The Happy WorkLife Podcast

Hosted by Lord Mark Price

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Episodes

123

Latest episode

Oct 2026

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About the show

Welcome to the The Happy WorkLife Podcast where people with inspiring careers reflect on how happy they have been in their working lives. We hear from a range of people working in a variety of industries and find out which roles gave them the most satisfaction and importantly what they have done to get happier at work. Hosted by Lord Mark Price, WorkL.co founder, peer and former Managing Director of Waitrose, and former Deputy Chairman of the John Lewis Partnership. Visit WorkL.co to find a job in the happiest companies, take our happiness test, network, get career support from experts and much more. Work Happier with WorkL.

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60 recent

October 15, 202632 min

How Wetherspoons Started: A £40k Loan to a £2bn Empire | Tim Martin

Why does a pint cost £6 in a pub and £1.50 in a supermarket? Wetherspoon founder Sir Tim Martin breaks down the tax and wage maths behind Britain's pub closures, and warns pubs will "shut down en masse" unless it changes. He also tells Lord Mark Price how he built JD Wetherspoon from one Muswell Hill pub in 1979. In this episode of The Happy WorkLife Podcast: ✅ Why a 10% minimum wage rise adds about 15p to a pub pint, but 1–2p in a supermarket ✅ Business rates: around 25p a pint in a pub vs 1.5p in Tesco ✅ How Wetherspoon really got its name (a teacher and The Dukes of Hazzard) ✅ The "crazy" nine-year chairman rule pushing companies to America ✅ If he started again, he'd go into tech Visit WorkL to: 📋 Take the FREE Happy at Work Test: https://app.workl.com/happiness-surve...Chapters:00:00 🤗 Discover the World's Happiest Workplaces: https://workl.com/happiest-workplaces... 🔎 Join a professional community: https://app.workl.com/global-hub/comm... 🟢 Get career support from experts: https://workl.com/global-hub/?utm_sou... #Wetherspoons #TimMartin #Entrepreneur #UKPubs #BusinessPodcast #Business #BusinessGrowth #Entrepreneurship #BusinessTips #News #UKNews #WorldNews #Politics #Documentary

March 3, 202635 min

The Dr.PAWPAW Story with Founders Johnny & Pauline Paterson

In this episode of The Happy WorkLife Podcast, Lord Mark Price sits down with husband-and-wife duo Johnny and Pauline Paterson, the founders of Dr.PAWPAW, the British beauty brand that grew from a simple idea into a globally recognised name. What began as a solution-focused product inspired by the natural benefits of pawpaw has evolved into a multi-award-winning business stocked around the world. Together, they explore the drive behind building a global brand from scratch, balancing entrepreneurship with family life, and working side by side as partners in both business and marriage. Visit WorkL to: 📋 Take the FREE Happy At Work Test: https://app.workl.com/happiness-survey/rank-company/ 🤗 Discover the World’s Happiest Workplaces: https://workl.com/happiest-workplaces Follow both Pauline and Johnny at: 🔲 https://www.linkedin.com/in/pauline-paterson/ 🔲linkedin.com/in/johnny-paterson-61a9b710 🔲 https://www.instagram.com/johnny_paterson_/ 🔲 https://www.instagram.com/mrsdrpawpaw/ Check out Dr. PAWPAW: https://www.drpawpaw.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/dr-pawpaw/ https://www.instagram.com/dr.pawpaw/

January 30, 202641 min

What is a forensic psychotherapist? With Dr Gwen Adshead

In this episode of The Happy WorkLife Podcast , Lord Mark Price sits down with Dr Gwen Adshead , one of the UK’s leading forensic psychotherapists and psychiatrists. A Visiting Professor at Yale School of Law and Psychiatry , and consultant forensic psychiatrist at Ravenswood House , Gwen has spent nearly forty years working at the intersection of mental health, crime and justice. She has worked extensively with violent offenders in high-security psychiatric hospitals such as Broadmoor , as well as within the prison system. Dr Adshead was also the 2024 BBC Reith Lecturer , where she explored complex questions around violence, responsibility and mental illness. In this episode, she reflects on her career, her public work and her forthcoming book, Unspeakable . Visit WorkL to: 📋 Take the FREE Happy At Work Test: https://app.workl.com/happiness-survey/rank-company 💼 Find a job in the happiest workplaces: https://workl.com/find-work 🤗 Discover the World’s Happiest Workplaces: https://workl.com/happiest-workplaces

January 5, 202634 min

From the Court to the C-Suite: Robert Stone on how lessons from elite sport translate into leadership, HR, and more!

In this episode, Lord Mark Price is joined by Robert Stone, former professional basketball player turned senior HR and people leader. They explore Rob’s journey from elite sport into marketing and HR, unpacking the transferable skills professional athletes bring to leadership, culture, and people management. The conversation dives into: 🏀 His early years, sporting influences, and path to professional basketball 🔄 The transition from elite sport into business and HR 🧠 How athletic discipline, resilience, and teamwork shape leadership 🌍 The evolving role of HR, including skills, AI, and diversity and inclusion Recognised in the HRD Global Top 100 in 2022 and 2023, Rob brings deep insight into the challenges and opportunities facing HR today. An honest and energising conversation about people, performance, and the future of work.

