The Curve

CONTENT WARNING This episode touches on fertility struggles and the emotional weight of balancing family planning with career ambitions. If this is a sensitive topic for you, please take care of yourself, it's okay to come back to this one when you're ready.

What if the tension between your career and your personal life isn't a you problem, it's a system problem? In this episode, Soph sits down with Dr. Ellen Joan Ford: leadership expert, solo mum, army veteran, and author of Work School Hours. They get into the big, messy, deeply personal question of how we're supposed to build careers we care about while also having a life, and why the way we currently work is making it nearly impossible.

From the motherhood penalty and egg freezing to output vs. hours and why your boss's 8:30am meeting might be ruining someone's morning, this one is full of honest conversation, real research, and genuinely actionable ideas. Whether you're a parent, thinking about becoming one, or just someone who's ever felt like work and life are constantly at war with each other, this episode is for you.

Ellen's free resources + book: ellenjoanford.com Use code TODAY00 at checkout to get the e-book for free!

Credits:

Host: Sophie Hallwright

Guest: Ellen Joan Ford

Editor: Lana Byrne

Producer: Emily Rigby

Social & Digital Manager: Lucy Munro

⁠⁠Leave us a message on The Curve Hotline 💌☎️⁠⁠ (https://thecurveplatform.com/pages/the-curve-hotline)

For more from The Curve:⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠Website⁠⁠ (https://thecurveplatform.com/)

⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ (https://www.instagram.com/thecurveplatform/)⁠⁠⁠

⁠YouTube⁠⁠ (https://youtube.com/@thecurveplatform?si=nlCWqqqySWOzYlj3)

⁠TikTok⁠⁠ (https://www.tiktok.com/@thecurveplatform)⁠⁠⁠

⁠Newsletter⁠⁠ (https://thecurve.co.nz/pages/sign-up-to-the-curve-weekly)

Substack (https://thecurveplatform.substack.com/)

Chapters

00:00:00 Content Note
00:00:14 Leaving Yourself at the Door: Why "Being Professional" Got It Wrong
00:04:03 The Career vs. Family Dilemma Nobody Prepares You For
00:07:54 This Isn't a Personal Problem — It's a Collective One
00:11:12 Still Ambitious After Kids: Ellen's Story
00:13:11 The Three Uncomfortable Boxes Parents Get Pushed Into
00:16:42 What Egg Freezing Really Says About Your Company
00:21:02 The Motherhood Penalty, Explained
00:24:35 From the Army to Afghanistan to Changing How We Work
00:26:37 Why Investing in Your People Is Never a Waste of Time
00:33:12 Hours Don't Equal Output (And We Need to Stop Pretending They Do)
00:39:39 A Fairer Way to Think About Efficiency at Work
00:41:42 What #WorkSchoolHours Actually Means
00:47:55 Small Changes That Make a Big Difference
00:54:13 The One Thing That Will Make You Better at Work and Life
00:55:17 Where to Find Ellen
00:56:53 Thank you for listening to Raising The Curve!

Disclaimer: Raising The Curve has been prepared solely for informational and educational purposes. Any information provided and serviced described in this website are intended to be of general nature and provide general information only. The opinions expressed by The Curve do not constitute investment advice.

Everyone's talking about Anthropic (the AI company behind Claude), and it’s plans to go public at a valuation of nearly a trillion dollars. But is this the dawn of a new era, or are we living through dot-com déjà vu? We break down what Anthropic's IPO actually means for everyday investors, why a company that's only just turning profitable could be worth that much, and whether we should all be very, very nervous. We also dig into Warren Buffett's successor making his first big moves at Berkshire Hathaway, including a $10 billion bet on Alphabet (Google) and what that signals about AI's staying power. Plus, Jay Shetty has just signed a $100 million deal with both Spotify and Netflix simultaneously, and Sophie reports back from South by Southwest London on what it means for the future of podcasting.

