The Curve
The Curve Platform
Recent Episodes
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What does it actually take to save £100,000 in your mid-20s without becoming a joyless hermit who never buys a coffee again? In this episode, Sophie chats with the hugely talented creator, Mia McGrath about growing up feeling “not rich enough”, turning a shopping habit into a saving habit, and why your first £100k is the hardest but the most powerful. Mia opens up about being adopted from China, how that shaped her fierce independence, and the moment she realised building her own wealth felt better than waiting for someone else to “rescue” her financially. They get into invisible wealth vs flashy flexing, the FIRE movement and creating a “work optional” life, living frugally without feeling deprived, and how to rethink splitting money in relationships without losing your power. Expect practical tips on low-buy habits, side hustles, emergency funds and compound interest, plus a healthy dose of “put the ASOS app down” energy and Sophie’s pledge to finally stop wasting money on Guinness she doesn’t even like.
Mia’s socials:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/miarose_mcgrath/?hl=en
TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@miarosemcgrath?lang=en-GB
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@miarosemcgrath
Substack - https://frugalchic.co.uk/
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:
(00:00:00) Welcome to Raising the Curve(00:00:37) Why Mia Set Her £100k Goal(00:02:50) Mia’s Early Money Story(00:05:08) Breaking Free from Overconsumption(00:10:47) Adoption, Identity & Independence(00:14:03) How Her Parents Shaped Her Money Habits(00:16:29) Understanding Compound Interest(00:18:05) Defining What “Rich” Really Means(00:21:18) FIRE and Becoming Work-Optional(00:23:55) Leaving Fashion for Finance(00:29:11) Hitting the £100k Milestone(00:31:39) The Real Sacrifices Behind Saving(00:34:35) For People Who Love Spending(00:36:58) The Idea of Frugal Chic(00:40:08) Small Luxuries That Still Feel Rich(00:42:13) Gratitude as a Money Tool(00:44:04) The Power of Invisible Wealth(00:46:10) Hypergamy, Dating & Splitting Bills(00:57:16) Final Thoughts(00:58:03) Thanks for Listening(00:58:28) 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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This week, we unpack a surprisingly juicy mix of money, markets and the evolving media world, starting with Netflix’s huge move on Warner Bros and what it tells us about how content, power and profit are shifting in real time. They look at Australia’s under-16 social media ban and the ripple effects it could have on everything from advertising economics to how young people connect, plus Pinterest’s unexpected rise as the “healthy” corner of the internet and why that actually matters for investors. From there it’s a whirlwind tour through the rest of the week’s financial drama: Prada snapping up Versace at a discount, global companies lining up to challenge Trump’s tariffs, and the wild new frontier of GLP-1 drugs making their way into the pet market (Ozempets… truly). With a sprinkle of Spotify Wrapped chaos, a dash of dating-life overshare, and a sneak peek of our upcoming chat with Gen Z investing whiz Mia McGrath, this episode delivers plenty of laughs but also some big-picture takeaways about where power, money and consumer behaviour are heading.
Sign the petition! https://b416.co.nz/
WTF does that mean? A guide to all the jargony bits:
Acquisition – One company buys another. Corporate shopping spree.
Vertical Integration – Owning every step of making your product. Control freak energy.
Regulators – The business hall monitors.
Competition Concerns – “You’re getting too powerful, babe.”
Spin-Off – Breaking a business into a new baby business.
Tariffs – Taxes on imports. A pricey “welcome.”
Pricing Power – When a company raises prices and we still pay.
Share Price – What one slice of a company costs.
Bottom Line – Profit. The money that actually matters.
GLP-1 Drugs – The science behind Ozempic. Very trendy.
Market Consolidation – Big companies merging into even bigger ones.
Ad Revenue – Money made from ads. Your scrolling = their payday.
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:
(00:00:00) What’s Coming Up (It’s a Big One)(00:01:11) Soph’s Dating Debrief(00:04:36) Spotify Wrapped Takes Over(00:10:44) Netflix Buys Warner Bros(00:17:53) The Only App Dodging Australia’s Social Media Ban(00:25:00) Prada Snaps Up Versace(00:27:11) Trump’s Tariffs Come Back to Bite(00:33:10) Ozempets…(00:36:50) One Last Thing Before You Go(00:38:52) A Big Thank You!(00:39:31) Financial Disclaimer(00:39:59) Outtake (sorry Miso)
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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This week, we unpack how foreign buyers actually shape the property market, beyond the headlines, the outrage, and the “blame the billionaire” energy. We dig into why wealthy people snap up homes across the world, what that does to local affordability, and why foreign buyers are such an easy political target. Along the way, we compare the dream portfolios we’d build (yes, there are city penthouses and secluded hideaways), break down how leverage helps everyday buyers grow wealth, and take a fun peek at the property empires of Taylor Swift, Kim Kardashian and Rihanna…
We’re proud to be partnering with BNZ, whose Home Loan Partners understand that no two journeys to home ownership are the same. With expert guidance, backed by BNZ’s research team, they’re here to help you make sense of interest rates, affordability, and timing - so you can navigate your property journey with confidence, no matter what stage you’re at.
