The Curve

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Content note: this episode discusses fertility challenges.

In this episode, Soph sits down with Deirdre (co-founder of Hertility) to unpack what “investing in your fertility” actually means, medically and financially, at a time when many women feel pressure to make big life decisions without clear information. They explore the gap between being told to “just freeze your eggs” and actually understanding your hormone profile, why testing one number (AMH) isn’t the full story, and how tracking your fertility over time can give you far more control than panic-driven decisions. The episode dives into the economics of fertility too: the rising cost of IVF, companies offering egg freezing as a workplace perk, and whether paying for treatment instead of prevention is missing the point entirely. Along the way, they tackle biological clocks, career timelines, societal pressure, medical gaslighting, and the emotional weight of not knowing. This is a candid, thought-provoking discussion about autonomy, trade-offs, and why information, medical and financial, is often the most powerful investment you can make.

🌟 Exclusive for The Curve listeners: use code CURVE15 to get 15% off Hertility’s Advanced Tests..

Credits:
Host: Sophie Hallwright
Guest: Deirdre O’Neill
Producer & Editor: Emily Rigby
Social & Digital Manager: Lucy Munro

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(00:00:00) Episode Preview
(00:01:03) Quick Disclaimer
(00:01:16) What Hertility Does (And Why It’s Needed)
(00:11:25) The Founder Story
(00:17:19) What Testing Actually Tells You
(00:21:00) Get 15% off a Hertility Test!
(00:21:36) Investing in Fertility
(00:42:01) Thoughts on IVF
(00:47:39) How to Decide What’s Right for You
(00:54:40) Where to Learn More
(00:55:52) Thank you for Listening!
(00:56:17) 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.

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In this week’s Curve Weekly, Vic and Soph unpack the AI chip crisis and why soaring demand could mean pricier tech (no, not the potato kind), plus the recent market wobble and why it’s not a cue to panic. They dive into the ongoing Netflix vs Warner Bros vs Paramount drama, reveal the scary stat about people not knowing where their retirement fund is (and how that could cost up to $1 million long term), and explain why groceries in the Southern Hemisphere feel criminally expensive. Add in a quick emergency-fund reality check and the rise of burnout feminism: goodbye girlbossing, hello boundaries!

👉 Answer our 10-second retirement poll (https://forms.gle/4ZTRbchUYYgqVmt16)

WTF does that mean? A guide to all the jargony bits:
Bond – An IOU. You lend money, they pay you interest.
100-Year Bond – You get paid back in a literal century. Wild.
AI Inference – The “thinking” part when AI answers you.
Data Centre – Massive computer warehouses powering the internet.
Market Wobble – A small dip. Not a meltdown.
Sell-Off – Lots of people selling at once.
AI Cannibalisation – AI replacing parts of an industry.
Rebalancing – Adjusting your portfolio back to your original plan.
Default Fund – Where your retirement money goes if you don’t choose.
High-Growth Fund – Higher risk, higher long-term potential.
Currency Losses – Exchange rates messing with your returns.
Duopoly – When two companies dominate a market.
Market Share – How much of the market a company controls.
Burnout Feminism – Less hustle, more boundaries.

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
⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠Newsletter⁠⁠

(00:00:00) Coming up in this episode...(00:01:32) Life updates: events & emergency funds(00:09:18) AI chips, tech hype & the rise of AI girlfriends(00:30:35) Netflix vs Warner Bros vs Paramount update(00:33:44) The $1m retirement wake-up call(00:37:26) Why your groceries are so expensive(00:42:13) Goodbye girlbossing, hello burnout feminism(00:48:03) Community questions(00:55:09) Thanks for listening(00:55:46) 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.

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Money isn’t just numbers in a spreadsheet: it’s childhood memories, anxiety, guilt, confidence, and the occasional unhinged purchase you defend forever. In this first episode of IOU (Some Money Education), Soph, Vic and Lucy Blakiston from Shit You Should Care About get honest about their own relationships with money, from how they grew up, to why they spend, save, or stress the way they do now. Expect family voice notes that expose everything, a few rogue spending confessions, and a reminder that if budgeting hasn’t worked for you before, it might not be the spreadsheet, it might be the mindset. Think of this as finance, but with a bit of self-reflection (and no judgement).

