Meriel Kehoe
Co-founder, Claudi & Fin, on boredom, massages and seafood
What was your first job? I worked as a microfilmer taking pictures of student records. It was like photocopying but with a fancier title. It taught me a lot about coping with boredom.
What’s been your worst job interview? Once, in my former life as a TV director, I attended an interview where I was asked if I had spelled my first name correctly on my CV (I had). I thought the question was such a ridiculous thing to ask, I laughed in the interviewer’s face. Suffice to say, I didn’t get the job.
What was the first music single you bought? 99 Red Balloons by Nena. It was an anti-war song but I just liked the tune.
How do you describe your job to your mates? It depends on what happens to be going on that day! Starting your own company is incredibly challenging but it can be one the most rewarding things in the world.
What is the most rewarding part of your job? The variety. We’re a small team, so we all need to be able to turn our hand to almost anything, from admin and answering phones, to delivering sales presentations and meeting investors. We all love working on NPD.
What is the least rewarding part? I’m not a fan of paying bills, but who is?
What is your motto? It’s a bit of a cliché, but it’s ‘if at first you don’t succeed, try, try, try again’.
If you were allowed one dream perk, what would it be? A weekly massage would be amazing.
If you could change one thing in grocery, what would it be? I’m a firm believer that frozen food can be amazing quality, value for money and that it has a role to play in our lives by helping to eliminate waste. I’d like to see the large grocers investing in consumer education about the great quality available in frozen. Sometimes it feels like the forgotten corner of the average supermarket.
What luxury would you have on a desert island? A yacht! I’ve always had itchy feet and I can’t think of anything worse than being stuck in one place for too long.
What animal most reflects your personality? A cat - I’m prone to frenetic bouts of activity, but I love nothing more than a good sleep.
What would your death row meal be? A big platter of seafood - lobster, prawns, oysters, the works.
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