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

In this episode of Scale HER Up, I’m joined by Lucy McNicoll, Managing Director of Exec Space Limited, a venue-finding agency that helps organisations book meetings, events, group accommodation and hospitality across the UK and beyond. Lucy shares how the business takes the time, hassle and risk out of event booking for clients who need expert support but do not organise events every day. We talk about what makes a successful event, from understanding the brief and the budget to negotiating the right venue terms, flow, food, AV and delegate experience. Lucy explains why venue finding is about much more than choosing a room, and how experience can save clients money, time and stress. Lucy also shares her own career journey, from training as a chef in London to building a long career in hospitality sales, operations and commercial leadership before stepping into the Managing Director role at Exec Space. She is honest about imposter syndrome, learning to understand the financial side of a smaller business, and the importance of collaboration, self-awareness and having the right people around you. This is a great conversation about hospitality, leadership, growth and what it really takes to build a business that solves problems brilliantly for clients. In this episode, we cover:What Exec Space does and how venue-finding support worksThe hidden pitfalls clients often miss when booking meetings and eventsWhy understanding the real objective of an event mattersTrends in hospitality, including sustainability and neurodiversityLucy’s path from chef to hospitality leader to Managing DirectorWhat she has learned about responsibility, finance and growth in a smaller businessThe value of collaboration, trust and support around a leaderAdvice for women considering bigger roles or more senior leadership

In this episode of Scale HER Up – The Female Entrepreneur Show, I’m joined by Rosie Fraser, founder of Rosie Fraser Real Estate, an estate agency, lettings and property management business based in Dundee. What started just over four years ago as a one-woman business launched during maternity leave has grown into the largest estate agency in the city, with a team of 13 and a record month of selling 76 properties.Rosie shares how low expectations at the start quickly gave way to rapid word-of-mouth growth. She believes a huge part of that success came from bringing genuinely great service into an industry where, too often, people felt they had to accept poor communication and a lack of care. For Rosie, business is about people first: making clients feel supported, informed and looked after during one of the most emotional and stressful periods of their lives.We talk honestly about what happens when a business grows faster than the founder can comfortably manage. Rosie admits that people management was the part she found hardest. As a perfectionist who cared deeply about the business, she struggled to balance high standards with being the kind of leader she wanted to be. Eventually, after a difficult period, she accepted that this was not her natural strength and hired a manager to take on that side of the business, allowing Rosie to focus on the areas where she adds most value.A huge part of this conversation is Rosie’s experience of being diagnosed with stage three Hodgkin’s lymphomawhile running the business. She speaks powerfully about working through chemotherapy, stepping back out of necessity, and how that difficult period ultimately forced her to let go of control and build a business that could function without her doing everything. Although the business took a short-term hit, that experience changed the way she thinks about leadership, delegation and growth.Rosie also reflects on criticism, mistakes and resilience. She cares deeply about service, so poor feedback hurts, but she has learned to separate unfair criticism from genuine lessons. When the business makes a mistake, she believes in owning it, apologising and putting it right. That honesty, she says, is one of the reasons clients stay loyal.Beyond property, Rosie talks about entrepreneurship more broadly. She shares lessons from a previous children’s boutique that did not work out, why she no longer sees failure as something to be ashamed of, and how she now thinks much more strategically about what kinds of businesses are scalable, sustainable and rewarding. She also reveals her dream of eventually using her experience to work with girls in schools who are struggling academically, helping them see that school is not the only route to success and that some of the traits that get them into trouble in the classroom could make them exceptional entrepreneurs.This is an emotional, honest and inspiring conversation about service, resilience, leadership and building a business against the odds. It is also a reminder that success does not have to start with a polished plan. Sometimes it begins with simply giving it a go.In this episode, we cover:How Rosie launched her estate agency during maternity leave with no huge expectationsGrowing from one person to a team of 13 in just over four yearsBecoming the largest estate agency in Dundee through service and word of mouthWhy great service matters so much in the property industryThe emotional reality of helping people through