Scale Her Up: Female business stories and expert tips for business growth and success
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...
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From Power Washers to People Power – Family Business, Resilience and Confidence with Liz Carnie of PWS
<p>In this episode of Scale HER Up – The Female Entrepreneur Show, I’m joined by Liz Carnie, director of PWS(formerly Power Washer Services), a second-generation family business started by her dad over 40 years ago. From one man and a van to a team of 28 covering all of Scotland, PWS now supplies and services power washers, compressors, generators, heaters and more – with a reputation built on backup service, not just sales. </p><p>Liz shares how she went from RAF police and policing in England to “helping dad out for a bit” in 1990, only to discover a whole new world of b...
Healthy Body, Healthy Mind, Healthy Business – HR, Menopause and Holding Space with Kim Woolner
<p>In this episode of Scale HER Up – The Female Entrepreneur Show, Dr Brtenda Hector is joined by Kim Woolner, an independent HR consultant, founder of Holding Space, certified menopause coach and part-time team member at the Russell Anderson Foundation in Aberdeen. With more than 25 years in HR across energy, construction and other male-dominated industries, Kim brings a powerful mix of professional expertise and lived experience to the conversation.</p><p>Kim talks about juggling multiple roles – HR consultancy, wellbeing work, a charitable foundation, board positions and professional bodies – while navigating menopause and protecting her own energy. She shares why her mo...
The High-Performing Virus: Paula Paterson on Transforming Culture from Within
<p>In this episode of Scale HER Up – The Female Entrepreneur Show, I’m joined by Paula Paterson, Founder and Solutions Director at FidesOak, a consultancy specialising in organisational cultural transformation in high-hazard industries. Paula explains how FidesOak helps leaders build high-performing teams that act like a “high-performing virus” inside an organisation – spreading better habits, psychological safety and performance from the inside out. Paula Paterson Edited</p><p>We talk about measuring culture rather than guessing, why diagnostics matter more than scattergun initiatives, and how FidesOak’s habits framework turns good intentions into repeatable, sustainable behaviour. Paula shares the idea of cultural...
Be the Master of Your Own Destiny – Career Pivots, Investment & Confidence with Fiona Duguid
<p>In this episode of Scale HER Up – The Female Entrepreneur Show, I’m joined by Fiona Duguid, co-founder of Indigo Seven Ventures, Chief Information Officer at Aurora Energy Services, and the portfolio lead for Expo Design – a business creating sustainable exhibition and display solutions using engineered fibreboard made from recycled cardboard. Fiona describes how Indigo Seven Ventures invests with a focus on sustainability and “doing good in the world,” while she splits her time between fast-growth energy services and a greener alternative to traditional MDF exhibition builds. </p><p>Fiona’s career path is anything but linear. She started in medicine, switch...
From Graduate Surveyor to Board Director – Commercial Property & Confidence with Iona Foubister
<p>In this episode of Scale HER Up – The Female Entrepreneurs Show, I’m joined by Iona Foubister, Director and Building Surveyor at FG Burnett, a long-established firm of chartered surveyors and commercial property consultants based in Aberdeen. Iona lifts the lid on what FG Burnett actually does – from those “For Sale” and “To Let” boards you see around town, to building surveys, schedules of condition, property management, valuations and rating advice. </p><p>If you’ve never leased or bought commercial space before, this conversation is a must-listen. Iona explains why taking professional advice before you sign a lease or purchase agreement...
Rethink Accountancy: Building a Remote, Paperless Firm with Alana Innes
<p>On this episode of Scale HER Up – The Female Entrepreneur Show, I’m joined by Alana Innes, founder of Rethink Accountancy – a fully digital, remote-first accountancy practice that was paperless and cloud-based long before it became the norm. After 20 years in traditional firms and being told she had to be in the office, Alana walked away from corporate life to design a business that fits the way she wants to live and work. </p><p>What started as “just enough for travel beer tokens” has grown into a team of around 18, supporting SMEs and e-commerce brands all over the UK with bookkeepi...
From Expat to Expert: Mary Smith on 30 Years of Relocation Scotland
<p>In this episode of Scale Her Up, Brenda Hector sits down with Mary Smith, founder of Relocation Scotland, who has spent 30 years helping individuals and families relocate to Scotland and call it home. From housing and schools to bank accounts and culture shock, Mary and her team support people through every step of a global move. </p><p>Mary shares how her own experiences living abroad in Zambia, South Africa, Australia and Singapore led her to spot a gap in support for expats and ultimately build a relocation business in Aberdeen. She explains the difference between working for landlords v...
Monotropism, Meltdowns & Managing Change – Building Neuro-Inclusive Workplaces with Marion McLaughlin
<p>In this powerful episode of Scale HER Up – The Female Entrepreneurs Show, I’m joined by Marion McLaughlin, founder of Aurora – an autistic-led business that supports organisations to better understand and work with autistic and neurodivergent people. After years in the third sector delivering “womb to tomb” services for autistic people, Marion hit burnout trying to juggle passion with an unsustainable workload. Starting a business was never on their to-do list – yet Aurora has become the most aligned, impactful way for them to use their lived and professional experience. </p><p>Marion is autistic, non-binary and disabled, and brings a deeply intersecti...
Put Yourself on Your Own Calendar: Patricia Noel Drain on Working Less, Making More (After 50)
<p>Patricia Noel Drain, founder of Patricia Drain & Associates, author of 14 books, former teacher and executive recruiter turned mentor for women 50+. Patricia helps female entrepreneurs over 50 work less and make more—doing what they love. We talk reinvention, building saleable businesses with systems (she created 27 to step out of day-to-day), and designing life around freedom, not busyness. She shares the health scare that forced a reset, the power of digital productsand high-ticket offers, and why women must give themselves permission to earn well. Expect practical prompts to find your zone of genius, say no to misfit work, and—above all—put yoursel...
“You Can’t Fail an Experiment”: Liz Clayton-Jones on People-First Growth, Saying No, and Leading Through Menopause
<p>Liz Clayton-Jones, founder of Beehive Performance, advanced strengths coach and former corporate leader. Liz helps science, research and manufacturing teams become truly high-performing by putting people at the heart of every success. She shares her leap from 31 years in corporate to building a business from the heart (not just the head), why she once walked away from a signed contract that wasn’t a values fit, and how an experimentation mindset (“you can’t fail an experiment—you only get unexpected outcomes”) unlocks progress in life and work. We dig into inclusive teams (including neurodiversity), strengths-based leadership, and practical ways to suppor...
