People Are Everything

S04 EP05 - Jed Hallam
Jed Hallam on Culture, Belonging & the 5 People Who Shaped Him | Music, Class & Making Yourself Useful
 
In this episode of People Are Everything, Julia Duthie sits down with Jed — cultural strategist, founder of Culture Lab, DJ, writer and community builder — to explore the five most influential people in his life and how they shaped his values, work and worldview.
From a grandmother whose compassion defined his moral compass, to mentors who stripped ego from leadership, to writers who reframed music, class and community, Jed reflects on belonging, craft, culture, and usefulness.
This is a wide-ranging, deeply human conversation about music as survival, working-class identity, mentorship, creativity, and why culture still matters in an AI-driven world.
 
🎧 Topics include:
Why culture saved his life
Class, identity & “common people” in creative industries
Music as community, not product
Mentorship, humility & making yourself useful
Why belonging is universal
🧠 The Five Most Influential People Jed Chose
Maggie Mackenzie (his “Nanan”) His grandmother and moral anchor — teaching compassion, routine, resilience and what a truly rich life looks like.
Marco Rimini Mentor and former global CEO at Mindshare — whose simple advice (“make yourself useful”) reshaped Jed’s leadership and ego.
Tim Lawrence Author of Love Saves the Day — reframed Jed’s understanding of music, community, disco, and cultural history.
Emma Warren Writer and cultural documentarian — pushed Jed to build, preserve and document community through radio and shared culture.
Resh Sidhu Leader and mentor at Snapchat — instilled rigor, craft, and the belief that great work demands care, consistency and courage.
🎧 Watch or Listen on your favourite podcast platform:
Youtube: https://loom.ly/nb-WD3Q
Apple: https://loom.ly/EgwKsWk
Spotify: https://loom.ly/GHo0lEo
📲 Follow us on socials: https://loom.ly/gJuJlLQ
If you can’t wait, all three previous seasons are ready and waiting — the perfect way to wind down ☕️
 
📺 Watch Season 1,2 and 3 here ..
👉 Season-1 - https://loom.ly/AhznB6k
👉 Season-2 - https://loom.ly/XGH2jt0
👉 Season-3 - https://loom.ly/t1h2EQ8

S04 E04 Julia Bird
What makes a life meaningful — and who shapes us most?
In this episode of People Are Everything, host Julia Duthie sits down with Julia Bird, a trauma-informed educator and practitioner whose work has helped children, families, and schools understand how trauma shapes behaviour, identity, and belonging.
Julia Bird shares the five most influential people in her life — from her mother’s painful story of abandonment and its intergenerational impact, to the poetry and spirituality of Leonard Cohen, to the mentors and innovators who helped define her lifelong mission: meeting children where they are and building compassionate, evidence-based support in education.
You’ll also hear about cold-water sea swimming at dawn, the reality of being a gay teacher when it was illegal to be out, and the deep joy (and challenge!) of partnership, laughter, and love later in life.
The 5 people & why they matter
Vera (Mum) – abandonment at age three, avoidant attachment, alcoholism, and how that shaped Julia’s lifelong “yearning” and eventual self-compassion.
Leonard Cohen – a spiritual doorway opened at 19 through his lyrics/poetry; a “turning point” in meaning, truth, and spirituality.
Donna Brandes – brought “student-centred learning” into Julia’s life; validated Julia’s instinct to meet children where they are.
Dr. Margot Sunderland – gave Julia the research-backed framework (neuroscience/psychotherapy) to scale trauma-informed work across schools.
Sue (partner) – 10-year relationship; difference in attachment styles; growth through compromise, patience, humility, and “we laugh and laugh.”
If you care about trauma-informed practice, education, healing, identity, compassion, and the people who shape who we become — this one lands.
 
🎧 Listen/watch on YouTube and all major podcast platforms.
 
These are thoughtful, honest conversations about being human — full of insight, reflection, warmth and the occasional surprise.
 
New episodes dropping each week.
 
