Whitman Ochiai, 18, knows from experience how confusing the world of finance can be for young people. So the Great Falls, Virginia, native started the Money Ed podcast almost two years ago, covering topics such as college tuition, credit cards, and online shopping. Coming in at five minutes or less, each episode is meant to be a quick and convenient dose of advice for busy teens.
Q: What inspired the podcast?
A: In 2018, there was a government shutdown. Living close to Washington, D.C., I saw people in my community who weren’t able to get income. I started thinking, “What can I do to help?” I found out there’s a need for financial literacy education, particularly at the teen level.
Q: What should teens always keep in mind about finance?
A: One of the most important skills is being able to think long-term and put aside money for the future, prioritizing that over in-the-moment spending. It’s delayed gratification.
Q: What’s the best part of working on this?
A: Financial literacy is something that is often overlooked in school curriculum. There’s not much emphasis placed on it. So I like being able to help work toward a solution to that.
Q: Any advice for teens who want to start a podcast?
A: I remember when I started my podcast, it seemed really daunting. But once I jumped into it, it became a lot more natural. The more episodes you do, the more natural it will feel.
(This interview was edited and condensed for length and clarity.)