“Mairi is one of a rare new kind of advisor – she has the powerful advantage of being able to combine long experience in a family business background with high- level training in her particular areas of expertise. This differentiates her from the mass of ‘advisors’ out there. Her warm but crystal clear and structured approach helps guide people through the morass of everyday distractions and enables them to move forward, step by step.”
Martin Stepek | CEO, Scottish Family Business Association
“After mediation, we cried a few happy tears. I know we still have a long way to go but it’s better progress than I could have imagined, already. Thank you, so, so much to both you and Jeremy Scuse for all your help so far. I feel the beginning of a sense of relief for the first time in a long time.”
Anonymous | 2nd Gen Hospitality Business
“I find Mairi to be both strategic and practical. She is a very useful soundboard and brings an insightful perspective with a sense of humour. Genuinely interested in people and what engages them, Mairi is a good listener and able to see the wood for the trees.”
Julie McLauchlan | Founder, Perceptive Communicators
“Mairi was clearly empathetic to our situation and could understand the issues at stake. She asked questions that led to addressing areas we’d not previously considered – a case of getting past the symptoms to discover the central issue that was the true cause of our challenges. Mairi encouraged me to think about our situation from different peoples’ perspectives and, as a result, we created some key actions that will allow us to move forwards with greater confidence.”
Craig Letton | CEO (2nd generation), Managed Response Marketing (MRM)
“We all came home from our session with Mairi with a feeling of release from recent tensions and a measured ‘togetherness’ to move onward. It was undoubtedly Mairi’s astute guidance that allowed us to achieve this and to create space for some ancient grievances to come to light, which can now be laid to rest.”
Founder (1st generation) | Generation 2 tourism business in Cairngorm National Park
“Mairi was recommended to me by a close friend who could see my perspective required freshening. I was made to feel at ease immediately by Mairi who had an intuitive understanding of what I was facing running a family business, especially as the Covid-19 pandemic hit.
The fresh perspective was in in my head but I just couldn’t see it. Mairi unlocked that during our sessions and reaffirmed that as a business owner that it’s my choice to “brave the wilderness” or not.
At the end of August 2020 as I basically started rebuilding my business. I will use all the advice and inspiration Mairi has given me to focus solely on what makes us profitable and providing a service to the best possible standard we can.
As a footnote I was also guided to an interview with Oprah Winfrey in which she says, “everyone keeps coming back to you because you’re nice and always say yes!”. Now that was a real lightbulb moment. I’d absolutely recommend Mairi to anyone who requires some refocusing, whether personally or from a business perspective. Ostensibly I believe they are inextricably linked and I have benefited on both counts and for me that’s a win-win situation and I have Mairi to thank for that.”
Kenny Watt | Managing Director (2nd generation), John Brown Caterhire Ltd, Glasgow
“You can’t put a value on the process and what it has brought us as a family was of huge value. With conflict we avoid or accommodate so the process (With Mairi) was tough at times but a worthwhile process for the family and the business and we now understand each other’s perspective more and my relationship with my dad is now much more respectful and open. As every family member became involved in our businesses in some way, this brought clarity over our roles and responsibilities to one another and the business.”
Confidential | Gen2 Northern Ireland Engineering Business
“Mairi comes with a lot of personal experience of life in the ‘family firm’ and has enhanced this knowledge and her capabilities through globally recognised educational programmes. She has a natural understanding of the sector, is happy to share her thoughts and to help other families deal with their own challenges.”
Paul Andrews | Founder, Family Business United
“Mairi worked with us in 2018 to support us in our family business through a period of transition following a succession process, and helped us to navigate through some difficult conversations – resulting in greater clarity and understanding around our individual goals and perspectives.”
Catherine Bell | CEO, Mearns & Company | 2nd Generation Family Business
“Mairi has a depth of experience and knowledge that brings significant value to any family business. For us, as a sixth generation family business, the main benefits of Mairi’s support were helping us to understand the various aspects of the role of a family non-executive director; to recognise the importance of good governance in both short and long term development of the Group; and to appreciate the relationship between the family as shareholders and the executive body running the business.”
Tim Cooper Jones | Non-executive Director (retired), Wm Jackson Food Group
“I worked alongside Mairi as a Tutor at the Institute of Directors on a Family Governance course. We designed the course from scratch and her family business experience and awareness of issues were invaluable. She prepares thoroughly, is very dependable and her coaching style is confident and encourages participation.”
Mike Willis | Head of Board Development, Institute of Directors, Scotland
“Mairi asks the right questions and has led me to very solid decisions, helping me to focus and prioritise. As a result, I have able to look at problems in different ways and find meaningful solutions. She’s quick to pinpoint the crux of a situation and never fails to leave me with helpful insights, ideas or questions to ponder.”
Kirstian Findlay | European Head of HR, Baxters Food Group
“Family business conversations can be difficult and touchy subjects, Mairi handled our internal discussions with great respect and supported our introspection.
She supported us moving into a ‘new phase’ and provided valuable support for our generational transition. Change is the ‘new normal’, and Mairi was a superb catalyst in realising our mutual ambitions.
Mairi is insightful, supportive and understanding and helped our family achieve a positive outcome.“
Dr Colin Mackenzie | FHEA, Founder, HiFi Corner, Edinburgh
“Mairi was able to create an environment where we felt able to hold ourselves to account and Mairi managed to make a shift in our environment where we can be honest, open and explain the impact of decisions on each of us. Mairi was able to move our goals forward in a meaningful way, she then professionally guides you to a place where you have clear and agreed outcomes.
I’d recommend Mairi if you feel, or anyone else involved feels uncertain or unhappy. Family dynamics are difficult and challenging because of the close relationships. If you are at the stage where you are reading this testimonial I would encourage you to take the first and hardest step, speak to Mairi and start the process, it could change your life or the life of someone you love”