The Curve

This episode is a full-course meal of money chats, career pivots and laugh-out-loud moments with the glorious Polly Markus (aka Miss Polly’s Kitchen). We talk real estate burnouts, spending blowouts (yes, including a Celine bag situation), and the chaos of being your own one-woman content empire. Polly spills on her investing flops (Rivian, we're still not over it), the emotional hangover of financial regrets, and the surprising clarity that comes with getting serious about your money goals. It’s equal parts hilarious, heartfelt, and wildly relatable - plus, stick around to the end for a little announcement that had us both misty-eyed and squealing. 🥹This week we’re teaming up with Fresh Start by My Food Bag Nutritionist-approved, calorie-controlled dinners delivered to take the admin out of healthy eating - perfect for busy gals on the go. Fresh Start have an exclusive discount for The Curve community - Get up to $168 off 3 weeks with code CURVEWEEKLY. That's 50% off your first delivery, 10% off your second & 10% off your third -Sign up here.T&Cs: Offer expires 31 Dec 2025 for deliveries until 1 Feb 2026 delivery weekend at the latest. To use this offer customer must be new to My Food Bag or have not bought any My Food Bag product in the last 13 weeks. Promotion applies to the value of the customers chosen subscription meal kit and does not apply to any extras including Kitchen and gourmet meals. Promo code cannot be used on one off occasion products. My Food Bag reserves the right to withhold or deduct credits obtained using a promotion code in the event that My Food Bag determines or believes that the use or redemption of the promotion code was in error, fraudulent, illegal, or in violation of the applicable promotion code terms or these Terms.⁠⁠Leave us a message on The Curve Hotline 💌☎️⁠⁠For more from The Curve:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Investing Club⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter⁠⁠Disclaimer: 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.

This episode is all about demographics - what they are, why they matter, and how they’re quietly reshaping our economies. Zoe from Tempo unpacks the global trend of falling birth rates, what that means for governments, and how it could impact the stock market in the long term. We explore why women are choosing to have fewer (or no) children, how countries are trying - and failing - to reverse that, and what it means for everything from immigration policy to investment opportunities. Think ageing populations, robotics, fertility healthcare, and yes… even adult nappies. We also answer a brilliant listener question on how to tell which headlines are worth paying attention to when you're investing.Members of The Curve Community can get a $10 boost to kickstart your investing journey with Tempo! Available to new customers only. See the “Tempo x The Curve Promotion. Terms and Conditions” on the ⁠⁠⁠Tempo website.⁠⁠⁠ Use the code THECURVE10 in the Tempo app, and get $10 towards your goal. The Forsyth Barr Funds are issued by Forsyth Barr Investment Management Limited. A copy of the Product Disclosure Statement for the Forsyth Barr Funds is available on the⁠⁠ ⁠Tempo website⁠.⁠⁠ Tempo is only available to New Zealand residents and no offer of financial products or services is being made by, or through, Tempo to any person in any other jurisdiction. Tempo research conducted by Pure Profile in July 2023. NZ rep. Sample of 1,004 respondents.⁠⁠⁠⁠Leave us a message on The Curve Hotline 💌☎️⁠⁠⁠⁠For more from The Curve:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Investing Club⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠Disclaimer: 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.

Trump’s been on the mic again - and the stock market’s feeling it. A sudden U-turn on tariffs sent US markets soaring nearly 10% in a day (yep, a day), and now economists are whispering the R-word. We break down what this week’s chaos means for inflation, interest rates, global growth and whether your term deposit is about to start ghosting you. Vic’s got investing whiplash, Soph’s halfway to deleting social media, and honestly, we’re all one Trump headline away from packing it in and starting The Herb - dodging dictators, growing basil, and diversifying in herbs and assets.WTF Does That Mean? A Guide to All the Jargony BitsTariffs – Taxes on imported goods. Makes stuff more expensive.Insider Trading – Buying or selling stocks using secret info. Very illegal.Interest Rates – The cost of borrowing or the reward for saving.Negative Interest Rates – You pay the bank to hold your money. Yikes.Inflation – Prices go up, your money buys less.Global Growth – How fast the world’s economy is growing.Diversification – Spreading your money around to lower risk.Recession – When the economy shrinks for a while. Not cute.Term Deposit – A savings account you lock up for a fixed return.For more from The Curve:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Investing Club⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Leave us a message on The Curve Hotline 💌☎️⁠⁠⁠⁠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.

