Beyond The Capital from SuperTech

Beyond The Capital is the podcast series from SuperTech that explores the professional services tech scene outside of London. We’re also on the AdviserTech Show podcast feed.This is a special four-part mini-series in partnership with the Women in Finance Collective, a new network to promote and support women who work in finance and fintech in the Midlands.In this episode, host Hilary Smyth-Allen speaks to Amira Norris, Co-Founder of The Mentor Standard, and Julie Goddard, Business Psychologist and Founder of The Success Architect. They explore the role of behavioural psychology in leadership and decision-making, and how high-stakes environments, such as finance, shape it.They discuss:Why clarity matters more than confidence when making decisionsThe impact of constant pressure and uncertainty post-CovidHow trust underpins effective leadership and team performanceAvoiding the 'false sense of urgency' in tech-driven changeRethinking 'imposter syndrome' and why self-doubt can be healthyLinks:To find out more about SuperTech WM click here.To find out more about Moneyinfo click here.To find out more about Jigsaw Tree click here.To find out more about the Women In Finance Collective click here.To find out more about The Mentor Standard click here.To find out more about The Success Architect click here.

In this episode of Beyond the Capital, part of our Women in Finance Collective mini-series, host Hilary Smith-Allen is joined by Kim Jenkins, Chief Operating Officer of fintech firm Afternoon, and Liz Basten, founder of Kiss My Brand, a marketing agency.Together, they share their reflections on decades of working in fintech and financial services, tackling barriers and exploring how women can thrive at every stage of their careers. From building a personal brand to navigating career plateaus, from embracing AI to re-setting career purpose, this is a conversation packed with insight, honesty, and practical advice.They discuss:The barriers women still face in fintech and financial services, from male-dominated cultures to hidden biasesWhy visibility is crucial for career progression and how to build it without feeling like you’re “showing off”Practical ways to create a personal brand that feels authentic and builds credibilityThe role of mentorship, both official and unofficial, in overcoming isolation and accelerating growthRethinking career trajectories: pivoting, resetting purpose, and tackling mid-career “stuck” momentsHow AI is reshaping roles in finance and why it could create new opportunities for womenThe importance of community, like the Women in Finance Collective, in building confidence and support networksChapters:00:00 Introduction to Women in Finance02:27 Barriers in the Workplace06:31 Building a Personal Brand09:17 The Importance of Mentorship12:40 Navigating Career Progression15:47 The Impact of AI on Careers19:09 Finding Purpose and Skills for the FutureResources:To find out more about SuperTech click here.To find out more about the Women in Finance Collective click here.To find out more about Afternoon click here.To find out more about Kiss My Brand click here.

Beyond The Capital is the podcast series from SuperTech that explores the professional services tech scene outside of London. We’re also on the AdviserTech Show podcast feed.This is a special four-part mini-series in partnership with the Women in Finance Collective, a new network to promote and support women who work in finance and fintech in the Midlands.For this first episode of the series, host Hilary Smyth-Allen is joined by Tessa Lee, Managing Director of Moneyinfo, and Gemma Lowndes, Director of Operations for Jigsaw Tree. Moneyinfo and Jigsaw Tree are the founding companies of the Women In Finance Collective. They discuss:Why the Collective was needed in the MidlandsThe importance of local support and how local networks provide more relevant support than national groupsHow women still face challenges in leadership roles within financial servicesHow community and connections are vital for women in finance.Sharing success stories can inspire and motivate othersWhy education about finance careers should start in schoolsHow AI can enhance roles in finance rather than replace themChapters:00:00 Introduction to the Women in Finance Collective02:43 The Need for Local Support in Finance05:41 Challenges Faced by Women in Finance08:36 The Role of Technology in Finance10:52 Building a Supportive Community12:12 Inspiring Future Generations13:02 Getting Involved with the CollectiveMore information:To find out more about SuperTech WM click here.To find out more about Moneyinfo click here.To find out more about Jigsaw Tree click here.To find out more about the Women In Finance Collective click here.