moves, separations and major life changesThe challenges of people management and recognising when to hire supportWhy founders should focus on what they are good at and delegate the restRosie’s diagnosis of stage three Hodgkin’s lymphoma and working through chemotherapy while running the businessHow illness forced her to step back and build a business that could operate without herHandling criticism, mistakes and public feedback as a service-led founderLessons learned from a previous children’s clothing boutique that did not scaleWhy failure is not something to be ashamed of if it leads to better decisions laterRosie’s wider entrepreneurial ambitions, including property development and opening a care homeHer passion for helping young girls see alternative routes to success beyond schoolThe importance of asking for help, asking “stupid” questions and learning from people ahead of youHer advice to other women: do not be afraid to try, to fail or to start again

In this episode of Scale HER Up – The Female Entrepreneur Show, I’m joined by Iona Crawford, founder of Iona Crawford Atelier, a Glasgow-based multidisciplinary design studio that began as a luxury womenswear brand and has evolved into a rich, design-led business spanning fashion, textiles, interiors and art. Nearly 19 years after launching straight out of art school, Iona is still driven by the same core passion: painting, storytelling and expressing ideas through beautiful design.Iona shares how the business first grew from luxury fashion into printed garments and accessories, with collections sold in Japan, Europe and the US. Over time, as her artwork was printed onto heavier fabrics and collectors became interested in seeing her pieces interpreted in new forms, interiors became a natural next step. That shift opened up a whole new world of creative possibility, allowing her to translate her painted narratives into fabric, upholstery and interior spaces that influence how people feel, live and connect with their surroundings. A big theme in this conversation is evolution — both personal and commercial. Iona talks about launching young, hungry and full of enthusiasm, expecting success to come quickly, and how 19 years of perspective have taught her that a more gradual progression was exactly what the business needed. She reflects honestly on early mistakes, taking bad advice, being too trusting at times, and how every setback became something to learn from rather than something to regret.We also explore the power of partnership and support. Iona credits her business partner Tracy as a major force in the growth of the interiors side of the business and speaks warmly about the trust, shared decision-making and respect that underpin their relationship. She is clear that they would not be where they are now without complete trust in one another, honest discussion and the ability to use each other as a sounding board when making important decisions. There is also a fascinating conversation about international expansion, especially into the US. Iona explains how the brand was approached by multi-line showrooms in different territories and how entering America required serious investment, patience and research. Although it was a major commitment, it has become a hugely worthwhile market and one they now serve alongside the UK, Europe, Australia, the Middle East and the early stages of Asia.Iona also talks about building a small but mighty team, creating opportunities for emerging designers and working closely with art and design schools through internships and placements. Supporting the next generation matters deeply to her, especially because she remembers the people who gave her opportunities, advice and confidence when she was just starting out. Above all, this episode is about authenticity, patience and asking questions. Iona’s advice is refreshingly grounded: do your homework, ask lots of questions, be hungry to learn, do not be too desperate for immediate success, and stay true to yourself in a world that can feel noisy and demanding. It is a thoughtful and inspiring conversation for anyone building a creative business with ambition, integrity and a long-term view.In this episode, we cover:How Iona Crawford Atelier began as a luxury womenswear brand and evolved into a multidisciplinary design studio Why painting remains the creative core of the business and the source of its storytelling The move from fashion into interiors, upholstery and textile-led spaces Selling collections internationally in Japan, Europe, America and beyondEntering the US market and why expansion takes patience, investment and researchThe role of her business partner Tracy in growing the interiors side of the brand The importance of trust, shared decision-making and having a strong sounding board in business Learning from early mistakes, bad advice and setbacks rather than being defined by them Why Iona no longer chases immediate success and now values slower, more intentional growthBuilding a small but mighty team and supporting emerging designers through internships and placementsWhat it means to be a “new wave Scottish design” brand rather than a traditional tartan label Her advice to founders: do your homework, ask questions, be authentic and do not rush the journey