Submit your money and morals question to The Ethical Hotline: https://form.typeform.com/to/BZHujjGM and if you want to check out any of the questions we've already answered you can find them here! (https://pathfinder.kiwi/pathfinder-x-the-curve/)

WTF does that mean? A guide to all the jargony bits:

Credits:

Hosts: Victoria Harris & Sophie Hallwright

Producer & Editor: Emily Rigby

Social & Digital Manager: Lucy Munro

⁠⁠Leave us a message on The Curve Hotline 💌☎️⁠⁠

For more from The Curve:⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠Website⁠⁠ (https://thecurveplatform.com/)

⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ (https://www.instagram.com/thecurveplatform/)⁠⁠⁠

⁠YouTube⁠⁠ (https://youtube.com/@thecurveplatform?si=nlCWqqqySWOzYlj3)

⁠TikTok⁠⁠ (https://www.tiktok.com/@thecurveplatform)⁠⁠⁠

⁠Newsletter⁠⁠ (https://thecurve.co.nz/pages/sign-up-to-the-curve-weekly)

Substack (https://thecurveplatform.substack.com/)

Chapters

00:00:00 Coming up in this episode…
00:01:29 Pathfinder x The Curve
00:02:00 Did you see us on TV?!
00:03:56 The Trillion Dollar Anthropic IPO
00:26:26 Pathfinder x The Curve
00:27:19 Berkshire Hathaway’s making it rain!
00:36:47 Netflix & Spotify purchase a new podcast
00:43:56 This week on Raising The Curve...
00:45:37 Thank you for listening!
00:46:15 Financial Disclaimer

Disclaimer: Raising The Curve has been prepared solely for informational and educational purposes. Any information provided and serviced described in this website are intended to be of general nature and provide general information only. The opinions expressed by The Curve do not constitute investment advice.

Hannah Koumakis (aka the internet’s favourite budgeting girl) is joining us for the next three episodes of IOU (Some Money Education), taking over from Lucy Blakiston, and she’s about to change the way you think about money. We start with Hannah’s story, from learning how to manage money at just seven years old to nannying for billionaire families in London - an experience that completely shifted her perspective on wealth, spending, and what actually matters. Then we get into the good stuff: her step-by-step method for splitting your money across multiple bank accounts so budgeting finally feels clear, organised, and actually doable. You’ll learn how to set up your own categories, understand where your money is really going, and give every dollar a job, without feeling restricted. If you’ve ever avoided your banking app or felt like budgeting just isn’t your thing, this episode might be the one that finally makes it click.

Hannah’s Links

Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/hannahkoumakis/)

TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@hannahkoumakis)

deartheseries.com

dearcommunity.co.nz

Seven Content & Dear Brides (http://sevencontentstudio.com)

Check out IOU (The Practical Lessons) here: https://thecurveplatform.com/

We’re proud to be partnering with BNZ. There’s an art to starting something new, and like any art form, you need the right tools to make it work. Whether you’re flatting, saving to travel, or making a career move, BNZ has the tools to help you master your money from the get-go.

Credits:

Hosts: Victoria Harris & Sophie Hallwright

Producer: Emily Rigby

Editor: Isabella Reeve

Social & Digital Manager: Lucy Munro

⁠⁠Leave us a message on The Curve Hotline 💌☎️⁠⁠

For more from The Curve:⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠Website⁠⁠

⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠Newsletter⁠⁠

Chapters

00:00:00 Welcome to IOU (Some Money Education)!
00:00:28 Coming up in this episode…
00:01:13 BNZ x The Curve
00:01:39 Welcoming Hannah
00:06:20 Hannah’s Money Story
00:14:10 When Hannah’s relationship with money changed
00:19:03 How to Unpack Your Relationship with Money
00:20:19 In the Red or the Green?
00:22:02 Why Budgeting Actually Matters
00:23:09 Hannah’s 16 Accounts Explained
00:26:00 How to Put This into Practice
00:30:08 What to Do with Extra Money
00:31:44 What to Do When You’ve Hit Your Limit
00:32:54 Managing Money Without a Card for Every Account
00:33:52 Cash and Burn
00:36:57 Extra Credit
00:39:45 Wrapping Up
00:40:26 Thank you for joining us for IOU (Some Money Education)
00:40:59 Thank you BNZ!
00:41:23 Financial Disclaimer

Disclaimer: Raising The Curve has been prepared solely for informational and educational purposes. Any information provided and serviced described in this website are intended to be of general nature and provide general information only. The opinions expressed by The Curve do not constitute investment advice.

Spotify's stock jumped 18% in one day and we're breaking down exactly why, plus what it means for artists, your playlist, and the music industry at large. We also get into why birth rates are falling globally and the one reason researchers are pointing to that nobody was expecting, Victoria's Secret's unlikely comeback (up 200% in a year and yes, there's a female CEO involved), and quick updates on the SpaceX IPO that could be the biggest in history, the Lululemon founder drama, and what's going on at BP. Oh, and we answer a listener question on capital gains tax that's probably simpler than you think!

