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People Are Everything

People Are Everything

By: Julia Duthie
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With candid conversations about relationships, trauma, success, failure, life changes, and everything in between, People Are Everything offers listeners an inspiring and relatable exploration of the human experience.

Julia’s signature question is at the heart of each episode: “Who are the five people who have shaped the person you are today?” The answers reveal intimate and thought-provoking insights into the relationships, experiences, and moments that define us.

Whether you’re seeking wisdom, motivation, or a sense of connection, this podcast will leave you reflecting on the people and moments that have shaped your story and wondering who your five would be!Copyright 2024 All rights reserved. Relationships Social Sciences
Episodes
  • James Hillhouse | Dickens, Dad & the Power of Second Chances

    James Hillhouse | Dickens, Dad & the Power of Second Chances
    Oct 27 2026

    S06E08: James Hillhouse | Dickens, Dad & the Power of Second Chances

    What do Charles Dickens, a much-loved grandfather, a remarkable business partner and a German filmmaker have in common? For James Hillhouse, they're all part of the story of who he has become.

    In this episode of People Are Everything, Julia Duthie welcomes James Hillhouse, co-founder of Commercial Break, an organisation working to create better opportunities for working-class talent in the creative industries.

    Their conversation explores identity, ambition, fairness, resilience, humour and the moments that change the way we see the world.

    James shares the five people who have most influenced his life:

    1. His father — whose determination, fairness and resilience continue to guide him, even after his death.
    2. His grandfather Sid — who taught him that humour and playfulness can carry us through life's hardest moments.
    3. Susie Burdekin — his Commercial Break partner, whose influence extends from his professional life to how he raises his children.
    4. Charles Dickens — whose writing shaped James's ideas about justice, optimism and being the main character in your own life.
    5. Werner Herzog — whose unconventional creativity helped James embrace curiosity, unusual interests and different ways of thinking.

    Along the way, Julia reflects on the borrowed clothes that helped her secure her first office job, the lasting impact of losing a parent, and why opportunity matters more than changing who we are.

    A warm, funny and thoughtful conversation about the people and the moments that help shape us.

    CHAPTERS

    00:00 Introduction

    01:06 Meet James Hillhouse — People Are Everything

    05:23 Common People, Commercial Break and creating opportunity

    11:48 Social mobility versus financial mobility

    20:25 Julia's first career break and the importance of opportunity

    26:51 What businesses can do to make a difference

    30:12 The moments that shape who we become

    34:16 Person 1: James's father — resilience, justice and family

    52:06 Person 2: Grandfather Sid — humour and playfulness

    1:06:38 Person 3: Susie Burdekin — partnership and parenting

    1:15:57 Person 4: Charles Dickens — justice and optimism

    1:26:02 Person 5: Werner Herzog — curiosity and creative thinking

    1:37:07 Reflections on James's five influences

    1:41:15 Why Julia wants to honour the people who shape us

    1:43:44 Who should Julia speak to next?

    FIND OUT MORE

    Commercial Break: https://www.commercialbreak.org.uk/

    Hosted by Julia Duthie.

    Discover People Are Everything:

    https://peopleareeverything.co.uk/

    Watch more episodes:

    https://www.youtube.com/@Peopleareeverything

    Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other podcast platforms.

    @peopleareeverything

    Follow us on social:

    https://linktr.ee/peopleareeverything

    Who are the five people who have shaped your life? Let us know in the comments.
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    1 hr and 45 mins
  • TEDx Speaker, The Podfather and why I aim Higher: Tolu Adebekun

    TEDx Speaker, The Podfather and why I aim Higher: Tolu Adebekun
    Oct 20 2026

    S06E07: Tolu Adebekun TEDx Speaker, The Podfather and why I aim Higher

    What can our parents, friends, managers and colleagues teach us about becoming better people?

    Julia Duthie welcomes TEDx speaker, leadership professional and podcast host Tolu Adebekun, better known as The Podfather, for a warm and thought-provoking conversation about the five influences that have shaped his life.

    Tolu reflects on his Nigerian family roots, a manager who gave him extraordinary confidence, a lifelong friendship that taught him resilience, the women who broadened his perspective, and the Christian teacher whose work continues to influence his thinking.

    Along the way, Julia and Tolu explore kindness, adaptability, leadership, human connection, grief, faith, family and the simple power of recognising other people's humanity.

    An engaging conversation full of humour, curiosity and thoughtful reflections on the people who make us who we are.

    Hosted by Julia Duthie.

    Subscribe for more long-form conversations about the people who shape who we become.

    Learn more about your host; get Julia's book here: https://dogbonestreet.com/

    Full episode available now on YouTube and all major podcast platforms.