In this episode of Scale HER Up – The Female Entrepreneur Show, I’m joined by Emma Kirk of User Vision, a UX and accessibility consultancy that has been helping organisations create better digital experiences for 26 years. User Vision uses research-led insight to help clients understand real user needs and design services that work for everyone, including people with disabilities. Over the years, the team has worked with more than 350 clients globally, from major brands to public sector organisations, always with a focus on bringing humanity to design and making digital services both inclusive and commercially effective. Emma explains why inclusive design is still being missed by so many organisations. Too often, businesses race to launch digital products based on internal assumptions, tight budgets or legacy systems, without asking how real people will actually use them. She shares why that is such a costly mistake, and why accessibility is not a niche issue but a commercial, practical and human one. Whether it is a website, an app, a kiosk or another digital touchpoint, Emma argues that businesses are leaving both people and revenue behind when they do not design with real users in mind from the start. We also dive into the practical side of user research. Emma’s advice is simple and powerful: test early, speak to people and do not build until you know what your audience actually needs. She talks about lightweight ways small businesses can do this, from interviews and focus groups to low-cost sketches and simple concept testing, rather than wasting time and money “racing to the finish” with the wrong solution. Emma’s own business story is fascinating too. User Vision was founded by Chris Rorke, but Emma joined just a year later after seeing the gap between what digital teams thought people wanted and what users actually needed. A major government project became the sliding-doors moment that pushed them from “helping out” into growing a real business together. Over time, they built a specialist team around usability, accessibility and insight, growing through long-term relationships, repeat work and word of mouth rather than a large sales machine. Today the business remains intentionally small, under 15 people, with a strong reputation and clients that have stayed with them for many years. We also talk honestly about leadership, time management, stress and the loneliness that can come with running a business for more than two decades. Emma reflects on learning to manage people, navigate HR, stay calm under pressure and ask for help when needed. She shares what changed when she became a mother, the reality of trying to build a business and raise a child at the same time, and why support from both inside and outside the business has been fundamental to her sanity and success. This is a thoughtful, practical and deeply honest conversation about accessibility, digital design, growth, resilience and the confidence it takes to stand in front of the room and say, “I know this will help.” In this episode, we cover:What User Vision does as a UX and accessibility consultancy and why that matters more than ever Why inclusive digital design is a commercial issue, not just a compliance exercise The cost of assuming your customers think like you doWhy businesses should test early, ask users and avoid building before they understand real needs How neurodiversity, situational disability and human variability affect digital experiences Emma’s journey into User Vision and the big government project that became the turning point for growth Building a specialist team through thought leadership, research and long-term client relationshipsWhy User Vision has stayed intentionally small, under 15 people, and what Emma values about that size The realities of time management, stress and staying calm as a business owner The challenge of combining entrepreneurship and motherhood, and the “maternity leave” reality when it is your own business How Emma has handled imposter syndrome, male-dominated rooms and confidence under pressure Why every founder needs support, boundaries and an external voice they trust Emma’s advice to women in business: be brave, be confident and believe in yourself

In this episode of Scale HER Up – The Female Entrepreneur Show, I’m joined by Eve McCurrich, Managing Director of Whiteburn Projects Limited, an award-winning SME house builder based in Edinburgh and building across the southeast of Scotland.Eve shares what it really means to build homes, not just houses. From the earliest stage of looking at a piece of land, through planning, design, construction and handing over the keys, she and her team are thinking about the lives that will be lived there. She talks passionately about quality, customer experience, placemaking and why home is so much more than a financial investment.We talk about Whiteburn’s work on both brownfield and greenfield developments, the importance of building communities rather than just filling land, and the role SME house builders play in tackling Scotland’s housing emergency. Eve also explains why she is such a vocal advocate for smaller builders, local supply chains and greater support for the sector.Eve’s own journey is fascinating. She started out with a summer job on the Sizewell B nuclear power station project, went on to train as a chartered quantity surveyor, worked across major infrastructure and housebuilding projects around