20+ y...
• 
  Lost your job? Don't panic! - Growing in your career journey with Paul Chapman 02.07.2025 28min

  Have you ever found yourself out of a job unexpectedly? In this episode we welcome Paul Chapman to talk us through how to coach yourself through redundancy, allowing your self space to breath and make the best decisions for your next move. Paul is a board adviser to Her Wealth Network and a seasoned recruiter with almost 20 years of experience placing top talent in financial services roles. He jointly runs HornbyChapman and is here to hep us understand what to do next, how to stay confident a...
• 
  Personal Brand and Visibility - Building Bonds that Build Careers with Shakaila Forbes-Bell 04.06.2025 37min

  Shakaila Forbes-Bell is a Fashion Psychologist, consultant, TV commentator, founder of the platform 'Fashion is Psychology' and best-selling author of the book “Big Dress Energy”. Shakaila talks to Chimmy Ngoma about the connection between psychology and what we choose to wear, how that gives us confidence and how we can celebrate our identity through our personal brand. She uses scientific research to uncover ‘the why behind the what’ when it comes to consumer behaviour and personal style ch...
• 
  The Power of Sponsorship and Allyship : Building Bonds that Build Careers with Akua Opong 14.05.2025 27min

  In this latest episode we welcome Akua Opong, a multi-award-winning speaker, who has over 15 years of experience in the financial and tech industries. A Chartered IT Professional with the British Computer Society, she is a recognised thought leader in Social Impact, CSR, ESG, Accessibility, Inclusion, and Gender Equality. She talks to our host Chimmy Ngoma about the importance of allyship and sponsorship and giving back to others. Akua is a prominent UK advocate, championing women in tech, ne...
• 
  Your Action Plan for Success: Building Bonds that Build Careers with Gill Whitty-Collins 07.05.2025 35min

  In this episode, we are excited to chat with Gill Whitty-Collins, the author 'Why men win at work...and how we can make inequality history'. Our host, Chimmy Ngoma talks to Gill about finding your 'confident core' and how the sooner we find our super-powers, we ensure we reach happiness faster! Gill was born near Liverpool in 1970, the youngest of three sisters. After attending the local comprehensive high school, went on to study at Cambridge University. Upon graduating, she joined Procter &...
• 
  The Art of Strategic Networking - Building Bonds that Build Careers with Mary Agbesanwa 30.04.2025 28min

  In this first episode of the new season for 2025, we are joined by Mary Agbesanwa, who is passionate about how technology is transforming the financial services industry, especially wealth management. Listen to her chat with host, Chimmy Ngoma about being your authentic self and super-connectors. How looking to help others when you're networking should come before self-promotion and how to use your emotional intelligence. Mary has spent several years working as a Management Consultant at PWC,...
• 
  Women's Wealth: Finding Your Financial Confidence with Samantha Secomb 09.04.2025 21min

  In this episode we are joined by the superpower that is Samantha (Sam) Secomb, Founder of Women’s Wealth, an innovative unbiased financial advice and coaching service that specialises in empowering women to create fabulous financial futures for themselves. Laura chats to Sam about her career, where are all the female advisers, what the profession can offer in terms of career and what drives her passion for helping women unlock their potential with financial empowerment. Sam is an award-...
• 
  Inclusive Investing: Finding Your Financial Confidence with Faith Reynolds 26.03.2025 33min

  In this episode we are joined by Faith Reynolds, a strategic adviser, experienced NED, chair and speaker. She is an adviser to the board at TISA and a non-exec director at Fair4All Finance. She's led a series of initiatives to improve communications and break down barriers to financial services and talks to us about getting women investing, what other women are doing in this space and Resources: Website links for the research and UKFin+ mentioned during the podcast. https://www.tisa.uk....
• 
  Passionate About Pensions: Finding Financial Confidence with Susan Hope 13.11.2024 44min

  In this episode we talk to Susan Hope, Pension Specialist at Scottish Widows about taking control of your pension. Susan is a Chartered Financial Planner and is passionate about closing the gender pension gap. Her day job is helping individuals understand the tangible benefits of workplace savings and frequently talks on topics such as the financial implications of life events, particularly for women. This is not just a fun listen it's a must listen if you want to be the master of your future...
• 
  Financially Fearless: Finding Financial Confidence with Laura Burridge 06.11.2024 23min

  In this episode, we are joined by Laura Burridge from Hargreaves Lansdown for over 8 years, starting a content writer and now marketing leads for Financially Fearless, share trading and value. Financially Fearless is an initiative which empowers women with their money. Laura wants to empower the next generation of female investors as it's predicted that 60% of the UK's wealth will be in the hands of women by 2025. She chats to Laura Mann from WiAS about to engage a female audience of investor...