Client Stories
The GrowBiz community is a diverse and inspiring mix of businesses from across rural Scotland; read some of their stories here, and discover an insight into what makes these businesses and their owners tick.
Laura Grace Caldwell
Laura is a young entrepreneur who runs a successful business creating jewellery with polymer clay. She has a background in theatre design. Here, she shares her inspiring story.
Ross Padgett
Ross Padgett was inspired to create his Dinosuits by his work as a teacher. “One of the things I enjoyed the most was making engaging educational resources for my lessons, many of which students and parents loved,” he says.
Roberta Pederzoli
Roberta had the idea for her jewellery business several few years ago, when she was playing in a park in Italy with her daughter. They were making necklaces and little crowns by joining daisies together, as she used to do as a child.
Jedidiah Benaviharuchot
As with many self employed business owners, the catalyst for Jedidiah to start JB Roadcraft was that he didn’t enjoy job in retail furniture and clothing management, so decided in the summer of 2017 to pursue his long-held desire of being his own boss.
Helen O'Brien
After establishing and running a similar two-year pilot project for young creatives as part of the lead up to Perth Creative Exchange and The Famous Grouse Ideas Centre opening, Helen decided to take the model of forward and founded Creative Catalyst Scotland, a social enterprise which supports young people into creative careers.
Rosie Baxendine
Rosie Baxendine moved to Perthshire in 2004 and fell in love with the wilderness. She explored the landscape by horse, walking or running. She discovered the joy of cycling off-road in 2016 and started ‘bikepacking’ (exploring by bike) around the UK. Having found her passion, she decided to become a cycle guide and started a business under her name.
Macnaughtons of Pitlochry
Macnaughtons of Pitlochry is a family-run shop dating back to 1835. With a long and busy tourism season, selling online was never a priority, until Covid-19 forced the shop to close. Owner Jenni Moncrieff, explains how she adapted as coronavirus wiped out her trade before the flagship shop reopened at the end of June.
Adele Hamilton and Marlene White
Adele Hamilton and Marlene White are trained personal stylists and run Integro Image Consultants together.
Jenna McDonald
Jenna McDonald is a jewellery designer based in the Perth Creative Exchange run by WASPS. Jenna creates contemporary jewellery for galleries and offers regular jewellery making workshops, sharing her knowledge of her craft with students of all ages from her bright and airy new studio space.
Cornelia Weinmann
Cornelia Weinmann is a textile designer with a fine arts background who upcycles fabric and furniture. Her home-based studio is in Kettins near Coupar Angus in east Perthshire.
Kirsty Lunn
Rural Perthshire-based Molke manufactures and supplies positive pants and confidence-boosting bras to women all over the world using ethically produced materials.
Nathan & Abigail Shepherd
Husband and wife team Nathan and Abigail Shepherd run The Perthshire Magazine, a monthly digital publication featuring local businesses and events. In just two years the pair built up a audience of some 30,000 hits per issue.
Adam & Rose Baxendine
Husband and wife team Adam and Rosie Baxendine run Aikenhead House, a retreat on the outskirts of Blairgowrie which offers guests a place to escape from it all either by relaxing by the fire or using it as a base to explore rural Perthshire.
Clare Standen
Longforgan-based Claire Standen is a life coach who aims to help women build resilience through coaching and Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP). She works with individuals and organisations offering workshops, talks, online webinars and one-to-one sessions.
Susie Black
Susie Black is a personal trainer and Pilates instructor based in Coupar Angus.
Kaja Ekiert
Pitlochry-based Kaja Ekiert runs Handam Refill Station, a zero-waste shop that offers affordable refills of dry foods and household liquids and reusable products all of which reduce waste.
Anna Malyon
Crieff-based artist and printmaker Anna Malyon runs Coppertop Croft, producing a range of homewares featuring her own contemporary designs for the wholesale gift and tourism markets.
Grant Murdoch
Grant Murdoch is the driving force behind the Coupar Angus Cycling Hub, a social enterprise that aims to get more people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds on bikes.
Sholach Trees
Family-run business Sholach Farm on the outskirts of Blairgowrie offers locally-grown Christmas trees.