This is the final episode of a four-part mini-series of Beyond the Capital from SuperTech WM, in partnership with the TiPS Accelerator, a programme helping regional law and accountancy firms adopt new technology.This episode explores how accountancy and audit firm Armstrong Watson navigated the cultural, technical, and client-related challenges of adopting new audit technology through the TiPS accelerator programme.Host Hilary Smith-Allen is joined by Steve Preston and Lucy Hughes, who share their experience of implementing data analytics tools across Armstrong Watson’s offices, managing team engagement and collaborating with both clients and suppliers.They discuss how a mindset shift, at both board level and across teams, was essential to success, how change management workshops helped guide the process, and why rolling out the pilot at scale made all the difference.They discuss:The importance of planning as success starts before implementationHow mindset matters at every level of the organisationHow to bring your team with you Choosing the right supplier  Client collaboration can be a key differentiatorChapters:00:00 – Introduction to the TIPS programme01:18 – About Armstrong Watson02:18 – Mindset challenges and cultural shifts03:45 – Why data analytics?05:14 – How external support accelerated change06:37 – Running pilots and rolling out across offices08:23 – Defining success: audit quality, efficiency, and client service10:15 – Adapting plans and improving feedback loops13:08 – Involving clients in the pilot process15:22 – Supplier relationships and off-the-shelf vs bespoke tech18:43 – Measuring impact and looking ahead21:18 – Team buy-in and long-term cultural change22:45 – Final takeaways for firms on the tech journeyFind out more about TiPS here and SuperTech here.

This is the third episode of a four-part mini-series of Beyond the Capital from SuperTech WM, in partnership with the TiPS Accelerator, a programme helping regional law and accountancy firms adopt new technology.This episode features leaders from Thorntons, a full-service Scottish law firm, who speak to host Hilary Smyth-Allen about their journey on the TiPS Accelerator. Sarah Blair, Jane McCance, and Lewis Quinn unpack how the firm used service design thinking to drive digital transformation, foster AI literacy, and unveil the real human challenges behind legal tech adoption.From co-creating solutions with colleagues to embracing “messy” innovation, they share their people-first approach to change - and how that’s shaping the firm's internal transformation programme.They discuss:Why adoption is a human, not just technical, problemHow service design and the Double Diamond framework guided discoveryBuilding AI literacy and safe experimentation across the firmCreating a firm-wide cultural shift, one post-it at a timeHow the TiPS project laid the groundwork for a firm-wide change programmeChapters:00:00 – Introduction to TiPS and Thorntons01:45 – Thorntons’ structure, services, and innovation roles04:20 – The trap of tech-first thinking and why adoption lags06:30 – Identifying human problems before implementing solutions08:00 – Shifting project scope: literacy, service design and the “AI Sandbox”10:14 – Building transformation roles from scratch12:00 – Starting with discovery and asking the right questions15:00 – What the project uncovered (and what it changed)17:17 – What is the Double Diamond? A primer on service design19:15 – From AI requests to deeper diagnostics and real solutions22:00 – Aligning innovation with strategic priorities24:25 – Wellbeing, time-saving, and what “impact” really means27:00 – Culture change and playful innovation techniques29:00 – AI roadshows, Jedi groups, and safe experimentation31:15 – Upskilling junior colleagues and early-career catalysts33:42 – Final takeaways: messiness, experimentation, and mindset

This is the second episode of a four-part mini-series of Beyond the Capital from SuperTech WM, in partnership with the TiPS Accelerator—a programme helping regional law and accountancy firms adopt new technology.In this episode, host Hilary Smyth-Allen speaks to Dr Catriona Wolfenden, Director of Product and Innovation at Weightmans, a top-40 UK law firm. She shares insights from Weightmans’ participation in the TiPS accelerator programme, focusing on how trust plays a pivotal role in the successful adoption of legal technology, especially emerging tools like generative AI.The conversation explores how the legal innovation team at Weightmans balances enthusiasm for technology with risk awareness, pilot fatigue, and stakeholder engagement. Listeners will hear how trust varies across teams, projects, and client relationships. Plus, thinking critically before launching a pilot is more important than ever.They discuss:How to think long-term: today’s pilot affects tomorrow’s cultureThe importance of transparent communicationWhy trust isn’t binary—it varies by project, person, and contextStarting with the problem, not the technologyChapters:00:00 – Introduction to TiPS and Weightmans01:20 – Role of the innovation team and post-COVID tech shift03:26 – The GenAI explosion and the risks of hype05:46 – Trust as the cornerstone of successful pilots07:03 – Legal responsibility and the “black box” problem10:36 – The academic and cross-sector value of TiPS12:11 – Mapping stakeholder trust and pilot impact14:31 – Avoiding the “snake oil” trap15:49 – Is GenAI hype, or here to stay?17:35 – ROI challenges and market saturation19:32 – Innovation lessons for smaller firms21:36 – Managing disruption and unintended consequences23:11 – One key takeaway: plan more than you think you need toLinks:Find out more about the TiPS accelerator hereFind out more about SuperTech WM hereFind out more about Weightmans here