Weekend Essay: ‘Remember that everyone is just another person’

As this is the last Weekend Essay of the year from Money Marketing and Christmas is just around the corner, I can completely understand why you think this should be a Christmas-themed article.

Spoiler alert, it isn’t. But I will start off by saying that I hope everyone has an amazing Christmas and a happy New Year. Also, I want to say thank you to everyone who has taken the time to speak to me this year when it has come to writing articles and interviewing different people.

However, this Weekend Essay does focus on something I have learned while interviewing different people for Money Marketing.

I think that, to date, one of the biggest interviews I have conducted was with Standard Life CEO Andy Curran. It was part of the MM Meets series that went on the site in September.

It was an amazing experience getting to sit down with Curran and talk about his professional journey, his time at Standard Life, his plans and his personal ethos for both life and business.

It was also nice being able to touch on Curran’s more personal side of life as we do in our MM Meets series, and not just focus purely on business.

I will admit that I was a bit nervous before sitting down and interviewing Curran. I have never had a photographer accompany me to an interview.

But it was a great experience both meeting and interviewing him.

Following this encounter, I did feel more confident interviewing various professionals at different levels of seniority. However, I still get a bit nervous when interviewing different people from various companies.

While I was having a drink with some colleagues, this topic came up. I was told that I should remember that “everyone is just another person”.

I thought that this was a good bit of advice and mentality to hold while interviewing different people.

The person who gave me this advice was Headlinemoney head of sales Martin Quinn. It was not only helpful but also seems to put Quinn in a good frame of mind.

He has appeared on GB News a couple of times speaking about his role in the Payment Choice Alliance, which has a goal of ensuring a law is on the statute books establishing the right of everyone in the UK to choose how they pay; and, in particular, enabling them to use their cash “when and where they choose”.

Quinn was even interviewed by GB News anchor Nigel Farage back in August.

I thought if this advice has helped him deal with speaking to Farage, knowing the interview would end up on television, then this is the right attitude to have.

Admittedly, Quinn was the interviewee and not the interviewer, but clearly this way of thinking helps when talking to high profile or senior individuals.

Quinn has even written a Weekend Essay for Money Marketing about the need for cash and how we cannot afford to lose it.

I remember the last time I was out with some friends, I was left thinking about the Payment Choice Alliance. I wanted to pay for a round of drinks with some cash in my wallet, to which the bartender replied: “No sorry, we only take card.”

Anyway, back to my original point.

I recently conducted my second MM Meets with another CEO. I won’t reveal who as I don’t want to ruin the surprise, but Money Marketing readers will find out early next year.

I had Quinn’s bit of advice in my head while conducting the interview and it really did help. I felt like the interview went well.

I am hopeful people who read this will see this way of thinking in action next year.

I am looking forward to it.