🎧 Watch or Listen on your favourite podcast platform:
Youtube: https://loom.ly/nb-WD3Q
Apple: https://loom.ly/EgwKsWk
Spotify: https://loom.ly/GHo0lEo
📲 Follow us on socials: https://loom.ly/gJuJlLQ
 
If you can’t wait, all three previous seasons are ready and waiting — the perfect way to wind down. ☕️
📺 Watch Season 1,2 and 3 here ..
👉 Season-1 - https://loom.ly/AhznB6k
👉 Season-2 - https://loom.ly/XGH2jt0
👉 Season-3 - https://loom.ly/t1h2EQ8
 
@peopleareeverything

S04 E03 Doug Skoke
Doug Skoke In this deeply moving episode of People Are Everything, Doug Skoke shares the five people who have most shaped his life — through love, loss, resilience, and profound personal growth.
Doug is the founder of LFG Now, an executive search firm, and the creator of the Blue Collar Buddha philosophy — blending business, mindfulness, and human connection. In conversation with Julia Duthie, Doug opens up about grief, adoption, neurodiversity, spirituality, and what it truly means to live with presence and compassion.
This episode explores:
Losing his brother unexpectedly — and how grief reshaped his understanding of life
A letter from his mother that became a lifelong compass
Parenting adopted sons with profound challenges — and the lessons of unconditional love
The power of mindfulness, surrender, and self-acceptance
Why community, connection, and people matter more than anything else
A powerful, honest conversation about becoming who you are — by honouring the people who helped you get there.
 
Highlights
His Mother (Trudy) - A deeply spiritual, values-driven woman
Sana (Meditation & Mindfulness Coach) - Introduced Doug to meditation, surrender, and self-trust
Carl Jung (via MBTI / INFJ discovery) - Gave Doug language for understanding himself
His Sons (Adopted at Birth) - Parenting through autism, neurodiversity, and mental-health challenges
Scott McGregor - Entrepreneur and community builder
 
These are thoughtful, honest conversations about being human — full of insight, reflection, warmth and the occasional surprise.
 
New episodes dropping each week.
 
🎧 Watch or listen on your favourite podcast platform:
Youtube: https://loom.ly/nb-WD3Q
Apple: https://loom.ly/EgwKsWk
Spotify: https://loom.ly/GHo0lEo
 
📲 Follow us on socials: https://loom.ly/gJuJlLQ
 
If you can’t wait, all three previous seasons are ready and waiting — the perfect way to wind down after a great New Year's celebration. ☕️
 
📺 Watch Season 1,2 and 3 here ..
👉 Season-1 - https://loom.ly/AhznB6k
👉 Season-2 - https://loom.ly/XGH2jt0
👉 Season-3 - https://loom.ly/t1h2EQ8
 
@peopleareeverything
 
 

S04 E02 Carrie Osman
People Are Everything – Season 4, Episode 2 features Carrie Osman, founder of Cruxy, a growth intelligence specialist helping private equity-backed B2B tech companies find product value and price it effectively.
In the full conversation with Julia Duthie, Carrie shares the five most influential people in her life — from her mum (“Mommy O”) and her dad (“Papa”), to her politics teacher Mr. Mew, a pivotal “Miss X” career lesson, and her therapist/coach who helped her understand that confidence and self-esteem aren’t the same thing.
 
⭐ The Five Influential People Carrie chooses
 
Mom (“Mommy O”)
Divorce after 8 years, remarried 4 years later 
Standards + support: “Have you done enough?” 
High competence: MD role, early mornings, “Max Mara”
 
Mr. Mew (Politics/Economics teacher)
Built conviction + clarity of thought
“Read a left and a right-wing paper”
“Two things can be true at the same time” / “Life’s a dial, not a switch”
Helped her study politics and develop a thesis-led, data-challenging mindset
 
“Miss X” (negative career influence)
A “this is what I don’t want to be” moment
Powerful self-awareness: “Why didn’t I stand up?”
Anti-gossip, anti-side-conversations; values-led leadership shift
“Be the pebble, not the wave” → decide to be the wave
 