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
Guest: Lucy Blakiston
Producer & Editor: Emily Rigby
Social & Digital Manager: Lucy Munro

⁠⁠Leave us a message on The Curve Hotline 💌☎️⁠⁠

For more from The Curve:⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠Website⁠⁠
⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠Newsletter⁠⁠

(00:00:00) Welcome to IOU (Some Money Education)(00:00:40) Coming up in this episode….(00:01:25) BNZ X The Curve(00:01:51) The idea behind this series(00:04:32) Who is Lucy + Shit You Should Care About?(00:13:13) In the Red or in the Green?(00:19:20) Lucy’s relationship with money(00:28:58) Soph’s relationship with money(00:36:09) Vic’s relationship with money(00:42:48) Some messages from Lucy’s family...(00:51:11) Cash and Burn(00:57:34) Extra Credit(00:59:57) Thank you for joining us for IOU (Some Money Education)!(01:00:21) Thank you BNZ!(01:00:51) 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.

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The Day COVID Split Australia’s Wealth - and the numbers are honestly jaw-dropping. We unpack the sharp divide between those who bought property BC (Before COVID) and AC (After COVID), why some younger homeowners saw their wealth jump 63% in five years, and why others are still feeling the interest-rate squeeze. It’s a timely reminder that timing helps… but overstretching isn’t the answer. Plus, Soph is officially back in New Zealand and we’re reunited in the studio (finally!), just in time to cover the Netflix vs Paramount bidding war over Warner Bros (hello $2.8B breakup fee), Pepsi quietly notching its 54th consecutive dividend raise, Nike’s Converse headache, and Google raising $32B through a 100-year AI bond. There’s lots we covered this week so let’s get into it…

WTF does that mean? A guide to all the jargony bits:
Dividend – A share of a company’s profits paid to shareholders.
Dividend King – A company that’s raised its dividend for 50+ years straight. Elite behaviour.
Breakup Fee – A penalty paid if a takeover deal collapses.
Shareholder – Someone who owns part of a company (aka shares).
Market Share – How much of a market a company controls.
Defensive Stock – A steady company that holds up when the economy wobbles.
Net Worth – What you own minus what you owe.
Interest Rates – The cost of borrowing money.
Tariffs – Taxes on imported goods. Higher tariffs = higher costs.
Bond – A loan you give to a company or government in exchange for interest.
100-Year Bond – A loan that won’t be repaid for 100 years. Yes, actually.
Dilution – When new shares are issued, reducing the value of existing ones.
Liquidity – How quickly you can turn an investment into cash.

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
⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠Newsletter⁠⁠

(00:00:00) Coming up in this episode…(00:01:29) New NZ studio reveal!(00:11:29) The Warner Bros saga continues(00:19:58) Pepsi’s 54-year dividend streak(00:25:26) BC vs AC property gap in Australia(00:35:09) Nike and Converse struggles(00:40:28) Google’s 100-year AI bond(00:48:21) Community investing question(00:54:58) Thanks for listening to The Curve Weekly!(00:55:37) 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.

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If your income doesn’t come in a neat little monthly payslip because you freelance, contract, run a business, or your earnings are just a bit… chaotic - this one’s for you. In this month’s Property Podcast, we look at five key things to keep in mind when you go to apply for a mortgage when your money is “lumpy,” including what banks actually care about (stability and proof, not perfection), the paperwork that makes lenders take you seriously (income + tax records, accounts, contracts and future work), how to keep business and personal spending clean, what deposit expectations can look like, and how to boost your chances with simple moves like paying yourself regularly and cleaning up high-interest debt. Most importantly: this episode is here to kill the myth that getting a mortgage without a traditional salary is impossible, because it’s not. It’s just a slightly wiggly path, and you can absolutely prepare for it.

Watch our episode with Gabby: ‘A Property Story Gone Wrong’: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=raE9rKH-Duo&t=1315s

We’re proud to be partnering with BNZ, who know that getting a mortgage isn’t always straightforward, especially if you don’t have the “standard” payslip setup. If you’re self-employed, contracting, freelancing, earning commission, or your income changes month to month, BNZ’s Home Loan Partners can help you understand what you might be able to borrow and what steps to take next. With the right tools and expert support, you can navigate the process with more clarity and confidence - from first search to settlement.

👉 To learn more, ⁠head here.⁠

BNZ home loans are subject to BNZ’s lending criteria (including minimum equity requirements), terms and fees. An establishment fee of up to $150 may apply.

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
⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠Newsletter⁠⁠

(00:00:00) Coming up in this episode...(00:00:20) BNZ x The Curve(00:01:48) What even is a mortgage?(00:10:12) Soph’s mortgage story(00:21:00) 5 things to keep in mind if you work for yourself & you’re trying to get a mortgage(00:24:09) 1: Why it feels harder when you work for yourself(00:27:38) 2: What banks actually need to see(00:36:51) 3: The actual paperwork the bank requires(00:42:43) 4: What deposit is needed?(00:47:02) 5: What will help you get approved?(00:51:42) Final thoughts(00:54:41) Thank you for listening to the property podcast!(00:56:16) 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.