the UK, spent time in Dubai building a climbing wall and aerial assault course, and eventually found her way to Whiteburn. Her career has not followed a neat straight line, but it has been shaped by relationships, curiosity, confidence and a willingness to say yes to new opportunities.We also dive into the realities of leadership in construction: managing a small core team with a wide network of subcontractors and professional partners, creating a culture of pride and accountability on site, and helping young people see the huge range of careers that exist within the built environment.This is a thoughtful, practical and passionate conversation about construction, leadership, resilience and why building homes well still matters deeply.In this episode, we cover:What Whiteburn Projects does as an award-winning SME house builderWhy home is about emotion, memory, family and safety, not just bricks and mortarThe difference between building developments and creating places where people want to liveBrownfield vs greenfield sites and why brownfield can be the most sustainable optionDesigning homes for different life stages, including downsizers and older buyersThe realities of building net zero homes under current Scottish regulationsThe challenge of balancing sustainability, affordability and profitability in housebuildingEve’s career journey from temporary document control job to chartered quantity surveyor to Managing DirectorWorking on infrastructure, major housebuilding projects and even a climbing wall build in DubaiTaking Whiteburn from developer-led projects to full designer-builder-seller modelManaging a small team with many moving parts, subcontractors and specialist partnersCreating a site culture focused on quality, cleanliness, pride and customer careEncouraging more young people to consider careers in construction and the built environmentThe huge variety of professional roles involved in delivering a single new homeThe decline of SME house builders and the barriers facing smaller firms todayPlanning delays, legislative uncertainty and why certainty matters for housing deliveryWhy resilience, relationships and asking for help are essential leadership skillsEve’s advice to women stepping into senior roles: go for it, ask the question and trust yourself

In this episode of Scale HER Up – The Female Entrepreneur Show, I’m joined by Nathalie Agnew, Managing Director of Muckle Media, a founder-led communications group delivering corporate and consumer PR, social media and influencer engagement, with specialist agencies in drinks and hospitality now part of the wider business. Nathalie started Muckle Media from her living room after leaving London and moving back to Scotland, and has since grown it into a 30-person agency group working with major brands and ambitious clients.Nathalie shares the story behind that journey, from struggling to find the kind of PR role she wanted in the Highlands, to gaining experience on global campaigns in London, to returning home and deciding to build something of her own. What began as freelance work soon became something bigger, driven by a desire for team, structure and a business that could grow beyond one person.We talk about what helps a founder-led agency win against much bigger competitors. Nathalie believes clients are looking for something more personal, more invested and less faceless than the big global networks can sometimes offer. She explains how important it is that clients meet the people who will actually work on their account, not just the senior team who pitch, and why that founder-led energy can still be a real advantage as the business scales.A big focus of this episode is growth by acquisition. Nathalie has acquired three businesses, starting with an early deal that was creatively structured and paid over time from client income rather than upfront capital. She talks candidly about what she learned from that first acquisition, how later deals were different, and the real challenges of bringing together different cultures, teams and systems while keeping momentum and morale high.We also get into people, leadership and scaling. Nathalie talks about the shift from being the person clients buy into, to building a business that can operate well without her being at the centre of everything. She shares the phrase her team uses a lot – delegate and elevate – and explains why growth depends on everyone having clarity, ownership and room to step up. She also reflects on becoming “top heavy” after promoting and retaining strong people, and why continued growth matters if you want to keep creating opportunity for the team.There’s a strong conversation around team culture and flexibility too. With colleagues split across Edinburgh, Forres and remote locations, Nathalie has worked hard to create a culture that keeps talented people in the business, especially working parents who might otherwise leave the PR industry. She shares how flexible hours, remote roles and clearer progression frameworks have helped her build a more sustainable environment for the team.Nathalie also talks about learning more about herself as a leader, using profiling tools to understand her own natural style, and recognising the importance of building a team with a wider mix of strengths and working styles rather than simply hiring people who feel familiar. She