Content note: This episode contains occasional strong language, and includes open discussion around grief, death, and eating disorders. Please take care while listening.What does success really look like when you're not following the traditional path? In this honest and empowering conversation, Soph sits down with Lucy Blakiston - founder of Shit You Should Care About - to talk about building a global media brand, staying financially independent, and choosing a life outside of convention. From online hate to uncertain income, Lucy shares the real story behind the growth of her platform, why she believes being single helped her succeed, and the challenges of being a woman carving out her own version of success. If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing things out of order, this episode will make you feel seen - and inspired.Want to invest but don’t know where to start? We’ve got you. The Curve’s Investing Club makes learning how to invest, simple, and stress-free. No jargon, no judgment - just smart money moves. Get involved⁠ here⁠: https://thecurveplatform.com/pages/become-a-member⁠⁠Leave us a message on The Curve Hotline 💌☎️⁠⁠For more from The Curve:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Investing Club⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter⁠⁠Disclaimer: 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.

Hold onto your investing hats (and maybe your Shein sparkle tops), because this week’s Curve Weekly is a wild ride through the chaos of Trump’s new mega tariffs. We break down how the former president’s dramatic attempt to “make America wealthy again” is sending global markets into a tailspin, whacking small countries with 40%+ tariffs, and giving TikTok a starring role in what feels like an economic soap opera. Soph shares her Friday night stock market shopping spree (cue major FOMO), Vic explains why Vietnam is copping it hard, and we ask the million-dollar question: do you double down on recession-proof stocks or snap up the ones in free fall? Plus, we get into Brexit’s accidental win, IPOs gone quiet, and why investing is basically the new Coachella. Get comfy, because this is one of the biggest Curve Weeklies yet.WTF Does That Mean? A Guide to All the Jargony BitsIPO – When a company starts selling shares to the public for the first time. Like their stock market debut.ETF – A bunch of different shares bundled into one. Easy way to invest.Index / Index Fund – Tracks how a group of companies is doing. Like the S&P 500 or FTSE 100.Dollar Cost Averaging – Investing bit by bit over time instead of all at once.S&P 500 – The top 500 US companies. Big deal in investing.FTSE 100 – The 100 biggest companies in the UK stock market.Inflation – When prices go up and your money buys less.Diversification – Spreading your money around different investments.Private Equity – Investing in companies that aren’t on the stock market.Recession-Proof Stocks – Companies that still make money even when the economy sucks.Portfolio – All your investments in one place.For more from The Curve:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Investing Club⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠Leave us a message on The Curve Hotline 💌☎️⁠⁠⁠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.

Ever wonder why you feel so good when you buy a new outfit but not when you pay your electricity bill? Blame it on dopamine. In this episode, we chat with clinical psychologist Dr. Anastasia Hronis about the science behind impulse spending, why tech companies make shopping way too easy, and how to hack your brain to save instead of splurge. We also unpack everyday addictions (yes, your late-night Netflix habit counts) and how to spot the difference between a harmless treat and a full-blown problem. Plus, Vic confesses her old online shopping addiction, Sophie reveals her unusual bedtime habit, and we learn why Buy Now, Pay Later is the ultimate dopamine trap. Get ready for some serious penny-drop moments!Want to invest but don’t know where to start? We’ve got you. The Curve’s Investing Club makes learning how to invest, simple, and stress-free. No jargon, no judgment - just smart money moves. Get involved here.⁠⁠Leave us a message on The Curve Hotline 💌☎️⁠⁠For more from The Curve:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Investing Club⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter⁠⁠Disclaimer: 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.

Okay okay - we’ll admit it, this episode starts off light on finance and heavy on ski trip chaos, family drama, and… onsens. If you’re just here for the money chat, skip ahead to 17:15. From there, we dive into the EV race heating up as BYD overtakes Tesla in revenue (huge), unpack a surprise IPO hitting the market soon, and look at what’s behind the skyrocketing price of eggs in the U.S. (spoiler: people are literally smuggling them). Oh, and we also question whether Lululemon is having a full-blown identity crisis.Members of The Curve Community can get a $10 boost to kickstart your investing journey with Tempo! Available to new customers only. See the “Tempo x The Curve Promotion. Terms and Conditions” on the ⁠⁠Tempo website.⁠⁠Use the code THECURVE10 in the Tempo app, and get $10 towards your goal.The Forsyth Barr Funds are issued by Forsyth Barr Investment Management Limited. A copy of the Product Disclosure Statement for the Forsyth Barr Funds is available on the ⁠⁠Tempo website⁠⁠. Tempo is only available to New Zealand residents and no offer of financial products or services is being made by, or through, Tempo to any person in any other jurisdiction. Tempo research conducted by Pure Profile in July 2023. NZ rep. Sample of 1,004 respondents.⁠⁠⁠⁠Leave us a message on The Curve Hotline 💌☎️⁠⁠⁠⁠For more from The Curve:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Investing Club⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠Disclaimer: 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.

