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

Welcome back to Scale Her Up!Today, we have Kirstin Ejsmont the owner of Kirstin Ejsmont Business Law. After an extensive career in big law she decided to start her own business during COVID-19. She’s a general cooperate business law expert, with a passion for advising others on the legal aspects of starting a business. She specializes in incorporated businesses, mediating the relationships between directors and shareholders, funding and finance. Her goal when starting her business was to help people feel comfortable achieving their dreams and revolutionising the small and medium business sectors. In today’s episode Kirstin speaks about the important legal things you need in place to start a business, how to minimise risk, what she’s learned when starting her own business and finally how she’s becoming an entrepreneur has helped her re find her love for law. Today’s episode was such an amazing one to film and certainly one not to miss! Be sure to follow our instagram @Scaleherup and also my LinkedIn at Brenda Hector for daily motivational updates and exciting future plans.

Welcome back to Scale Her Up!Today we have Sarah Leigh the owner and CEO of Weirwood Consulting. Although she’d always had thoughts about starting her own business, she officially became a female entrepreneur in January of 2024. She started her business after seeing how big consultancy firms don’t prioritise the customer and introduced short term solutions that didn’t last. At Weirwood, Sarah prioritises the client and sets out to maintain their integrity through the whole process. She works across sectors coming into businesses and increasing their productivity and revenue. In today’s episode she speaks about her business strategy- how she learned to turn leads into sales, how she learned to market herself and how she’s changed her mindset regarding money.  She speaks about how valuable networking is when you venture out on your own, how she manages her business while also being a mum of 3 and what she would tell her 18 year old self. Today’s episode was such an inspiring one to film and certainly one not to miss! Be sure to follow our instagram @Scaleherup and also my LinkedIn at Brenda Hector for daily motivational updates and exciting future plans.

Welcome back to Scale Her Up! Today we have Jenny Junnier, a good friend of the show and a fantastic champion of women in business herself. She is both the audit partner in Johnson and Carmichael Charted Accountants and one of the founders of the Axis Network. Johnson and Carmichael specialise in all areas of accounting- from family planning, to entrepreneurial taxes, to large and small businesses and even personal accounts. During their almost 90 years in business they’ve grown from a small firm that helped local farmers to a Scotland renowned firm that covers all. She specialises in audits and helps ensures that businesses have their finance in order so they can help secure investors and backing. Jenny’s also a founder of Axis Network, a networking community in Aberdeen meant to help level the playing field for men and women across sectors. Although they started in the oil and gas industry, they expanded, and within their first few years had nearly 800 members, all aquired without spending a penny. Today she gives an accountants take on starting a business. The importance of having the right people around you that you can take numbers and finance with. She talks about her own career journey and how motherhood opened up her eyes to see how women could be treated in the workplace. And finally she discusses her passion for gender equality and increasing female presence in C-Suite Roles. Today’s episode was an absolute pleasure to film and I hope you enjoyed it as much as we did! Be sure to follow our instagram @Scaleherup and also my LinkedIn at Brenda Hector for daily motivational updates and exciting future plans.

Welcome back to Scale Her Up! Today we have Freya Bigg the owner of Faeble Arts, a freelance graphic design agency. Her services are more than just traditional graphic design, instead she sets out to be a ‘mini agency in your pocket’. She does illustrations, videos, weddings, motion graphics, web design and more. She’s got a passion for what she’s deemed ‘visual communication’ and has made it her mission to help businesses streamline the creative side of things. Her love for photoshop and advertisements is what drew her into the field but her real passion stemmed from incorporating it into her hobbies like K-Pop and Grimm. On today’s episode she speaks about her journey to owning her own business. From her experiences with unpaid internships, to her opinion on AI in the creative sector, to a blog that got her flown out to South Korea by their government, to her experience balancing being a single parent and a boss and finally how vital it is to have a network and the amazing opportunities that come from it. This episode was truly a joy to film! Be sure to follow our Instagram @scaleherup and also my LinkedIn at Brenda Hector for daily motivational updates and exciting future plans.