discusses the traction model she keeps coming back to, and how tools like accountability charts, 90-day rocks and competency frameworks are helping her build a stronger operating system for the business.This is a smart, honest conversation about scaling a service business, staying founder-led without becoming the bottleneck, growing by acquisition and building a business in a way that works around real life, ambition and family.In this episode, we cover:How Nathalie built Muckle Media from a living room startup into a growing communications groupWhy founder-led agencies can win against much larger competitorsThe difference between earned media, PR, thought leadership and reputation managementStarting out as a freelancer and quickly realising she wanted team, structure and scaleWinning bigger clients and growing from SMEs to major established brandsGrowth by acquisition and how Nathalie has acquired three businesses over timeCreative deal structures, staged payments and what she learned from her first acquisitionThe challenges of integrating teams, systems and cultures after an acquisitionWhy scaling means making sure you are not the businessThe concept of delegate and elevate and how it supports team growthBuilding competency frameworks, accountability charts and 90-day rocks into the businessRetaining talent, avoiding a top-heavy structure and continuing to create progression opportunitiesFlexible working, remote teams and building a PR agency culture that works for parentsInsights profiling, self-awareness and why balanced teams perform better than “same type” teamsNathalie’s advice to women in business: start where you are, make it manageable and just give it a shot

In this episode of Scale HER Up – The Female Entrepreneur Show, I’m joined by Gillian Ogilvie, Managing Director of the Edinburgh practice of Will Rudd Davidson, a consulting civil and structural engineering firm that designs buildings, roads, drainage and the infrastructure that underpins everyday life. Gillian leads a 40+ person team in a still very male-dominated industry – and is determined to change not just the numbers, but the culture.Gillian talks about diversity, patriarchy and the “imposter” label. She shares how her thinking has evolved from “we need more women in construction” to “we need more diversity in all its forms” – gender, background, personality, identity – because rigid stereotypes do not serve men or women. She dislikes the way imposter syndrome is framed as an individual female failing, and instead points to workplaces and wider systems that still treat anyone who doesn’t fit the traditional mould as an “outsider”.Culture is a huge focus for her. With extremely low staff turnover and a management team that has “grown up together”, Will Rudd Edinburgh is a close-knit business – but that creates its own challenges. Gillian describes how they realised they were great at praise and terrible at honest feedback, and how a staff survey led to a cultural change group, four “pillars” of focus and training in non-violent communication to help leaders get more comfortable with difficult conversations.We walk through Gillian’s career journey: from contractor on large building sites in London, working long days and Saturdays on hospitals and office blocks; to a multinational consultancy designing big infrastructure projects like tunnels at Heathrow Terminal 5; to moving north to Edinburgh and joining a smaller practice where she could see more of the whole picture and connect with people. Over 20 years she progressed from project engineer to director – and, in 2020, stepped into the MD role just as the pandemic hit.She shares candidly what it was like to take over a healthy business in the middle of COVID, make early redundancy decisions under furlough uncertainty, and spend her first two years with one clear internal brief: “Don’t break it.” It took time, stress and a lot of self-doubt before she felt she had solid ground under her feet and could say, “I know what I’m doing – and I’m going to lead my way.”We also talk about male allies and privilege. Gillian credits former MDs, especially Stuart Davidson, with seeing potential in her she couldn’t see herself and pushing her forward in her career. She reflects on the “inner core of steel” that came from a loving, stable upbringing and knowing she always had a safety net – and how that made it easier for her to call out inappropriate behaviour than it might be for someone on the breadline with no backup.From there, we go big-picture: patriarchal norms that tell men they must always be the provider, never cry and carry everything; the impact of COVID on flexible working and how many men in her practice now request flexibility for childcare, training and life; mental health in construction, including the shocking statistic on male suicide; and why she believes changing work patterns and expectations for men will have a ripple effect for women and families too.Gillian leaves us with a powerful decision-making lens: “every choice has a cost”. Instead of seeing options as right or wrong, she weighs the costs she is willing to pay – whether that’s missing a networking event to protect time with her husband, or choosing to speak up in a meeting when she knows it will drain emotional energy. It’s a tool that helps her lead authentically, without getting