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

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. 

Karen Smith of BWC Aberdeen is in the spotlight with Brenda Hector. Karen shares her career journey from unqualified office junior to senior executive, director and shareholder, and solopreneur.  A skilled communicator, salesperson and coach, Karen shares her advice for creating a high-performing sales team. 'People buy from people' and the best salespeople are warm, honest, friendly and open.  Karen has recently launched the Aberdeen BWC (Business Women Connect) franchise and the response has been unprecedented demonstrating how important supportive networking groups like this are to the market https://www.bwcaberdeen.co.uk 

If you love cycling or mountain biking in some of the most remote and untouched wildernesses on the planet but, you're in need of an experienced guide, then Catherine Shearer, CEO at H+I Adventures can help you top that adventure!Now "15 years deep" into a prosperous business, she and her husband continue to craft life-affirming MTB and E-MTB adventures all around the world. If you're an entrepreneur looking for adventure this podcast episode is one you should not miss!

Join me as I sit down with Dineo Ledwaba-Chapman. She is an advocate for women’s wealth and financial well-being. As a specialist financial planner, she helps professional and entrepreneurial women Live For Today and Plan For Tomorrow.

Transformational life coach Gillian Fowler shares her inspiring story of overcoming serious injury and becoming a business owner. Find out about the collaboration between Gillian and Brenda, and join the 6-week Programme: HERE

Today we have Danae Shell the Co-founder and CEO of Valla with us on Scale Her Up. Danae shares her business story and we talk about getting investors or grants for your business. She will also talk about discrimination in the workplace and what you should be doing as an employer, as well as what to do when looking for new people to join your business.Danae: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danaeyshell/

This week I have Maggie Gorman the Business Support and Development Director at Ceteris (Scotland) Ltd with me on Scale Her Up. Maggie has an abundant history in business and is here to share her story. She shares some advice for starting and growing your business, tips to deal with a fluctuating economy and what you might do when selling your business.

This week on Scale Her Up I have Andrew Wright, The CEO and co-founder of SmartPA. He talks about his story and Empowering women. In its time, SmartPA has provided free training to over 30,000 women that didn't have access to any. So come join us and see what you can do to help build up the numbers of women in business.

This week on Scale Her Up I have Jago Brown from Lead5050 and Equality Starts at Home with me on the podcast. Jago talks about his personal life, and what we can do to help bring about equality in the workplace. We will also talk about flexible working and how you can manage a busy schedule with your home life. Jago's links:https://www.lead5050.com/https://www.equalitystartsathome.com/https://www.thirdshift.co.uk/

This week on Scale Her Up we have 3 guests. Catherine McManus, Catherine Livingstone and Laura Smith from Wylie & Bisset LLP are with me to talk about their experiences as women in the workplace. As well as this we will also discuss work-life balance in your business, motherhood while working, and communicating with clients.

This Week is a First for the Scale Her Up Podcast, we have a male guest! Brad Walsh Is the creator and host of the Empowerography Podcast. Empowerography is a platform that enables women to share their stories and successes with the world. So, this week Brad talks about his journey, his platform, and we discuss what we can all do to help women in and out of the business world.Brad's Podcast:https://empowerographypodcast.square.site/home

This week I have Diana Muzzall from Jotolio Photography and Video Marketing Confidence. She talks about her experience of running her business for 22 years and what she has learnt along the way. She also shares some tips of what you can do to help you with making and marketing your videos, as well as some of the things you can expect to see when starting.Video Marketing Confidence: videomarketingconfidence.com

This week I have Gillian Martin, an MSP for Aberdeenshire East in the SNP. She is the founder of the Aberdeen/Aberdeenshire branches of Women for Independence and is on the podcast today to talk about the enterprise gap in Scotland and the UK, her experience in running a business and what we can do to help bring change to the current gender gap in self-owned businesses.

This week on the Scale Her Up podcast I have Nicola Davidson from Optimul and The Success Formula Academy. We talk about Creating a good work culture for your business and employees, dealing with burnout and about her newly launching Business The Success Formula Academy.

