Scale Her Up: Female business stories and expert tips for business growth and success

In this episode of Scale HER Up, I’m joined by Elise MacDonald, Managing Director of Lux Events, an events company specialising in corporate events, conferences, award ceremonies, brand activations and communications. Lux works mainly across Scotland, while also delivering projects further afield in Europe, London and beyond.Elise shares how Lux Events has grown over the last 14 years into a respected business with a wide mix of clients, particularly in tourism, food and drink, and the marketing sector. We talk about what makes a great event, from personalisation and delegate experience to the importance of people, planning and the team behind the scenes.We also dive into Elise’s own journey in events, from her first role at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre to agency life, a short move into a slower-paced university role, and eventually launching Lux. She talks honestly about how the business started, how her co-MD Joanne Lynn joined her early on, and why that partnership has been such a huge part of the company’s growth and success.This is a really warm and practical conversation about hospitality, leadership, working motherhood, resilience and building a business culture where people feel supported and want to stay.In this episode, we cover:What Lux Events does and the different types of events they deliverWhat makes a successful event and why personalisation mattersElise’s career journey into events and why she knew she was in the right industryHow Lux Events began and why the partnership with Joanne has been so importantWhy the team and company culture matter so much in service businessesHospitality industry pressures and how they affect venues, suppliers and eventsHow COVID impacted the events industry and what happened nextLeadership, resilience and handling setbacks in businessBuilding an all-female team with flexibility and family support at its coreWhat Elise has learned about herself through running the businessAdvice she would give her younger self about confidence, voice and taking opportunitiesWhy more women should consider starting businesses and creating portfolio careers

In this episode of Scale Her Up, I’m joined by Jen McLennan, Group Managing Director of Fifth Ring, a global B2B marketing communications agency with offices in Aberdeen, Houston and Singapore.Jen shares her journey from journalism into agency life, and how she worked her way up through the business to become Group Managing Director. We talk about leadership, business growth, international culture, learning on the job, and the reality of juggling senior leadership with family life.This is a really honest conversation about what it takes to step into bigger leadership roles, how to understand your own strengths and gaps, and why asking for help is not weakness, it is wisdom.Jen also talks about the importance of data in marketing, the value of coaching, and why businesses need to think carefully about who they are trying to reach before jumping into activity for activity’s sake.It is a thoughtful and practical episode for women in leadership, business owners, and anyone navigating growth, responsibility and ambition.In this episode, we cover:What Fifth Ring does and the sectors it servesWhy culture matters in global marketing and communicationsJen’s career path from journalist to Group Managing DirectorWhat she has learned about herself through leadershipThe reality of stepping into a senior role after maternity leaveWhy self-awareness matters more as you progressThe importance of support at home and at workHow coaching has helped Jen reframe challenges and growWhy businesses need both data and clear messagingAdvice for women considering senior leadership rolesMemorable moments from this episode:Why knowing yourself becomes more important the more senior you becomeThe difference between activity and real business impactJen’s reflections on the juggle of leadership and motherhoodHer advice not to let fear make the decision for you“If you want to go far, go together”

In this episode of Scale HER Up, I’m joined by Jasmin Corbett, owner of Wealthy You Health Coach Business. Jasmin specialises in helping driven, ambitious women improve their gut health and overall wellbeing through a more holistic approach, looking at nutrition, movement, stress management, sleep and mindset. She shares how her coaching is designed to create real transformation, not just small improvements, and why she typically works with clients over a longer period to help them break habits, build new ones and feel genuinely well again.Jasmin also shares the deeply personal story behind the business. Originally a chartered accountant, she was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis at 29 and told to expect pain management, medication and major lifestyle limitations in the future. Refusing to accept that prognosis without exploring what else was possible, she began researching what she could control and eventually got herself into remission, which completely changed the course of her life.That journey led her to discover health coaching, retrain while still working in accountancy, and begin helping people in her spare time before the business became too busy to stay as a side hustle. She talks honestly about the loneliness of leaving a team environment, the steep learning curve of running a business and the support she found through joining a young entrepreneurs’ networking group.This is an inspiring conversation about health, reinvention, ambition and building a business that fits the life you want.In this episode, we cover:How Jasmin helps women improve gut health and wellbeing through five key pillarsWhy she takes a holistic approach rather than focusing on just one symptomHer rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis at 29 and why she refused to accept the prognosis as the full storyGetting herself into remission and how that changed her lifeRetraining from chartered accountant to health coachStarting the business as a side hustle before leaving employmentThe loneliness of solo business ownership and the importance of finding your peopleSkills Jasmin had to learn quickly as a founder, from content to sales to switching between rolesThe importance of realistic expectations, long-term thinking and not measuring yourself only against the gapBuilding a business that gives her location freedom and supports a more intentional lifeHer advice to other women starting a business: be ambitious, but do not underestimate the time and energy it takesHer long-term goal to make an impact on one million people through her work