trapped in “good girl” thinking.This is a thoughtful, energising conversation about engineering, leadership, culture change and what it really takes to be “the imposter who belongs” in a traditional industry.In this episode, we cover:What Will Rudd Davidson does as a consulting civil and structural engineering firmGillian’s role as Managing Director of the Edinburgh practice and how the wider group is structuredWhy she now talks about diversity in all its forms, not just “more women in construction”Her critique of traditional “imposter syndrome” narratives and why the environment, not the woman, is often the issueCulture in a low-turnover business: a close-knit management team, strong relationships and the downside of avoiding tough feedbackRunning a full staff survey, identifying four cultural “pillars” and creating a culture change group across all levels and rolesTraining in non-violent communication to help leaders give clear, constructive feedback instead of just “great job”Gillian’s career journey:Contractor on site in London, building hospitals and offices with long hours and weekend workMoving into a large consultancy designing major infrastructure like Heathrow Terminal 5 tunnelsAsking to relocate north and eventually joining a smaller Edinburgh practice for more people connectionTaking over as MD

In this episode of Scale HER Up – The Female Entrepreneur Show, I’m joined by Jill Henry, co-founder of Meander Apparel and co-owner of Tens Sunglasses – two Scottish lifestyle brands inspired by travel, adventure and the outdoors.Meander makes stylish, versatile outdoor clothing designed to take you from city streets to mountain trails – performance gear you can wear on the bike, on the hills and straight into a café or meeting without feeling like you’re in full technical kit. Tens is a sunglasses brand created by photographers, famous for its warm, photo-filter style lenses that make the world look brighter and better.Jill shares how Meander started with a bike trip from London to Paris with friends, taking the long, meandering route via Mont-Saint-Michel, vineyards and beautiful backroads. On that trip she and her husband (and co-founder) Steve realised there was a gap for performance clothing that felt as good in a bar or city as it did on the bike – no loud logos, just well-cut, functional pieces you actually want to wear.She talks through the reality of getting an apparel brand off the ground: spending a year finding the right technical, sustainable fabrics and performance factories, moving from London back to Scotland to build the business, and dealing with the long lead times in product development when you just want to launch. Jill also shares how important startup communities and cohorts were to her in those lonely early days – surrounding herself with other founders at a similar stage made a huge difference.We discuss Meander’s decision to launch via crowdfunding, using a reward-based Indiegogo campaign to validate demand, fund the first production run and build a direct-to-consumer community from day one. The campaign over-funded, which gave them confidence to move ahead, sell online and then test physical retail with a tiny pop-up in Stockbridge, Edinburgh. That led to a rolling lease on a prime George Street store (initially for three months, eventually two years) and later a permanent home back in Stockbridge.Jill then explains how the opportunity to acquire Tens Sunglasses came about. Meander had stocked Tens in their stores for years and loved the brand’s story and product. When the original founders moved on and the investors were looking for someone to take the reins, Meander – as a team already experienced in design, manufacturing and direct-to-consumer sales – were approached. Jill talks about integrating a second brand: running two distinct customer communities under one roof, aligning around shared values of travel and everyday adventure, and seeing strong traction already with Tens’ global audience.We also explore Jill’s reflections on team and hiring. She talks about bringing on graduates during the pandemic, watching them grow into key marketing and retail roles, and why she believes in hiring slowly, checking for alignment with brand values and then investing in people once they’re on board. For her, getting the team right makes everything easier – and nurturing those relationships is crucial to growth.Finally, we dive into co-founding with your partner, the importance of boundaries between home and work, and Jill’s honest reflections on confidence, learning on the job and finding “white space” in a crowded market. She encourages would-be founders to do the research, look for what’s missing or could be done better – then stop over-thinking and launch, knowing you’ll learn fastest once you’re actually in motion.This is a thoughtful, uplifting conversation about building brands from Scotland with global ambition, combining style and performance, and sharing the entrepreneurial journey with the people closest to you.In this episode, we cover:What Meander Apparel is: stylish, technical clothing designed to go from city to mountainsWhat Tens Sunglasses are known for: warm, photographer-designed filter lenses and a global online communityHow a bike trip from London to Paris inspired the idea for MeanderJill’s fashion background in London and why she wanted