This week on Tech Can’t Save Us, host Paul David is joined by Connor Mason and Glenn Stephenson, co-founders of Fluid Focus, a Belfast-based company rethinking our relationship with technology. With research showing the average adult spends nearly a third of their waking hours—and Gen Z over six hours a day—on their smartphones, Fluid Focus aims to flip the dynamic from tech consuming our lives to tech enhancing them.

They discuss the alarming "attention economy" where products are designed to monetize human focus, leading to fractured productivity, increased anxiety, and a "loneliness epidemic" as physical socialization declines. Connor and Glenn share how their background in big tech and corporate consulting revealed a shared struggle: the inability to focus for more than a few minutes without compulsively reaching for a phone.

The conversation covers the Fluid Focus app’s innovative approach, which combines:

• Deep Work Tools: One-click focus sessions that block distracting apps and utilize curated "focus music" from global leader Mindstream to keep users on task.
• Gamification and Incentives: A system where users earn "Fluid Coins" for focus sessions, which can be used to enter wellness raffles or provide days of education for children through the charity Mary’s Meals.
• Data-Driven Habits: Passive blocking rules (like "no social media until 10,000 steps") and tracking tools for mood and productivity.

Glenn and Connor discuss their strategic move to partner with academic institutions and workplaces rather than competing in the crowded consumer market, aiming to create a "focus operating system" for the modern world.

Find more about Fluid Focus here: https://www.fluidfocus.app/

Connor Mason:https://www.linkedin.com/in/connor-mason-2b347b128/

Glenn Stephenson:https://www.linkedin.com/in/glenn-stephenson-1297849a/

This week on Tech Can't Save Us, host Paul David is joined by Jinesh Vohra, founder and CEO of Sprive, a UK-based fintech on a mission to help homeowners pay off their mortgages years earlier and save thousands in interest.

The conversation dives deep into the structural flaws of the UK mortgage system, where high property prices relative to salaries have forced many into 30 or 40-year mortgage terms. Jinesh highlights the sobering reality that millions of people are now on track to carry mortgage debt well past the age of retirement. He shares his personal journey of frustration with traditional banking—ranging from the manual slog of tracking overpayments on Excel spreadsheets to the "nightmare" nine-month process of actually moving into a home in the UK. This personal friction, combined with a 14-year career at Goldman Sachs, inspired him to build a consumer-centric solution that empowers homeowners to take back control.

Jinesh explains how Sprive differentiates itself by making mortgage reduction a seamless part of daily life through its "Shop Away Your Mortgage" feature. By partnering with major brands like Amazon, Tesco, and Sainsbury’s, the app allows users to earn rewards on everyday purchases that are instantly pushed toward their mortgage balance. These small, frequent contributions benefit from compound interest, often saving the homeowner triple the original reward amount over the life of the loan. The platform further optimizes financial health by using open banking to analyze spending patterns, automatically setting aside spare cash for overpayments only when the user can afford it.

The episode also explores the challenges of disrupting an industry dominated by an oligopoly of lenders who lack the motivation to innovate or simplify the customer experience. Jinesh discusses the rigor required to build a trusted fintech brand, including raising £4.5 million in funding and passing strict regulatory checks to ensure zero fraud. He concludes by painting a picture of the life-changing freedom that comes with being mortgage-free, which can unlock new hobbies, career shifts, and the ability to build generational wealth.

Find more about Sprive here: https://sprive.com/

Follow Jinesh Vohra here:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jinesh-vohra/

This week on Tech Can’t Save Us, host Paul David is joined by Greg Freeman, founder and CEO of Data Literacy Academy, an organization dedicated to building data-confident cultures within the world’s top companies.

They discuss the staggering reality that up to 83% of the workforce is data illiterate, leaving businesses unable to effectively monetize or act upon the billions of dollars they invest in AI platforms and data infrastructure. Greg explains why technology alone cannot solve business problems if the people using it lack the confidence and mindset to make data-led decisions.

The conversation covers the critical role of leadership in driving change, the concept of "taught fear" in education, and how Data Literacy Academy uses live learning to transform anxious employees into confident data thinkers. Greg also shares insights on moving industry measurements from inputs and outputs to meaningful outcomes, treating data literacy as a multi-year cultural change rather than a one-off training session and the "champagne problem" of a data-literate workforce surfacing more business use cases than a data office can handle.

Find more about Data Literacy Academy here: www.dl-academy.com

Follow Greg Freeman here:https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregdata/