Episode 48

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Published on:

14th Oct 2025

What We've Learned - Our Penultimate Episode

In this episode, the penultimate one of the podcast, Lucy and Lisette reflect on their long friendship and what they have learned about each other over their year of podcasting together every week.

They discuss Lisette's experience attending a conference in Berlin on the topic of steward-ownership, how this model differs from traditional shareholder-driven capitalism, and the potential it holds for creating more sustainable, mission-driven businesses.

Key Insights

1. Lisette and Lucy reflect on their long friendship, recounting highlights from their youth and how their relationship has deepened through this podcast series. They have gained new appreciation for each other's strengths and perspectives.

2. Lucy sees Lisette as a force of nature and is impressed by her intellect, wisdom, and willingness to think outside the box.

3. Lisette sees Lucy as someone who has made significant contributions through her work giving a voice to the unheard, and she encourages Lucy to embrace the authority and impact she has had.

4. They discuss their approaches to time, work, and hobbies, noting their shared tendency to be more focused on work and contribution than traditional hobbies.

5. Lisette's involvement in a steward-owned company called Crowd Building has given her a firsthand perspective on the potential of this model to drive positive change Steward-ownership establishes companies as mission-driven entities, owned by a foundation rather than individual shareholders.

6. The podcast series has been popular and successful, though it is now coming to an end. Lucy expresses some difficulty with endings, but they plan to celebrate their year of turning 70 in the final episode.

Why You Should Listen

Lucy and Lisette have been friends since they were 8 years old, and bonded over trying to teach each other their own language as little girls. Lisette’s abilities with English have far outshone Lucy’s with Dutch – though Lisette puts this down partly to having lived a past life as an English-speaker.

Over the years, they have kept in touch, with periods of more or less frequent contact, but have really connected deeply through doing this weekly podcast together over the past year.

This episode also gives a fascinating glimpse into an emerging alternative to traditional capitalism, one that could have far-reaching implications for how we think about corporate structure and responsibility. Lucy and Lisette's discussion offers valuable insights for anyone interested in exploring new models of business ownership and governance that prioritise long-term sustainability and social impact over short-term profits.

Join The Conversation

Do you have a close friend who you sometimes see a lot of and other times aren't in contact with at all? Would you consider doing a podcast series with them? What has come across to you about Lucy and Lisette's relationship over their Year of Being 70?

If you feel like sharing, tell us your personal experience in the comments.

Watch/listen to our full playlist (The Year of Being 70): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzDmlsx6mhXmqlFJFZEEvaOwytbeAMFCm

If you enjoyed this discussion, as well as the personal journeys of these old (in every sense) friends, don’t forget to like, subscribe, and tap the bell icon to stay updated on new episodes of The Year of Being 70. Subscribe now and join the journey!

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About the Podcast

The Year of Being 70
Two childhood friends who turned 70 in 2024 look back on their lives, their journey, and their busy lives at 70t
Lucy McCarraher and Lisette Schuitemaker are childhood friends. Born one month apart in 1954, they both hit 70 in 2024. In this podcast they take the long view of their experiences, the changes that have taken place through their 70 years of existence in their own lives, their families, their countries and the world. Lucy is British; Lisette is Dutch. Both are authors, eldest daughters and founders of businesses. Every week they check in on each other, recall their younger selves, discuss an important issue, and laugh a lot.
You'll love this podcast if you enjoy:
* Honest discussions between good friends
* Social history from the 1950s to present day
* Memories of growing up in the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s
* Living and working through the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s
* Hearing about families and relationships
* Entrepreneurship and business
* Writing and reading books
* A bit of politics from a personal point of view
* Women's issues and the changing face of feminism
* What it's like to be 70 in the 2020s

About your host

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Lisette Schuitemaker