The Ascent

Tenzing
  • 4.9 (32)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP
  • UPDATED FORTNIGHTLY

Tenzing’s podcast, The Ascent, lifts the lid on the inner world and workings of the top, private equity backed tech entrepreneurs, CEOs, and high performing individuals. We get under the skin of what motivates these inspiring high performing individuals and drives them to push through adversity into success and back again.

  1. Tom Whicher talks health tech, behaviour change, and building smarter care

    08/10/2025

    Tom Whicher talks health tech, behaviour change, and building smarter care

    Tom Whicher is the founder of DrDoctor, a platform reshaping outpatient care across the NHS. In this episode, Tom shares how he turned a simple insight into a digital health solution used by millions, the reality of scaling behaviour-change tech, and what it takes to build products - and teams - that stick. A must-listen for anyone interested in purposeful innovation.

    50 min
  2. James Whiting talks mission, momentum, and leading change

    01/10/2025

    James Whiting talks mission, momentum, and leading change

    James Whiting is the Chief Executive of Doughty Street Chambers and a leader whose career has spanned law, global advocacy, and human rights. From frontline legal work to senior roles at Friends of the Earth and Malaria No More UK, James has consistently led with purpose. In this episode, he shares how to shape strategy in complex environments, build high-trust teams, and stay values-driven in moments that matter. A rich conversation with a truly principled and visionary leader.

    48 min
  3. Saskia Clark MBE talks Olympic mindsets, resilient teamwork, and making winning decisions

    23/09/2025

    Saskia Clark MBE talks Olympic mindsets, resilient teamwork, and making winning decisions

    Saskia Clark MBE is a three-time Olympian, Olympic gold and silver medallist, and one of Britain’s most decorated sailors. In this episode, she shares what it takes to stay resilient at the elite level, how to build strong partnerships under pressure, and the power of being deliberate in pursuit of success. From unshakable mindsets to smart decision-making, Saskia’s journey is packed with insights for anyone aiming to win - in sport, work, or life.

    46 min
  4. Adie Shariff talks mindset frameworks and creating lasting change

    16/09/2025

    Adie Shariff talks mindset frameworks and creating lasting change

    Adie Shariff is a performance psychologist with over 25 years of experience helping teams and individuals operate at their best when it matters most. From elite sport to business and the military, his approach is grounded, practical, and built on proven frameworks. In this episode, Adie unpacks the five core mindsets of performance, how to align teams through structure and accountability, and how to make change stick. A must-listen for anyone serious about elevating performance.

    53 min
  5. David Hopley OBE talks leading under pressure, building trust, and driving transformation

    10/09/2025

    David Hopley OBE talks leading under pressure, building trust, and driving transformation

    David Hopley OBE brings three decades of elite military leadership to the table - from commanding the UK Special Forces to mentoring leaders in business and sport. In this episode, he shares battle-tested insights on trust, decision-making under pressure, and the difference between managing and truly leading. Whether you're building a team, navigating challenge, or striving for high performance, David’s philosophy of creating meaningful step changes will leave you inspired.

    55 min
  6. Mel Marshall MBE talks swimming success, poolside leadership, and unlocking potential

    03/09/2025

    Mel Marshall MBE talks swimming success, poolside leadership, and unlocking potential

    Mel Marshall MBE is one of Britain’s most accomplished swimming coaches and a former elite athlete turned performance powerhouse. From winning medals at the Commonwealth Games to coaching Olympic champion Adam Peaty, Mel’s journey from the podium to the poolside is packed with insight. In this episode, she shares the mindset shifts, leadership lessons, and performance tools that fuel success at the highest level - in sport and beyond.

    50 min
  7. Duane Jackson talks old lags, Lords and the long-game

    05/05/2022

    Duane Jackson talks old lags, Lords and the long-game

    Guy talks to Duane Jackson, founder of KashFlow, Supdate and Staffology. After a turbulent childhood - separated from his mum at the age of 11 and growing up in care - Duane left school with no qualifications. In between IT contracting and looking for some fast cash, he became involved in his friend's drug trafficking business, but in 1999 at Atlanta airport, he was caught with over 6,000 ecstasy tablets and was handed a five-year prison sentence. On release, he set up as a web developer with support from The Prince’s Trust, but finding that accounting products such as Sage and QuickBooks didn't meet his needs, he developed a web-based application, initially for his own use; that software became Kashflow, and within 10 years, Duane had sold the company for an undisclosed sum, thought to be in the tens of millions of pounds. Duane’s story is one of adversity, resilience and redemption, with many personal and professional triumphs, including the full-circle achievement of becoming a patron of The Prince’s Trust.

    37 min
  8. Bobby Healy talks airborne cappuccinos and disrupting delivery 

    21/04/2022

    Bobby Healy talks airborne cappuccinos and disrupting delivery 

    In this episode, Guy is joined by Bobby Healy, Founder and CEO of Dublin-based Manna - a potentially game-changing drone delivery start-up - and a highly-valued member of the Tenzing Entrepreneurs Panel. Like many of the guests on The Ascent, Bobby discovered a love of coding as a teenager, and before he’d turned 18 he’d landed a dream job writing video games for Nintendo. While passionate about gaming, Bobby found his way to a job in the emerging travel tech sector, at Amadeus, the global distribution system (GDS) - a behemoth technology platform providing travel agents with direct access to the world's airline booking platforms, but inspired to build something better, he struck out on his own and moved to Mexico City to found Eland, a middleware SAAS business that allowed airlines to connect their booking systems into various hosting platforms. Twelve years later, with over 50 staff, Bobby sold the business to trade. On his return to Dublin, he chanced upon a business with bags of potential, and over the next 15 years, transformed what was then a family-run physical car rental operation into CarTrawler, the world’s biggest B2B travel technology platform. Bobby exited CarTrawler during the pandemic to focus on Manna, which, he says, within three years will either be gigantic or nothing at all.

    41 min
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4.9
out of 5
32 Ratings

About

Tenzing’s podcast, The Ascent, lifts the lid on the inner world and workings of the top, private equity backed tech entrepreneurs, CEOs, and high performing individuals. We get under the skin of what motivates these inspiring high performing individuals and drives them to push through adversity into success and back again.

Information

  • Creator
    Tenzing
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2025
  • Episodes
    21
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Tenzing Private Equity LLP 2021
  • Show Website
    The Ascent