Hannah Arbend (therapist/coach)
Key insight: confidence ≠ self-esteem
Deep work, “homework”, transformation into genuine joy/contentment
“You’ll smell it on people” (ego with no substance)
 
Dad (“Papa”)
No gender limits: “you attack the lion”
Customer lesson via greeting cards: “You are not the customer.”
Detail training + professionalism; “how are they with the receptionist?”
John Lennon “Imagine” presentation story (excellent clip moment)
 
🎬 Highlights
Divorced then remarried
“Have you done enough?”
Mr. Mew & debate/nuance
Miss X + Man in the Mirror
Confidence vs self-esteem
Greeting card lesson
“Ask the receptionist what they thought”
John Lennon “Imagine”
 
🎧 Listen/watch on YouTube and all major podcast platforms.
 
These are thoughtful, honest conversations about being human — full of insight, reflection, warmth and the occasional surprise.
 
New episodes dropping each week.
 
🎧 Watch or listen on your favourite podcast platform:
Youtube: https://loom.ly/nb-WD3Q
Apple: https://loom.ly/EgwKsWk
Spotify: https://loom.ly/GHo0lEo
 
📲 Follow us on socials: https://loom.ly/gJuJlLQ
 
If you can’t wait, all three previous seasons are ready and waiting — the perfect way to wind down after a great New Year's celebration. ☕️
 
📺 Watch Season 1,2 and 3 here ..
👉 Season-1 - https://loom.ly/AhznB6k
👉 Season-2 - https://loom.ly/XGH2jt0
👉 Season-3 - https://loom.ly/t1h2EQ8
 
@peopleareeverything

S04-E01 Brandon Mergard
 
In this episode of People Are Everything, host Julia Duthie speaks with Brandon Mergard, CEO of a global executive coaching organisation focused on stakeholder-centred coaching — a leadership approach built on how you’re experienced by others, not just who you intend to be.
 
Brandon shares the five most influential people (and groups) in his life — from his parents and family to a moral-compass mentor who helped shape his leadership philosophy — and he opens up about how school and teachers impacted him, including the lasting effects of ADHD, self-belief, and learning differently.
 
You’ll also hear a powerful practical tool Brandon teaches: “feedforward” — how to skip awkward feedback and ask people what they want to see you do instead.
 
In this conversation:
 
What stakeholder-centered leadership really means (and why it matters)
The “feedforward” question that changes relationships fast
A mentor described as a “moral compass” (WWFD: What Would Frank Do?)
How parenting, belonging, and mission-driven work shape leadership
Funny, human moments (Highlander, yoga nerves, and deleting 47 files…)
 
⭐ Highlights
 
The Five Influential People / Groups Brandon chooses
 
His parents (Annette & Jim)
Annette: rebellious, entrepreneurial, unfiltered humour; nurse stories “brains in the fridge”
Jim: engineer mindset, analytical “chair = bolts, washers, liability”; also poetry and service
 
His wife Alicia + children (James & Jane)
Alicia: yoga + Pilates instructor, “obsessive about perfect”… then suddenly decides to become a nurse
James: hyper-intelligent, engineering brain, spectrum/ADHD; asks wild mechanical questions
Jane: warm, social, “flowers for everyone” — the opposite temperament
 
Dr. Frank Wagner (mentor / moral compass)
“A compass tuned for morality”
WWFD: “What would Frank do?”
Architect of stakeholder-centered coaching; story ties into Marshall Goldsmith origins
 
Teachers (as a category — both negative and positive, but he focuses on negative impact)
Very clip-worthy: teacher takes his chair away; mom says “Don’t give it back — it’s a prison!”
A teacher throws his binder across the room
Sixth grade science teacher kills his love of academics; ripple effects into maths and confidence
 
Coworkers / his tribe (mission-driven people)
Belonging + being “leveraged” (rarely said, very strong concept)
“Power Rangers” analogy: different strengths combine into something bigger
Great moment where he says the “hard part” of a show isn’t hosting — it’s editing/marketing
 
🎧 Listen/watch on YouTube and all major podcast platforms.
 