Welcome back to Scale Her Up! Today we have Lynne Kennedy on the podcast, who is the founder of Business Women Connect (BWC). BWC is a franchise across Scotland that sets out to give women the opportunity and support to run their own business. After starting in 2022, Lynne has expanded to Glasgow, Edinburgh and now Aberdeen. After originally starting as a magazine, BWC now has expanded to host networking events and even put on roadshows with thousands of attendees. Lynne talks about her journey to becoming an entrepreneur and how she's grown to now even win an MBE for services to women in business. She also talks about her experience starting franchises, the joy she gets from helping others start businesses and shares how you can become a member of this vibrant community.

Welcome back to Scale Her Up! Today we have Chantal Cornelius of Apple Tree Marketing joining us. After 25 years of owning her own business Chantal is a marketing maestro. Her business specializes in supporting coaching, consultants and trainers across the globe, with the goal of taking away the scariness of marketing. She helps clarify the messages of both microbusinesses and large companies while giving them tips on how to promote themselves and their brands. In this episode she shares how to achieve the perfect balance between owning your own business and prioritizing your personal life ,her most recent book Stand out Strategies and her role in the Professional Speakers Association that she's joined after a long period of public speaking fear. Chantal was an absolute joy to have on and it makes this episode one you won't want to miss!

On today's episode of Scale Her Up, we have Debra Baxter, the founder of Music 4 U. Music 4 U is a charity meant to allow young people to experience the performing arts without barriers. After noticing a number of schools in Aberdeenshire were starting to reduce or cut their performing arts programs in school, she set out to fill in the gaps academia leaves in a child's creative education. She then started Music 4 you, creating an integrated stage school that has helped thousands of young people over the 20 years it’s been opened. She has grown the program to allow them to visit people in places like hospices and expose them to live theatre, and truly provide a space for young people to communicate through music. On today’s episode, Debra speaks about the challenges she's faced starting a not for profit organization, how she grown her organization to be featured on shows like BBC’s The One Show, and talks about Music 4 You’s new fundraiser effort- 500 4 500, and how local business across Aberdeen can help.

Welcome back to Scale Her Up! Today we have HR extraordinaire, Lucy Nicholl from Nicholl HR. Nicholl HR gives HR support to small businesses throughout Scotland. Lucy gives an affordable, face to face service that helps owners manage employees and advise them on any legal issues that may arise. In this episode Lucy shares her advice on building a team and creating an atmosphere that encourages employee retention. After almost 2 years in the business Lucy’s passion for HR stems from her own experience of Discrimination in the workplace and as a result her goals is to help employers and employees be comfortable in their rights as employers and protect the both. Today, Lucy speaks about the dangers of burnout, how to combat sexual harassment ion the workplace, and the financial challenges that come with starting a business This episode is an absolutely amazing one that viewers won’t want to miss.

On today's episode we have Diana Gormley, the Entrepreneur in residence at Robert Gordon’s University and the owner of Danu Solutions Ltd. Danu Solutions is a business that sets out to optimize the use of lean in the companies that employ them. From starting as an engineer, to becoming a secondary school teacher, to now owning her own business, today Diana shares her unique experience and journey to becoming an entrepreneur. She speaks about her position at Robert Gordon University- how she bridges the gap between academia and society, combats students misconceptions around being an entrepreneur, and institutes the transferable skills you gain by owning your own business. In this episode Diana talks also about the importance of staying innovative, learning from her past mistakes, and keeping creativity alive. Truly an episode you don't want to miss!

On today's podcast we have Christina Sutherland, the managing director of GSR. It’s a nursing and at home care provider that offers training, and support services by registered nurses. In this episode, Christina tells her journey of how she became an entrepreneur. From starting her business 11 years ago to now employing just over 250 workers, Christina shares what she's learned throughout it. She's expanded GSR from just one department to three; now spread across 3 separate floors in her office. Christina talks about the importance of loving what you do, the major challenges the nursing sector faced during COVID, the burnout that followed, and the importance of finding and recruiting the right staff. This episode was an absolute joy to film and one you don't want to miss.n this episode, we talk about:How Christina moved from nurse to Managing Director and why she chose to start GSRGrowing a care business from one department to three and scaling to 250+ team members player.captivate.fmThe realities of running a nursing and home care service during COVID – and what’s changed sinceBurnout in the caring professions and what leaders can do to support their teamsWhy recruiting for values and attitude matters more than ever in careHow “listening to your gut” can guide tough decisions in business and leadershipThe importance of loving what you do – and how that shows up for Christina and her teamYou’ll enjoy this episode if you are:A female founder or leader in health, social care, or trainingRunning a service-based or team-heavy business and wrestling with recruitment and retentionInterested in values-driven leadership and protecting your own energy while you growLooking for a real, honest story of scaling a business in a demanding sectorAbout Christina SutherlandChristina Sutherland is the Managing Director of GSR, a nursing and at-home care provider offering training and support services delivered by registered nurses. Over more than a decade, she has built GSR into a multi-department organisation employing over 250 people across three floors of office space, while staying rooted in her original motivation: providing high-quality, compassionate care for people who need it most.

