​Ask a CEO ->​

Hi Reader,

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I asked 100 CEOs this question, and here are the 6 top answers:

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Steven Bartlett, Founder of FlightStory, Thirdweb, The Diary Of A CEO & Investor in more than 60 companies.

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This might sound really strange, but at this exact moment in time, I’d be teaching my children “algorithmic self-defence” – the disciplined habit of curating and questioning every data stream that fights for their attention on the internet.

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AI now creates their feeds, edits their photos, and even mimics trusted voices. The brain treats every pop-up like a threat, triggering dopamine that disrupts focus, sleep, your nervous system, and judgement.

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Do you know what echo chamber AI currently has your child trapped in? I’d run a simple daily drill with them: spot the source of where one post that made you feel emotional came from, name what it’s trying to make you feel, explain why the algorithm is showing it to you, then fact-check it with a totally different source before letting the feeling stick. That pause creates just enough friction to slow the urge to react and trains your brain to create the split second it needs to shift from autopilot to clear thinking.

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We need this now because the internet is flooded with deepfakes and chatbots designed to hijack attention. A recent study found that teens who spent eight weeks becoming more algorithm-aware – including practising a quick breathing reset – were 38% less likely to believe everything they read, and even slept better with lower stress. In a world where AI can weaponise distraction, guarding your attention is as fundamental as learning to read. I want my future kids to own their brain space, choosing calmly what deserves to live rent-free in their heads.

Louise Hill, Founder and CEO of GoHenry.

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"How to manage their money. It’s not true that no one is teaching their kids about money, but there’s a severe lack of focus on financial education in schools, and a clear lack of know-how among parents about how to teach it. Coupled with an increasingly cashless world where kids are growing up on gaming platforms and social media (...) exchanging [money] without seeing it change hands - this invisibility makes teaching money skills from a young age even more crucial.
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This is how GoHenry came about (...) with a mission to teach my kids how to manage money in a digital world. I started pinning iTunes receipts (yes, it was that long ago!) to the fridge to show them that the music they were downloading cost real money.
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I spoke to other parents facing similar issues - one mum had an old wreck of a car turn up after her son bought what he thought was a ‘toy’ on eBay. These stories are where the idea for GoHenry came from: a money app and prepaid debit card to help kids learn real-world money management. Fast-forward 13 years - over 2.2 million children have learnt money skills with us.
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Our research shows money skills can boost savings (23% of 6-18-year-olds are already saving for their first home) and earnings (38% of Gen A kids have started or plan to start a side-hustle). It’s also what young people are crying out for - 84% told us they want to learn about money in schools, with over 80% saying it’s as or more important than subjects like English and Maths.
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Kids want to learn. That’s where it starts, which is why we’re campaigning for financial education to be made compulsory in the Government’s Curriculum Review. Money skills aren’t a nice-to-have, they’re essential and we’re failing young people if we don’t treat them that way.”

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Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation.

“I’m teaching my kids that consistency and persistence, combined with kindness, is a superpower. Too many people think that you have to choose between being respected and being liked. I want my kids to know that you can push hard for results and still treat people well. ​ Persistence isn’t flashy. It takes years to pay off, and the world rewards speed and big wins, so kids often see examples of people who sprint hard and burn out, or people who are nice but never get things done. The combination of steady, determined progress coupled with empathy doesn’t trend on social media, but it compounds like nothing else. ​ I try to model persistence to my kids. If I say I’ll do something, I do it - whether it’s showing up for a game or keeping a small promise that’s easy to forget. I point out moments when quitting or cutting corners would’ve been easier, and why we kept going. ​ In esports and business, the wins came from staying on the path longer than others - the 10-year grind that outsiders only see the last 10 minutes of. But the loyalty, the partnerships, the teams that wanted to keep building together, that came from how we treated people while chasing the goal. Consistency and persistence deliver the results. Kindness protects the engine that drives them. ​ By teaching my kids persistence, I’m helping them grow up to become the kind of people who others trust when it matters. In school, in sports, in their careers, they’ll be the ones who are still standing when things get tough, and the ones people want to stand next to. That combination opens doors and builds a reputation that lasts decades.” ​ Sponsored by Esports World Cup Foundation ​ Learn more about the New Global Sport Conference, including this summer’s incredible lineup of industry leaders, speakers and panelists, at: newglobalsportconference.com.

