Give to gain - International Women's Day 2026

"When I look back on my career, it didn’t begin in a council chamber or a boardroom. It began in muddy fields and early mornings.

I started out self-employed as an equestrian coach in the late 80s and early 90s, long before I ever considered politics or public leadership. Running your own business teaches you quickly that nobody is coming to fix things for you. You either step forward or you stand still.

Then life happened. Family, children, caring responsibilities -all the roles many women juggle without a second thought. I took time out to be a stay-at-home mum, something I still consider one of the most valuable jobs I’ve ever done. But the turning point came in the early 2000s, during what felt like a perfect storm.

As a farming family, we were hit hard by the foot and mouth crisis. At the same time, rural schools faced closure and local services were under pressure. I remember sitting at the kitchen table reading the local paper and thinking, I can either complain about this, or I can get up and try to change it.

So, I did.

That decision took me into politics and, eventually, into leadership roles I never imagined for myself, including council leadership and now chairing the board of Business Gateway. Nearly two decades on, I’ve never regretted it.

But that doesn’t mean it’s been easy.

Leadership is demanding, relentless and, at times, lonely. There were moments of doubt, particularly in the most senior roles. You carry responsibility for people, budgets and communities. You question yourself. You wonder if you’re the right person for the job.

What gets you through isn’t ego, it’s resilience and support. I’ve learned not to carry everything alone and not to take every setback personally. No leader has a monopoly on good ideas. The strongest ones ask for help.

And that, for me, is where this year’s International Women’s Day theme, Give to Gain, really resonates.

Throughout my career, people have quietly backed me, whether that was colleagues, mentors, family, other women in leadership who said, “Go on, you can do this.” That investment mattered. It built confidence I might not have found on my own.

Now, it’s my responsibility to give that same support to others.

I’ve been fortunate because I’ve rarely felt held back because I’m a woman. But I know many women still face barriers that men simply don’t encounter in the same way. Caring responsibilities, confidence gaps, access to finance, the feeling that you must do everything – and do it perfectly, all at once.

Too often, women underestimate the very qualities that make them strong leaders.

Empathy, collaboration and the ability to juggle competing demands, listening before acting and creating workplaces that flex around real life.

These aren’t “soft” skills, they’re critical leadership skills.

In my experience, women are often exceptional at nurturing teams, solving problems pragmatically and building supportive networks rather than competing for the spotlight. That culture of lifting others up is powerful and it’s exactly what helps businesses survive and grow.

It’s also why the work we do at Business Gateway matters so much.

Across Scotland, we see women with brilliant ideas who simply need the right support and reassurance to take the first step. Sometimes it’s practical help, building a business plan, understanding the local market, accessing workshops or one-to-one advice. Sometimes it’s just hearing someone say: yes, you can do this.

Through local advisers, mentoring, webinars and tailored programmes such as the InspireHER programme which kicks off this week, we aim to meet women where they are, whether they’re testing an idea at the kitchen table or ready to scale an established business.

Because starting or running a business shouldn’t feel like going it alone.

My advice to any woman thinking about it is simple: talk to people, do the research, build a realistic three, or five-year plan, use the support that’s there and most importantly, back yourself.

What’s the worst that can happen? You learn something and try again.

But if you never try, you might spend the next ten years wondering “what if?”

If my journey has taught me anything, it’s that progress comes when we stop waiting for permission. When we step forward and when we hold the door open for the women coming behind us.

That’s what give to gain really means.

When we invest in other women, with time, advice, mentoring or encouragement, we don’t lose anything. We strengthen our communities, our economy and our future.

And that’s a gain for everyone."