Wellness entrepreneur Cheryl Lessels: passion is priceless
Wellness entrepreneur Cheryl Lessels shares her journey of leaving teaching to create a subscription box business supporting female creatives, in an interview with Leila Johnston.
8 May 2025
Social media pro Sarah Dobbs: AI isn't worth the cost
In this relaxed, entertaining chat I'm joined by my old friend, social media expert Sarah Dobbs. We discuss the current cost of AI on the digital creative industry, whether there's any reasonable way to make serious money as an independent creator at the moment, the impact of digital media in general, the future of magazines, and the real value of humans.
Head to sarahdobbs.com to see some of the fantastic projects Sarah has been involved with over the years.
I'm Leila Johnston. I live in Scotland and I write about business and finance for a living. The music on this podcast is called 'Just a Waltz' and is by Alena Smirnova.
14 Apr 2025
Theatre maker Liam Rees: it's all about the story
Everything is a story. Being both highly desirable and highly abstract, money has always attracted nefarious manipulators with great storytelling skills – as theatre maker Liam Rees explains. The book I mention in the intro is "Narrative economics" by Robert Shiller.
This episode is syndicated from a recent episode of the Library of Mistakes podcast, another culture of finance-themed series I am lucky to be involved with. Check it out.
I'm Leila Johnston. I live in Scotland and I write about business and finance for a living. The music on this podcast is called 'Just a Waltz' and is by Alena Smirnova.
3 Feb 2025
Multimillionaire Chris Cooke: money changes people
In this episode I chat to Chris Cooke, a marketing professional who exited his business with £30 million.
Amongst other things, we discuss his entrepreneurial spirit, his parents' attitude to wealth, how such a change affects you (and the people around you), and what it means to be a socialist when you're richer than your wildest dreams.
I'm Leila Johnston, I live in Scotland and write about business and finance for a living.
The music on this podcast is 'Just a Walz' by Alena Smirnova.
In this episode I talk to Klyzza Lidman, an investment analyst based in Edinburgh. Klyzza is on the Board of the charity Didasko, and is involved in several initiatives supporting women and school leavers on their financial journey.
I have also included a snippet of a talk from Adam Smith biographer Jesse Norman, who spoke at the Library of Mistakes on the same day we were recording our chat there.
I'm Leila Johnston, I live in Scotland where I work as a copywriter and journalist. The music used in this podcast is 'Just a Waltz' by Alena Smirnova.
26 Sept 2024
Comedian Simon Evans: ideas need friends
Welcome to Series 2 of One Thing About Money, the podcast where guests from different walks of life explain the 'one thing' they believe everyone should know about money, finance or the economy.
In this episode I chat to Simon Evans, a comedian, writer and broadcaster who recently performed very entertaining shows about enlightenment thinkers Adam Smith and David Hume at the Edinburgh Festival. We discuss these two thinkers in the broad context of the changing world – capitalism, the changing targets of comedy, modern atheism and more.
I'm Leila Johnston, I live in Scotland and write about business and finance for a living.
The music on this podcast is 'Just a Walz' by Alena Smirnova.
22 Jan 2023
Behavioural finance consultant James Ramirez: Minimum Viable Knowledge
Welcome to the final episode in the first series of One Thing About Money, the podcast where guests from different walks of life explain the ‘one thing’ they believe everyone should know about money, finance or the economy.
How much do you know – and indeed want to know – about money? This week's guest is James Ramirez, a behavioural finance expert. Among other things, we touch on:
* What behavioural finance is.
* The value of trust in financial knowledge.
* Assessing risk.
* Why we make the choices we do.
* Our financial habits and biases.
* The second Terry Pratchett reference of the series.
Jamie's site: https://www.grendel-consulting.com/ (https://www.grendel-consulting.com/)
I'm Leila Johnston, I live in Scotland and write about technology and business for a living. The music on this podcast is called Just a Waltz and is by Alena Smirnova.
12 Jan 2023
Web3 consultant Roy Lines: the future may be crypto
Welcome to One Thing About Money. On this podcast, guests from different walks of life explain the ‘one thing’ they believe everyone should know about money, finance or the economy.
This week's guest is Roy Lines, a non-fungible technologist! Roy is a technology executive and advisor in web3, cloud technologies, and more. He is the founder and chief technology advisor of indiigo a web3 consultancy specialising in helping businesses unlock the potential of the decentralised web.
In this chat we discuss some of the benefits and drawbacks of crypto, and ponder the future of money.
