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

Brenda Hector
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Weekly

If you are a female business owner, self-employed freelancer, or girl boss who wants to build a successful business i.e. work less hours, make more money, and get better results from your staff, then this is the podcast for you. Hosted by Dr Brenda Hector MBA from ActionCOACH UK, this podcast provides relatable and accessible business advice and inspiration from successful businesswomen who have been there and done it before you. This podcast is where you can • hear female business stories • share business success • learn how to overcome business challenges • get advice for businesswomen aspiring to success • find out what needs to change • discover how we can bring about that business revolution Only 1 in 3 UK entrepreneurs are female. UK men are 5 times more likely than women to build a business of over £1million turnover If UK women matched UK men in starting and scaling businesses, it would add £250 billion to the UK economy (Alison Rose, The Rose Review of Female Entrepreneurship 2018) As a woman in business, a business coach, and a business growth expert, Brenda’s mission is to help business owners grow their companies, achieve their goals and live the lifestyle of their dreams. She's the help you need to grow your business.

  1. From Office Junior at 17 to MD and Co-Owner: Michelle Quinn on Engineering, Grit and the Management Buyout She Completed Two Weeks After Giving Birth

    7h ago

    From Office Junior at 17 to MD and Co-Owner: Michelle Quinn on Engineering, Grit and the Management Buyout She Completed Two Weeks After Giving Birth

    In this episode of Scale HER Up, I'm joined by Michelle Quinn — Managing Director and co-owner of Almond Engineering, a precision engineering company based in Livingston, West Lothian. Michelle started at Almond as a 17-year-old on a three-week temporary contract. She had no qualifications, no idea what engineering was, and no particular plan. Twenty-one years later, she owns the company. This is one of the most extraordinary journeys I've heard on this podcast — and Michelle tells it with complete honesty, including the parts that were hard. We cover: - What Almond Engineering does and the range of industries it serves - How Michelle went from office junior to MD without a degree or formal training - The moment at 17 she told the founder she'd be the first female MD — and why they both laughed - What it's like being a young woman in a heavily male-dominated industry — and how she built respect from the ground up - The management buyout she completed less than two weeks after having her first child - How she funded the MBO — and what the process actually looked like - Being a self-described workaholic and what having a family changed - Introducing flexible working into an engineering company — and why it's the best thing they've ever done - Why she'll hoover the office, do deliveries and do whatever it takes — and why that matters - What needs to change to get more women into engineering **Quote of the episode:** *"I'll be the first female MD in this company."* — Michelle Quinn, age 17 (she was right) If you're someone who has been told there's only one path to success — or you're building something in an industry that wasn't built with you in mind — this episode is for you.

    40 min
  2. From Home Brew to 6,000 Hectoliters: Fiona MacEachern on Beer, Grit and Building a Business That's Truly Yours

    2d ago

    From Home Brew to 6,000 Hectoliters: Fiona MacEachern on Beer, Grit and Building a Business That's Truly Yours

    In this episode of Scale HER Up, I'm joined by Fiona MacEachern, Managing Director of Loch Lomond Brewery and Levenbank Distillery — a business she started from scratch with her husband in 2011, home brewing for fun, and has grown into a 15-strong team producing 6,000 hectoliters of beer a year, alongside gin, vodka, rum and their own whiskey barrels. This is one of those conversations that stays with you. Fiona is honest, direct and refreshingly no-nonsense — about what it really takes to build a business from nothing, what happened when she faced cancer treatment while running the company, and why not doing something is always worse than trying and failing. We cover: - How Loch Lomond Brewery started from home brewing and became a brewery, distillery and taproom - Growing from one employee to 15 — and why building trust takes time - Why Fiona gave up a career as a police officer to start the business (and what finally pushed her over the edge) - Working with her husband and the boundaries that have kept the marriage intact for 25 years - Cash flow as the constant challenge — and how crowdfunding raised £250,000 to fund their expansion - Managing the business through cancer treatment — and why coming to work was her support network - What it's like to be a woman in the brewing industry - The natural progression from beer to spirits — and how selling whiskey barrels helped fund the distillery - Her honest, respectful take on BrewDog and what they did for the Scottish brewing industry - What's next for Loch Lomond Brewery and Levenbank Distillery **Quote of the episode:** *"If you do it and fail, that's a good thing. Not doing it is not a good thing — because you've never achieved your full potential."* — Fiona MacEachern If you're thinking about starting something, scaling something, or just wondering whether all the hard work is worth it — this episode will remind you that it is.

