Talking Frankly with Founders and Investors

Frankie is joined by Jinesh Vohra, Co-Founder & CEO of Sprive, to discuss his transition from Goldman Sachs to becoming a fintech founder. Jinesh reveals how his own mortgage experience led to building a platform that’s helping thousands of UK homeowners save millions in interest.

They discuss the highs and lows of startup life, raising capital, building resilient teams, and why personal finance discipline is at the heart of entrepreneurial success—an inspiring episode for anyone interested in money, mortgages, or leaping into business.

In this episode of Talking Frankly, Frankie speaks with Joe Roberts-Walker, founder of Mejuicer — the fresh, unpasteurised juice company shaking up the drinks industry. Joe shares how a second-hand juicer, lockdown restlessness, and a deep need to create something positive led him from his kitchen to supplying Amazon, Soho House, Ralph Lauren and more.

This is a story of resilience, purpose, and building a business rooted in community, sustainability and joy — all while navigating the pressures of entrepreneurship and personal finance.

Expect insights on:

💡 Turning tragedy into purpose and resilience

💡 Building a brand without big marketing budgets

💡 The role of community and positivity in business

💡 Balancing personal finance with startup life

Listen now to hear how Joe created something bigger than juice.

Six new episodes. Honest conversations with founders and investors who’ve built, pivoted, and kept going — even when things got tough. Narrated by Frankie Smith, with insights from some truly brilliant guests, this season is packed with bold thinking and practical advice. If you’re building something of your own or backing someone who is, you’ll want to listen in.

From spare room to standout firm. Jessica Sue Rasmussen, Co-Founder and CEO of Two Magnolias, shares how she built her business from the ground up — while raising a family, navigating imposter syndrome and staying true to her values. An honest and empowering listen for anyone building something of their own.

Episode 3: From Wedding Photographer to 2,000+ Weddings a Year – Samantha Gilchrist, The Gilchrist Collection. What does it take to go from photographing weddings to running one of the UK’s most successful wedding venue groups? In this episode, we sit down with Samantha Gilchrist, the powerhouse behind The Gilchrist Collection – a group of 12 wedding venues across the UK and US. From a chance viewing to striking a £150K handshake deal with no lawyers, Sam shares how she built the business from the ground up. We dive into: The accidental start that led to a multimillion-pound business How she filled an empty wedding calendar from scratch Building a scalable team (and learning to let go) What it takes to be an entrepreneur Her growth journey from worker to CEO It’s honest, inspiring, and full of practical gems for anyone on their business journey. This episode is brought to you by FSWM – Frankie Smith Wealth Management.

In this episode of Talking Frankly, Frankie speaks with Andrea Reynolds, Founder and CEO of Swoop. Andrea shares her journey from corporate finance to building Swoop, a platform transforming SME access to capital. She discusses raising funds, overcoming challenges in tech, staying “money ready,” and the lessons she’s learned along the way. A warm, honest conversation packed with practical advice for founders and anyone interested in the real story behind scaling a business. Listen in for thoughtful insights on funding, growth, and the mindset it takes to lead.

Talking Frankly with Simon Rogerson, Founder & CEO of Octopus In this episode of Talking Frankly, Frankie Smith sits down with Simon Rogerson — founder and CEO of Octopus, one of the UK’s most dynamic and values-driven companies. Simon shares how he went from working in asset management to launching Octopus from a small office above a Co-op, securing his first investors from the Yellow Pages. Since then, he’s built a business grounded in kindness, innovation, and one of the most distinctive workplace cultures in the industry. Frankie and Simon dive into what it really takes to build a brilliant team, why he personally joined every job interview for years, and how Octopus empowers employees to become entrepreneurs in their own right. Simon also opens up about the challenges of balancing personal hardship — including his experience with divorce — while leading a business, and how that’s influenced his support of new ventures like amicable. One standout insight from the conversation? The power of multiple revenue streams — and why continuous innovation is key to building something that lasts. We hope you enjoy the episode.

Frankie chats to Ben Carter, investment manager in the life sciences team at Deepbridge Capital. Ben tells her what he looks for when he's weighing up whether to invest in an organisation, why he loves getting involved with companies at an early stage, and why he's learned more from his failures than his successes. To find out more about Frankie's network for professionals and entrepreneurs, visit https://www.frankiesnetwork.com/

Frankie speaks to Tom Gearing, founder of the fine wine investment company Cult Wines. Tom explains why his Dad's passion for wine was a crucial part of his entrepreneurial journey, why he believes it's vital to preserve your company culture as it grows, and why he splits the development of Cult Wines into three-to-five-year cycles. To find out more about Frankie's network for professionals and entrepreneurs, visit https://www.frankiesnetwork.com/

Frankie chats to Alice Parmiter and Wynter Karo, founders of the bottled cocktail business, Pimentae. Alice and Wynter tell Frankie how they built up the company while working in corporate jobs in the early days, why their different skillsets mean they work well together as a team, and why they think you should never be afraid to ask for help along your entrepreneurial journey. To find out more about Frankie's network for professionals and entrepreneurs, visit https://www.frankiesnetwork.com/