to build something that aligned with her valuesThe long, messy reality of sourcing sustainable performance fabrics and technical factoriesHow startup communities and business school cohorts helped with motivation and supportLaunching via a reward-based crowdfunding campaign to validate demand and fund first productionMoving from online only to pop-ups, then to a George Street store and a permanent base in StockbridgeBalancing physical retail with a focus on growing online sales for both Meander and TensHow the Tens acquisition came about and why the brands fit together so wellRunning two brands under one small team and the operational efficiencies that bringsHiring graduates during the pandemic and growing them into core team membersJill’s approach to recruitment: clear values, hire slowly, invest in the right peopleThe pros and cons of building a business with your partner – shared adventures and shared stressHer advice on finding “

In this episode of Scale HER Up – The Female Entrepreneur Show, I’m joined by Linda Hunt, founder of Some Solutions, corporate “dropout” and one of the early pioneers of remote accounting services. Linda left a demanding, travel-heavy corporate role in 1998 and built a business that started with outsourced accounting and evolved into two core arms: a done-for-you accounting services division and an educational arm helping service-based business owners fix their relationship with money, pricing and capacity.Linda works with bookkeepers, accountants and a wide range of service businesses – from online providers to bricks-and-mortar locations like medical spas. She sees the same pattern again and again: smart, capable people who know their craft, but are undervaluing themselves, undercharging and burning out. Much of her work now focuses on pricing, offers, service delivery and nervous-system-safe ways to talk about money.Linda shares her concept of MAP – the Minimum Aligned Price: a simple formula that starts with your desired salary and business expenses, then divides by your true delivery capacity, including holidays, sick days and time to work on the business. She explains why charging below that number means you’re effectively paying your client to work for them – and why “charge your worth” rhetoric is unhelpful and confusing.We dive into the emotional side of pricing: fear of what people will think, imposter syndrome (“who am I to charge that?”), people-pleasing, discounting before anyone asks and filling the silence after stating your price. Linda talks about money stories from childhood, the pressure many women feel to make everyone comfortable, and why pricing is “not about math – it’s about what your nervous system can safely hold.” She shares practical ways to build a clear process, simple scripts and body-based tools so you can talk about money with more neutrality and confidence.Linda also opens up about her own burnout story. On the outside, she looked like a successful accountant with a growing team. On the inside, her bank balance was unpredictable, she was overextended and exhausted. A breaking-point conversation with a friend led to a mini sabbatical, scaling the business back to bare bones and working half-time for several months while she rebuilt her pricing, capacity and boundaries. The MAP formula and much of her current work came directly out of that period.We cover how she has since rebuilt Some Solutions with a small team model (a senior controller plus support for each client), moved herself into more of a systems architect and educator role, and written her upcoming book “The Money Conversation”, along with her Pricing Essentials workshop series. Both are designed to help service providers speak about money clearly, set standards for the value their services deliver and get paid without apology.This is a grounding, reassuring conversation for anyone who feels shaky when they say their prices, worries about being “too expensive”, or is scared to slow down even when their body is screaming for a break.In this episode, we cover:How Linda went from corporate road warrior to founding Some Solutions in 1998Building one of the first remote accounting services businesses long before remote work was normalEvolving from pure accounting into two arms: done-for-you accounting services and an educational/pricing armWhy so many service-based business owners – especially women – undervalue and underprice themselvesHow “charge your worth” can be damaging, and why it’s better to focus on the transformation and result you deliverLinda’s MAP concept – Minimum Aligned Price – and how it helps you stop paying to work for your clientsWhy pricing is not just math: nervous system regulation, safety, and the ability to be seenPractical ways to talk about price: simple processes, broad-strokes explanations of how you work and clear language like “your investment is…”The pull to over-explain, over-deliver and discount – and how to resist filling the silence after quoting a feeFeminine and masculine energy in business: structure, process and container alongside intuition, alignment and discernmentLinda’s burnout story: hitting the wall, taking a week off, scaling back the business and rebuilding in a more sustainable wayCreating healthier capacity: building holidays, sick time and strategy time into your model instead of hustling 24/7Why traditional “hustle for three years” advice often doesn’t work for women juggling caring responsibilities and complex livesThe importance of mentors and supporters who are further ahead in business, not just peers at the same stageLinda’s advice to her 18-year-old self: trust your intuition, your body knows the truth, and combine logic with a gut check before making big decisions

