Scouting for Growth

Simon Guest: Orchestrating Digital Health Ecosystems

On this episode of the Scouting For Growth podcast, Sabine VdL talks to Simon Guest, formerly CCO at The CareVoice and now Global Head of Business Development - Life Protection at Zurich Insurance, who has been instrumental in pioneering a differentiated approach to growth in the healthcare sector. Under his guidance, The CareVoice will focus on creating multifaceted platforms that benefit from the network effect, where each new user or partner amplifies the ecosystem's cumulative value and utility.
Join us as we dive into the intricacies of orchestrating growth ecosystems for market differentiation, the power of behavioural science in healthcare, and the innovative strategies that have positioned The CareVoice as a leader in personalized health engagement. Simon's insights promise to be invaluable for anyone looking to understand the future of healthcare and the role of digital ecosystems in driving sustainable value creation.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
I’ve spent more than 20 years working in life & health insurance in various roles & countries. On the one hand, you become a bit frustrated that some of the problems remain the same, but the advancement of technology & the macroclimate's focus on health & wellness create opportunities for life & health insurers. They need to fundamentally rethink their proposition as digital health and wellness, not only for brand & marketing purposes, but also to change the relationship with their clients & impact their results.
What’s important, in our experience, is that you find someone who has an open ecosystem approach, offers the best services you can find in the market & will constantly evolve them. We think that we’re playing that role between build & buy, but in the end, the end consumer gets the best & most critical experience.
BEST MOMENTS
‘Life & health insurance companies have to move to a situation where they are offering end-to-end prevention & digital health care services in one orchestrated way & then provide the insurance behind that if their client needs it.’
‘There are not that many products where you ask people to pay a lot of money for 20 years in the hope that they never use that product. Fundamentally, we have to change the value proposition for customers in this industry.’
‘When it comes to health, you can’t make any mistakes.'
ABOUT THE GUEST
Simon Guest is the Global Head of Business Development - Life Protection at Zurich Insurance. Before then, he was the CCO of Carevoice, which provides Digital Health & Wellness Solutions for Insurers. Simon's journey in the insurance industry is marked by significant achievements & a deep understanding of Life and Health Insurance. His tenure at global giants like Generali & AXA has endowed him with unparalleled expertise in leading Global Protection & Health Business lines. This experience has not only honed his skills in driving strategy & commercial results but also provided him with a comprehensive view of insurance markets worldwide.
Between 2014 and 2022, Simon served as CEO of Generali Engagement Solutions, where he was instrumental in forging and leading a groundbreaking partnership with Discovery. This collaboration brought the Vitality shared-value wellness proposition to 7 European markets, showcasing Simon's ability to leverage innovation, partnerships, & ecosystems. His 'start-up' mentality has been key to delivering exceptional customer propositions and setting new industry benchmarks.
ABOUT THE HOST
Sabine VanderLinden is a corporate strategist turned entrepreneur and the CEO of Alchemy Crew Ventures. She leads venture-client labs that help Fortune 500 companies adopt and scale cutting-edge technologies from global tech ventures. A builder of accelerators, investor, and co-editor of the bestseller The INSURTECH Book, Sabine is known for asking the uncomfortable questions—about AI governance, risk, and trust. On Scouting for Growth, she decodes how real growth happens—where capital, collaboration, and courage meet.
If this episode sparked your thinking, follow Sabine VanderLinden on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram for more insights.
And if you’re interested in sponsoring the podcast, reach out to the team at hello@alchemycrew.ventures