These are thoughtful, honest conversations about being human — full of insight, reflection, warmth and the occasional surprise.
 
New episodes dropping each week.
 
🎧 Watch or Listen on your favourite podcast platform:
Youtube: https://loom.ly/nb-WD3Q
Apple: https://loom.ly/EgwKsWk
Spotify: https://loom.ly/GHo0lEo
 
📲 Follow us on socials: https://loom.ly/gJuJlLQ
 
If you can’t wait, all three previous seasons are ready and waiting — the perfect way to wind down after a great New Year's celebration. ☕️
 
📺 Watch Season 1,2 and 3 here ..
👉 Season-1 - https://loom.ly/AhznB6k
👉 Season-2 - https://loom.ly/XGH2jt0
👉 Season-3 - https://loom.ly/t1h2EQ8
 
@peopleareeverything

S03EP10 Julia Carreon
 
In this inspiring People Are Everything conversation, Julia Duthie speaks with Julia Carreon — transformation leader, keynote speaker, and advocate for women redefining success beyond 50.
Julia shares her incredible journey from a turbulent childhood to leading billion-dollar innovation projects in financial services. Together, they explore the five most influential people who shaped her resilience, leadership, and voice.
 
🌟 In this episode:
✨ How a childhood friend’s kindness changed the course of her life
🧠 The therapist who helped her break destructive patterns
💍 An unconventional marriage built on independence and equality
🧭 The boss who believed in her during corporate transformation
👩‍👧 The mother whose strength and sacrifice defined her values
✨ “These people all want me to use my voice to help women — and I owe it to them not to be silenced.” — Julia Carreon
 
🌟 Highlights & Key Moments
💫 The Five Influential People
🚗 Maya Stonecastle — Lifelong friend who “rescued” Julia at 18 in a red convertible; non-judgmental anchor and weekly confidante.
🩺 Dr. David Stein — Therapist who “saved my life,” helping her rewrite patterns after a chaotic youth and glittery-but-empty Silicon Valley chapter.
🤝 Chris Carreon (husband) — Quietly confident partner of 25 years; love + autonomy can coexist (including the funny “we forgot our anniversary” story).
🧑‍💼 TJ Devaney — Mentor/boss for ~15 years; entrusted her with high-stakes integrations that propelled her into global leadership.
🍲 Maody (mother) — Indonesian roots, denied education; her strength and from-scratch cooking shaped Julia’s discipline, values, and advocacy.
 
🎧 Themes:
 Reinvention • Women in Leadership • Career Transformation • Friendship & Mentorship • Emotional Resilience • Gen Z & the Future of Work • AI as a Human Tool • Overcoming Trauma
 
@peopleareeverything
 
#PeopleAreEverything #JuliaCarreon #JuliaDuthie #FiveMostInfluentialPeople #WomenInLeadership #Reinvention #Resilience #CareerTransformation #HumanConnection #LifeStories #FemaleEmpowerment #LeadershipJourney #InspiringWomen #AIAndHumanity #GenZInsights #OvercomingTrauma #PodcastInterview #Storytelling #MentorshipMatters #EmotionalIntelligence

S03EP09 - Rachel Shelmerdine
 
Rachel Shelmerdine, a leadership and transformation coach with over 26 years of experience, opens up about the five people who shaped her life—from a turbulent childhood marked by survival and reinvention to the spiritual and emotional breakthroughs that define her work today.
 
In this powerful and deeply human conversation with Julia Duthie, Rachel shares how early trauma became the foundation for empathy, how music and friendship saved her, and how motherhood became her greatest teacher. From punk rebellion and John Lennon obsession to shamanic awakening and unconditional love, her story is raw, reflective, and profoundly inspiring.
 
