Name: Mark Cuddigan
Job title: CEO
Company: This
What was your first job? I qualified as a tennis coach when I was 17 and did that throughout university. That and a bit of DJing, looking back I thought I was way cooler than I actually was.
What’s been your worst job interview? At Ella’s Kitchen, I was put through the wringer with the team playing the part of a retailer. It was intense. They were very mean. I crumbled. Still, somehow, I got the job.
What was the first music single you bought? Howard Jones ‘New Song’ (it was the 1980s, I was eight!).
How do you describe your job to your friends? Very similar to parenting. There are moments of exhaustion, stress and uncertainty (thanks Brexit) but then there are many more moments of joy, happiness and real fulfilment. I really do love what I do.
“I want to drive change at a government level, educating them on the impact food has on our planet”
What is the most rewarding part of your job? Can I have two? Empowering the team and seeing them grow professionally, personally and seeing them accomplish incredible things. Secondly, having a positive impact on people and the planet.
What is the least rewarding part? Caring too much, and the stress this can create. Sometimes I find it hard to take a much-needed step back.
What is your motto in life? If I had one, which I don’t really, it would be the motto from the B Corp movement, which allegedly comes from Gandhi: Be the change you want to see in the world. Don’t wait for others. We can all play our part.
If you were allowed one dream perk, what would it be? I have it right now, I can bring my dog Dandelion into the office every day. She has quickly become the therapy dog for the whole team.
Do you have any phobias? People that only care about money.
If you could change one thing in grocery, what would it be? Plant-based food having more shelf space and being more prominent on menus. I want to drive change at a government level too, educating them on the impact food has on our planet.
What luxury would you have on a desert island? Other than my family? Spotify (with speakers etc).
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What animal most reflects your personality? I’d like to say a Goldendoodle… just because Dandelion has the loveliest temperament. I have a nasty feeling my family would pick something else!
What’s your favourite film and why? North by Northwest. An Alfred Hitchcock classic with Cary Grant. I remember watching it with my mother, who passed away far too long ago.
What has been the most embarrassing moment in your life? My proposal to my wife. See answer to worst job interview above, many similarities.
Which celebrity would you most like to work with and why? Thierry Henry (swoon). He’s given me some incredible memories, not least watching him score a goal at Real Madrid when I was seated with the Madrid home fans. He picked the ball up from halfway and ran the length of the pitch before scoring. I couldn’t celebrate at all because of where I was sitting!
Naturally I would love to cook up some of our sausages alongside him in our office. That would be va va voom.
What would your death row meal be? My mum’s plant-based lasagne.
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