Denzil Eden: Using AI To Transform Work

On this episode of the Scouting For Growth podcast, Sabine VdL talks to Denzil Eden, founder & CEO of Smarty, an AI-powered productivity assistant. With degrees in computer science & AI from MIT & an MBA from Harvard, Denzil has been at the frontier of harnessing AI's potential to transform work. She has held roles in engineering & product management and is now the founder & CEO of Smarty.
The pair discusses her founder journey as a solo technical female, how to provide advice for startups navigating economic uncertainty, insights on how she sees AI continuing to shape the future of work over the next decade, & practical tips for founders & professionals to help them start implementing today to enhance productivity.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
I started coding at 8 years old & fell in love with building. That passion stayed with me & I enrolled at MIT, where my passion thrived. I got a degree in computer science & did a Master's in human-computer interactions, building an app like Slack for classrooms. I thought that being a founder wasn’t for me, that I wanted more stability & I’m not sure where that mindset came from. I explored a lot of different careers & eventually went to business school to round out my education, while there, the idea for Smarty came to me.
This is the time to develop your AI literacy, to play around with AI tools, to understand how they think, work & how they can make your life better, how they can augment the work that you’re doing. We’re in such an early period of what technologies & tools are going to come out with AI, but the faster you start immersing yourself in that world, the sooner you’ll be able to understand how to prompt/talk to/leverage an AI tool.
There’s a lot that goes into responsible & ethical AI. We should attribute the source of the data for these AI tools, the original artists should get credit, and there should be a system to track the original creator of a piece of work. On the other hand, many artists stand on the shoulders of giants who came before them, inspired by what came before & trying to create something new from it. I think AI tools can help speed up the process of experimenting with their own work.
I’ve learned so much on my founder's path & specifically about being a woman in AI, because AI is so heavily based on the data it’s been fed. It’s really important to provide AI tools with diverse sources of data. What I’m seeing right now in the AI space is that there are no female speakers at events. Not just gender, but the sources of information need to be diverse in terms of race, culture, and socio-economic class; diversity is fundamental to how AI works.
BEST MOMENTS
‘I was overwhelmed in most areas of my life & I realised that the majority of the things I was doing & had on my plate could be easily automated with existing technology, so I started building Smarty for myself.’
‘I use the same pitch I started with in 2018, but the appetite for the pitch is so different today. It shows you that timing is everything. Don’t be dissuaded, have internal drive over external validation.’
‘I think AI is going to be a transformational tool in every industry, every job from tech to farming to music. It’s such a magical time & I’m very excited to be part of that movement.’
‘You don’t have to understand the ‘black box’ of an AI tool & how it works, you just have to learn how to use it & in 5-10 years’ time you’ll be the expert.’
ABOUT THE GUEST
Denzil Eden is the founder & CEO of Smarty, an AI-powered productivity assistant that helps professionals plan their days & automate mundane tasks. A trailblazer as a solo female technical founder, Denzil earned degrees in computer science & AI from MIT before getting her MBA from Harvard.
Denzil has an extensive background in technology and entrepreneurship. She started coding at age eight & has worked as a software engineer, product manager, & now founder and CEO. 
Denzil has been at the forefront of harnessing AI to transform everyday work life for over 5 years through Smarty. Backed by Pear VC and other investors, Smarty has helped thousands achieve peak productivity by creating structured routines, automating administrative tasks, & maximizing time efficiency. When she's not using technology to make people's lives easier, you can find Denzil playing piano, writing sci-fi stories, or searching for the perfect cup of tea.
ABOUT THE HOST
Sabine VanderLinden is a corporate strategist turned entrepreneur and the CEO of Alchemy Crew Ventures. She leads venture-client labs that help Fortune 500 companies adopt and scale cutting-edge technologies from global tech ventures. A builder of accelerators, investor, and co-editor of the bestseller The INSURTECH Book, Sabine is known for asking the uncomfortable questions—about AI governance, risk, and trust. On Scouting for Growth, she decodes how real growth happens—where capital, collaboration, and courage meet.
If this episode sparked your thinking, follow Sabine VanderLinden on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram for more insights.
And if you’re interested in sponsoring the podcast, reach out to the team at hello@alchemycrew.ventures

Rich Edwards: Differentiating with Data in a World of AI

On this episode of the Scouting For Growth podcast, Sabine VdL talks to Rich Edwards, CEO of Mindspan & former product leader for IBM Watson. He has a knack for demystifying complex topics like machine learning & getting to the heart of how companies can drive real business value.
In our conversation, he shares a contrarian view — the biggest differentiation won’t come from algorithms but rather a company’s first-party data assets.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Seeing where AI & machine learning was going, it wasn’t quite a mainstream adopted technology in 2017, but it clearly was going to be. Where was the interesting part of that to look at? A lot of the value was going to come from data, particularly first party data, that even now is sitting untapped. Eventually that search led me to the company I’m at now, Mindspan, which is a small business which I eventually bought.
The information that they’re entrusted with (when used correctly) can be very, very valuable & allow them to provide very high value services to their customers. The trick is making that come together with the compliance element required in the banking and insurance sector. A lot of the organisations that we work with don’t have the technical skills to build it up which is where a lot of the differentiated value comes from.
AI isn’t one thing. Science fiction has portrayed it as a monolithic thing that’s all knowing. In reality it doesn’t work like that, it’s component pieces that work together in a pipeline/flow handling things. It’s more like the summer intern, the person that comes to you from university who is diligent, eager, literate, can follow instructions, can write but doesn’t know anything about your business or background, & has no context or experience to base it from, but can answer simple questions.
An important issue that we as a society are stumbling into with AI is similar to healthcare or the extension of credit: Areas where there’s a lot of personally identifiable information that’s out there that businesses have about the people they work with that could be misused or exploited. There’s a lot of regulation around healthcare information in the US that states clearly who’s allowed to possess that information & what they’re allowed to do with it. There’s a lot of stuff we haven’t even thought of yet with AI, for example facial recognition. Data is a valuable asset & requires a level of care around it that isn’t just protection but governance.
BEST MOMENTS
‘I had no business being around AI, based on my background, but I was the guy that had been around IBM long enough & knew how to get things done. That afforded me the ability to be at the forefront of this.’
‘For many use cases with generative AI, the differentiation between the providers is getting less & less & less. It’ll be a thing that you buy, but it won’t be a thing that’s going to make you stand out.
‘Anything we can do today is machine learning, anything we can’t do yet is AI, but the line between the 2 is blurry.’
‘AI is a superpower that you can give to people that are most responsible for an interaction/experience that your customers have.’
ABOUT THE GUEST
Rich Edwards is a veteran technology leader with over 20 years of experience working at the intersection of data, AI, and business strategy. As former product management lead for IBM Watson, Rich helped global banks and financial institutions leverage artificial intelligence to uncover growth opportunities and gain a competitive edge. He currently serves as CEO of Mindspan, a firm focused on helping community banks and credit unions transform through data-driven technologies.
Under Rich's leadership, Mindspan turns client data into an operating asset to boost differentiation, create personalized customer experiences, and future-proof their business. With his extensive background in regulated industries like finance and healthcare, Rich understands the importance of building trust and maintaining rigorous data governance. He offers a unique perspective on AI ethics, data privacy, and the responsible use of generative models like ChatGPT.
ABOUT THE HOST
Sabine VanderLinden is a corporate strategist turned entrepreneur and the CEO of Alchemy Crew Ventures. She leads venture-client labs that help Fortune 500 companies adopt and scale cutting-edge technologies from global tech ventures. A builder of accelerators, investor, and co-editor of the bestseller The INSURTECH Book, Sabine is known for asking the uncomfortable questions—about AI governance, risk, and trust. On Scouting for Growth, she decodes how real growth happens—where capital, collaboration, and courage meet.
If this episode sparked your thinking, follow Sabine VanderLinden on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram for more insights.
And if you’re interested in sponsoring the podcast, reach out to the team at hello@alchemycrew.ventures