November 26, 202539 min

Professor Sir Adrian Hill on his inspirational career and work in vaccine science

In this episode of The Happy WorkLife Podcast , Lord Mark Price sits down with Professor Sir Adrian Hill, one of the world’s leading vaccine researchers and the director of the Jenner Institute at the University of Oxford. Knighted in the New Year Honours for his services to medicine and global health, Adrian has dedicated his career to developing vaccines that save lives, from malaria to COVID-19 and beyond. Together, they explore his extraordinary journey from his early years studying medicine to becoming a pioneer in vaccine science and global health innovation. This is an inspiring conversation about science, dedication, and the relentless pursuit of progress, and how one man’s vision is shaping the future of global health. Visit WorkL to: Take the FREE Happy At Work Test: https://app.workl.com/happiness-surve ... Get Lord Mark Price's new book, 'Work Happier' at: https://www.koganpage.com/general-bus ... Work Happier with WorkL

October 21, 202548 min

The Work We Need: Hilary Cottam on her book "The Work We Need" and her DEFRA review of upland working life

In this episode of The Happy WorkLife Podcast, Lord Mark Price sits down with Hilary Cottam, a pioneering public service innovator, social entrepreneur and author of The Work We Need. Hilary’s remarkable career has taken her from the halls of UNICEF and the World Bank to founding two groundbreaking social enterprises. Hilary’s currently leading a DEFRA review on working life in England’s upland communities. Together, they explore her journey, the future of work and the inspirations behind her new book and what it reveals about how we can create work that truly works for everyone. This is an episode about purpose, possibility and building a better future - one where work truly works for everyone! Visit WorkL to take the FREE Happy At Work Test: https://app.workl.com/happiness-surve ...

October 1, 202533 min

BioOrbit & Beyond: Dr Katie King on her journey of Science, Space and Saving Lives

In this episode of The Happy WorkLife Podcast , Lord Mark Price sits down with Dr Katie King , CEO & Founder of BioOrbit , to explore her extraordinary journey from solving maths problems for fun as a teenager, to interning at NASA, researching cancer treatments at Cambridge, and now pioneering life-saving drug crystallisation in space. Katie shares the pivotal moments that shaped her path: the teacher who believed in her, the RAF cadet experiences that built her leadership, and the leap of faith it took to launch BioOrbit, a company with the bold ambition of manufacturing medicines in microgravity to transform cancer treatment on Earth. We dive into: Why representation and encouragement matter so much for women in STEM. How space research can radically change the future of healthcare. The challenges and triumphs of founding a start-up in uncharted territory. Katie’s vision for BioOrbit. This is an episode about courage, curiosity, and carving new paths and will no doubt leave you rethinking whether your dreams can become your new reality.

September 2, 202547 min

Cooking a Second Chance: Jon Watts on his journey of resilience, recipes and redemption

Lord Mark Price, Founder of WorkL, speaks to Jon Watts, Chef, Author and Public Speaker, known for his inspirational journey from prison to a successful career in food. Jon reflects on the pivotal moments that shaped him, how the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award first gave him purpose, the surreal leap from prison life to professional kitchens in the likes of Jamie Oliver's restaurants, the hustle of building food trucks and catering events, and how the pandemic transformed him into a viral recipe creator online. Alongside sharing the highs and lows of his journey, Jon also gives us a glimpse into his brand-new cookbook Speedy Comfort : packed with quick and comforting recipes designed to make life easier and tastier.

August 26, 202511 min

Work Happier: Lord Mark Price on the upcoming release of his new book

In this special episode, Lord Mark Price joins us to talk about his new book ' Work Happier': A practical guide to taking control of your working life and finding genuine happiness in your career. As part of the Work Happier book, Mark also introduces The Work Happiness Charter, a groundbreaking manifesto for workplace wellbeing sets out the rights and responsibilities of individuals and organisations. It’s a call to action for individuals and organisations to commit to building happier, healthier and more successful workplaces. From improving relationships with managers to boosting career growth, Work Happier gives you all the tools and insights to take agency over your work life. Backed by data from over a million people who have taken the free WorkL Happy At Work Test, this episode explores how happiness at work leads to better productivity, promotions and overall wellbeing. Purchase Work Happier here: https://www.koganpage.com/general-business-interest/work-happier-9781398623651

July 30, 202535 min

Rethinking Resilience: Mark Rowland on building a more mentally healthy society

Lord Mark Price, Founder of WorkL, sits down with Mark Rowland, CEO of the Mental Health Foundation , to explore the realities of mental health today. Mark reflects on his early years growing up in Rwanda, the moment that shifted his worldview and the driving force behind his mission to make mental health a national and global priority. With compassion and clarity, he discusses the stigma still surrounding mental health, the urgent need for prevention-first approaches and how businesses and governments alike can take meaningful steps to protect mental wellbeing. Mark also covers the impact of childhood trauma, poverty, the mental health crisis in young people and why recovery isn't a straight line. If you're a business leader, policy maker, parent or simply someone who wants to better understand mental health, this is an episode you don’t want to miss! ⚠️ Trigger Warning ⚠️: This episode contains discussions around trauma, suicide and mental illness that may be distressing to some listeners. If you or someone you know is struggling, you can get support at the Mental Health Foundation website .

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