Today we have such an inspiring one for all of our Women in Stem as we have Joyce Onuonga who is the owner of John White and Sons. It's an engineering firm that specialises in weighing machines, and calibration. They offer a wide variety of services that range over sectors like whiskey producers, farming and renewables. The company is over 300 years old, and Joyce herself has been working there for 30 years. She rose through the ranks starting with just a 6th month contract, to now owning the company. She prioritized continuous learning and innovation introducing programs that utilize top down and bottom up processing- like college partnerships for trainee programs and KTP employees. In today's episode she talks about the importance of differentiating from your competitors, valuing and incentivizing your staff, and her experience and advice on how to run a family business. Today's episode is truly inspiring for all women looking into starting their own business, and one you don't want to miss.

Although Scale Her Up is all about empowering the amazing female business owners around the world, we'd be remiss if we didn't feature the equally amazing men in the space who help women be confident and expand who they are. Today's guest does just that. Bob Gentle from Amplify Me, is not only a social media and marketing expert, his business’s goal is to help business owners shine, through expanding and monetizing their personal brand. He is also one of the reasons Brenda started Scale Her Up. His unwavering belief in her ability and his own experience with his podcast, Building your LeaderBrand, gave her the confidence to take the leap. In today's episode Bob specifically speaks about how female business owners can become comfortable in their own brand, and his own personal journey of defining his brand and forcing himself to find comfort in the uncomfortable. He also speaks about the importance of positive feedback loops, content strategy and the importance of being both vulnerable and visible. Although it is different then our normal program it’s one you definitely don't want to miss.

Today's episode is an extra special one. We have Tem Ezimokhai from Helping Teachers Thrive. Not only is she a full time secondary school teacher but she hosts and produces her own podcast called Helping Teachers Thrive. It's a biweekly podcast set out to help fill in the gaps university doesn’t cover. After noticing how much new teachers were struggling with both the overwhelming amount of new responsibility and their own mental health, she wanted to create a space where they can come and get advice on things like classroom management, neurodivergence, and even their own well being. In today's episode of Scale Her Up, Tem speaks about her own personal journey as a teacher, from the imposter syndrome she faced, to now commanding the classroom with confidence. She also speaks about the importance of a schedule, how to professionally say no, and her best tips for teacher well being. Whether you're in the education sector or not, this is truly an episode full of some much helpful advice and inspiring words- truly not an episode you want to miss.

On today's episode, we have Dr. Rachel Milne of Dr. Rachel Coaching. She's a life and business coach that specializes in reconnecting women with who they are and helping them rediscover what's important to them. Her journey began at medicine school in Dundee, where she became a qualified psychiatrist. Afterwards she traveled around the UK working in the clinical field. After taking time off to focus on herself, she found a passion for helping women through the same issues she's experienced- anxiety, self esteem issues etc. In her work she helps women become aware of patterns that affect their lives. She helps them combat their self esteem issues, anxiety surrounding networking and how this affects not only the women themselves but everyone in their lives. Today's episode is one that embodies Scale Her Up and is certainly not one you want to miss.

Happy IWD! Today we have Melody Ford, the founder of Meloosha Homecare. They're a domiciliary care provider that gives in home assistance and care to elderly people with the goal of allowing them to stay at home as long as possible and ensuring that family members stay family rather than carers. Since starting her business Melody has franchised it and in her 3rd year of business had a turnover of £3 million. Melody explains about her decision to go into care and the hard but exciting journey of starting her own business. In this episode, Melody talks about creating structures that can last in a franchise, being adaptable to challenges, the delicate balance of mentoring her franchisees and the importance of discovering how employees need to be managed. This episode is truly not one you want to miss. Also be sure to go and check our socials for our celebration of International Women’s Day.