Chris Miles: Why I Call Myself The Anti-Financial Advisor

On this episode of the Scouting For Growth podcast, Sabine VdL talks to Chris Miles, an unconventional financial advisor who has an incredible backstory; he left the industry disillusioned in his 20s to become a passive real estate investor, achieving financial independence and retiring by age 28.
Since then, he has taught hundreds of entrepreneurs his formula for generating enough passive income to be "work optional" and then positioned to work by choice not necessity. During this conversation, Chris shares his incredible personal story, lessons learned, overcoming major financial setbacks during the Great Recession when he found himself over $1 million in debt, alternative investment strategies beyond just real estate to generate passive income, and actionable advice to start taking control of your financial future.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
I realised that when I was in the financial advisor industry that I was just a salesman in a suit; I was selling people financial products, but I wasn’t really helping people become financially free. It became my mission to debunk that, to get people to go a different route that’s been proven to work. Don’t deal with financial advisors because they suck!
After quitting being a financial advisor in 2006, I looked at a friend who I trained to become a financial advisor who had gone to do real estate investing. So, I started going into the alternative investment route. Later that year, at almost 29, I was able to retire because I had enough passive cashflow coming in to pay my bills. That blew my mind because the financial advice world teaches you to accumulate/save all this money to live on less than the interest in retirement. 
I don’t want to invest in apartments right now. I might wait 6-12 months before I start investing there again. But, residential real estate (depending on where in the US) is still cash flowing, there are still good, solid returns. Not only owning real estate, but investing without owning the property by lending to people who are renovating/flipping/renting out properties & make a financial return of 10%+.
I could send the rest of my life relaxing, but I believe that god puts you on this planet, gives you certain gifts & abilities that you can develop here to use to bless others’ lives. I really felt it was a responsibility of mine to bless lives. That’s why my company is called Money Ripples.
BEST MOMENTS
‘I was always taught that there wasn’t enough money. I wanted a different life that wasn’t just paying bills & then dying.’
‘My clients couldn’t retire early off my advice, I couldn’t & even experienced financial advisors could retire early off their own advice after 30-40 years.’
‘When the student is ready, the teacher appears.’
‘I have friends in real estate who say the last couple of years have been the worst years financially, even worse than 2008. But the key is, they’re talking about commercial real estate, not residential.’
ABOUT THE GUEST
Chris Miles is a leading authority on helping entrepreneurs & professionals get their money working for them today. He earned the nicknames "Cash Flow Expert" & "Anti-Financial Advisor" thanks to his contrarian perspectives & proven track record.
Chris hosts the popular Money Ripples Podcast, sharing unconventional money tips & insights. He's also the founder of Money Ripples, a firm dedicated to helping clients maximise cash flow.
ABOUT THE HOST
Sabine VanderLinden is a corporate strategist turned entrepreneur and the CEO of Alchemy Crew Ventures. She leads venture-client labs that help Fortune 500 companies adopt and scale cutting-edge technologies from global tech ventures. A builder of accelerators, investor, and co-editor of the bestseller The INSURTECH Book, Sabine is known for asking the uncomfortable questions—about AI governance, risk, and trust. On Scouting for Growth, she decodes how real growth happens—where capital, collaboration, and courage meet.
If this episode sparked your thinking, follow Sabine VanderLinden on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram for more insights.
And if you’re interested in sponsoring the podcast, reach out to the team at hello@alchemycrew.ventures