AI investing - too hot to handle or just heating up? In this episode, we bring in Zoe Wallis from Tempo for a Temperature Check on the AI boom. Sophie, Vic, and Zoe dive into whether AI is still the golden ticket or if the train has already left the station. Plus, the all-important question: how do you actually invest in AI without just throwing your money at the next shiny tech stock? We talk Nvidia, diversification (aka not putting all your eggs in one AI-powered basket), and how to spot the next big trend before it’s too trendy. Oh, and yes - there are some solid gold rush analogies. You’re welcome.Members of The Curve Community can get a $10 boost to kickstart your investing journey with Tempo! Available to new customers only. See the “Tempo x The Curve Promotion. Terms and Conditions” on the ⁠⁠Tempo website.⁠⁠ Use the code THECURVE10 in the Tempo app, and get $10 towards your goal. The Forsyth Barr Funds are issued by Forsyth Barr Investment Management Limited. A copy of the Product Disclosure Statement for the Forsyth Barr Funds is available on the⁠ ⁠Tempo website⁠.⁠ Tempo is only available to New Zealand residents and no offer of financial products or services is being made by, or through, Tempo to any person in any other jurisdiction. Tempo research conducted by Pure Profile in July 2023. NZ rep. Sample of 1,004 respondents.⁠⁠⁠Leave us a message on The Curve Hotline 💌☎️⁠⁠⁠For more from The Curve:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Investing Club⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter⁠⁠⁠Disclaimer: 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.

Blast from the past alert! We’re dusting off an oldie (but a very, very goodie) with the legendary Frances Cook – finance journalist, author, and NZ’s OG money podcaster. In this episode, we dive into the magic of keeping a money diary (it’s a game-changer, trust us), break down the whole good debt vs. bad debt debate (spoiler: your wardrobe might not be an "investment"), and unpack the satellite approach to investing – aka the strategy that lets you have your financial veggies and a little dessert. Plus, Frances spills on her best and worst investments (ahem, crypto-adjacent oopsie), and we debate whether giving up oat milk lattes will actually fix your financial future (spoiler: nope). If you’re a beginner investor or just need a refresher on the fundamentals, this one’s for you.Join The Curve Investing Club - a community of women learning, growing, and building wealth together. Whether you're a total beginner or already investing, you'll get expert insights, stock market updates, and a supportive crew to talk all things money. Sign up here: https://thecurveplatform.com/pages/become-a-member ✨⁠⁠Leave us a message on The Curve Hotline 💌☎️⁠⁠For more from The Curve:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Investing Club⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter⁠⁠Disclaimer: 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.

Rachel’s back in the hot seat for the second week running and she’s really earning her finance pro stripes - juggling a four-month-old, economic chaos, and a serious amount of market news. From gold hitting record highs and Nvidia flexing a chip 40x faster than its last one (casual), to Tesla’s rocky week and Formula 1 becoming the Real Housewives of sport, there’s a lot going on. Plus, Sophie and Rach break down why the stock market is "on sale" and how that might actually be a good thing for your portfolio. Investing? Slightly chaotic? Kind of obsessed with the markets now? Same.Members of The Curve Community can get a $10 boost to kickstart your investing journey with Tempo! Available to new customers only. See the “Tempo x The Curve Promotion. Terms and Conditions” on the ⁠Tempo website.⁠Use the code THECURVE10 in the Tempo app, and get $10 towards your goal.The Forsyth Barr Funds are issued by Forsyth Barr Investment Management Limited. A copy of the Product Disclosure Statement for the Forsyth Barr Funds is available on the ⁠Tempo website⁠. Tempo is only available to New Zealand residents and no offer of financial products or services is being made by, or through, Tempo to any person in any other jurisdiction. Tempo research conducted by Pure Profile in July 2023. NZ rep. Sample of 1,004 respondents.⁠⁠⁠Leave us a message on The Curve Hotline 💌☎️⁠⁠⁠For more from The Curve:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Investing Club⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter⁠⁠⁠Disclaimer: 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.