🌟 Episode Highlights
 
📸 Rachel was told her dad was dead at 9 — then discovered in her 20s he was alive, living in Orkney with another woman and all the money.
🎸 The Beatles (especially John Lennon) “saved” her: they blew open her world, led her to philosophy, spirituality, even vegetarianism, and gave her a sense of belonging.
💔 She turned childhood abuse into purpose: healing from it is what pushed her into her life’s work — helping other humans understand who they really are.
👩‍👦 Motherhood changed everything: after swearing she’d never have kids, she became a single mum, homeschooled her son Max, moved to Italy on instinct, and found unconditional love.
🔔 Subscribe to People Are Everything for more inspiring stories of connection, resilience, and the people who shape our lives.
 
🎧 Listen to the full People Are Everything podcast on all major platforms
 
📺 Watch more episodes on our YouTube channel → @PeopleAreEverything
 
🌐 Find Rachel at www.alchemyinside.com
 

S03EP08   Prune Allain des Beauvais
In this episode of People Are Everything, Julia Duthie talks to Prune — founder of slow-fashion label Mademoiselle Prune — about purpose, female friendship, sustainability, courage, and the 5 most influential women in her life.
We talk:
Building a fashion brand in New Delhi using upcycled Indian textiles (Kantha)
Creating one-of-one jackets with story, provenance and dignity — not fast fashion
Empowering women and children through fair work, education and wages
Female friendship, international sisterhood, and running marathons across the world
Radical bravery at 23 years old: sailing solo around the planet
Michelle Obama as the gold standard of smart, stylish, honest leadership
 
💬 WHO IS PRUNE?
 Prune is the founder of Mademoiselle Prune, a sustainability-first fashion line she began in Delhi. Every jacket is made from reclaimed Kantha fabric sourced in Rajasthan, then finished in collaboration with women artisans in New Delhi. She’s already shown at London Fashion Week, and her pieces are worn by diplomats, lawyers, accountants and executives who want statement clothing that actually means something.
 
👥 THE 5 MOST INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE IN HER LIFE
 
👩‍🔬Leanne de Bassompierre – South African investigative journalist, diplomat’s wife, marathon runner, connector of women, “my African queen.”
👩‍🔬Sunita Bahsin – Director of SSMI NGO in New Delhi, 30+ years empowering marginalised women and educating their children through fair, dignified work.
👩‍🔬Adi (Dida Fitness) – Founder of a women-over-40 fitness community in Delhi, blending cardio, strength, yoga, meditation and joy (and Bangra!).
👩‍🔬Violette Dorange – At 23, solo-sailed around the world in the Vendée Globe: 90 days alone at sea in brutal weather, fixing her own boat mid-storm.
👩‍🔬Michelle Obama – Style, truth, service, honesty about anxiety and marriage, “boss lady with a big heart,” proof that leadership can be human.
 
💪 THEMES
 
 – Female leadership and generosity
 – Slow fashion vs fast fashion
 – Staying brave and joyful in midlife
 – Community as rocket fuel
 – Perseverance over instant success
 
👗 FIND PRUNE / MADEMOISELLE PRUNE
 
🌐 Website: https://www.mademoiselleprune.com
💼 Instagram: @studio_mademoiselle_prune
 
#PeopleAreEverything #SustainableFashion #SlowFashion #WomenInBusiness #FemaleFriendship #FemaleLeadership #EmpoweredWomen #ArtisanMade #Kantha #IndiaToLondon #LondonFashionWeek #SocialImpact #MichelleObama #MarathonMindset #MidlifeStrength #PerimenopausePower
 