Sally Gimon: How Do The Mega-Rich Save BIG On Taxes

On this episode of the Scouting For Growth podcast, Sabine VdL talks to Sally Gimon, an absolute superstar in the world of real estate investing and financial education.
After getting hit with a $79,000 tax bill from her wholesale real estate activities, Sally uncovered an incredible secret used by the mega-rich to save BIG on taxes.
What she found led her down the rabbit hole into the realm of Spend thrift Trusts, which have been tucked away in the tax code for over 100 years & used by families like the Rockefellers to shield assets and minimise taxes legally.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
I help US business owners save at least 90% on their Federal income taxes legally, year after year, generation after generation. In 43 states where there’s state or personal income taxes, I help them save money too. That’s money that can be used to pay off the mortgage, help a family member out, go on vacation, save for retirement, or give to charity. 
The Rockefellers’ trust is called The Office, they hire 26 CPAs (they can afford it), & it goes from generation to generation, it’s complex, it’s discretionary – meaning the trustee can make the rules for the beneficiary, someone who is not a beneficiary can sign up for the trust & the become a trustee for 5 minutes – someone at a law firm or myself can do this for them for free. It’s has been in front of the Supreme Court twice & both times has been honoured. This is in the IRS tax code, it’s legal but not many people know about it.
The Rockefellers, DuPonts, Carnegies, OJ Simpson, Robin Williams, they all have a Spendthrift Trust meaning Robin Willimas’ 3 grown children will pay no royalties for his TV shows, movies, comedy acts. If they can do this, everybody should do this. This comes from England hundreds of years ago, though it has a different name. 
With the Spendthrift beneficial trust, if the average person joining my real estate group is a 56 year old man who is wholesaling or fixing & flipping a house & makes $50,000 on that deal & are on 24% filing jointly (1 of 7 tax bracket in the US), they will save over $12,000 on that first property. If they do 2 properties in one year, they pay for that trust for generation after generations. On the business trust side, I recommend someone who is making at least $80,000 gross, you will save about $17,000 a year or more depending on the state.
BEST MOMENTS
'If the Rockefellers can do it, why can’t Sally?!’
‘Since November, 5 of my businesspeople who have the business trust have started the beneficial trust because they were saving so much money that they wanted to start lending money to real estate investors.’
‘This is not taught in schools and universities. There are 1 million active attorneys, only 4% are trust attorneys who work for very well-healed people, I’m just trying to help the average person.’
ABOUT THE GUEST
Sally Gimon, a seasoned Medicare broker turned real estate investor, epitomises the transformative power of financial literacy. Her journey began in late 2018, amidst personal challenges, when she pivoted to real estate investing to secure her future.
Sally's acumen shone through as she wholesaled seven properties in 2019, erasing her debts & earning acclaim within her real estate community. However, a staggering tax bill in 2020 was a wake-up call that led her to a profound discovery: the Spendthrift Trust. 
Sally delved into the strategies of the affluent, uncovering how such trusts could shield investors from hefty capital gains and other taxes while maintaining privacy & asset protection.
Find out more about the Spendthrift Trusts framework and approach, and reach out to Sally.
ABOUT THE HOST
Sabine VanderLinden is a corporate strategist turned entrepreneur and the CEO of Alchemy Crew Ventures. She leads venture-client labs that help Fortune 500 companies adopt and scale cutting-edge technologies from global tech ventures. A builder of accelerators, investor, and co-editor of the bestseller The INSURTECH Book, Sabine is known for asking the uncomfortable questions—about AI governance, risk, and trust. On Scouting for Growth, she decodes how real growth happens—where capital, collaboration, and courage meet.
If this episode sparked your thinking, follow Sabine VanderLinden on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram for more insights.
And if you’re interested in sponsoring the podcast, reach out to the team at hello@alchemycrew.ventures

Steve Selengut: Creating Income Freedom

On this episode of the Scouting For Growth podcast, Sabine VdL talks to Steve Selengut, who has over 40 years of direct investment management experience & is one of the few investing book authors who has actually managed client money for decades.
Steve is here to share the fundamental principles behind "income-focused investing" laid out in his book “Retirement Money Secrets.” His approach can help investors confidently replace their paycheques with portfolio income streams that grow regardless of market conditions or interest rates.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
25% of my money was always in the bond market, which included closed-in funds, mortgages, real estate, notes, loans, short-term, long-term, in the country, out of the country, a great, diverse portfolio. I stuck with stocks individually for a longer period of time & they all paid dividends, which became an income stream over time.
In the first 5 weeks of 2024, my own personal accounts have generated over $20,000 in income. I’m not bragging about it; this is the possibility. Not only is it throwing out dividends every month, but the capital gains are like getting a cheque in the mail from your rich uncle & having something more to reinvest.
After learning the foundational rules of investing, people should focus on the income generated by shares, bonds, etc., rather than their market values. You can’t spend the market value, you can’t spend a gold brick, you can't spend cotton futures, but you can spend cash. The companies are giving you cash because they appreciate your value as an owner. Utilities companies were always very good at this. But most companies, especially in the tech sector, want to grow.
Mutual funds were developed & began to get popular after the crash in the 20s, the great depression, because everybody was afraid of the stock market at that point. Mutual funds gave people a diversified portfolio, you could own part of all the companies & participate in the growth of the economy again, without the fear of 100% loss if a company goes bust. That bought a lot of money back into the marketplace. There isn’t an investment advisor out there that would deny the fact that diversification is the key element of risk minimisation that you can employ. 
BEST MOMENTS
‘Big companies influence advisors, it’s not just economics, there’s a lot of politics in there too.’
‘Bonds are a much safer investment than stocks by their nature, & they pay income.’
‘If you see a $100 bill on the sidewalk, do you walk by it hoping it’ll be $150 tomorrow? Pick it up & reinvest it, it’s new capital.’
‘I’ve been through too many crashes to take for granted that every great company is going to continue to be a great success.’
ABOUT THE GUEST
Steve Selengut is a veteran investment manager & advisor specialising in income investing. Over his career, he directly managed over $110 million in individual investment portfolios in the US and abroad.
Steve has now distilled his experience into the book ‘Retirement Money Secrets’, which explains the principles behind income investing. He also provides coaching services to both individual investors & financial advisors on implementing income investing using customised security selection. His goal is to get people to a sustainable, growing income level that makes market volatility & interest rate hikes a benefit rather than a problem.
ABOUT THE HOST
Sabine VanderLinden is a corporate strategist turned entrepreneur and the CEO of Alchemy Crew Ventures. She leads venture-client labs that help Fortune 500 companies adopt and scale cutting-edge technologies from global tech ventures. A builder of accelerators, investor, and co-editor of the bestseller The INSURTECH Book, Sabine is known for asking the uncomfortable questions—about AI governance, risk, and trust. On Scouting for Growth, she decodes how real growth happens—where capital, collaboration, and courage meet.
If this episode sparked your thinking, follow Sabine VanderLinden on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram for more insights.
And if you’re interested in sponsoring the podcast, reach out to the team at hello@alchemycrew.ventures

