Name: Carl Saxton-Pizzie
Job title: Founder
Company: Wholegood
What was your first job? I joined theatre school at the age of seven or eight and my first job was a photoshoot for Zest soap around that time. The work I secured as a child actor helped cover my theatre school fees, alongside a council grant and support from the school.
What’s been your worst job interview? I haven’t interviewed for a traditional job, but I’ve had some memorably awkward auditions.
One that stands out is when I performed a serious monologue from the perspective of a teenage boy speaking from the afterlife, about his love for his mother. I delivered it with full emotion – tears, etc. Then the director asked me to do it again, but as a cat. I got the part.
“When the deal was finalised, I experienced a solid two minutes of joy – then went back to work”
What was the first music single you bought? It was Kraftwerk – Tour de France in 1983. I was eight, I think. Got it from Woolworths.
How do you describe your job to your friends? I have a business that bridges the gap between fantastic growers and people that want to eat well, that buys from farmers that are giving more back to the earth than what they take.
What is the most rewarding part of your job? I’m not necessarily seeking rewarding moments – I aim to maintain steadiness and avoid extreme highs and lows. There’s beauty in stability.
That said, there are moments of joy that deserve acknowledgement. Recently, the most significant was saving the jobs of our 95 staff members when I took over the business last December. It felt nearly impossible and almost didn’t work out. When the deal was finalised, I experienced a solid two minutes of joy – then went back to work.
What is the least rewarding part? Again, I believe it’s essential not to measure things that way. As a founder and CEO, you must accept and understand that daily challenges are part of the role.
You’re going to face 100mph winds and still need to support and lead your team. It’s the job. Maintaining a mindset that acknowledges challenges without excessive emotion is key – it preserves energy, which is crucial for planning and leadership.
What is your motto in life? Say yes.
If you were allowed one dream perk, what would it be? I might be sounding a bit dull, but I rarely think about perks. However, a go kart track behind our warehouse would be fantastic. Lunchtime races would be cool.
Do you have any phobias? I don’t think so – not yet.
If you could change one thing in grocery, what would it be? The relentless drive by retailers to make everything as cheap as possible to sell more food. If we could all focus on buying less but higher-quality food, that would be a significant step forward.
What luxury would you have on a desert island? Solar-powered air conditioning.
What animal most reflects your personality? A gorilla.
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What’s your favourite film and why? Dog Day Afternoon. A young Al Pacino delivers an incredible performance, and his co-star, John Cazale, was equally remarkable. Cazale had immense promise but sadly died pretty young. The Deer Hunter is a close second, it’s a remarkable, beautiful film.
What has been the most embarrassing moment in your life? There have been many! As an actor, you get used to embarrassment. One standout moment was during my time on EastEnders. I used to visualise my lines to help remember them.
In one scene, my opening line was, “Let’s play it easy and then see how the land lies.” As I said it, I mimed playing the violin and then made a rippling gesture with my hands. My mate, Mark Homer, who was in the scene, burst out laughing, pointing out what I’d just done. When filming a soap like that, every office, including producers, has live feeds of what’s happening on set. So, many people at the BBC likely shook their heads at how utterly ridiculous that moment was. Or maybe nobody noticed!
Which celebrity would you most like to work with and why? If I had to choose someone living, it would be Tom Hardy. He has incredible screen presence and nails pretty much everything he does. A remarkable actor.
What would your death row meal be? I’d tell them to stick my last meal up their arse and take one final moment to protest my innocence.
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