Today we have Noreen Baqir founder of Circle Finance, on the podcast. They're a financial advisor business that helps clients release finance from existing equities and properties.They assess how clients can use what they currently have to finance their future. Noreen founded Circle Finance 7 years ago after being inspired by her father’s own entrepreneurial background and property management experience. In today episode she regales viewers with her quirkier experiences on the job, the passion she has for her work, the importance of confidence, and the comfort of having more women around her in the corporate world.

Today's episode we are joined by Carly McNamara of My Academic Family. It’s a social enterprise specializing in giving support to disadvantaged and first generation university students in order to get them to graduation. They do this by engaging them with their studies, showing them how to navigate the university environment and supporting their needs. Inspired by her own experience as a first generation university student and working within academia; she has a unique insight into what her targeted students need. She launched during COVID-19 in April 2020, with just £1000, and now supports nearly 100 students and holds workshops in several different colleges and Unis. In this episode, she speaks about her vision for the future, the challenges she faced with sales and revenue, the importance of having a network to rely on and learning how to implement a digital marketing and brand strategy. Today's episode is an absolute joy you don't want to miss.

Today's episode is a special one, as we have Katie Watson of Aberdeen Grampian Chamber of Commerce and the lead of BWC Futures group. Even though she's just recently started her corporate journey, Katie has been a standout star, already rising through the ranks of the chamber to become a relationship manager, and was a finalist in the Rising Star Award. Katie speaks about her career path so far and how she's progressed this far at such a young age. She also speaks about the BWC Futures group, a platform to support young professionals in the work field and give them tools to combat things like impostor syndrome and letting them know there's others going through the same thing. In this episode Katie speaks about her passion for creating safe spaces for young professionals, the importance of community, being vulnerable, and creating a network. When we learn of katies battle with depression in her teens, her story is even more inspiring and not one you'd want to miss.

In this episode of Scale HER Up – The Female Entrepreneur Show, I’m joined by Tracy Franz of SmartPA, a business administration and performance specialist who has been running her own business for almost eight years. Tracy helps business owners streamline their operations, protect their time and spend more of their day doing work they actually enjoy.Tracy shares the very personal, powerful story behind her business. She opens up about her experience with addiction, what life looked like at her lowest point and the hard work of getting clean and rebuilding from scratch. From there, she talks about the decision to create her own business rather than go back into traditional employment, and how that choice has changed her life, her confidence and her sense of purpose.We dive into imposter syndrome – especially for women who didn’t take a straight-line path to where they are now – and the “who am I to…?” voice that can show up even when you’re great at what you do. Tracy talks about the danger signs of burnout, the pressure to say yes to everything as a service provider and the importance of putting boundaries, support and rest in place before your body forces you to stop.Tracy also shares how she learned to look outside the box in business: saying yes to opportunities that felt a bit scary, tailoring services instead of trying to do everything for everyone, and using her own lived experience to connect with clients on a deeper level. Goal setting is a big part of that – not just big revenue targets, but personal goals about who she wants to be, how she wants to feel and the kind of role model she wants to be for the people around her.Above all, this episode is about the power of women who lift other women up. Tracy talks about the women who believed in her when she didn’t yet believe in herself, the networks and friendships that have supported her through tough times and the importance of surrounding yourself with people who will remind you who you are when you forget.This is an honest, hopeful conversation for anyone who’s had to restart, is battling imposter feelings or needs a reminder that your past does not disqualify you from building something brilliant.

Today we have Lora Caven, an internationally recognized and decorated business coach with a focus on supporting high performing women (in and out of C-suite positions) during perimenopause and menopause. She speaks about her journey to getting to this era in her career after feeling lost following some major changes in her life. Her real passion lies in coaching other women in business through the busiest time of their lives- Menopause. After seeing just how damaging the business world is to women going through that era in their life, she set out to challenge a system designed around men. In today's episode she speak about the importance of womanhood and relying on the community that women are innately a part of. She says “The more you show up for yourself the more other people show up for you”. She even speaks about her own experience regarding coaching and stresses how important it is to have that support. She also speaks about the importance of believing in yourself and knowing your own body. This episode will be a comfort to most people and is truly not one to miss.