Lisa Wardlaw: Pioneering Digital & Personal Strategy for Growth

On this episode of the Scouting For Growth podcast, Sabine VdL talks to Lisa Wardlaw, a trailblazer in the insurance sector, a digital strategist, & an innovation enthusiast. She's a global leader with a knack for creating sustainable revenue streams & reinventing business strategies through technology & abstract thinking.
The pair talk about Lisa’s career in insurance & technology as well as their new programme, the “Authentic Identity Masterminds”, that they devised alongside their colleague Jessica Ewart. This programme is all about empowering professionals to craft and communicate their authentic professional narratives.
KEY TAKEAWAYS         
My best experiences are these moments of zen that you probably didn’t realise in the moment. You feel energised. For me, it was when I was when no one confined me to a box & I didn’t care about my title. I got to sit in an amazing time of transformation, above all that, figuring out how to drive business forward using algorithms and AI, 5 years before generative AI became a thing.
As all good ideas do, the idea for Authentic Identity Masterminds happened serendipitously. You, me & Jess were sitting around discussing the misunderstanding that the more experienced you are in your career, the less guidance you need, you’ve got it all figured out. I was 45 when I had to reinvent myself completely. I felt that if you work hard & pay your dues, you earn it. I’d earned my title, job & income, but in those days I was so into the work I didn’t own my own identity, the one thing that was mine & mine alone.
When my favourite role was eliminated, I looked at the clock, trying not to cry & it took less than 3 minutes for my phone, emails, contacts – my whole work identity – to be eliminated. I went to a career coach who asked me how many followers I had on LinkedIn, & I didn’t know. I didn’t go on a wild “connect with me” session, but I started building authentic connections with people who shared my interests.
We’re not here to tell you how to be on social media. Who you are is not your title or your role; who you are, what you show up for, your purpose & mission are something deeply intrinsic. I like to use all my experience, curiosity & conceptual ability to solve problems that others can’t at scale. I’m a breaker of the status quo; my purpose is to show people that the impossible is possible.
BEST MOMENTS
‘Early on I would work 80 hours, 23 hours a day, & I’m not glamourising that, the body needs rest.’‘I’m much more of a spoken person than a written person, which is where I came up with the Insurance Unplugged Podcast.’‘Don’t think this can’t happen to you, it can.’‘You don’t get to be, discover or emulate who you are & how you show up has to connect to that.’
ABOUT THE GUEST
Lisa Wardlaw stands at the forefront of digital innovation in the insurance sector, wielding her expertise to forge new, sustainable revenue streams that bolster competitive advantage.
As a seasoned executive, Lisa's mission is to revolutionise business strategies through the power of technology & creative thinking.
In an era where digital customer interaction is paramount, Lisa champions proactive engagement to drive digital customer conversion.
She believes the financial services industry is ripe for genuine transformation, advocating that leaders with bold visions embrace the tools of tomorrow for radical change.
Lisa's passion lies in crafting groundbreaking business strategies that defy convention, utilising emerging technologies such as AI, blockchain, & machine learning to redefine business models.
Her liberal arts background fuels her commitment to lifelong learning and continuous improvement, challenging the status quo with a curious mind & innovative approach.
Authentic Identity Mastermind London
ABOUT THE HOST
Sabine VanderLinden is a corporate strategist turned entrepreneur and the CEO of Alchemy Crew Ventures. She leads venture-client labs that help Fortune 500 companies adopt and scale cutting-edge technologies from global tech ventures. A builder of accelerators, investor, and co-editor of the bestseller The INSURTECH Book, Sabine is known for asking the uncomfortable questions—about AI governance, risk, and trust. On Scouting for Growth, she decodes how real growth happens—where capital, collaboration, and courage meet.
If this episode sparked your thinking, follow Sabine VanderLinden on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram for more insights.
And if you’re interested in sponsoring the podcast, reach out to the team at hello@alchemycrew.ventures