This week on Scale Her Up I have Laura Friedl-Hirst, Managing Director and Principal Consultant at LFH Regulatory Limited. We talk about her journey as a business-woman, the importance of her team to her business and some tips for people looking to start and grow their businesses.

This week on Scale Her Up I have Claire Middlebrook of Middlebrooks Business Recovery & Advice. We chat about managing a team, the flexibility of working on your own business and selling businesses.

Wendy Harris from Making Conversations Count LTD is with me this week on the podcast. We talk about conversing with customers, and telemarketing, as well as her story of becoming an entrepreneur, and how she balances running her business and living her life.Making Conversations Count: wagassociates.com

This week Adriana Alvarez joins me on the podcast. Adriana is the CEO and Founder of AMA Publishing where she teaches women how to start highly profitable publishing companies. Her goal is to create 10,000 female owned publishing companies by 2027. She talks about how she got round to stating her business, personal challenges she dealt with and how she overcame them, and how to incorporate your business online(and if you need too!).Adriana's Website: adrianamoniquealvarez.com

In this heartfelt episode of Scale Her Up, Brenda is joined by Abi Clarke, founder of MISS – Miscarriage Support. Abi shares the story behind starting and running a non-profit organisation that supports women and families through pregnancy loss, and the realities of building and sustaining a mission-driven organisation.Abi talks openly about the emotional and practical challenges she’s faced along the way, from doing “all the things” herself in the early days to learning how to delegate, build a team and create more sustainable ways of working. She and Brenda explore the differences between running a charity and a traditional business, and the similarities when it comes to leadership, vision and resilience.You’ll hear about the impact MISS is having in communities, how Abi looks after herself while holding space for others, and her hopes and plans for the future of the organisation. This is an inspiring listen for anyone running – or thinking about starting – a non-profit, social enterprise or purpose-led business.In this episode, we cover:Abi’s personal journey to founding MISS – Miscarriage SupportThe realities of starting and growing a non-profitLearning to delegate and trust your teamBalancing passion for the cause with the demands of running an organisationWhy boundaries and self-care matter for founders in the caring spaceAbi’s vision for the future of MISS and the support it providesPerfect for you if:You’re a female founder or leader in the non-profit or social impact space, or you’re considering starting a charity or community organisation and want a real, honest insight into what it takes.Abi's Socialhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/abi-clarke/MISS - Miscarriage Support https://miss-support.org.uk/

To celebrate the 1 year anniversary of The Scale Her up Podcast, our host Brenda Hector has the microphones turned on her this week as Wendy Harris from ‘Making Conversations Count’ podcast asks her about the route to entrepreneurship and Business coaching. Brenda opens up about her biggest business challenge which is her personal battle through peri-menopause and how she has helped other entrepreneurs cope with menopause in business.Scale Her Up: https://www.facebook.com/groups/scaleherupWendy's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendyannharris/Wendy's Podcast: https://makingconversationscount.com/

This week I am joined by Anne-Lise Kadri, a woman who switched her career to her hobby after working as a teacher for over 20 years. She Talks about how her experience as a teacher has helped her to coach other voice actors and use timetabling to manage her work week, as well as what you can do making the switch and how others could benefit .

This week I am joined by Rebecca Wiener McGregor, a consulting hypnotist certified by the National Guild of Hypnotists. She talks about how practices such as meditation and mindfulness can free you from your woes in your entrepreneurial journey. Join me this episode for some inspirational and eye-opening tips and insights to help you on your journey.

Kaitlyn Carlson, the founder and CEO of Theory Planning Partners, is with Brenda this week to chat about her journey as a Financial Advisor and entrepreneur. She shares some tips for your running your business as well as the benefits of having a financial plan.

This week I have Monica Gostic, an award winning nutrition coach and scientist in to talk about how building your personal health can help with managing your business.Links : www.monikagostic.comwww.instagram.com/healthnfitness_coach/www.facebook.com/DrMonikaGostic

Ciara Stockeland talks about how she has built businesses throughout her life and tips for what you can do when building your business to help you become a successful entrepreneur.Links:www.ciarastockeland.com www.theboutiqueworkshop.comwww.linkedin.com/in/cstockelandInstagram:@cstockeland@joinboutiqueworkshop