Today we have Julita Stachowiak on the podcast. Julita is the Co founder of J&B Finance LTD. It is a accounting and financial consultancy firm that advises clients of the best way to run their business through a financial lens.she shares her journey of how she's gotten to this stage in her life- from moving to the UK from Poland with just £200 in her pocket, to working at one of the big 4 Accountancy firms to be a female entrepreneur of an international company with a completely female team. In their episode she speaks about the common financial issues businesses face with cash flow, how the recession impacted her life, the best way to run a team , and the importance of having people support you

In today's episode we have fellow Podcaster Michelle Fraser. Not only is she the host and creator of Energy Sector Heros, she has also been a consultant in the energy and renewable sector for the past 25 years and most recently started a mentorship and career coaching program set out to help the younger generation find their feet within the oil, gas and energy field. She speaks about her career journey, from starting as a junior technician to working her way up to being a senior project development manager. She speaks about the struggles of being a woman in a primarily male dominated field, specifically trying to be seen and heard. She describes how she tries to be more vocal in a field where it is hard to get noticed, and speaks about the unpredictable nature of contract and consultancy work. She also speaks about her passion for helping others shape their career in the sector, and advising them on the best ways they can portray themselves and supports them in the transition into a full time corporate world. Michelle was a joy to have on and makes this episode one you won't want to miss.

In today's episode we have Avriel Skolnik, Co-Founder of Kionnali Living Systems. Avriel is a true champion of sustainability, who creates self contained sustainable housing to help address the current housing crisis and combat emergency situations with housing. Her passion for the environment and keen intelligence drove her to start creating houses centered around people. As a woman in STEM, Avriel has dealt with a lot of stereotypes and condescension as a result of her gender but she's dealt with it with grace and started a company that is creating the house of the future, has over 10 people on her permanent staff and has interest in her designs from all 7 continents. In this episode Avriel speaks about her journey to get to the place she is today and the amazing women who helped show her their own sustainable housing, the importance of placing your well being first, and overcoming the fear of failure.

Today's episode is extra special as we have not one but 2 guests. Vanessa Tortella & Beverley Wilson join us today to speak about Vanessa’s Business, The Wine Hall and their joint venture Leyssa. Both are a boutique wine import business that sets out to connect customers to unique and specific wines. They also host joint art and wine tasting parties where they pair the two together for attendees to have a unique and fully immersive tasting experience. Although the two haven't known each other long, they had an instant connection based on their shared passions and love for all things wine. Vanessa is a trained sommelier who started The Wine Hall 2 years ago to help connect people to specific hard to find wines. Even though the field of wine is majorly male dominated, Vanessa has made a name for herself. Beverly is no stranger to business and has had many different current and past ventures over the years in a variety of fields. After meeting they connected on their experience as women in business, and hospitality, and since starting their partnership have learned more from each other then they thought possible. In today's episode they speak about how it's never too late to start a business, as they meet in their 50s and instantly clicked. They also speak about how to create a unique business idea, the importance of self confidence, and their love of uplifting other women in their field. Today's episode is truly special and not one to miss.

Today we have Kerry Smith, founder of T28 and Team Cycle. T28 is an online platform for all things fitness, with programs like the 28 day transformation and 10 minute challenges. After starting her entrepreneurial journey during the COVID 19 pandemic, Kerry has managed to expand her business into team cycle, a warehouse dedicated to spin classes. In this episode Kerry speaks about the future of women's fitness, and how she strives to make her business inclusive and welcome to all. She speaks about how to be inventive in such a niche space, the shocks she's had from building a business from the ground up, and the importance of relying on your network. She also talks about integrated health and how essential it is to take care of yourself.

In today's episode we have Gillian Donald of Blackadders and CHAS. Gillian is a truly inspirational woman, who not only is a partner in her firm’s HR and employment team, but is also a trustee on the board of CHAS, a children's charity set up to assist and provide hospice care for families with ill children. Gillian speaks about her career journey to this point, and the major differences and challenges that come with balancing the two. She speaks about the importance of listening to the people around you,having open conversations between employers and their staff and being brave in the face of adversary. Gillian also gets vulnerable and tells the story behind her involvement with CHAS. Sharing the importance of cherishing every day you have with those you love and her passion of giving back to a community that supported her in her darkest hours. Truly impactful and poignant, this episode is not one you’ll want to miss.

