Cash is disappearing, only 9% of UK retail transactions are now cash, and the workers who've always relied on tips are quietly losing out. Hotel cleaners, gym trainers, bar staff, mechanics: people giving great service in industries where there's no bill at the end to add a tip to.

In this episode of tell.talks, Alan Smith, CEO of Rebel Tip, joins David to explain why he's built a digital tipping platform that bypasses employers entirely and goes straight to the worker. 100% of the tip, no POS integration, no admin overhead, it's just a QR code in an Apple or Google Wallet.

Alan argues that hospitality tipping isn't broken, the bill works fine. It's everywhere else that needs fixing. We get into the rise of the "tippler society," why pooled tipping drags strong performers down, what's gone wrong with tipping culture in America, and why a fintech background matters when you're navigating FCA rules, card scheme compliance, and client money regulation behind a deliberately simple consumer product.

Topics covered: digital tipping, cashless economy, fintech UK, worker-first payments, QR code payments, FCA compliance, embedded finance, service economy, hospitality vs gig economy tipping.

Listen to tell.talks for honest conversations with the people shaping the our digital economy.

In this episode of tell.talks, we sit down with Alana Parsons, COO at Caxton, to unpack what it really means to step into leadership.

Alana shares her journey from operational roles to the C-suite, and the mindset shift that comes with it, from being the one doing the work to trusting others to deliver it.

We cover:

• The hardest part of moving from operator to leader
• Why trust becomes your biggest unlock (and biggest challenge)
• How to lead teams through change when not everyone is ready
• The role of networking, and why starting earlier matters
• What AI and regulation could mean for the future of payments

It’s a grounded, honest conversation about leadership, growth, and the realities behind building and scaling in fintech.

In this episode, we’re joined by Kevin McAdam, CEO of Andaria, to talk through the realities of building and scaling in embedded finance.

From Andaria’s evolution into a full embedded finance provider to the operational pressures of fraud, regulation and customer expectations, Kevin shares what it actually takes to build trust in today’s landscape.

We get into why partnerships are becoming non-negotiable for growth, where regulation is helping (and where it’s not), and the leadership mindset needed to keep moving forward in a fast-changing industry.

A practical conversation on how businesses evolve, collaborate, and stay relevant as the space continues to shift.