    32 min
  3. 40 Years, Three Generations and a Rugby Cap: Mary Pat McFarlane on Loyalty, Leadership and Saying Yes

    Jun 19

    40 Years, Three Generations and a Rugby Cap: Mary Pat McFarlane on Loyalty, Leadership and Saying Yes

    In this episode of Scale HER Up, I'm joined by Mary Pat McFarlane, Director of VMH Solicitors — a firm celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, with staff members who have been there since day one. Mary Pat has been with VMH for 22 years, progressing from assistant solicitor to associate to partner to director. She's also a former Scotland international rugby player who credits the sport with shaping how she leads, prepares and builds teams to this day. This is a conversation full of practical wisdom — about what genuinely great staff retention looks like, why acting decisively in a crisis matters, and why the best networks sometimes come from places you'd never expect. We cover: - What makes VMH Solicitors genuinely special — including a team member who's been there since day one 40 years ago - How over two-thirds of their business comes from repeat clients — including three generations of the same family - What they actually look for when hiring (and why cultural fit matters as much as competence) - Mary Pat's career journey from junior solicitor to director, including stepping back during the 2008 crash - What she's learned about herself as a leader — and why people management was the hardest part - The transferable skills from playing rugby for Scotland: preparation, team dynamics and working toward a common goal with people you wouldn't always choose - How competitiveness can be both a superpower and a challenge in leadership - Where she gets support — and why her biggest network came from rugby, not traditional business circles - Her perspective on being a woman in law: why she's never felt held back, and what that tells us - The advice she'd give her 18-year-old self — and why it all started at the first week of university **Quote of the episode:** *"Fail to prepare, prepare to fail. It's all about the preparation."* — Mary Pat McFarlane Whether you're building a team, leading through a crisis, or wondering whether your personal network is your greatest untapped business asset — this episode has something for you.

    27 min
  4. There's No Right Time: Anne Wright on Starting From Scratch, MTD and Building a Business You Love

    Jun 15

    There's No Right Time: Anne Wright on Starting From Scratch, MTD and Building a Business You Love

    In this episode of Scale HER Up, I'm joined by Anne Wright, Finance Director of FBD Consultancy — a husband-and-wife accounting practice that started with no clients, no money and a house with no gable end, and has grown into a team of nine over nearly 20 years. Anne is a CIPFA-qualified accountant and a passionate advocate for small businesses. She's also spent 15 years as a QuickBooks software trainer, delivering sessions from Northern Ireland to Orkney — a journey that transformed her confidence and proved that an accountant who says yes to opportunities can end up doing far more than pushing spreadsheets. In this conversation, Anne shares honest reflections on the realities of running a finance business alongside her husband, the financial pressures hitting small businesses right now, and the simple advice she'd give to any business owner: just don't give up. We cover: - What FBD Consultancy does and the clients they work with - The real financial challenges facing small businesses right now — including rising costs, employers' national insurance and Making Tax Digital (MTD) explained clearly - The story of how FBD Consultancy started (hint: it wasn't planned) - Why there's no such thing as the right time to start a business - What nearly 20 years of working alongside your husband actually looks like - The biggest obstacle in running any business: getting paid - Why you have to build a team if you ever want your time back - How Anne went from accountant-behind-a-spreadsheet to confident public trainer - The importance of grabbing opportunities even when you're not sure you can do it - What Anne would tell her 18-year-old self — and why it's advice that's still relevant today - What's next for Anne and for FBD Consultancy **Quote of the episode:** *"Just don't give up. Put one foot in front of the other and see it through."* — Anne Wright If you're a small business owner who wants to understand your numbers better, or you're thinking about building a team and taking a step back — this episode is full of grounded, practical wisdom from someone who has lived it.

    30 min
  5. The Ripple Effect: Mindset, Leadership and Scaling with Purpose — with Julie McCann

    Jun 12

    The Ripple Effect: Mindset, Leadership and Scaling with Purpose — with Julie McCann

    In this episode of Scale HER Up, I'm joined by Julie McCann, founder and CEO of Masters in Minds Limited — a leadership, management and organisational development business with 17 years of impact behind it. Julie's story is one of real transformation. She left school at 16 with few qualifications, built her career from the ground up through corporate life, and eventually founded her own business after years of helping other organisations scale and succeed. Today she leads a team of eight full-time staff and 40 associates, and runs a platform business combining HR technology with bespoke learning and development content. In this conversation, Julie and I talk about what it really takes to build a business that changes people's lives — and why the ripple effect of great leadership is bigger than most of us realise. We cover: - What Masters in Minds does and the types of organisations that need it most - The difference between a training programme and a genuine execution strategy - Why strategy so often fails — and what it actually takes to deliver it - Running a business alongside your husband (and how they got better at the boundaries) - Juggling business and family, including self-funding both pregnancies - Why even a sales and marketing expert struggles to articulate their elevator pitch - Keeping going when the media tells you everything is doom and gloom - Why failure, resilience and the ability to bounce back are non-negotiables for any entrepreneur - The ripple effect of great leadership — and why it matters more than you think - Julie's powerful message on age: don't let it define what you can and can't do **Quote of the episode:** *"You teach best what you most need to learn."* — Julie McCann Whether you're building a team, thinking about leadership, or trying to get your strategy off the page and into action — this conversation is full of practical wisdom and honest reflection.