On today's episode we have Fiona Thomson, the founder of FT Rewards.They help businesses become an attractive place to work, and devise strategies for companies to help employee retention and increase employee satisfaction. Although she’s somewhat new to the entrepreneurial landscape, Fiona has flourished in it. Although she does speak about the learning curve she experienced when starting a new business, like the challenges she faced and the lessons she's learned. Her prior experience has helped her shape FT Rewards to be what she's dreamed of. Today, she speaks about staff retention and satisfaction, how crucial networking was for her personal success, and her passion for women to speak up for things that they need from an employer.

Today's podcast is one very near and dear to Brenda's heart. In this episode she has Genevieve Smith, with Cancer Research UK (CRUK) and more specifically Business Beats Cancer Aberdeen. After a long career in sales, Genevieve found herself unsettled and looked for a career change. When the position within CRUK opened up she made the jump into the third sector and has loved every second of it. In just over a year in the position, she has helped raise over £60,000 and founded boards in both Dundee and now Aberdeen. Today, she speaks about this decision-The challenges she faced, the high points, and the fear she had. More specifically she speaks about Business Beats Cancer Aberdeen, an Initiative where businesses get together and raise  funds for CRUK. Her and Brenda, speak about what qualities make a good board member and ways you could get involved. They also explain everything you need to know about getting involved with the Aberdeen Fundraising Gala. The prizes you could win, the people you could network with, and all the amazing research the money goes towards. Specifically, research projects at the University of Aberdeen itself, that set out to explore how cells divide in order to find a way to prevent cancer. Cancer research UK has helped double the breast cancer survival rate in the UK, largely due to its contributions from  business across the country. In today's episode Brenda and Genevieve talk about how you and your business can get involved and the direct link it could have for drastically changing the future of cancer research and prevention in the UK.

In today's episode we have Adriana Uribe, a member of the Grampian Regional Equality Council. Adriana is a true champion for inclusion and works with minorities across the grampian area on issues like language assistance, discrimination and even neurodivergent help. The council offers a multitude of services ranging from language cafes where English speakers of all proficiency levels can get together to practice, to language programs and even advisory services. She has a passion for intersectionality, and strives to create an even field for minorities in business and beyond. Besides her work in the council, she's a successful entrepreneur who does freelance translating. Today, she's speaks about her personal experience as a woman in business, the obstacles she has faced, the discrimination she has experienced, and the wealth of knowledge she's collected throughout her career and multicultural upbringing. She talks about how harmful unconscious bias can be, the importance of empathy, and how essential inclusion is in the workplace. This episode is truly eye opening and not one you want to miss!

In today's episode we have Lifestyle physician Dr. Aileen Alexander. Her Business, Nourish Health and Wellbeing, is meant to help and optimize the health of working women. She targets specific issues that arise from the workplaces- like high blood pressure, self confidence etc. She sets out to empower women to look beyond the calories and take charge of their health. Today, she speaks about how she has embraced being an entrepreneur after a long period of impostor syndrome, learning what works to impact deliverables, and even some mistakes she's made along the way. She talks about her love of empowering women and the importance of having a support system that pushes you. Aileen finishes with some really big and exciting announcements that you won’t want to miss!

In today's episode, we have Nicole van Der Draaij. Nicole is the founder of Globemark, a business dedicated to helping other businesses increase their online presences through SEO optimization, and ECommerce strategy to increase digital sales. Her passion is helping business stand out among their competitors and get them to the top of google searches. Nicole grew up in a family of entrepreneurship so she's no stranger to starting her own business. Her adventurous spirit has led to her living all over the world. From starting her business in Argentina, to hiring her first freelancer in Indonesia, to now living in Scotland, the past 15 years have shaped Nicole's business journey. Today she has a team of over 12 freelancers and projects from all over the globe. On this episode of Scale Her Up, Nicole speaks about how to build networks no matter where you are, the importance of time Mangement, and the importance of saying no. 

