The Things I Learned From The World's Greatest...

...Living Explorer. Sir Ranulph Fiennes. What a man – and I was lucky enough to be near the front in the big tent at the Fringe by the Sea to hear him speak about his 78 years of adventure. I paraphrase a little but, having been so inspired by his words, I wanted to share some of them with you.

Could You Do More To Support Your Female Workforce?

If the answer is yes, or even maybe, then why not consider putting them forward for this superb course? What’s more, it’s entirely FREE! The Be Your Best Self personal development programme for Women in Agriculture is an integral part of the Scottish Government’s vision to make Scottish agriculture a fairer, more inclusive industry where business succession is not determined by gender, training is accessible to everyone, and more women take on senior roles.

New Leadership Programme Open For Applications

The forthcoming Growing Tomorrow’s Leaders programme, developed by SAOS (Scotland’s experts on farmer co-ops and food industry collaboration), along with partners NFU Mutual, NFU Scotland and The Leadership Factory is seeking the leaders of tomorrow.

Cats, Cousins and Customers – they're not just for Christmas!

Do you have an address book full of names that you only ever write to at Christmas? Perhaps you only hear from some relatives when you receive their annual 'Round Robin'? Apart from the fact that once a year is far too infrequent to keep you in the recipient's mind, December is such a busy time that any communication sent that month may be quickly forgotten about in the festive mayhem.

Back in the groove

So…..were you there? Did you have fun? After a long wait, the Royal Highland Show returned with gusto and what a weekend it was. My feet hurt, my back hurts and, if it could, I’m sure my liver would be hurting too! The perfect blend of work and pleasure, there’s no doubting that the Highland Show is a world-beating event and that most of us would be lost without it. Yes, they could maybe do with a few more loos in the new Members Pavilion (😉) but well done to the whole team for bringing us all together again and hosting a truly superb four days.

Life's Too Short to Stuff a Mushroom

I admit it – I can sometimes be a little materialistic! I love my neon pink leather sandals and my Volvo! But as well as the luxuries, there are certain things which, quite simply, make my life easier, more pleasurable, or save me time - and I thought I’d share them with you (in the hope that you might share your tips in return….??)

Do you love it or hate it?

Networking. The word brings me out in a cold sweat. The idea of sidling up to people I don’t know, and who already look happy in the conversation they are having, makes me feel awkward and rude. I even once went to a workshop which taught people how to sidle up in the most polite way possible. I still felt stupid!

What’s the hardest question you’ve ever been asked?

I’m hoping that this week you might be able to help us with a bit of research – and perhaps help out the farming/rural sector more generally at the same time. As many of you will know, farmers and land managers don’t always get an easy ride in the media and can sometimes wrongly be portrayed as the bad guys in certain circumstances – the climate change debate for example.

How much do you have?

Self-confidence. Some have it, some don’t and some of us are somewhere in between. We’ve all heard of Imposter Syndrome and we all know someone with far too much confidence – so how do we find that middle ground where we have the confidence to forge ahead with our goals and ambitions, all the time making sure that we aren’t being thought of as arrogant or rude?

Micro-Marketing Tips

We've put together a list of easy to implement, free or low-cost 'micro-marketing' tips: Update your Email Signature - When did you last change your email signature? Your business email signature is perfect for promoting your website, social media, podcast or changes to opening hours. Make the most of your Google Business Profile - more than a business listing, your free Business Profile lets you easily connect with customers across Google Search and Maps.

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