Q: What’s the one thing you wish every young person understood about money before leaving school?
For me, it’s about understanding how the things you learn at school apply in the real world. If I’d been taught more about things like how to invest, how to start a business, or simply how money works day to day, I think I would have felt much better equipped for working life.
You need those foundations. Before you think about investing, for example, you need to understand saving. And there are other basics, like the difference between credit and debit, how interest works and what an APR is. If you understand the fundamentals, you’re in a much better position to make informed choices and build on them as your life changes.
This is so important not just for individuals, but for the wider economy too. If people and families have the skills to plan, save and invest, then we can strengthen communities from the inside.
Q: What’s different about the way young people today think about money and earning?
When I was growing up, you might have had a Saturday job or sold something at a car boot sale. Now you can sell clothes online, create your own products, make content about gaming or even film yourself cutting your friends’ hair and potentially build an audience and a business from it. Social media has completely changed how far an idea can travel.
And you see that coming through in our research*. Two in five 16- to 17-year-olds have made money from a passion, hobby or skill in the past two years, and more than a third would choose entrepreneurship over a secure, well-paid job.
I find that fascinating. The entrepreneurial instinct isn't necessarily new, but young people have far more ways to turn something they're passionate about into an income. That makes it even more important that they have the practical money skills alongside the ambition.
Q: You’ve just held the first Money Talks by NatWest Thrive event in London. What stood out to you?
The curiosity. We had hundreds of young people coming through the doors over the two days, mainly 16- and 17-year-olds, as well as lots of parents. There was a real mix, from people about to start university or their first job to young people who had just left school and weren't sure what they wanted to do next. And they asked a lot of questions, especially: how do I turn something I’m passionate about into an income?
Our speakers brought that to life in very different ways. Joe Baggs, who has turned content creation into a career, talked about the lessons he had to learn along the way and why we all need to be more open about money. Chunkz spoke about backing yourself, building confidence and not being put off by people telling you something is too difficult. And our Team GB athletes brought a completely different perspective, talking about what it takes to build a sporting career, including the role sponsorship can play. What connected all the stories was that none of it happened overnight – there were setbacks and a lot of hard work along the way.