On today's podcast, we have Angela De Souza. She's CEO of The Women's Business Club, a networking program that is in over 90 countries. Even though the name may seem limiting, The Women’s Business Club is multifaceted, with Angela’s goal to do business networking different than the traditional way. Beyond the networking club they also do training workshops, conferences, magazines, and even their own podcast. Today, Angela speaks about what brought her to this stage. How her multicultural upbringing shaped her worldview, how going to university is not always the path you should take, and how her diverse working history still impacts the way she conducts business today. She gives her advice to women entrepreneurs and business owners by talking about the importance of financial literacy, sharing her experience with investors, borrowing, taking out loans and bootstrapping. Angela wants to uplift our viewers and teach them that no matter when you start, you can still become a success. 

After being made redundant at 48, Lynne Hamilton felt lost. She had been working in banking for over 30 years and in her own words was ‘institutionalised”. Suddenly, she didn’t know what to do next. She decided to undergo a complete career change, and started working for a startup. While working quite closely with the entrepreneur who created it, her entire way of thinking was widened, and she loved the environment created. She was then inspired to start her own business, Planet Tasteful that mirrored her passion- Shopping. An online boutique clothing and accessory store, Planet Tasteful is all about being tasteful, stylish, and affordable. Lynne identified her own issues with online shopping and set out to fix them. Now a thriving business that regularly sells out, in today's episode Lynne speaks about her journey to this point, the importance of acknowledging you need help, and the unexpected challenges that appeared when starting her own company. 

In this episode, Brenda is joined by Zara Grant the multi award winning owner of Your Love Rara, a collection of businesses centered around promoting creativity in children. From being homeless in her teens to moving completely across the world, Zara believes in living a life with no regrets. When she started Your Love Rara Ltd it with 50 quid and a homemade costume, and she has now made it into a multifaceted company with over 20 employees. In today's podcast, Zara and Brenda speak about the challenges she has faced in running a business where people don’t take her seriously, the major impact COVID-19 had, and the importance of supporting small businesses in Aberdeen city center. Zara gets vulnerable and honest for our listeners and warns of the dangers of burnout and the importance of looking after yourself. It is an episode you won't want to miss! 

In today's episode Psychotherapist & Stress Management Coach, Nara Morrison joins Brenda Hector, to discuss impostor syndrome. From how to recognize it, to what may contribute it, and even some ways women and female entrepreneurs can combat it. Nara also speaks about what brought her into the psychology field, how she balances her personal life with her professional one and the advice she would give to her younger self. 

Born and bred in Aberdeen, Elaine is an expert is all things kitchen and remodeling. As an owner of John Willox Kitchen Design for over 10 years Elaine is well-versed and experienced in running a thriving business. In today episode, Elaine reflects on her journey to this point, the challenges COVID-19 brought to her business, and her advice to fellow business owners on how to shape their team ,and the key traits needed to create the perfect team. 

Rachel Mearns is the principal at the Aberdeen Academy of Performing Arts. She has a passion for dance and drama and has turned it into a successful full-time business. At her school not only does she teach a variety of ages but a variety of styles and disciplines. In today’s episode she shares her entrepreneurial journey from a roadside lemonade stand, to Young Enterprise at school, to then graduating with a Law degree and now running a thriving academy with over 400 pupils. Rachel and Brenda also discuss the current challenges facing businesses in Aberdeen city centre, the many hats business owners wear, and the 24/7 lifestyle you have as a business owner. 

It’s time to lay down the law. Today's episode features Stephanie Mann, A partner at Laurie & CO solicitors LLP. She specialises in all things property and estate law, helping people of all different backgrounds across Scotland. As a partner of an all-female partner firm, Stephanie speaks about the challenges she faced as a young female starting out in a generationally male field. She’s experienced all types of firms (big and small) and has been working since her first traineeship. Brenda and Her speak about the worries of managing your own business, her advice to the younger generations, and how she builds her perfect team. 

Today’s podcast is all about the money- specifically what women can do to plan for their finances. When Rhian Morgan started at Accumen Financial Planning in 2006, it was because she loved meeting and speaking to people within the financial sector. Nearly 20 years later she has risen through the ranks from paraplanner to financial advisor and is now a director at the company. In this episode, Rhiann and Brenda speak about what makes you want to stay at the same company for so long, the challenges she's faced as a woman in a male-dominated field, and the lessons she’s learned throughout her roles in the company. 