👉 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:
(00:00:00) Coming up in this episode...(00:00:29) BNZ x The Curve(00:01:19) Our dream property portfolios(00:04:44) Why do so many wealthy people buy foreign property?(00:07:02) Taylor Swift’s property portfolio(00:11:06) Why so many people aspire to buy property (00:14:48) The price to income ratio(00:22:45) Taxes preventing foreign buyers(00:30:08) Ways to help more people get on the ladder(00:33:50) Kim Kardashian's property portfolio(00:35:41) Rhianna's property portfolio(00:36:14) The most lucrative places to buy in the world(00:37:44) A Big Thank You to BNZ!(00:39:19) 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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This week, Vic kicks things off with a very serious financial dilemma: should you ever spend your hard-earned entertainment budget in an ironically disgusting pub… or is that grounds for a relationship summit? From there we dive into Google’s big AI step up, why Gemini 3 and Google’s own chips are suddenly giving Nvidia a proper run for its money, and what that means if you’re investing in the AI boom. We also unpack how Eli Lilly just joined the trillion-dollar club off the back of weight-loss drugs, and get into the messy but important nuance of obesity, ethics and investing. Then we finish with the UK budget - but don’t tap out if you’re not in the UK: we use it as a crash course in how government budgets actually work, how frozen tax bands quietly make you poorer, what’s changing with ISAs, and why renters and pet owners might finally catch a break.
Watch our latest episode with Google’s Chief Technologist here: https://youtu.be/kQ3dKKSFbWI?si=Intdo6EBtVz60oTd
WTF does that mean? A guide to all the jargony bits:
AI Chips – Hardware that powers AI brains.
Nvidia – The Beyoncé of chip makers.
Gemini 3 – Google’s new AI model causing chaos.
Market Share – How big a slice of the industry pie you own.
GLP-1 Drugs – The science behind weight-loss meds like Ozempic.
Market Cap – What a company’s worth on the stock market.
Tax Brackets – Income levels that decide your tax rate.
Fiscal Drag – Taxes going up… without looking like they’re going up.
ISA – A savings/investing account the tax man can’t touch.
Diversification – Don’t put all your money in one basket.
R&D – Where companies invent cool new stuff.
GDP – A country’s economic “how we’re doing” score.
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:
(00:00:00) Coming up in the episode...(00:01:09) Vic vs Flower Man: The Pub Battle(00:06:33) Google’s steps up to the AI game (Hello, Gemini 3)(00:14:40) The Trillion-Dollar Surprise(00:28:36) The UK Budget… but make it understandable(00:36:45) Thank you for listening!(00:37:24) Financial Disclaimer(00:37:52) We love you Jacob Elordi
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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At 10, Devika was doing night shifts caring for her nan. Fast-forward and she’s one of the tiny handful of female CEOs on the NASDAQ, building life-changing dementia tech while anonymous investors critique… her handbags. In this episode, she shares the real story behind her “why”: caring for her grandma, building a booming care startup, being bullied out of the business she created, surviving an abusive relationship, sobbing on Old Street while her face covered every Tube station, and then - plot twist - meeting the love of her life in Ibiza wearing five-day-old underwear. We dig into resilience, misogyny, motherhood, leadership, and her mission to transform dementia care for every family. It’s raw, heartfelt, unexpectedly funny, and a hug for anyone who’s ever thought, “I don’t know if I can get up again.”
(We do touch on domestic abuse, grief and mental health - please listen gently.)
Devika’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devikawood/?originalSubdomain=uk
Ayla Care: https://www.ayla-care.com/
Women in Health: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wealth-women-in-health
🚗 Thinking about a new car but not ready to drop the cash all at once? Our mini-episode with Lexus explains car financing in plain English (and yes, we made it fun): https://youtu.be/klxsa-upYH4?si=mStDjeNaPWvERlt_
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:
(00:00:00) Episode Preview(00:01:12) Quick Disclaimer(00:01:23) The Curve x Lexus(00:02:24) Who is Devika Wood?(00:09:12) Devika’s Grandma & Her ‘Why’(00:17:16) Co-Founding Vida at 26(00:30:27) Rock Bottom(00:34:15) The biggest Learning Devika Has Had(00:40:52) Devika’s Mission Now(00:41:54) Devika’s Message to Mums(00:44:36) Thank You For Listening!(00:45:01) 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.