In this episode of Scale HER Up – The Female Entrepreneur Show, I’m joined by Emma Bohan, Managing Director of IMS Heat Pumps, a specialist renewable heating company installing air source, ground source and water source heat pumps, plus solar PV and batteries, from bases in Scotland and Sheffield. Emma and her team help homeowners and small commercial clients move away from gas boilers towards low-carbon, electricity-based systems that can be powered by renewables.Emma explains, in plain English, how heat pumps work, who they’re right for and why combining a heat pump with solar panels and a battery – the “holy trinity” – can both cut carbon and reduce fuel bills. She shares examples from self-builds, major renovations and “grand designs” style projects, as well as small commercial jobs like tractor showrooms and warehouses.We then dive into her unexpected career journey. Emma started out in hotel and catering management, working her way up to operations in a hotel group before realising that never seeing her family over Christmas and New Year wasn’t the life she wanted. After a stint in the civil service, she joined a business development consultancy, helping manufacturing companies and early renewables innovators tackle bottlenecks, explore new markets and commercialise technology. That’s where she first encountered heat pumps and the founder of a pioneering UK heat pump company.Years later, that same founder brought several installers together with a big vision: to grow a national heat pump business and develop “heat as a service” – a mobile-phone-style model where customers would pay a monthly fee that covered both their heat and the equipment. Emma joined as operations manager, using her hospitality-honed process and people skills to run the installation business day to day. But the company over-invested in the new service model, funding ran out and the business went into administration.At that point, Emma could have walked away. Instead, she stayed up crunching numbers and pitched a bold plan to the Scottish and Sheffield installation teams: buy the viable installation part back from the administrators and rebuild. In 2019 they relaunched together as the current IMS Heat Pumps. Since then, they’ve grown year on year in revenue, profit and headcount, focusing on quality installations, tight geographic areas and a strong service ethos: sell it right, design it right, install it right, support it well – and make life easier for everyone.Emma also talks about the practical realities of running an installer business: limiting the operating radius so they can look after customers properly, the joys and pains of vans and engineer logistics, and why their internal mantra is “have an easy life” – not in the sense of coasting, but in doing things properly first time so Christmas shutdowns really can be a shutdown, with only the occasional emergency call-out.We also explore what it’s like to be a woman leading in a male-dominated sector. Emma shares how she has found the renewables and heat pump world welcoming and supportive, with several male mentors championing her, and a growing number of women running the “back office” and, increasingly, leading businesses. She talks about how regulation and admin have created real opportunities for women who are strong on organisation, compliance and customer communication, and how women in the sector tend to gravitate towards and support each other.Finally, Emma offers grounded advice for anyone thinking about starting or scaling a business in a technical sector: stay curious, learn the technology, track what’s happening in your industry and policy environment, build a strong “frenemies” network of other installers, and don’t be afraid to be corrected. For her, every day is a school day – and thick skin, hospitality-grade work ethic and a willingness to learn have been key ingredients in her success.This is a fast-paced, story-packed conversation about renewables, resilience, restarting after failure and designing a business that works for customers and the people who run it.In this episode, we cover:What IMS Heat Pumps does and the technologies they install: air source, ground source, water source heat pumps plus solar PV and batteriesThe benefits of the “holy trinity” – heat pump, solar and battery working togetherDomestic vs small commercial projects, from self-builds and major renovations to tractor showrooms and warehousesEmma’s early career in hotel and catering management and what hospitality taught her about process, logistics and customer serviceMoving into business development consulting and working with early renewable energy and energy efficiency innovatorsThe “heat as a service” concept and why the original business failed despite a strong ideaHow Emma, the Scottish and Sheffield teams bought the viable installation side out of administration and relaunched as IMS Heat Pumps in 2019Growing each year in revenue, profit and staff by focusing on quality, service