#157 First Minister of Scotland: John Swinney - Opportunity, Identity & Scotland’s Future

John Swinney is the First Minister of Scotland and leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP).But before Bute House, before becoming Scotland’s longest-serving Deputy First Minister, and before eventually taking the top job, John was a politically engaged teenager from Edinburgh who joined the SNP at just 15 years old.In this episode of Origin Story, I sit down with John Swinney inside his residence Bute House to talk about the story behind the politician.We talk about growing up in Edinburgh, discovering politics as a teenager, joining the SNP in 1979, his unexpected journey to becoming First Minister, stepping back from frontline politics for his family and ultimately returning when he believed his party and country needed him.We also talk about child poverty, social mobility, Scottish independence, Scotland’s relationship with America, the Tartan Army taking over Boston, Scotch whisky tariffs, his conversations with Donald Trump, family life, political pressure, paddleboarding, hangovers and what the Scottish Dream could look like for the next generation.This is a conversation about more than politics.It is about duty, opportunity, identity, public service and what drives someone to keep stepping forward when it might be easier to step away.This is John Swinney’s Origin Story.Follow David:Instagram: @davidmcintoshjrTikTok: @davidmcintoshjrLinkedIn: David McIntosh JrSpotify / Apple Podcasts: Origin Story with David McIntosh Jr

Jason “Wee Man” Acuña is one of the most recognisable faces from Jackass, the MTV show and movie franchise that changed comedy, skateboarding, stunts and chaos forever.But before Jackass, before the movies, before people were shouting “Wee Man’s here!” in the streets of Japan, Jason was a skater from California who found his name, his confidence and his community through skateboarding.In this episode of Origin Story, Wee Man sits down with David McIntosh to talk about the real story behind Jackass.We talk about how he got the name Wee Man, growing up with dwarfism, becoming part of Big Brother magazine, the formation of Jackass, the early days of doing insane stunts for barely any money, the friendship between the crew, Ryan Dunn, Bam Margera, fame, Hollywood, money, sobriety, skateboarding, and why Jackass still means so much to people more than two decades later.This is a conversation about more than stunts. It is about finding your own lane, refusing to imitate anyone else, staying true to yourself, and building a life around fun, friendship and chaos. This is Jason “Wee Man” Acuña’s Origin Story. Subscribe for more conversations with world-class performers, creators, athletes, founders and cultural icons.Follow David:Instagram: @davidmcintoshjrTikTok: @davidmcintoshjrLinkedIn: David McIntoshSpotify / Apple Podcasts: Origin Story with David McIntoshFollow Wee Man:Instagram: @iamweeman#WeeMan #Jackass #JasonAcuna #OriginStory #DavidMcIntosh #Podcast #JackassForever #Skateboarding #MTV #Comedy #RyanDunn #BamMargera #JohnnyKnoxville #SteveO

John McCalla-Leacy is a former KPMG global executive, coach, speaker, former international canoeist, martial arts champion and one of the most extraordinary origin stories ever told on this podcast.In this episode of Origin Story, John sits down with David McIntosh Jr for a deeply inspiring and almost unbelievable conversation abouzt homelessness, resilience, reinvention, race, social mobility, financial freedom, grief, leadership, faith in people, and what it really means to build a life that no one could have predicted.From growing up in South London as the son of Jamaican parents from the Windrush generation, to experiencing homelessness, competing internationally as a canoeist, working in fashion for Benetton, living across Italy, China, Hong Kong and Thailand, becoming a martial arts champion, joining KPMG, rising to become one of their top-performing partners in Asia and later Global Head of ESG, John’s story genuinely sounds impossible.But the most unbelievable part? A grant from The Prince’s Trust changed the direction of his life and years later, Queen Elizabeth II personally heard his story, passed it on to King Charles, and John ended up having dinner with the King.This is a powerful, funny, emotional, and life-affirming conversation about resilience, reinvention, community, money, leadership, identity, and learning how to turn the hardest parts of your story into the thing that carries you forward.Follow David McIntosh Jr:Instagram: @davidmcintoshjrLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mcintosh-jr-47683b120/Follow John McCalla-Leacy: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-mccalla-leacy/Sponsored by Neutonic — the nootropic drink designed for focus, energy and getting stuff done.Use code DAVID at checkout.neutonic.com/?srsltid=AfmBOoo2no5bA7Ap7ScRXIfpOjvA2tiDOmzbEaoA9FgsUJhT2YoAn-3w

Michael Smoak (HigherUpWellness) is a coach, creator, podcaster and online voice known for helping people turn pain into purpose through faith, fitness, discipline and brutally honest conversations about grief, masculinity and healing.In this episode of Origin Story, Michael Smoak sits down with David McIntosh Jr in Long Beach, California for a deeply honest and surprisingly life-affirming conversation about grief, faith, heartbreak, masculinity, death, purpose, family, emotional expression, and what it really means to become a man.From caring for his dying father, to processing young parental grief, to rebuilding his life through faith and service, Michael explains how the worst thing that ever happened to him became the foundation for his work, his message and his relationship with God. David and Michael also explore the “Dead Parents Under 30 Club”, why men struggle to talk about heartbreak, the danger of suppressing emotion, the difference between real strength and performative toughness, and why “you only live once” might be the wrong way to look at life.This is a raw, emotional and powerful conversation about grief, God, love, letting go, and learning how to turn pain into purpose before it breaks you. Follow David McIntosh Jr:Instagram: @davidmcintoshjrFollow Michael Smoak:Instagram/TikTok: @higherupwellnessSponsored by Neutonic — the nootropic drink designed for focus, energy and getting stuff done.Use code DAVID at checkout.

