Think Outside Your Hive The Scottish Bee Company

Introduction

This week on Think Outside Your Hive, we’re chatting with co founder and director of the UK’s brightest, retro ski wear company, OOSC. 
Like Suzie, Nick studied law but never went on to practise. Instead, he worked his way up the corporate ladder in the banking industry but later realised he didn’t like the idea of ‘working for the man’. 
He was drawn into a passion project with his friend from university. What started as a joke, creating retro, sustainable ski wear and accessories, has grown into a multinational business, successfully selling in 80 different countries around the world. Having expanded their reach and range from ski wear to gym and swim wear, OOSC still pride themselves in their flagship ski attire with one ski suit in particular, 'The Rain Road', being worn by Margot Robbie on a ski trip in France! A *pinch me* moment for the co founders back in the day. 
The company began in 2015, where he built the platform while still working within the corporate world. He left his job shortly with the world’s largest bank in 2019 and directed all his attention into building OOSC. 
All of OOSC products are made from sustainable and recyclable materials, working with an industry leading team in Taiwan for the materials. You can find Nick’s range across multiple outlets or online.

Introduction

This week on Think outside your hive, we’re staying a little close to home as we talk to John Mellis, one of the most prolific names in bee keeping in the UK. John has been a professional bee keeper for over 30 years and his passion for his job is as fresh as the day he began. John talks about the idea that ‘bee keeping is a science, an art and most importantly a vocation’. He found what he loves and he’s pursued it. 
Since we began our company John has been a guiding light for us - giving us advice and introducing us to the best within the industry to give our company the best possible start. This idea of ‘passing it on’ is evident in all of John’s work. He mentors younger beekeepers and is an advocate of training the next generation of bee keepers in what is and always has been a historically older profession. He has the most incredible knowledge and insight into making honey, bees and the bee keeping community. For those interested in the world of owning hives and agriculture and honey fraud, John talks with such passion, clarity and insight, you could listen to him for hours. 
So enjoy meeting our friend and colleague John - and who knows, he might just convince you to take up beekeeping too…

Intro

I started the Scottish Bee Company a few years before the pandemic began. It was still in its infancy - a startup that (like every other business) relied on a stable and consistent market and had to find its way through an ever changing market without it. John MacPherson, the owner of and founder of Bright Red Publishing, a company that provides educational material and study guides across Scotland, relies mainly on a stable and consistent education system as well as a strong financial market.
John began Bright Red in 2008 - right as the financial crisis hit, and he was immediately hit with huge challenges overnight and immediately changing the trajectory of his new company. It was only a few years later that the Scottish Government had a huge upheaval of the school examining boards which meant a large percentage of his products (study guides etc) became useless, and once again he had to change the company’s direction. Since then, with the pandemic and a continued move to digital content and changes to how we consume data, it is fair to say John has not had an easy ride.
Despite this, Bright Red is now a multi award winning independent publishing company that continues to thrive. In our podcast, John shares his journey, his attitude and a little about the importance of tenacity. Enjoy!

A bit about Louise Davis

In the wake of COP26, we thought it would be useful for everyone to hear from Louise Davis, a wind farm developer and expert in all things to do with renewable energy and environmentalism. Since we met at University she’s been unwavering in her passion to help the environment, citing David Attenborough as her biggest inspiration throughout her life. 

I always leave my time with Louise feeling really knowledgeable and aware of how much work there is to be done. In our podcast she discusses how we can all ‘do our bit’, and who really needs to take responsibility to make a real difference in the direction the world is heading. She talks about the misconceptions we all have when it comes to climate change. I hope she inspires you the way she does with me.
So have a listen (subscribe!!) and leave a comment - we’d love to know what you think of our chat!
Know someone who might be perfect for or podcast? Drop us an email on buzz@scottishbeecompany.co.uk

Suz x

A bit about The Scottish Bee Company

As you may have gathered from the bee and hive themed questions throughout my previous chats with guests, I run a honey company alongside my husband! 
What stared as a charity idea, our passion for doing something for the climate crisis grew arms, legs (and wings) to become The Scottish Bee Company. An award-winning honey company that aims to protect the pollinator with a planet focussed business model. 
Our journey, like everyones, hasn’t been linear and I wanted to share our story and what we’ve learnt from starting up in 2017. I chat about the reality of ‘save the bees’, fraudulent honey producers and the importance of provenance in the industry and our BSI Kitemark. Having taken a honey sommelier course myself, I am massively interested in everything the industry has to offer and I truly believe with more knowledge across the board, everyone will feel the same passion we do!
The more we learn about the industry, through courses and our bee farmers, the more our business model and plans adapt and change to suit the demands of our pollinators and planet. - everyday really is a school day! I was over the moon to appear on a panel talk hosted at COP26, listen until the end to hear about the topics we covered.
As always I’m grateful for every download of the podcast and all the support over at The Scottish Bee Company. Keep in the loop by signing up to our newsletter at the bottom of website, which includes weekly updates and exclusive discounts! 

https://www.scottishbeecompany.co.uk
Take care,
Suz

A Bit About Gooses Quizzes

What started as a way for Andrew Wildgoose to earn extra cash during university (hosting pub quizzes) has become a thriving business that has kept on growing. Across Scotland, Goose’s quizzes are now synonymous with having a good time - free for any player, bringing revenue to the pubs with people ordering more food and drinks as the punters play.
However as Covid hit and pubs were closed overnight, Andrew’s income and business stopped in its tracks. However, instead of sitting and worrying about the future, he realised that he could be useful in other ways - that his business could be the source of joy for many despite it not earning him a penny.  He moved his business online and offered free daily quizzes throughout the whole lockdown. What started with a handful of people joining in online, became hundreds and occasionally thousands of daily players. He built an online community that connected people in a time when they needed social interaction more than ever.
This caught the attention of the palace which resulted in him getting a BME from the Queen.
Andrew is an inspiration for taking something you love and turning it into a workable business model that gives back by its very nature. He is a great example of how moving with the times and reacting positively to change rather than clawing onto the past can help your business thrive.
We hope you enjoy this week's episode and it provides you with as much joy as it gave me talking to him.
Suz x