Interview: Gail Macgregor, chair of Business Gateway, on helping foster female entrepreneurship

Business Gateway has also just revealed survey findings showing sentiment among women business-leaders.

Gail Macgregor is the chair of Business Gateway, Scotland’s free national business advisory service delivered by local authorities, as well as the Cosla spokesperson for environment and economy, and has served as a councillor for the Annandale North Ward in Dumfries and Galloway since 2007.

Business Gateway has also, to coincide with International Women’s Day (IWD) today, released survey findings showing that about six in ten female entrepreneurs are confident over their firm’s outlook for the next three years – but 35 per cent cited a lack of funding as their biggest challenge when starting out. Macgregor said: “We want to champion the inspiring women driving forward the small business community in Scotland, recognising the impact they have on the country’s economy.”

Could you give a summary of your career, and how this helped you develop skills useful to you as chair of Business Gateway?

Macgregor says she has met people from all walks of life, 'many of whom are business-owners, which has been vital to understanding what operators are facing'. Picture: contributed.

I started my career in a very different field, working as a senior equestrian coach between the UK and the US, inspired by my rural upbringing in Lockerbie. I went to the University of Glasgow, and my studies encouraged my interest in politics. I was first elected as a Conservative councillor in Dumfries & Galloway in 2007, and since then have held positions including business manager to the Council Administration Group. I’m currently leader of the Conservative Group on Dumfries & Galloway Council.

I was particularly inspired by some of my early work, including the creation of a scheme to assist in the rehabilitation of young offenders, looking at what can happen when the right opportunities are presented.

The variety of roles I’ve held means I have also had the chance to meet and engage with people from all walks of life, many of whom are business-owners, which has been vital to understanding what operators are facing in the good times and the bad. Through my work as a trustee for the likes of D&G Childcare Partnership, I’ve had the opportunity to see first-hand the need for support, education and free services, which have been fundamental learning tools in my role with Business Gateway.

As someone entrenched in the community in Dumfries & Galloway, what challenges but also opportunities (such as mixed digital connectivity) do you think are high up on the agenda for Scotland’s rural firms?

Business Gateway has found that about six in ten female entrepreneurs are confident over their firm’s outlook for the next three years (file image). Picture: Getty Images/iStockphoto.

While some circumstances are heightened, rural areas do face many of the same economic challenges as the rest of Scotland. Many aspects of rural business are positive, such as quality of life and high staff loyalty. However, rural businesses are currently having to face issues with sparse and reducing populations, distance from markets, fewer job opportunities, and limited availability of development sites.

Having a network is a key part of doing business in rural areas, and that is where support systems such as Business Gateway can be a lifeline. Our team of advisers, located in every local authority in Scotland, are local people who are well networked and knowledgeable, whether that is for a business seeking advice on access to funding, regional events, or government-backed initiatives that can help to develop and enhance their operations.

What is your view of the significance of IWD, and what are your thoughts on this year's theme, which is Inspire Inclusion?

It is important to mark IWD, as it reminds us to check on the progress female-owned businesses are making. That is important, because the contribution of women-led businesses to the Scottish economy is substantial.

Estimates suggest that businesses led by women contribute at least £5 billion in gross value added. If rates of women-led businesses equalled those of men, this would equate to 5.3 per cent growth of the Scottish economy, but men are still almost twice as likely to start businesses as their female peers.

That is why this year’s theme of Inspire Inclusion is such an important message, as it is a call to encourage females to consider the opportunities in their future, and remind them of the network that surrounds them. I believe a sense of community can be the first step to having the confidence to consider what an idea might become, especially in entrepreneurship.

Why is Scotland a good place to be a woman in business, and can you give some examples of how Business Gateway has helped foster female-led firms?

Scotland is a good place to do business for anyone. There is a positive culture for fostering connections and supporting one another, especially in tough times. Resilience has been a key characteristic of the last few years amid the difficult economic landscape, and it is great to see that female-operated businesses are continuing to come through via enquiries to the Business Gateway service.

One of my favourite stories from last year was the success of Hannah Fisher, founder of Inverclyde-based Tongue in Peat, which is behind the world’s first peat-smoked tomato juice. With help from Business Gateway, including preparing her business plan and creating a marketing strategy, Hannah has already grown her client base and made noise in the food and drink industry where Scotland thrives.

Hannah is just one example of many inspirational women who have found their niche, put in place a side hustle, spotted a gap in the market, or come up with an idea in their living room, and with our support have been able to take the next steps.

There is always more than can be done, and that can only be achieved by setting standards of what businesses expect from their country and organisations such as Business Gateway. We rely heavily on the feedback of businesses to shape the service, and it is guided by the bigger requirements of the country too – whether that’s ensuring a focus on net zero and embedding sustainable mindsets in new starts, to building confidence in seeking funding, especially for women-led businesses where we know this can present bigger issues.