Michael Smoak (HigherUpWellness) is a coach, creator, podcaster and online voice known for helping people turn pain into purpose through faith, fitness, discipline and brutally honest conversations about grief, masculinity and healing.In this episode of Origin Story, Michael Smoak sits down with David McIntosh Jr in Long Beach, California for a deeply honest and surprisingly life-affirming conversation about grief, faith, heartbreak, masculinity, death, purpose, family, emotional expression, and what it really means to become a man.From caring for his dying father, to processing young parental grief, to rebuilding his life through faith and service, Michael explains how the worst thing that ever happened to him became the foundation for his work, his message and his relationship with God. David and Michael also explore the “Dead Parents Under 30 Club”, why men struggle to talk about heartbreak, the danger of suppressing emotion, the difference between real strength and performative toughness, and why “you only live once” might be the wrong way to look at life.This is a raw, emotional and powerful conversation about grief, God, love, letting go, and learning how to turn pain into purpose before it breaks you. Follow David McIntosh Jr:Instagram: @davidmcintoshjrFollow Michael Smoak:Instagram/TikTok: @higherupwellnessSponsored by Neutonic — the nootropic drink designed for focus, energy and getting stuff done.Use code DAVID at checkout.

Andy Macdonald is a skateboarding legend, Team GB Olympian, 23-time X Games medallist and officially the oldest Olympic skateboarder in history.In this episode of Origin Story, Andy Macdonald sits down with David McIntosh Jr for a funny, thoughtful and surprisingly inspiring conversation about Scottish roots, skateboarding culture, vert skating, Team GB, the Olympics, X Games, fatherhood, risk, discipline, Livingston Skatepark, making money as a pro skater, and how on earth he is still flying around ramps at 51 years old.From growing up skating in New England and Boston, to discovering his family connection to Dumfries, getting British citizenship, representing Team GB at the Paris Olympics, and becoming one of the most decorated skateboarders of all time, Andy explains what it takes to stay world-class across multiple generations of skateboarding.This is a conversation about longevity, identity, counterculture, fatherhood, clean living, Scottish pride, Olympic history, and what skateboarding can teach you that school never could.Or, to put it more simply: a poor Scottish podcaster asks a 51-year-old skateboarding icon how he’s still less scared of halfpipes than most of us are of sending an email.Follow David McIntosh Jr:Instagram: @davidmcintoshjrFollow Andy Macdonald:Instagram: @andymac720Sponsored by Neutonic — the nootropic drink designed for focus, energy and getting stuff done.Use code DAVID at checkout.www.neutonic.com

Rufus Rice is a comedian, podcaster, musician and viral TikTok creator known for his posh-boy persona, chaotic storytelling, sharp class commentary and cult online catchphrases like “Hello shaggers.”In this episode of Origin Story, Rufus Rice sits down with David McIntosh Jr at Spotify HQ for a hilarious and surprisingly revealing conversation about class, private school, boarding school, TikTok fame, comedy, music, going viral, social mobility, the “posh” hierarchy, Scottish schemes, Patreon, the manosphere, Big John, Maltesers, and why he refuses to take sync claps seriously.From growing up in Singapore and going to boarding school, to dropping out of university and building a career through TikTok, Rufus explains how he accidentally became one of the UK’s most recognisable young comedy creators while refusing to pretend he has a traumatic origin story.This is a chaotic, funny and brutally honest conversation about privilege, class, ambition, internet fame and what happens when a posh TikToker gets interrogated by a poor Scottish podcaster.Follow David McIntosh Jr:Instagram: @davidmcintoshjrFollow Rufus Rice:Instagram/TikTok: @rufusriceSponsored by Neutonic - the nootropic drink designed for focus, energy and getting stuff done.Use code DAVID at checkout.