Wondering whether an investment actually lines up with your values?
👉 Submit your money and morals question to The Ethical Hotline: https://form.typeform.com/to/BZHujjGM

WTF does that mean? A guide to all the jargony bits:

IPO — when a private company sells shares to the public for the first time

ETF — a basket of shares you buy as one thing instead of picking individual companies

Index — a list of top companies grouped together, like the NASDAQ 100

Ticker symbol — a short code that identifies a company on the stock market

Activist investor — someone who buys shares specifically to push for changes in a company

Capital gains tax — tax on the profit you make when you sell an investment

The glass cliff — when women or minorities are given leadership roles mainly during a crisis, when failure is most likely

Credits:

Hosts: Victoria Harris & Sophie Hallwright

Producer & Editor: Emily Rigby

Social & Digital Manager: Lucy Munro

⁠⁠Leave us a message on The Curve Hotline 💌☎️⁠⁠

For more from The Curve:⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠Website⁠⁠ (https://thecurveplatform.com/)

⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ (https://www.instagram.com/thecurveplatform/)⁠⁠⁠

⁠YouTube⁠⁠ (https://youtube.com/@thecurveplatform?si=nlCWqqqySWOzYlj3)

⁠TikTok⁠⁠ (https://www.tiktok.com/@thecurveplatform)⁠⁠⁠

⁠Newsletter⁠⁠ (https://thecurve.co.nz/pages/sign-up-to-the-curve-weekly)

Substack (https://thecurveplatform.substack.com/)

Chapters

00:00:00 Coming up in this episode…
00:01:12 Pathfinder x The Curve
00:01:38 Quick catch up
00:05:42 A quick update on Space X IPO, Lululemon and BP
00:19:58 Spotify jumps 18% in one day
00:24:18 Pathfinder x The Curve
00:25:07 The new culprit of declining birthrates
00:36:10 VSXY
00:42:34 Community Question
00:45:08 Wrap Up

Disclaimer: Raising The Curve has been prepared solely for informational and educational purposes. Any information provided and serviced described in this website are intended to be of general nature and provide general information only. The opinions expressed by The Curve do not constitute investment advice.

Most money advice tells you to spend less and save more. But what if the real answer is just spending better? This week Sophie sits down with Fran (aka Martha Stewish), chartered accountant and personal finance creator you're going to want to follow, to talk through one of the most practical frameworks we've covered on the show. We dig into how to figure out your authentic spending code: the personal values that should be driving every financial decision you make, and why ignoring them is probably why you feel stuck.

We also get into why deprivation always backfires, how she saves 35% of her salary without feeling restricted, and the simple habit shifts that actually move the needle, whatever you're earning. This one will make you look at your bank statement completely differently.

Fran’s links:

Tiktok (https://www.tiktok.com/@martha30s)

Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/martha.stewish/)

Substack (https://marthastewish.substack.com/)

YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@martha.stewish)

Credits:

Host: Sophie Hallwright

Guest: Martha Stewish

Producer: Emily Rigby

Editor: Isabella Reeve

Social & Digital Manager: Lucy Munro

⁠⁠Leave us a message on The Curve Hotline 💌☎️⁠⁠

For more from The Curve:⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠Website⁠⁠

⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠Newsletter⁠⁠

Chapters

00:00:00 Intro & Who is Fran (aka Martha)?
00:00:52 The Gap in Personal Finance Content
00:03:47 How Fran Thinks About Building Wealth
00:05:12 Growing Up With Frugal Fraser
00:06:24 What Is Your Authentic Spending Code?
00:08:49 Fran's Four Spending Pillars
00:12:44 Emotional Spending & Money Guilt
00:17:58 How Fran Balances Saving & Living
00:20:27 Blocking Out the Noise & The Rich Girl Wish List
00:27:34 Where Do You Start?
00:32:02 Quick Fire Questions
00:38:00 Thank You For Listening
00:38:24 Financial Disclaimer

Disclaimer: Raising The Curve has been prepared solely for informational and educational purposes. Any information provided and serviced described in this website are intended to be of general nature and provide general information only. The opinions expressed by The Curve do not constitute investment advice.