Sunshine, rolling hills, manicured gardens, a dreamy spa (yes, we swooned) and five-star charm, our Women on Top event in the stunning Scottish Borders was a dream. Hosted at the luxurious SCHLOSS Roxburghe hotel, it was a day to remember.
We brought together an inspiring bunch of women from Kelso, Galashiels, Jedburgh, Selkirk and beyond. There were new faces, new connections, plenty of laughter and the kind of energy that sparks fresh ideas and future partnerships. The power of egg was well and truly in the air.
Our fabulous hosts, egg head Kylie and Borders Lead Claire Drynan (founder of Spark Dot Grow) welcomed everyone with warmth and wit. We were lucky enough to hear from two brilliant women: Lauren Jamieson of The Colourful Edit, and Emily McGowan, founder of McGowan Marketing. Both shared stories centred around visibility, building community, and the importance of finding your cheerleaders.
Emily’s Story: After 17 years in the corporate world and feeling increasingly disillusioned, Emily made a bold move, she walked out of her job the day before her 44th birthday and never looked back. In 2017, she launched McGowan Marketing, a female-led, three-generation family business based in Galashiels.
Emily’s all about giving Borders businesses the kind of marketing expertise usually found in the big cities. “End-to-end, under one roof.” She’s also an advocate of Mel Robbins’ “Let them” theory and knows the value of being seen, not just on social media, but by the right people, at the right time.
“What does ‘being seen’ actually mean? It’s not about a number on social media. They’re vanity metrics. Those numbers are not reflective of how seen you actually are. Real visibility is about being seen by the right people, at the right time,” she told us. Her advice? Build a strong support base, have a sounding board and keep evolving. “You’re the master of your own universe.”
Lauren’s Journey: Lauren, a stylist with a passion for colour, has had quite the adventure. From working in New Zealand (where she once rubbed baby oil on rugby legend Dan Carter and was a hand model for Nestlé!) to the Scottish Borders, she’s lived a life full of creativity. After years in marketing and creative services, she decided to slow down, start styling, and bring colour into people’s lives, literally.
“Editing life with a splash of colour is my mantra,” she shared. She started by making colourful necklaces, which sparked a community of makers. Since then, she’s styled over 600 people. Her goal? Help people rediscover their sparkle.
“You can be creative and successful,” she said. “You don’t have to follow the traditional path. Surround yourself with the right people and find those who lift you up. Whether they're 17 or 70, having cheerleaders makes all the difference.”
After the talks, we enjoyed a networking lunch at Charlie’s Bistro, featuring the summer set menu from Executive Chef Dan. The Ragout of Plaice and Courgette with Champagne sauce and lemon balm? Divine. Definitely the egg seal of approval.
Of course, we couldn’t resist a dip in the spa pool afterwards (it was a hard day’s work, promise). Outdoor heated pool, hot tub, plunge pool, saunas… pure bliss.
Huge thanks to SCHLOSS Roxburghe hotel for their exceptional hospitality, to our brilliant Borders Lead Claire Drynan, and to our event sponsors FreeAgent, we couldn’t do it without you.
We’ll definitely be back. Until then, keep connecting, collaborating and cheering each other on.
Hope to see you at our next egg event. Book tickets here.