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Chris M. Williams, Founder and CEO of pocket.watch, reshaping children's entertainment in the digital age.

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“I’m focused on instilling true independent confidence in my kids - the belief that they can navigate the world on their own terms. (...) A lifelong job or single career path feels like a relic. I’m preparing them for a future where they’ll likely need to forge their own paths as freelancers, entrepreneurs, creators, contractors, or small business owners.
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I’ve seen firsthand how each wave of digital innovation, from social video to generative AI, doesn’t just streamline processes, it creates entirely new industries and job types that didn’t exist before. At my company, we’ve [explored] AI tools for animated content, and the fact that ‘AI Animation Artist’ is now a job is mind-blowing.
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My kids will have powerful tools at their fingertips, but what matters most is the confidence to use them boldly. They need to trust their ability to learn, adapt, and view failure not as defeat, but as a step toward success. My hope is that whatever challenges come, they’ll always stand back up - stronger and more sure of themselves.”

Scott Galloway, Founder and Chairman of Section, Professor of Marketing at the NYU Stern School of Business, host of the Pivot podcast and best-selling author.

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“The greatest skill you can develop or that you would want your kids to have that will stand the test of time is storytelling.

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The ability to craft a narrative and then convince people, get people engaged in your narrative and think “oh, your company makes sense”. You’re not going to come in and say, “I’m starting a software company”, you’re going to say: this is the technology, this is the marketplace, this is why society needs this, this is our unique skill set (...) and you can craft it into a story that’s compelling​
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It’s the key to scoring above your weight class dramatically: communicating a plan, communicating kindness, communicating empathy, communicating humor - any industry. Jeff Bezos’ 1997 shareholder letter - you read that letter, you just want to buy stock. When you listen to Jensen Huang talk about the future of AI, biology and healthcare, you’re like… well, maybe I should buy it even though it’s trading 1 at 10 times earnings.
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(...) The core competence of any really successful person, or the core competence that’s going to get you real influence and economic security, is storytelling”. Listen to the full episode here.

Terry Tateossian, Founder of THOR: The House of Rose, a wellness community for women over 40 and podcast host.

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“Emotional self-regulation. We’re teaching kids how to code before we’re teaching them how to sit with discomfort, question their thoughts, or pause before reacting. I teach my son and my daughter how to ride the waves of big emotions, rather than avoiding or judging them. When something happens, I work on allowing them the space and time to process their own emotions. I don’t try to force feed them into the ‘right’ thing or take over the situation and try to ‘solve’ their problems.
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I bring this into the workplace, too, and emotional regulation is my leadership superpower. I’ve learnt to pause instead of react, listen instead of defend and lead with clarity instead of chaos. The ups and downs of running a business require constant recalibration of expectations, the ability to pivot, and have patience and discipline – all while riding a wave of emotions. “Am I good enough?” “Will this work?” “What if I fail?”. If we’re not able to self-regulate, this can quickly become a nightmare.
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When conflicts arise, I model what I teach my kids: to be curious before being critical. In my company, feedback is a gift and emotional honesty is a muscle we train, not a liability we hide. Healing comes from experiencing our emotions fully, accepting them as part of ourselves and then letting them go.

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Most people teach their kids to be what they see as ‘perfect’. I’m teaching mine how to harness intentional power with their emotions, take responsibility, stay rooted in their identity, and think critically while making the right decisions for themselves and those around them.”

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Talk soon,

Steven

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73 Cornhill, London, EC3V 3QQ

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