Entrepreneurialism is one of Scotland's best attributes. If it could be bottled it would sell all over the world. Here's a fuller flavour from some Scotland's finest entrepreneurs.
Scotland has a beating heart as an enterprising nation - and it has never missed a beat in conceiving, developing and perfecting its business ingenuity throughout the centuries. Scotland is a country of bankers, builders, movers and shakers, not to mention games designers and movie-makers. That's why it succeeds with a 'global' reputation for entrepreneurialism.
Take a look at some of the amazing entrepreneurs setting up shop around Scotland today.
Cheeky by name and cheeky by nature, Cheeky Chompers offers a cute solution for babies' ‘artistic' teething habits. The 'world’s first chewable dribble bib' is the brainchild of two enterprising mothers, Julie Wilson and Amy Livingstone. They had their 'eureka moment' when their babies kept throwing their teethers on the ground and they came up with an innovation that the pair (and their kids) could really get their teeth into - Literally! Today Cheeky Chompers are made in Scotland and sold across 35 different countries all over the world, under a 70% export business. Judging by the smiles on their faces, it’s clear the two businesswomen love being entrepreneurs. And this enterprising spirit mirrors a kindred spirit for millions more mummies all over the world.
Borders Distillery embodies an enterprising spirit in both senses of the word: Firstly through its wonderful whisky products, and secondly through its ambition to be 'the number one distillery in the Borders.' Like its whisky, the distiller's spirited ethos thrives on business acumen: to exploit Scotland’s finest ingredients, its world-class location, state-of-the-art premises and a skilled manufacturing workforce. Co-founder, John Fordyce, has one simple dream - he wants his distillery to take top spot in southern Scotland. That's well worth raising a dram to, don’t you think?
Keen on clean and green recycling opportunities, PG Papers, based in Greenock, Scotland, discovered a niche market that has transformed the enterprising firm into a global trading company. Headed up by Poonam Gupta, CEO, who always had a passion to run her own business, it now exports to around 60 countries. The majority of the paper products handled by PG come from sustainable forestry, and its green ethics involve turning ‘waste into cash’ by replacing unsustainable plastic products. Poonam believes Scotland has fantastic credentials for people to become entrepreneurs, and 'take charge of their own destiny.'
£1.5 million per hour! That’s how much diabetes costs the UK's National Health Service (NHS). My Way Digital, a start-up from Dundee University, is helping the service to cut these unhealthy costs by developing an online self help management platform for diabetes sufferers. Today, with over 40,000 registered users, it draws on Scotland's brilliant tech and talent infrastructure that's accessible anywhere in the world. The 'My Diabetes, My Way' platform is now fighting fit on the market after 13 years of R&D behind it. CEO Debbie Wake believes her system is the only self management platform in the world that scales an entire nation. She considers Scotland to be an ideal size for entrepreneurs, with a ‘unique ecosystem' that’s unparalleled anywhere else. And that's a shot in the arm for Scottish entrepreneurialism .
Inspired from thousands of miles away in Africa, Drink Baotic is a healthy alternative to some of Scotland’s ‘more traditional fare’. The drink is a dairy-free, high fibre prebiotic drink conceived by Isatou Njai, who hails from The Gambia, and her partner, Paul Blackler. Innovation flows through veins of these two entrepreneurs: Isatou developed the idea for the multicultural drink in her third year at university. Together, the partners run Hippo and Hedgehog Limited, and both believe that Scotland offers a 'really vibrant start-up ecosystem', especially in colleges and universities. The beverage business says it’s 'really proud' to be a company with a purpose, valuing innovation, creativity, heath and ethical sustainability.
We’ll drink to that!
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