My name is Leila Johnston, I live in Scotland and write about technology and business for a living. The music on this podcast is called Just a Waltz and is by Alena Smirnova.
https://www.indiigo.com/ (https://www.indiigo.com/)
5 Jan 2023
Museum on the Mound curator Doug MacBeath: Money is just a promise
Welcome to One Thing About Money. On this podcast, guests from different walks of life explain the ‘one thing’ they believe everyone should know about money, finance or the economy.
This week's guest is Doug MacBeath, a curator at the Museum on the Mound, a free public museum all about money that's based in the Bank of Scotland's HQ in central Edinburgh (near Waverley train station). As we look through the items in the collection, we discuss how money has changed from the days when the coin was worth the weight of metal used to make it, to the mixture of tokens and promissory notes we use today.
https://museumonthemound.com/
My name is Leila Johnston, I live in Scotland and write about technology and business for a living. The music on this podcast is called Just a Waltz and is by Alena Smirnova.
30 Dec 2022
Communications expert Fraser Allen: It doesn't make you happy
Welcome to One Thing About Money. On this podcast, guests from different walks of life explain the ‘one thing’ they believe everyone should know about money, finance or the economy.
This week's guest is Fraser Allen, an expert in communications and publishing, specialising in business and finance clients. Fraser is another volunteer for the wonderful Library of Mistakes in Edinburgh – a finance and business reference library – and we talk about the library and its lessons in this episode. Fraser is particularly struck by the recurring theme of the library's books... that while money is undoubtedly useful if you don't have enough of it, it often brings unhappiness, in excess.
libraryofmistakes.com
allencomms.co.uk
My name is Leila Johnston, I live in Scotland and write about technology and business for a living. The music on this podcast is called Just a Waltz and is by Alena Smirnova.
22 Dec 2022
Business consultant Lucy Mann: optimise for value
Welcome to One Thing About Money. On this podcast, guests from different walks of life explain the ‘one thing’ they believe everyone should know about money, finance or the economy.
This week's guest is Lucy Mann, a consultant specialising in finding new business – particularly helping smaller, creative agencies. Lucy advocates making life easier through the 'forensic application of process'. She has a terrific podcast called Small Spark Theory where she talks to agency owners, and runs Gunpowder Consulting: https://www.gunpowderconsulting.com/podcasts/ (https://www.gunpowderconsulting.com/podcasts/).
Lucy explores the importance of understanding value in a number of ways in this chat, from her days growing up above her parents' second hand shop to valuing one's time (and oneself) through the strategic use of modern tech.
My name is Leila Johnston, I live in Scotland and write about technology and business for a living. The music on this podcast is called Just a Waltz and is by Alena Smirnova.
16 Dec 2022
Carnegie Birthplace Museum Manager Mark MacLeod: you can give it away
On this podcast, guests from different walks of life explain the ‘one thing’ they believe everyone should know about money, finance or the economy. This time we meet Mark MacLeod, one of the Managers of the Andrew Carnegie Birthplace Museum in Dunfermline: https://www.carnegiebirthplace.com/ We discuss philanthropy, industry, and how we might characterise Carnegie, had he been born in our times.
My name is Leila Johnston, I live in Scotland and write about technology and business for a living. The music on this podcast is called Just a Waltz and is by Alena Smirnova.
8 Dec 2022
Policy professional Jake Eliot: scarcity changes us
Welcome to One Thing About Money. On this podcast, guests from different walks of life explain the ‘one thing’ they believe everyone should know about money, finance or the economy.
This week's guest is Jake Eliot, Head of Policy at the National Lottery Heritage Fund and has been Head of Policy at the Money & Pensions service, among other roles. In this fascinating chat, he shares (among other things) some of the psychological implications of not having enough, the impact of early experiences, where financial education can go wrong – and when you should just eat the marshmallow.
My name is Leila Johnston, I live in Scotland and write about technology and business for a living. The music on this podcast is called Just a Waltz and is by Alena Smirnova.
8 Dec 2022
Economist Madeleine Kemna: compounding is the key to wealth
Welcome to One Thing About Money, the podcast where guests from different walks of life explain the ‘one thing’ they believe everyone should know about money, finance or the economy. This is the first episode of the first series! So thanks for being an early adopter.
My name is Leila Johnston, I live in Scotland and write about technology and business for a living. The music on this podcast is called Just a Waltz and is by Alena Smirnova.
In this episode I talk to Madeleine Kemna, a Dutch economist based in Edinburgh, who I met through the financial history library we have here, The Library of Mistakes, an incredible place which I’ll come back to in future episodes. Madeleine and I are both volunteers for the library, and as you’ll see she’s the most delightful person – really interesting and engaging. Her ‘one thing’ is understanding the value of compounding – especially if you're young.
To claim a copy of one of the three free books we're giving away, message me through my instagram: @whosthesuit
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