Kate Goolnik, Food Graduate at M&S: Dyslexia, Deadlines & Doing What Feels Right

My Duvet Flip by Jack Parsons

Jack Parsons

Business, Careers

4.2 • 5 Ratings

🗓️ 6 October 2025

⏱️ 22 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Episode Guest:

Kate Goolnik is a Food Business Graduate at Marks & Spencer with a passion for how food gets from supplier to shelf. From night shifts in nightclubs to store openings and sandwich logistics, Kate’s story is one of resilience, curiosity, and drive.

Episode Timestamps:

0:00 Introduction

0:48 Starting Out in Nightclubs During Uni

2:15 Learning to Work With Different People

3:20 The Supermarket Fascination

4:30 From Store Launch to Grad Scheme

6:10 Finding a Sponsor Who Opened Doors

7:55 “It’s Okay Not to Know” — Career Advice

9:40 Why M&S Just Felt Right

11:05 Primary School Doubts & Dyslexia Discovery

12:55 Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

14:30 Learning to Flip Your Mindset

15:40 Why Kate Loves M&S Culture

17:10 The Great Sandwich Challenge — A Lesson in Resilience

19:00 Learning from Mistakes and Supporting Others

20:20 Kate’s Duvet Flip — Why She Gets Up Every Day

Episode Partners

M&S

M&S is a trusted global retailer, committed to quality, value, and innovation. For over a century, it has set industry standards by doing the right thing and embracing change. With 65,000 colleagues serving 32 million customers worldwide, M&S places quality at the heart of everything it does.

https://bit.ly/4mVHfLO

Disclaimer:

The content provided on Duvet Flip is for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. The views expressed by hosts, guests, brands or contributors are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the show's producers, sponsors, or affiliates. The information shared is not a substitute for professional advice, including but not limited to career counseling, financial guidance, legal consultation, or mental health support.

Listeners and viewers are responsible for their own decisions and actions based on the content provided, and Duvet Flip assumes no liability for any outcomes resulting from reliance on the information shared. By engaging with the show, you acknowledge and agree to this disclaimer.

If you’re struggling with debt, trusted advice and free support can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/debt-advice

If you’re struggling with mental health of any kind, you can find free support here: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hi, my name's Kate. I'm on the food business graduate scheme at M&S. We employ over 65,000 colleagues and this is my dupe-flip. Tell me where it all started. It started in the nightclubs until 5 in the morning and then I'd be in the library the next day. I just loved it. What did the nightclub teach you about the world of work? It was the first place that I've really worked with people of very different ages and at very different life stages.
0:22.0	Why did you want to always work in the supermarket?
0:23.8	Well this magically appeared. first place that I've really worked with people of very different ages and at very different
0:21.2	life stages. Why did you want to always work in a supermarket? Well this magically appears on your
0:25.3	plate at dinner. How does it get there? Why did you choose M&S? We say it we do it. What's your duvet
0:30.3	flip? What keeps you out of bed in the morning to flip the duvet? For me it has to be... Hi, my name's Kate.
0:39.3	I'm on the food business graduate scheme at M&S.
0:41.3	I'm really looking forward to sitting down with Jack.
0:43.3	I'm feeling nervous.
0:44.3	I think I'm really excited to talk about my journey,
0:47.3	where I started and where I am now.
0:49.3	I wanted to come on my dovet flip to say that it.
0:52.3	It's okay to not know what you want to do. No, I've not met Jack before, but I'm really looking forward to hearing his ideas and kind of building a great conversation with him.
1:00.0	I want people to take away from the episode that your career journey is yours.
1:07.0	Let's do this.
1:09.0	So welcome to my dovevet flip, how are we?
1:11.6	Good, good, excited.
1:13.6	I'm excited as well. I want to hear about your career.
1:15.6	So tell me where it all started for you.
1:17.6	I think it started in the nightclub.
1:20.6	So while I was doing my chemistry in mass degree, I worked in my local student nightclub.
1:26.6	I'd work on a Wednesday and a Friday. I'd work until three, five in the morning, and then I'd be in the library the next day. But I just loved it. Like every bit about it, I liked being on my feet, I liked being with people. I just really, really enjoyed it. And I think from there, I kind of knew that I wanted to do something that was like active and kind of close to customers.
	...

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