    34 min
  6. From Dream to Ice Cream: How Jules Fleming Turned Intuition Into a Thriving Business

    Jun 8

    From Dream to Ice Cream: How Jules Fleming Turned Intuition Into a Thriving Business

    What does it take to follow a dream — literally — and turn it into a thriving business? Jules Fleming is the co-owner of Continental Cream, an iconic ice cream and sweet shop in Banchory, Aberdeenshire, that's been delighting customers for over 40 years. Jules bought the shop five years ago after dreaming she owned it, walked in the next day, and asked the previous owners if they wanted to sell. They did. In this episode, Jules shares the honest, unfiltered journey of buying an existing business — the chaotic first summer, the 2am laptop sessions, the staffing challenges, the impact of rising minimum wages and National Insurance on small business profitability, and the slow, deliberate process of building systems so the business can run without you. She also talks about launching an events trailer, being deeply involved in the Banchory Business Association, and why she believes community involvement isn't optional — it's a duty of care. In this episode you'll hear: Why Jules trusted a dream over a business plan — and it workedHow she navigated the first summer with no prior retail experienceThe real impact of minimum wage increases on small businessesHow to manage seasonal staffing and train young employees wellThe test-and-learn approach that led to the events trailerWhy community involvement is good for business AND good for peopleHer top advice for women thinking of buying or starting a business

    40 min
  7. Two Founders, Six Boys, and One Shared Mission: Scaling Flexibly with Lisa Gallagher and Nikki Slowey

    Jun 5

    Two Founders, Six Boys, and One Shared Mission: Scaling Flexibly with Lisa Gallagher and Nikki Slowey

    What happens when you launch a workplace consultancy focused on human connection at the exact moment the entire world goes into strict isolation? In this episode, Dr Brenda Hector sits down with Lisa Gallagher and Nikki Slowey, co-founders of Flexibility Works, to explore their six-year journey running an impactful social enterprise. Both Lisa and Nikki share their matching professional histories: reaching senior levels, navigating motherhood, and hitting absolute organizational brick walls when attempting to negotiate basic part-time or job-share terms. Dr Brenda Hector also shares her personal experience navigating the rigid workplace frameworks of the past as a mother of twins. Together, they highlight why flexible working structures are no longer a modern luxury—they are a critical commercial lever that decreases employee absenteeism, supercharges retention rates, and broadens talent pools. Key Takeaways: The Power of Co-Founding: How sharing executive leadership allows business owners to manage family operations, avoid professional burnout, and survive sudden personal health challenges.Guardrails vs. Free-For-Alls: Why hybrid frameworks require clear, evolving structures instead of static policies to remain sustainable.Frontline Flexibility: How manufacturing and operational environments can successfully implement staggered start times and predictable shifts.Charitable Seed Funding: Navigating the third-sector landscape to fund an initial launch with a distinct poverty alleviation lens.

    37 min
  8. Killing the Monster Business: Finding the Courage to Exit with Oyin Adekola

    Jun 2

    Killing the Monster Business: Finding the Courage to Exit with Oyin Adekola

    What do you do when you successfully build a business that runs like a well-oiled machine without you, but your heart completely leaves the building? In this episode, Dr Brenda Hector sits down with long-time friend Oyin Adekola, founder of Keeping It Real With Oyin . Oyin opens up about her raw psychological journey of exiting her legendary Aberdeen commercial bakery enterprise, Oh Cakes!, which she grew over 13 years from a single £20 order to a multi-staff empire with its own commercial unit, receptionist, and administration team . She discusses the agonizing two-and-a-half-year period she spent mourning the business before gathering the strength to lock the doors for good to prioritize her family and personal peace . Now working as a specialized parent and youth coach, Oyin shares her core framework for family leadership and explains how she balances systems thinking with authentic communication to mentor the next generation. Key Takeaways: The Trapped Entrepreneur: How Oyin accidentally created a "monster" business that was too large to sell and too consuming to keep .Redefining Success: Why high revenues and public recognition don't matter if you are dying inside on the drive home every evening.Cultural Leadership Styles: Navigating the communication gap between straight-talking Nigerian business values and traditional Aberdeen corporate dynamics .The Family Systems Blueprint: Why your home needs clear structural systems and the three leadership hats: parent, mentor, and coach .

    45 min
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About

If you are a female business owner, self-employed freelancer, or girl boss who wants to build a successful business i.e. work less hours, make more money, and get better results from your staff, then this is the podcast for you. Hosted by Dr Brenda Hector MBA from ActionCOACH UK, this podcast provides relatable and accessible business advice and inspiration from successful businesswomen who have been there and done it before you. This podcast is where you can • hear female business stories • share business success • learn how to overcome business challenges • get advice for businesswomen aspiring to success • find out what needs to change • discover how we can bring about that business revolution Only 1 in 3 UK entrepreneurs are female. UK men are 5 times more likely than women to build a business of over £1million turnover If UK women matched UK men in starting and scaling businesses, it would add £250 billion to the UK economy (Alison Rose, The Rose Review of Female Entrepreneurship 2018) As a woman in business, a business coach, and a business growth expert, Brenda’s mission is to help business owners grow their companies, achieve their goals and live the lifestyle of their dreams. She's the help you need to grow your business.

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