Insight: Building an Authentic Identity in 2024

On this episode of the Scouting For Growth podcast, Sabine VdL talks about the world of authentic personal & corporate/business branding and their synergies to drive authenticity.
In this episode, she discusses the importance of authenticity in personal branding & how it can make or break your reputation, the role of storytelling in crafting a compelling personal brand narrative, the power of emotional intelligence in shaping your personal brand & fostering meaningful connections, the impact of digital presence on your personal brand & how to manage it effectively, and the art of reinvention & how to evolve your personal brand as you grow & change.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
As businesses evolve to meet the expectations of the digital era, they look for individuals whose personal brands resonate with their ethos & market positioning. Therefore, it is essential for you to craft a personal brand that not only demonstrates your unique value but also complements the corporate branding you are aligned with. This synergy is increasingly expected by companies as they navigate the complexities of authenticity vs. authentication, ensuring that their employees' digital identities enhance their brand's integrity & public perception.
Authenticity is the currency of trust in the digital environment. In an era where digitization has penetrated every aspect of life, your genuine self is what distinguishes you in a sea of curated personas. When you prioritize authenticity, you align your digital presence with your true values and beliefs. This alignment not only helps you navigate the digital world more effectively but also ensures that your brand resonates with your audience on a deeper level.
Your personal brand identity needs to resonate with your professional ethos, even in a remote work environment. To do this effectively, focus on the consistency of your online interactions, messages, & visual presence across digital engagement or platforms. Essentially, the experiences you create for others through your digital communications should align with those you create in person. This requires a keen understanding of user experience principles to ensure that your personal brand is both approachable & authentic.
Bring your networking to the 21st century by engaging through social media platforms where industry conversations are happening. Engage & post regularly to ensure your presence grows alongside your brand. Utilize networking to your advantage by joining & fostering growth ecosystems. 
BEST MOMENTS
‘Your digital identity is not just a by-product of online interactions but a carefully curated persona that stands for your values, skills, & character. Authenticity in this context means being true to oneself while adapting to the digital modes of expression.’
‘In the wake of digitization & digitalization, aligning your personal brand with a corporate brand has become more intricate yet crucial.’
‘Your digital identity is now a cornerstone of personal & professional interactions.’
‘The virtual landscape heavily influences how you are perceived in both social & professional circles. So, remember to key both of those very much aligned.’
ABOUT THE HOST
Sabine VanderLinden is a corporate strategist turned entrepreneur and the CEO of Alchemy Crew Ventures. She leads venture-client labs that help Fortune 500 companies adopt and scale cutting-edge technologies from global tech ventures. A builder of accelerators, investor, and co-editor of the bestseller The INSURTECH Book, Sabine is known for asking the uncomfortable questions—about AI governance, risk, and trust. On Scouting for Growth, she decodes how real growth happens—where capital, collaboration, and courage meet.
If this episode sparked your thinking, follow Sabine VanderLinden on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram for more insights.
And if you’re interested in sponsoring the podcast, reach out to the team at hello@alchemycrew.ventures

Leandro DalleMulle: Trailblazing AI in Commercial Insurance Underwriting

On this episode of the Scouting For Growth podcast, Sabine VdL talks to Leandro DalleMule, who brings a dynamic perspective shaped by nearly 30 years of driving growth through data and AI. Today, Global Head of AI and Data at Deloitte(but at the time at Planck), Leandro, spearheads the most sophisticated generative AI platform serving commercial insurers across four continents.
Through the "Scouting for Growth" podcast, Leandro will unveil his playbook for activating cross-industry partnerships and investments to future-proof success. His globetrotting career stands as a testament to the power of bridging geographic and sector divides to drive innovation.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
We’ve been using large language models since the beginning of the company; they just weren’t very popular because ChatGPT hadn’t launched yet. But now we can open the black box. It’s very addictive once you start asking the chat part questions.
There are two major pain points we solve with technology: Efficiency is super important for underwriters, as margins are very thin in any line. Accuracy is also important; how precisely are you finding the correct information rather than misleading or wrong data? The beauty of the technology is that it can work from multiple sources, bring it all together & make sense of that information.
 Before I give an overview of large language models, I always ask: “How many of you have heard of ChatGPT, generative AI?” It’s about 50% in traditional carriers (higher in the digital NGA space), surprisingly, or not – insurance isn’t a very innovative space. Then I ask how many have used it & the number drops to about 30%. There’s much more room to grow.
Generative AI is the future, it’s coming from all directions, not just insurance, we’ll be seeing more and more natural interaction with technology rather than it being distanced from us. 
BEST MOMENTS
‘We went from being a data provider, at the very early stages years ago, to providing a risk & underwriting insights workbench with an AI co-pilot to help underwriters be more productive.’
‘For anyone that’s used ChatGPT once, it’s impressive, it’s surprising the amount of investment in such a short period of time & the adoption, which surpassed the launch of any other product, ever.’
‘Once people start using AI, they understand the power of it.'
‘Talk to your kids, they’ll know.’
ABOUT THE GUEST
Leandro DalleMule has nearly 30 years of experience helping businesses in the retail, energy, manufacturing, telecom, and financial services industries achieve sustained increased profitability through data and analytics. Leandro is a leading artificial intelligence data platform for commercial insurers. Previously, he spent 6 years as AIG's chief data officer. Prior to AIG, he held several senior leadership positions, including senior director of big data analytics at Citibank and head of marketing analytics at BlackRock. Today, he returned to lead AI and Data at Deloitte's advanced analytics practice. Leandro holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of São Paulo, Brazil, a magna cum laude MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, and a graduate certificate in applied mathematics from Columbia University.  He has published several articles on analytics, risk, and economics, the most recent ones for the Harvard Business Review on data strategy and analytics.
ABOUT THE HOST
Sabine VanderLinden is a corporate strategist turned entrepreneur and the CEO of Alchemy Crew Ventures. She leads venture-client labs that help Fortune 500 companies adopt and scale cutting-edge technologies from global tech ventures. A builder of accelerators, investor, and co-editor of the bestseller The INSURTECH Book, Sabine is known for asking the uncomfortable questions—about AI governance, risk, and trust. On Scouting for Growth, she decodes how real growth happens—where capital, collaboration, and courage meet.
If this episode sparked your thinking, follow Sabine VanderLinden on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram for more insights.
And if you’re interested in sponsoring the podcast, reach out to the team at hello@alchemycrew.ventures

