Have you hugged a politician lately? Whether you feel disdain, disgust or deep love for your elected representatives, they can be a powerful force to help your business or social enterprise or to help you get positive things done in your community.

Harnessing support from a politician can help you to fight injustices, assert your consumer rights even when big businesses want to ignore you, generate publicity for your community project, and open doors you've previously had closed in your face.

But how do you get politicians on your side? Scott Colvin can tell you. He's the author of award-winning book, How to Use Politicians to Get What You Want. I interviewed Scott last week for my latest radio programme, broadcast on Sheffield Live on Friday and which you can listen to via the podcast below.

Whatever your views of politicians – listen, learn, and apply.

Also in the show: Kurtis Wright (a former banker who says "don't hold that against me," now a fellow of the Finance Innovation Lab) joined me in the radio studio.

Kurtis discussed Sheffield Community Technologies, including the launch of new peer to peer payment and loyalty reward platform Loci Pay, and "financial aggregator" Sheffield Independent Business Services, which seeks to save money for local independent businesses.

Loci Pay ("not just a payment wallet, a community for people to build social impact") is a pivot, or iteration, from the “My Sheffield Pound” scheme. It is a digital payment wallet and loyalty app for independent businesses, a “social peer to peer payment platform focusing on supporting our local independent businesses and tackling financial inequality.”

The show also includes updates about TechCity UK's Fintech for All competition and the new £10 notes.

Timings:

• 0 - 3:23 introduction;
• 3:23 - 24:40 Kurtis Wright;
• 24:40 call to get involved and have your say;
• 25:18 - 52:04 Scott Colvin;
• 52:04 - end (55:47) wrapping up, including the introduction of the new £10 note (which features the image of Jane Austen after a campaign successfully challenged the Bank of England to include this on the note) and a forthcoming event.