In this episode of Beyond the Capital, part of our Women in Finance Collective mini-series, host Hilary Smyth-Allen is joined by Kim Jenkins, COO of fintech firm Afternoon, and Liz Basten, founder of marketing agency Kiss My Brand. Together, they explore how women in finance can build authentic personal brands, overcome hidden biases, and navigate career transitions. From mentorship to AI, this conversation is packed with practical advice, honest reflections, and empowering insights for every stage of a career.

This episode dives deep into the realities of working in fintech and financial services as a woman. Liz and Kim reflect on the cultural and structural barriers that persist in the industry—from male-dominated environments to the subtle biases that shape career progression. They share personal stories and hard-won lessons, offering a candid look at what it takes to thrive and lead in these spaces.

In this new four-part mini-series, we’ve partnered with the Women in Finance Collective – a new Midlands-based network dedicated to empowering and supporting women working in finance and fintech.

In the first episode, we’re joined by Tessa Lee, Managing Director at Moneyinfo, and Gemma Lowndes, Director of Operations at Jigsaw Tree – the founding companies behind the Collective. Together, they discuss why the network was needed and the unique value of local support.

The conversation highlights how community and connections build confidence, why sharing success stories inspires the next generation, and how early education about finance careers opens new pathways for young women. They also explore the opportunities technology brings – including how AI can enhance, rather than replace, roles in the sector.

This episode is about more than challenges – it’s about building a movement. By connecting talent, championing diverse voices, and creating opportunities, the Women in Finance Collective is helping the region lead with inclusion and innovation.

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 regional accountancy and audit firm Armstrong Watson navigated the cultural, technical, and client-facing 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 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 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.