Alex Taylor: A CVC Lens on 2024

On this episode of the Scouting For Growth podcast, Sabine VdL talks to Alex Taylor, Global Head of Emerging Technology, QBE Ventures at QBE Insurance, who firmly believes that the next decade will expose the insurance industry to the greatest upheaval it has seen since the establishment of Lloyd's of London.
In this episode, topics discussed include: the key trends in Corporate Venture Capital (CVC) for 2024, QBE Ventures' approach to scouting for growth, the role of technology in QBE Ventures' growth strategy, & the challenges and opportunities in the insurtech space.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
I've always been a technologist as far back as I can remember. And it's interesting that when you look at the context behind the applications of technology to a multitude of industries, you start to realise that it's not about the technology, it's about what we can do with the technology.
2023 has been a tough year. And talking to a lot of younger companies, it's a bit of a bloodbath out there. What we're going to see as we go into 2024 is the survivors of that time, the ones that did manage to demonstrate the value that they offer, start to see the light of day.
More & more, organisations are emerging that specialise in products tailored to the risk a particular organisation represents. The risk we run here is that if we specialise & personalise too much, we're essentially not going to be in an environment where we can cover a risk we know with almost certainty will result in a loss. We need to balance what needs to be created between the ability to utilise data insurance lines & the need to preserve what makes insurance special, which I strongly believe enables the economic environment we operate in. Without insurance, people can't take risks in any arena.
Your exposure to ransomware is directly related to the backups you have as an organisation. So you cannot have your access to your data removed if you have an air-gap backup that runs hourly. If you do get hit as an organisation, you can simply restore from your backup. 
BEST MOMENTS
‘Technology doesn't matter unless it has an application to what you're working on, to something that's meaningful, to something that can deliver results, not just to an organization, but to the customers as well.’‘The whole point of an insurance product is to protect against a risk that you can't mitigate directly. We're starting to see a partnership between the identification of a risk, an insurance product, & the resilience against that risk through remediation.’‘There's a lot of blank space that can be exploited in looking at ways to grow products through simplification.’‘As climate change starts to take hold, as our understanding of the historically static nature of physical risk starts to become a lot more dynamic, the value of understanding what may be is starting to become a lot more relevant.’
ABOUT THE GUEST
Alex Taylor is a futurist & innovation specialist with over two decades of experience in the insurance and technology industries. As the Global Head of Emerging Technology at QBE Ventures, Alex focuses on identifying disruptors & leading investments in companies reshaping the insurance landscape.
ABOUT THE HOST
Sabine VanderLinden is a corporate strategist turned entrepreneur and the CEO of Alchemy Crew Ventures. She leads venture-client labs that help Fortune 500 companies adopt and scale cutting-edge technologies from global tech ventures. A builder of accelerators, investor, and co-editor of the bestseller The INSURTECH Book, Sabine is known for asking the uncomfortable questions—about AI governance, risk, and trust. On Scouting for Growth, she decodes how real growth happens—where capital, collaboration, and courage meet.
If this episode sparked your thinking, follow Sabine VanderLinden on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram for more insights.
And if you’re interested in sponsoring the podcast, reach out to the team at hello@alchemycrew.ventures