Carol Kane is the co-founder of Boohoo, the brand Boohoo - she built from a £1,500 website in 2006 into a £1.5 billion publicly listed group. She served as co-CEO and Executive Director of Boohoo Group, overseeing its IPO in 2014 and the acquisition of brands including Debenhams, PrettyLittleThing, Nasty Gal, Dorothy Perkins and Karen Millen. She is a pioneer of influencer and celebrity marketing in British fashion.In this episode of Origin Story, Carol sits down to share the full journey from growing up as the youngest of four in a three-bedroom house in Jarrow, Northeast England, to building a publicly listed fashion empire worth £1.5 billion. She talks about losing her father at 20, being the first in her family to go to university, landing in Hong Kong at 22 with almost nothing, and how those early years gave her the commercial instincts that would define her career.We cover the founding of Boohoo, how Carol and co-founder Mahmud Kamani identified e-commerce before the high street even took it seriously, and how they used distressed media buys, MTV bumpers and reality TV stars from Geordie Shore to build a brand that nobody saw coming.Carol also opens up about the harder chapters the Leicester supply chain controversy, the weight of public scrutiny, the reputational damage that followed, and how meditation, breath work and a Buddhist monk she met in Thailand helped her stay grounded through it all.This is a conversation about identity, class, resilience, wealth, and what it really means to build something that outlasts you.Follow me on Instagram: www.instragram.com/@davidmcintoshjrSponsor:www.neutonic.com - use code "DAVID".

Daniel Sloss is a comedian, author, and father. From a 17-year-old at Edinburgh's Stand Comedy Club to causing 100,000 breakups worldwide, Daniel Sloss shares the moments that nearly broke him, and ultimately transformed him, on his journey to becoming one of comedy's most authentic voices.In this episode, Daniel takes us inside the make-or-break moments behind his career, including the night his Netflix specials dropped and he sat reading 3,000 DMs on ecstasy, the devastating spiral of drinking 3/4 bottle of whiskey on stage every night during his global tour, and the moment his wife told him to go back on the road because staying home was driving them both mad.He reveals how his parents drove him to gigs as a teenager and learned he'd lost his virginity by watching his set, why refusing to move to London's "clicky bullshit" scene was the best decision he made, and how Eddie Izzard convinced him to tour Europe when he thought nobody would understand his comedy.Daniel also reflects on the bold move that defined his career - being the only UK comedian to speak out when everyone else stepped back - the price of doing the right thing, and the bittersweet reality of achieving global fame while hating himself at the peak of success.This is a candid conversation about Robot Wars, imposter syndrome, becoming a father, grief, comedy as truth-telling, and why "I'm Daniel and Dad now" matters more than any sold-out show. Follow Daniel Sloss📸 Instagram 👉 @danielsloss🎫 Tour dates 👉 danielsloss.comOrigin Story takes you behind the scenes with the people whose work has shaped your life. Hosted by David McIntosh, each episode explores the pivotal moments, unexpected challenges, and hard-won lessons from creators, comedians, and change makers who've built something extraordinary.Content Warning: This episode contains strong language throughout, and discussions of sexual assault, grief, death, suicide, addiction, and mental health struggles.Sponsors: Neutonic:https://www.neutonic.com?sca_ref=10212353.vP3Eab049B&utm_source=uppromote&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=263773Code “David”Merch:originstoryclub.co.ukBuy Me a Coffee:

Ben Barlow is the lead vocalist of Neck Deep — the Welsh pop-punk band formed in Wrexham in 2012 that’s become one of Britain’s biggest modern rock exports. Neck Deep are one of my favourite bandsIn this episode of Origin Story, we do it properly: in a skatepark — because skate culture and pop-punk aren’t aesthetics… they’re a philosophy. Ben talks about growing up in skateparks, why “living on your own terms” became his whole life assignment, and how the band went from posting “What Did You Expect?” online to global tours, viral hits, and over a billion streams. We go deep on authenticity vs trends, attention as currency, and why subculture feels like it’s dying — then we zoom right in again: what fame does to young men, how Ben avoided the “rockstar trap,” and the real costs of life on the road (including the moments you miss that don’t show up on Instagram).And then the episode turns into the stuff fans actually care about: the emotional engine behind the early songs, how Life’s Not Out To Get You became a lifeline for people, and why Ben still believes human art cuts through even in an AI era. About Neck Deep:Neck Deep are a Welsh pop-punk band formed in Wrexham in 2012, originally sparked when Ben Barlow and guitarist Lloyd Roberts posted “What Did You Expect?” online — a DIY start that snowballed into a decade-plus career of major chart success and global touring. Their latest chapter includes the self-titled album Neck Deep (released Jan 19, 2024 via Hopeless Records), described by the band as a “return to roots” record made in-house with Ben’s brother Seb involved in the process. Expect to learn:Why skateparks produce “no status games” — and what that teaches you about lifeThe real story of early Neck Deep: DIY beginnings, heartbreak fuel, instant traction Style vs substance (in skating and in music) — and why “being yourself” wins long-termAttention economy, trend culture, and why “effort” became social currencyFame, relationships, and how to stay grounded when your life goes nuclearWhy Life’s Not Out To Get You hit so hard, and how Ben thinks about responsibility to fans AI, authenticity, and why human-made art still mattersInstagram: @davidmcintoshjrPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/davidmcintoshjr/aboutSubstack: https://substack.com/@davidmcintoshjr?Merch: https://originstoryclub.co.uk/NeutonicFor clean focus and productivity support: Neutonic.Use code DAVID for a discount.Link: https://www.neutonic.com?sca_ref=10212353.vP3Eab049B&utm_source=uppromote&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=263773