The Stirling Business Podcast

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The Stirling Business Podcast is recorded at Studio King Street in Stirling and produced by Johnston Media (Crieff) Our aim is to produce interesting podcasts

  1. 2D AGO

    From War To Enterprise: Building A UK Network For Ukrainian Businesswomen

    We trace Anna’s path from arriving in Scotland to founding a fast-growing club for Ukrainian businesswomen, turning fear and isolation into practical support and shared strength. From first meetups to national chapters, we explore education, partnerships, and the shift from support to voice. • founding purpose to support displaced Ukrainian businesswomen  • growth from local meetups to UK-wide membership  • online and offline events for access and inclusion  • practical help on taxes, legal setup, and grants  • coaching, informal days, and company visits  • collaborations with Business Gateway and Chambers of Commerce  • cross-community networking with Scottish entrepreneurs  • next steps: Cambridge chapter, YouTube, and podcasts

    19 min

  2. 6D AGO

    From Blown Glass To Global Whisky: Karen Somerville On Craft, Festivals, And Mentoring

    Karen Somerville shares how a sealed glass angel turned a whisky legend into a global brand, then charts her pivot into mentoring, festivals, and hands-on consulting. We explore practical networking, women-led business support, and why calm problem solving beats panic. • origin of Angel Share and the whisky myth • scaling craft glassware into global export • limited editions and collector demand • transition of the workshop and legacy • shift into consulting and mentoring founders • practical fixes for cash flow, exports, and ops • value of local networking and agency support • women’s peer groups and joining criteria • festivals, distilleries, and future whisky projects • resilient mindset and advice to new founders

    20 min

  3. FEB 17

    How A Teacher Became A Team Captain To Ride 800 Miles For My Name’ Is Doddy

    A fresh start can change a life, but turning that energy into a movement can change many. We sit down with Pauline Elizabeth—teacher, endurance athlete, and team captain of the Dawn Patrol Riders—to unpack the Doddy800: an 800-mile effort from Melrose to Dublin raising funds for My Name’ Is Doddy and motor neurone disease research. What begins as a story about a name change becomes a blueprint for how community, sport, and purpose fuse into real impact. Pauline traces her route from business director back to the classroom, and from casual runs in Dollar to Ironman finishes with the Dollar Tri Twits. Along the way, we explore the practical magic of group momentum: 5 a.m. city roll-outs, relay pacing to hold 14 mph, and the unsung heroes in the sweeper van keeping bikes rolling over four demanding days. The itinerary is ambitious—Melrose to Leeds to Cheltenham, a night freight ferry from Pembroke to Rosslare, then a final push to Dublin’s Aviva Stadium—and every mile is tied to a clear target: £27,000 for this new team, with youth-led crews aiming even higher. Beyond the ride, the heart of this episode is community. We shine a light on grassroots fundraising tactics, from turbo sessions outside the local deli to pub quizzes led by 22-year-old rider Struan Yearsley. We also share the team’s school outreach, delivering a Doddy Cape education pack focused on kindness, generosity, and civic action—small steps that form future fundraisers and leaders. And if you’re in Leeds, there’s an open call for accommodation to help seven riders and their support crew rest between stages. If you care about endurance sport, charity rides, or the fight against MND, this conversation brings tangible details and real emotion—tears at finish lines, laughter on the road, and a throughline of relentless hope. Tap to listen, donate via the Dawn Patrol Riders JustGiving page, and share this story with someone who inspires you to go the extra mile. If the episode moved you, subscribe, leave a review, and help us keep the momentum rolling.

    23 min

  4. FEB 13

    Networking That Actually Works; Inside Revitalised Business Club

    We sit down with Lee Foster, founder of Revitalised Business Club, to map how a coffee meetup grew into a hybrid network built on structure, trust and practical sales mentoring. From table talks to peer cohorts and a Stirling co‑working perk, this is networking that delivers. • Lee’s corporate sales roots and move to Scotland • Why Revitalised Connected People was created and named • Coffee chat to 129 attendees in months • Format: table talks, 30‑second intros, member spotlights • Branches in Stirling, Glasgow, East Kilbride and Ayrshire • Hybrid model with global online events and mentors • Seven Step Sales Moment and take‑home worksheets • Relationship‑led referrals and cross‑industry best practice • Peer membership cohort with 12‑month roadmap • Annual summit, exhibitor expo and community events • Stirling perk: free co‑working after branch meetings • Goals: grow branches, expand online reach, speak on sales Do come along to one of the events. They're really, really good value.

