GoHenry's Louise Hill: Building a fintech empire after 50

What happens when a frustrated parent's iTunes bill turns into a category-defining fintech business used by millions of families? Louise Hill set out to build something the whole world needed, and then she did exactly that.In this episode of Wild, Wise & Working, Jackie is joined by Louise Hill, co-founder and chairwoman of GoHenry, the prepaid card and financial education app now used by millions of families across the UK, US, Spain and Italy. After two decades in retail and e-commerce, working with names like Next, John Lewis and Debenhams, Louise spotted a gap that didn't exist yet and built it herself. She's spent the last decade turning that idea into a genuine category leader, while also becoming one of the UK's most persistent voices campaigning for financial education in primary schools.The conversation traces Louise's career from a graduate scheme at House of Fraser, through six years of management consultancy parachuting into glass factories and doorbell manufacturers, into 25 years at the coalface of the UK's shift to e-commerce. Jackie and Louise talk candidly about divorce, financial downsizing, and the long, unglamorous slog of fundraising (300 phone calls, 300 no's, before the right introduction landed). They dig into where GoHenry's idea actually came from, how Louise validated it before building anything, and why she was determined from day one to build for scale rather than build small. Along the way, Louise reflects on curiosity, mentoring younger entrepreneurs, and why women in midlife are far from written off, especially now AI is levelling the playing field for anyone willing to have a go.This is a candid, energising conversation about resilience, reinvention, and proof that two decades of "ordinary" corporate experience can be exactly what makes an extraordinary business idea work.Covered in this episode:The iTunes bill that started it all: how a frustrated single parent's observation became the spark for GoHenryWhy Louise was adamant GoHenry shouldn't be "educational theory" but real money, real cards, real learningThe cold outreach story behind GoHenry's first big break, including the 300 calls and 300 no's before meeting Visa's then head of innovation, Ray RedmondHow two decades in retail and e-commerce, from House of Fraser to running operations for the Cotswold Company and Hotel Chocolat, gave Louise the operational grounding to build and scale a businessThe earlier business that didn't work out, sold for £1 and an earn-out that never materialised, and the lesson it taught her about building for scale from day oneRaising the first £692,000 to get GoHenry off the ground, and why founders need to be ahead of the curve on funding, not raising with hindsightGoing through divorce while building a career and a business, including the financial downsizing that came with itWhy some founders build small, lifestyle businesses on purpose, and why that's just as valid as chasing global scaleLouise's take on AI, curiosity, and why women in their 40s, 50s and 60s are uniquely placed to combine analogue experience with new technologyAbout my guest: Louise Hill Louise Hill is the co-founder and chairwoman of GoHenry, the prepaid debit card and financial education app for children that she helped build into a category-defining fintech business used by millions of families worldwide. Before GoHenry, she spent two decades at the forefront of UK retail and e-commerce, working with major names including Next, John Lewis and Debenhams. She's now one of the most prominent women in UK fintech, a vocal advocate for financial education in schools, and an active mentor to younger entrepreneurs. Louise is proof that the best business ideas often come from solving your own ordinary, everyday problem.GoHenry: https://www.gohenry.com/Be a part of the show, and get in touch if you want to chat through your business idea:Don’t forget to subscribe on your favorite podcast platform.Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackienaghten/Send me voice messages, questions, or story ideas for a future show: You'll find everything you need HERE - https://wildwiseandworking.transistor.fm/Quick voice message link: https://www.speakpipe.com/WildWiseAndWorkingProduced by The Good Studio - thegoodstudio.co.uk