A vision for financial education at Elite Business Live 2026

Her talk was all about financial education for kids and how businesses can grow by staying true to their mission. With a room full of entrepreneurs, investors, and business leaders, Louise’s message was clear: purpose-driven businesses can change the world.

Why financial education matters

Louise began with a simple question: Would you drop your kids into a swimming pool and expect them to swim? Most people shook their heads, recognising the importance of teaching kids how to swim. The same goes for teaching them about money. Louise pointed out that money management is just as important as learning to swim, yet many children today aren’t getting the right lessons to manage their money properly.

This was the driving force behind GoHenry, which Louise started in 2012. GoHenry is a platform that teaches children how to earn, save, spend, and invest money safely. As society becomes more cashless, this mission has become even more important. Louise shared that children using GoHenry now withdraw just 6% of their funds in cash, showing how kids today are learning to manage money in a digital-first world.

The GoHenry story that started with an idea that led to global growth

Before GoHenry, Louise wasn’t in finance; her background was in e-commerce and operations. But when she realised that her kids were spending money online without understanding its value, she saw an opportunity. She and a few dads from her kids’ school set out to create GoHenry, offering a safe, practical way for kids to learn how money works.

From day one, GoHenry’s mission was to help kids get smarter with money. That mission stayed at the heart of everything they did, even as the company grew. Today, over 2.3 million children have used GoHenry to gain essential money skills, an achievement Louise is incredibly proud of.

The power of asking questions

What stood out in Louise’s talk was her honesty about the early days. She didn’t know much about banking or finance when she started GoHenry. But she learned as she went and never hesitated to ask questions until she had answers that made sense. Her advice? “Learn as you go and don’t be afraid to ask questions.” This is a message that resonated with many in the room who are on their own entrepreneurial journeys.

Funding the GoHenry journey

Raising money to fund GoHenry was no easy task. Louise shared how, in the early stages, they raised £670,000 through angel investors and crowdfunding. This wasn’t just about securing funds; it was about building a community of investors and customers who believed in the mission. GoHenry became one of the first companies to raise the legal limit through crowdfunding, hitting a €5 million cap and proving there was real demand for what they were offering.

Scaling with purpose

What really set GoHenry apart from the start was its mission-led approach. Louise shared how their focus on helping kids learn about money kept the business on track, even when the growth wasn’t as fast as they’d hoped. She explained that purpose-driven companies can scale successfully without chasing trends. In GoHenry’s case, this was all about tackling a real problem for parents and kids.

Looking to the future

Louise is no longer CEO of GoHenry but continues to be a leading advocate for financial education. She’s working with the Department for Education to help shape the UK’s financial education curriculum, aiming to make financial literacy a core part of school learning from primary school upwards. For Louise, it’s all about creating lasting change that empowers the next generation with the tools they need to succeed.

Purpose and people

Louise ended her talk with a key lesson: purpose is the fuel for growth. Whether you’re a small start-up or a global business, staying true to your mission can drive you forward. GoHenry’s success is a perfect example of how a clear, mission-driven approach can help a business scale, make a real difference, and even change a generation’s attitude toward money.

Her story was a reminder to all in the room that businesses don’t just grow by focusing on profit. They grow by focusing on solving problems and staying connected to their purpose. It’s a message every entrepreneur should hear, and one that will stick with you long after Elite Business Live 2026.

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