    19 min

  5. FEB 3

    From Legal Startups To Social Impact: Maggie Gorman Shares How Ceteris Lifts Entrepreneurs

    We sit down with Maggie Gorman, Director of Business Support and Development at Ceteris, to explore how a unique landlord-with-purpose model drives growth for founders across Forth Valley. From startup advice to accelerators, women’s networks, and Skillshare, we map the path from space to scale. • Ceteris origins in 1984 industrial decline and mission for economic growth • 21 properties across 10 sites spanning offices, co-working, industrial and virtual • Social purpose delivered through Business Gateway and Emerge programmes • Partnerships with CodeBase and TechScaler including a MedTech expo • Emerge Women community and practical learning for female founders • Skillshare tokens model making expert help affordable for micro businesses • Funding wins and strong ties with Clackmannanshire Council • Forth Valley Business Week plans and potential awards • New five-year strategy with seven pillars for support • Next 12 months: business club launch, scaling Skillshare, ongoing advisory • Collaboration with the Chamber and BIDs to complement not compete • Emphasis on CPD, community and relationship-based growth Visit www.ceteris.co.uk to get in touch

    22 min

  6. JAN 30

    Cybersecurity Made Practical For Every Business

    We share why every business has a digital footprint worth defending and how simple layers turn chaotic risks into manageable routines. Ray maps recent UK breaches to practical fixes and explains the path from corporate engineer to founder building end‑to‑end protection. • value of defence in depth across devices, networks, cloud and people • why social engineering and phishing still drive most breaches • practical steps for strong passwords and multi‑factor authentication • staff as the human firewall and how to build healthy pause‑and‑verify habits • synergy from community, chambers and office neighbours in the tech ecosystem • growth story of Secure Nexus and what scales in a fast‑changing threat landscape • services that matter for SMEs, from SOC to penetration testing • short planning horizons and rehearsed incident response for resilience Contact: support@securenexus.co.uk or securenexis.co.uk

    21 min

  7. JAN 24

    Martin’s Law For Real-World Businesses

    A law can change behaviour, but practice saves lives. We bring on former Police Scotland chief firearms instructor Scott Williamson to make Martin’s Law real for everyday operators, from boutique hotels and co-working hubs to universities, shopping centres, and major venues. Scott shares how to turn policy into clear actions your team can learn fast and repeat under pressure. We start with why the law exists and what the Royal Assent and two-year implementation window mean for leaders making plans today. Scott breaks down the standard and enhanced tiers, then explains why sub-200 sites should still act: attackers target people, not paperwork. You’ll hear simple, high-impact steps to raise awareness, tighten basic security, and map invacuation and evacuation routes that actually work. We also talk about reputational risk and how early preparation protects trust with guests, staff, and neighbours. From there, we dig into command training for executives. Paper plans fail without rehearsal, so Scott shows how tabletop drills and realistic exercises expose weak links and build confident decision-making. He outlines practical packages that fit different needs: Safety Shield for staff awareness, Venue Shield for complex sites, Edu Shield for schools and universities, Refresh Shield to keep knowledge current, and Recover Shield to support media handling and counselling after a shock. Throughout, the focus stays human: clear roles, calm communication, and no-blame learning that helps people perform when seconds matter. If you manage a building, run events, or lead a team, this is your blueprint to prepare, protect, respond, and recover with purpose. Subscribe, share with a colleague who owns a venue or workspace, and leave a review telling us the first drill you’ll run this quarter.

    28 min

  8. JAN 15

    How A SSAS Pension Funded A Boutique Apart-Hotel And Flexible Workspace In Stirling

    A derelict department store, a bold pension strategy, and a belief that buildings should trade like living ecosystems. We sit down with Neil to share how we transformed 45 King Street into a boutique apart-hotel and flexible workspace that runs on smart tech, focused design, and community energy. We trace the leap from three decades in corporate sales to a SaaS pension-backed acquisition, breaking down how an OpCo/PropCo structure and VAT registration funded a full fit-out without bank finance. On the workspace floor, licences replace leases, soundproofing and climate control lift the bar, and co-working acts as an incubator rather than a crutch. When bigger suites proved slow to move, we pivoted them into a thriving events business, adding steady weekday demand and opening the doors to local organisations, exhibitions, and workshops. Upstairs, fifteen boutique rooms and suites anchor a tech-enabled apart-hotel experience. There’s no front desk and no restaurant; instead, guests get quality essentials, tight partnerships with local food and laundry, and a QR “cube” that connects everything from breakfast to support in seconds. A six–six–six–six comms cadence keeps service personal and consistent. Summer occupancy climbed past 70 percent, and a growing pipeline of pre-booked coach tours stabilises seasonality while B2C channels fill nightly gaps. We also get candid about the tough parts: late-stage compliance changes, nine months of delays, and the real cost of lost trading days. The lesson lands hard—add contingency for both money and months, and build early alignment with building control and fire safety. If you’re curious about SaaS pensions, flexible workspace operations, boutique hospitality, or how to monetise a multi-use asset with one empowered team member and the right tech stack, this conversation maps the playbook and the pitfalls. Subscribe, share with a fellow operator or investor, and leave a review—what strategy would you try first?

    53 min
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About

The Stirling Business Podcast is recorded at Studio King Street in Stirling and produced by Johnston Media (Crieff) Our aim is to produce interesting podcasts

Information

  • Creator
    Various
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    19
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Stirling Business Podcast
  • Show Website
    The Stirling Business Podcast