Blog – Stories
Empowering entrepreneurial non-native English speakers
Proud of an array of inventions that have changed the world for the better, Scotland continues to ensure innovation and entrepreneurialism are at the core of its society. As a Hungarian born...
The affects of the cost-of-living crisis on ethnic minorities
We are all feeling the pinch, from a rise in electricity to fuel, to our weekly food bill. In March 2023, I was given the opportunity to speak at a Scottish Parliament cross-party group about...
Being the centre of a social media storm
56431; 393; 178; 13………………………………….. A list of numbers but quite an interesting list of numbers for me as these are the latest statistics to a Linkedin post I made on 25th August 2022. The reaction...
Growing a business and growing a family
Co-Founder and Director of The TEFL Org, Jennifer MacKenzie, shares her experience of starting a business as a parent and how to navigate both growing a business and a family. When I see a ‘bio’...
Performing your way through a pandemic
If there is such a thing as a seven year itch in business, we were too busy to notice. Our seventh year was spent morphing an in-person arts festival to an online one. We were one of the first...
Finding your purpose for business success
Women’s Enterprise Scotland Ambassador and Business Coach, Mel MacIntyre, gives a preview of her contribution to a book which explores overcoming adversity. Discover how Mel found her ‘why’ and...
Young entrepreneurship is everywhere
Katie Birrell shares her experience of student entrepreneurship as a young person at the University of St Andrews. St Andrews is home to one of the...
How can we all support women in business?
Women’s Enterprise Scotland Ambassador and business coach Mel MacIntyre has dedicated her career to helping women unlock their potential. We talked about Mel’s journey to become a business owner...
What are the advantages of an internship?
Given that SMEs comprise 98% of Scotland’s business ecosystem, should more small businesses ask: what could my business do for an intern, and what could an intern do for my business? When...
Recognising you are an entrepreneur
Before I started my first business ten years ago with my husband Chris, I didn’t think of myself as an entrepreneur. My business is an on-farm diversification that was borne out of necessity as,...
Press ‘Pause’ to Begin
Your business journey doesn’t always go according to plan. Entrepreneur and data pioneer Vicky Brock has been named Scotland’s Most Inspiring Business Person of the Year and Everywoman Innovator...
Finding resilience to keep going
“Maybe this is the end of the road…” I thought as I stood in the darkness in my beautiful studio, surrounded by blue ikea bags filled with items I’d grabbed to take home with me, in case I would...
Leading and growing my business through COVID-19
My experience on the challenges of operating during COVID 19 – juggling family commitments, supporting clients, supporting others, my team and business. The pro's and con's 2020 was a year like...
Authenticity – being true to you
Rejection in business is never easy, but something you simply can’t avoid. How you handle rejection and how you move forward is key to both your professional and personal development. Lisa...
When things don’t go to plan
Success and how you measure it will be different for everyone – it’s a very personal thing and changes at different stages of our life. It’s not something we openly discuss as usually it’s tied...
The power of networking
Networking can be fun – and great not just for your business growth but also for you as a business leader. Amanda Pickford is one of our Ambassadors and the owner of award-winning ThermaFy. She’s...
Say goodbye to the mumpreneur
“When the eleventh edition of the Oxford English Dictionary was published on 6 October 2011 the word ‘mumpreneur’ was listed for the first time. ‘Mumpreneur’. It’s right up there as one of the...
My start-up story: Hermine Kinkela
Hermine Kinkela runs Mbikudi, a social enterprise selling natural, organic hair- and skincare products. She points to over-marketing and over-use of chemical hair products, coupled with a...
My start-up story: Gillian Crawford
“Looking back, the seeds of my business were sown in my childhood. Not only did I spend every spare minute making things – soft toys, clothes, jewellery – I was also determined to be financially...
My start-up story: Gail Bryden
“For anyone thinking about starting a business, my advice would be to start. Be clear on your why: why do you want to do this, what makes your product or service different, and have clarity on...
My start-up story: Allison Harrison
Allison Harrison left her job with a craft brewer when she had the opportunity to take over an Edinburgh yoga business. Shortly afterwards Hot Yoga Edinburgh opened its own studio, which is now...
My mentoring story: Jeanette Forbes
“I started my business, PCL Group, in 2000, when mentoring was not really seen as the ‘done’ thing. I remember visiting one of the business support agencies for help and they allocated me a...
In a crisis? First survive, then thrive
Unprecedented. It’s a word we’ve heard a lot. And with good reason. Before 2020 very few of us, if any, would have collectively suffered such a crisis – two crises in fact, health and economic –...
Awards: because you’re worth it
When you’re head down running your business, getting an award is the last thing on your mind but when it comes your way, it is hugely gratifying. So says Christy Hyslop of Lose It and Love It,...