@peopleareeverything

S03-EP07 - Monsoon Pabrai
At 29, Monsoon is an Indian-American fund manager and founder of Drew, managing ~$25M across 100+ clients. In this conversation she unpacks the 4 most influential people in her life (without myth or hype): a tiger-mum who engineered discipline, a history teacher (Mr Pleat) who sparked real-world curiosity and financial literacy, a North-Star dad (Mohnish) whose integrity and philanthropy shaped her compass, and Charlie Munger, whose's “no self-pity, no envy” mindset anchors her investing and life philosophy.
✨In this episode we explore:
Building a people-first investment firm (Buffett-style 0/6/25 fees, no management fee on main funds)
Finding purpose through Dakshina, the family education nonprofit changing social mobility in India
Managing other people’s money with care (families on Zoom, transparent communication)
Why integrity beats shortcuts (anti-bribery stance, doing hard things the right way)
Career path: UC Berkeley → Dalton Investments → beauty-tech startup → launching her own fund
✨Highlights✨
👩‍🔬 Harina (Mum) — Engineer, tough-love “tiger mum” who paused her Physics PhD to coach Monsoon through high school; instituted structure, study discipline, and tech-free nights that led to straight A’s.
🌟 Mohnish (Dad) — “My North Star.” Modeled uncompromising integrity, philanthropy and clear principles; annual rural-India trips; taught business culture, ethics, and the meaning of independence.
📚 Mr Pleat (AP U.S. History) — Treated students like future decision-makers; brought the financial crisis and real-world literacy into class; returned large parent gifts on principle; funny, curious, and deeply invested in students.
🧠 Charlie Munger — Philosophy of “no self-pity, no envy,” multidisciplinary thinking, independence over money, and partnership wisdom.
@peopleareeverything
Find out more about Monsoon here:-
🌐 www.drewinvestments.com💼 LinkedIn @monsoon-pabrai📘 Facebook @monsoon.pabrai🐦 Twitter @Typhoon_Girl
#PeopleAreEverything #PodcastInterview #ValueInvesting #WomenInFinance #YoungFounder #InvestingMindset #IntegrityMatters #FinancialLiteracy #EducationChangesLives #Philanthropy #CharlieMunger #WarrenBuffett #MohnishPabrai #BerkshireHathaway #ImmigrantStory #ImpactDriven #FounderLife #Nonprofit #LifeLessons #Mentorship
If you care about values-driven finance, education, and impact, this one’s for you.

S03-E06   Yasmin Ibrahim
Psychic medium and wellbeing coach Yasmin Ibrahim joins Julia Duthie on People Are Everything to explore the five most influential people who shaped her life, her healing journey, and her calling to help others overcome burnout and rediscover feminine balance.
From surviving trauma and hopelessness to building a purposeful, intuitive practice that empowers women, Yasmin shares how each person — from her selfless mother Seema to her fierce mirror Nick — helped her uncover truth, love, boundaries, and joy.
✨ In this episode:
- Growing up in a world that didn’t understand her psychic gift- How trauma and intuition intertwine- Learning to give from the “saucer, not the cup”- The women who taught her service and the men who showed her honesty- Releasing guilt, finding balance, and creating “Afterglow” — her Lisbon retreat celebrating feminine essence
🌟 Episode Highlights
🧘‍♀️ 1. Seema (Her Mother)Traditional Indian upbringing and lifelong service to others💫 2. Mel (The Presence Teacher)Friend who modelled the art of true presence — listening deeply and making others feel seen🔮 3. Anna Kittney (The Mentor)Theta Healing teacher who blended glamour with grounded spirituality💔 4. Nick (The Fierce Mirror)Recovering alcoholic who reflected her shadow and truth❤️ 5. Jack (Her Fiancé)50 first dates led to finding someone who holds space for her mission
🔔 Subscribe to People Are Everything for more inspiring stories of connection, resilience, and the people who shape our lives.
@peopleareeverything
Find out more about Yasmin here:-
https://yasminibrahim.myflodesk.com/clicklink?fbclid=IwY2xjawNYY9BleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETAycUF5cWF1eFNwUVpuSWhNAR5v6xZVbs9DyxrjPa_i-bJqVtpuMTvg21fFqmQKZK1du66DwtE9tahkR5OoRA_aem_NmtYqIR1JgIMEBFinQmgzw
https://www.facebook.com/yasminibrahimintuitivechannel/