    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Peopleareeverything

    Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/people-are-everything/id1792005630

    Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5oobIAmo4lkewcPHdbcXbJ

    Follow us on socials: https://linktr.ee/peopleareeverything

    Thank you, People Are Everything :-)

    To find out more about Tolu:

    Tolu on LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/toluadebekun
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    1 hr and 19 mins
  • World-Leading Education Thinker, Andy Hargreaves: The People Who Shaped Him

    World-Leading Education Thinker, Andy Hargreaves: The People Who Shaped Him
    Oct 13 2026
    S06E06: Andy Hargreaves | World-Leading Education Thinker Andy Hargreaves: The People Who Shaped Him. What's Worth Fighting For? Season 6 continues with Professor Andy Hargreaves. Julia Duthie is joined by Andy for a thoughtful, funny and deeply human conversation about education, family, collaboration, purpose, professional capital and the people who shaped his life. Andy is one of the most influential thinkers in education. His work has helped shape ideas around teachers, collaboration, educational change, sustainable leadership and professional capital. But this episode goes behind the public work. Andy talks about the family who shaped him: his mother’s resilience after being widowed young, his brother Peter and a lifelong love of walking, his grandmother’s kindness, his wife Pauline’s influence on his thinking about sustainability, and the grandchildren who are now such a central part of his life. He also reflects on Mary Hindle, the teacher who truly saw him; David Hargreaves, who modelled intellectual clarity and collaboration; Ann Lieberman, who opened the door to America; and Michael Fullan, whose partnership helped shift the scope and direction of Andy’s work. This is a conversation about teachers, ideas, disagreement, kindness, social justice, purpose and the people who help us become who we are. Watch Andy Hargreaves on People Are Everything now. Chapter Locators 00:00 Intro 01:22 Welcome to People Are Everything 02:28 Bill Sommers, purpose and changing education 03:33 How Andy met Bill through Learning Forward 05:22 Professional capital and the teaching profession 06:50 Michael Fullan and the origins of Professional Capital 09:07 Human, social and decisional capital 12:13 Supporting teachers throughout their careers 15:05 Forty books, citations and influence 17:56 What does achievement feel like? 18:50 Leaving Boston College and choosing family 20:45 Hiking, writing, photography and tap dancing 23:02 Bob Dylan and not chasing the parade 23:45 Choosing the five people who shaped Andy 24:57 Number 1: Andy’s family 24:57 Andy’s mother, resilience and grammar school 27:05 Brother Peter and a lifelong love of the outdoors 28:17 Andy’s grandmother and the importance of kindness 28:59 Pauline, sustainability and a life partner 30:59 Grandchildren and family today 32:26 Julia reflects on family, kindness and loss 34:51 “Men only want one thing: housework” 36:27 Number 2: Mary Hindle 36:46 A teacher ahead of her time 37:57 The teacher who really got Andy 38:47 Laying the foundation stone with Mary Hindle 40:27 The lifelong impact of a teacher who sees you 42:33 Number 3: David Hargreaves 43:57 The Challenge for the Comprehensive School 46:08 Collegiality, argument and collaboration 51:19 Collaboration needs will and skill 53:21 Number 4: Ann Lieberman 54:54 “You’re Andy Hargreaves” 55:23 Teachers as scholars 56:51 Opening America to Andy 59:01 Walking across the road as a metaphor 1:02:38 Number 5: Michael Fullan 1:03:38 Being seen early at OISE 1:06:11 What’s Worth Fighting For in Your School? 1:06:51 Falling out in public and learning from each other 1:08:01 A friendship of almost 40 years 1:09:30 Julia reflects on Andy’s five people 1:10:48 Contrarianism and productive disagreement 1:13:35 “He’s got all his chairs at home” 1:15:19 Injustice, racism and knowing something is wrong 1:16:23 Tap dancing, hiking and the mind-body connection 1:18:17 Julia on playtime and pickleball 1:18:27 Who should Julia speak to next? 1:21:35 Accents, influence and colonial history 1:23:54 Final thanks Hosted by Julia Duthie. Subscribe for more long-form conversations about the people who shape who we become. Learn more about your host; get Julia's book here: https://dogbonestreet.com/ Full episode available now on YouTube and all major podcast platforms. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Peopleareeverything Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/people-are-everything/id1792005630 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5oobIAmo4lkewcPHdbcXbJ Follow us on socials: https://linktr.ee/peopleareeverything Thank you, People Are Everything :-) To find out more about Andy and check out his books, please use the links below. Website: https://www.andyhargreaves.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andy-hargreaves-7a4760376/ #PeopleAreEverything #AndyHargreaves #JuliaDuthie #Education #Teachers #ProfessionalCapital #EducationalLeadership #Collaboration #MichaelFullan #HumanStories #Podcast
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    1 hr and 24 mins
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