For the past 30 years Margeret has built her company Margeret Brown consulting, a leadership coaching business, from the ground up. After dropping out of university Margaret didn’t let that set her back, and instead threw herself into the workforce with zeal, she shortly found herself in sales- where her strong leadership and customer feedback allowed her to rise above the rest. After joining the business gateway program in the 90s, she created numerous courses focusing on sales strategy, effective leadership and personal growth. The course became nationally recognised, and gave her opportunities to coach businesses internationally and work with the Chamber of Commerce. On today's podcast Brenda and Margaret talk about what business coaching really is, challenges misconceptions around it, and how leaders can unlock their own awareness and scale their business up to a new level.  

After 17 years working in the financial sector Sarah Smith was made redundant in 2019. While some may view this as a loss, Sarah saw this as a sign for her to finally pursue her passion. So, in January of that year, Sarah started Lightbulb.Coach. A coaching service set out to help shape the futures of young people in school and beyond. In today’s episode Sarah talks about her journey as a business owner, speaks about what coaching is and the power it can have, gives her advice to the parents of young people who may be struggling and shares what she would tell her 18-year-old self. 

Elaine Arthur of QA Vehicle Solutions in a conversation with Brenda Hector  shares her experiences and insights on overcoming gender barriers in the automotive industry, creating a supportive work environment, and networking for business success. Elaine discussed her personal journey, the importance of treating staff like family, and emphasized the value of collaboration, networking, and learning from mistakes. The conversation highlighted the challenges and opportunities in the industry and the importance of building relationships and trust.

Brenda Hector and Denise Pitot of The ActionCOACH Foundation discuss the importance of instilling an entrepreneurial mindset in young people and nurturing their business ownership skills. They emphasize the need for access to childcare, funding, and visibility for female entrepreneurs, as well as the value of ActionCOACHes in helping owners become proficient at the operational aspect of their businesses. They also discuss the challenges facing female entrepreneurs in male-dominated environments and the importance of educating young people about entrepreneurship. The speakers emphasize the need for more women in business to encourage economic growth and add value to the UK economy, and highlight the potential benefits of involving schools and other institutions in entrepreneurship education programs.For more information or to support the Young Entrepreneur Smart Start program contact [email protected]

"If this won't matter in 5 years, don't spend long on it now" great advice from the founder of Planner Bee VA Services Maya Vertigans always knew that her fate was to be a business owner so she started straight out of university. In this episode, she talks to Brenda Hector of ActionCOACH about her journey and shares the message she would give to her 18-year-old self "Worry less and trust yourself, everything will work out" 

Caitlin Mackenzie and Jenny Soutar are serial entrepreneurs, sisters-in-law and 'The Property Girls'. Jenny describes herself as accidentally a business owner but as they tell their story it's clear that she has found her purpose. The Property Girls provide a comprehensive holiday let management service within 25 minutes of travel from Blairgowrie, the tourist heart of PerthshireIn this interview with Brenda Hector of ActionCOACH the girls share their philosophy for business and the advantages of partnering with a complementary personality style. 

Karin Ovari of Safety Collaborations explains how culture, communication and leadership can save money and lives in dangerous environments.

Ronnie Krupa is a tutor supporting pupils and students in various subjects through school, college and university. Realising that her time is finite, she has launched Walron Ltd, a tutoring agency to scale the service. Ronnie shares her learnings, challenges and goals for the future with Brenda Hector. 

Laura Mearns of Northwood North East chats with Brenda Hector about her journey as a business owner, growing her tight-knit high-performing team and the juggle of business and personal life. Her biggest tip for making it work...rest and recuperate when you need to. 

Rachel Fyfe of Tartan Competitions shares her entrepreneurship journey with Brenda Hector. Being self-employed has enabled Rachel and her husband to achieve a work-family-life balance.  

"Go be amazing you talented human!" is the mantra for success and personal growth at House of Hair in Aberdeen. Founder and Creative Director Lorraine Malcolm shares her story, her passion for making her customers feel good and her team feel empowered comes across loud and clear in this interview with Brenda Hector of ActionCOACH. Its not been a smooth journey but with the support of her network and loyal customers, some of whom have been with her for 20 years, and a lot of grit and determination has built a successful and award-winning salon.