Antony Elliott: The Zurich Innovation Championship

On this episode of the Scouting For Growth podcast, Sabine VdL talks to Antony Elliott, Global Lead for Digital R&D at Zurich Insurance, who is pivotal in driving the exploration, exploitation, analysis, & early-stage adoption of disruptive technologies, shaping Zurich's digital transformation journey.
In this episode, they talk about his role at Zurich, the company’s strategic themes for 2024, the future of InsurTech, the challenges of adopting disruptive technologies, & his advice for young ventures looking to collaborate with Zurich or break into the InsurTech space.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
I fell into the insurance industry in 1999 & I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I saw a stat that around 80% of British CEOs were former accountants, so I thought that seemed like a good qualification to have and applied to the Big 5 & ended up getting a job at PwC, thinking I was going to be rich. But when I got there, they told me I’d be working in insurance. I realised there were lots of things in insurance that needed fixing & could be improved, which is why I ended up staying in it & why I’m still trying to do so.
We’re using computer vision to monitor and assess the 5 million commercial buildings we insure worldwide to reduce our carbon footprint. We also use it in physiotherapy to make sure people are doing it correctly & to help them be physically well, either with posture & core strength or to recover from injury quickly.
We start by identifying either the problem or the opportunity & we involve a lot of stakeholders, from the most senior down so we can see a consolidated view across the group that this will solve challenges that they care about. We then use our network to find the best startups in those spaces & that they know about out Innovation Championship to apply for it. We select the top 10-12 and put them through a validation phase to demonstrate how they can create business value for Zurich & the startup. 
I see huge potential in the Internet of Things for insurance; we haven’t quite reached the tipping point for its value yet. I’d like to see startups working in that space, whether it’s in commercial insurance or more personalised insurance. Taking sensor data to understand the thing we’re insuring & to offer risk insights to the customer & to us as underwriters to prevent a claim or detect it early is an area with huge potential.
BEST MOMENTS
‘I like insurance because I think it plays a really important role in society.’‘I focus on innovation, how new technologies & ideas can create value for Zurich.’‘I expect we’ll see generative AI native startups coming through this year which will create amazing value.’‘Be very clear& concise on what your value proposition is and that it’s a major part of your elevator pitch. You can have the best technology in the world, but if you can’t articulate it in a short period of time, it’s very difficult for people to understand that.’
ABOUT THE GUEST
Antony Elliott, a seasoned professional with over two decades of experience in the insurance industry, currently serves as the Global Head for Digital R&D at Zurich Insurance. His role is pivotal in driving the exploration, analysis, & early-stage adoption of disruptive technologies, with a focus on their desirability, feasibility, & viability. 
ZIC - Zurich Innovation Championship
ABOUT THE HOST
Sabine VanderLinden is a corporate strategist turned entrepreneur and the CEO of Alchemy Crew Ventures. She leads venture-client labs that help Fortune 500 companies adopt and scale cutting-edge technologies from global tech ventures. A builder of accelerators, investor, and co-editor of the bestseller The INSURTECH Book, Sabine is known for asking the uncomfortable questions—about AI governance, risk, and trust. On Scouting for Growth, she decodes how real growth happens—where capital, collaboration, and courage meet.
If this episode sparked your thinking, follow Sabine VanderLinden on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram for more insights.
And if you’re interested in sponsoring the podcast, reach out to the team at hello@alchemycrew.ventures

Top Trends To Watch For In 2024

On this episode of the Scouting For Growth podcast, Sabine VdL dives into her top trends to watch for in 2024. Staying ahead of the curve necessitates a keen understanding of these anticipated trends & Identifying them early will enable us all to strategically plan the year, maximise opportunities for growth & business value.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
As we approach 2024, I'm noticing specific technologies gaining traction that have the potential to revolutionize industries & create new opportunities for growth. For example, advancements in generative AI, new paradigms in cloud computing, cybersecurity in the age of AI, & sustainability tech trends, these trends are reshaping the landscape of digital innovation.
As we look towards 2024, 3 key areas stand out in the changing market dynamics: the continued growth in E-commerce, cutting-edge advancements in healthcare technology, and the significant transformations within the education sector. These areas are critical for businesses seeking expansion and better value in the approaching year.
A In 2024, the landscape of work is reshaping significantly, influenced heavily by evolving work models (hybrid & remote working and technologies), technology advancements, and the growing emphasis on employee experience. My focus here is to unpack these core aspects of Workplace Transformation.
In 2024, I recognize that to drive growth & business value, one must focus resolutely on the customer. Customer-centric strategies are key, involving enhancements in customer experience & innovative approaches to personalization in marketing.
BEST MOMENTS
‘From the integration of generative AI to the importance of customer-centric strategies, the trajectory of market dynamics promises a landscape ripe for innovation and competitive advantage.’‘Anticipating market shifts is crucial in developing customer-centric strategies that drive value.’‘Flexible operational models and technological advancements offer new avenues for growth.’‘Staying current with upcoming trends enables focused strategic planning.’
ABOUT THE HOST
Sabine VanderLinden is a corporate strategist turned entrepreneur and the CEO of Alchemy Crew Ventures. She leads venture-client labs that help Fortune 500 companies adopt and scale cutting-edge technologies from global tech ventures. A builder of accelerators, investor, and co-editor of the bestseller The INSURTECH Book, Sabine is known for asking the uncomfortable questions—about AI governance, risk, and trust. On Scouting for Growth, she decodes how real growth happens—where capital, collaboration, and courage meet.
If this episode sparked your thinking, follow Sabine VanderLinden on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram for more insights.
And if you’re interested in sponsoring the podcast, reach out to the team at hello@alchemycrew.ventures