ABOUT THIS EPISODE
On this episode of Millennial Millionaire, Steven Cohen sits down with Paul Smith—entrepreneur, investor, educator, author, and co-founder of the Art of Wealth Institute. Paul shares how leaving home at 17 with £170, surviving a life-threatening illness, and buying his first property as a teenager shaped more than four decades of learning how wealth is created, protected, and transferred.
Paul explains why earning money is not the same as becoming wealthy, how property taught him to use financial leverage, and why his “one for me, one for you” strategy dramatically accelerated his portfolio. He also breaks down the mindset required to ask better questions, buy back your time, build a business that can operate without you, and move from concentration toward a more balanced approach across assets and jurisdictions.
The conversation explores the path from the first million to eight and nine figures, compound growth, private equity, how to evaluate wealth advisers, and why fulfillment depends on aligning work with your highest values. Paul closes with the three lessons he would give his younger self: find mentors earlier, remove mental blocks around responsible leverage, and diversify sooner.
This conversation is educational and reflects the speakers’ experiences. It is not personalized financial, investment, legal, or tax advice.
Connect with Paul Smith
Art of Wealth Institute: https://joinaowi.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulsmithwealth/
Touchstone Education: https://touchstoneeducation.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PaulSmithTouchstoneEducation
Connect with Steven Cohen
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@stevencohen2832/videos
Links: https://linktr.ee/steven_cohen
### Chapter Markers
00:00 – Paul Smith’s Journey From £170 to Wealth
06:18 – Financial, Time, Skill & AI Leverage
13:24 – The “One for Me, One for You” Property Strategy
17:07 – The Difference Between Rich and Wealthy
22:20 – Create, Protect & Transfer Wealth
23:38 – Ask Better Questions and Rewire Your Mindset
28:34 – Buy Back Your Time and Build Beyond Yourself
32:19 – Moving From Six Figures to Nine Figures
34:33 – How to Vet Wealth Advisers
37:59 – Diversifying Assets and Jurisdictions
43:34 – Compound Growth, Private Equity & Earning the Right to Invest
52:30 – Achievement, Fulfillment & Living Your Values
58:13 – The Art of Wealth and the One Million Millionaires Mission
01:03:03 – Three Lessons Paul Would Give His Younger Self
