What a start to 2026! In just three months, egg has brought together nearly 1,000 incredible women across Scotland. From the Borders to Dundee, Aberdeen to Edinburgh and Glasgow, we’ve been on the road, meeting the most inspiring mix of people and hearing stories that have stayed with us long after the events ended.
What made it really special is the people in the room. First-time egg attendees, long-time supporters, mothers and daughters, friends, colleagues and women who walked in feeling a bit unsure but left feeling energised, connected and part of something bigger. That shift, that spark, that sense of “I’m not doing this alone” is exactly why egg do what we do.
With the support of brilliant partners who truly align with our values, we’ve been able to bring together powerful voices, meaningful conversations and beautiful spaces where women can feel seen, supported and inspired to take their next step, whether that’s in business, career or life. And if you missed it, don’t worry. We’re only just getting started.
Here’s a look back at some of the moments that made March so special...
Edinburgh: International Women’s Day with Donna Ashworth and Trinny London
There was something really special in the air at The Balmoral Hotel. A room filled with 200 women, all there to connect, reflect and feel something real.
Scottish poet Donna Ashworth, whose words have comforted millions, brought her signature honesty and warmth. As she read from her latest work, you could feel the room soften and settle. Her poem, ‘Remember Her’ about the “little firecracker” struck a deep chord. That version of us that once said yes without hesitation. The part that hasn’t disappeared, just been quietened over time.
It became a gentle but powerful reminder that before the world shaped us, before doubt crept in, we were bold, instinctive and full of energy. And that version of us is still there, waiting to be listened to again. Not gone, just waiting to be invited back in.
“Somewhere inside of you, there’s a little firecracker… she isn’t happy about all the times you said no when you wanted to say yes.”
Donna spoke about moving forward, not by forgetting what we’ve been through, but by carrying it with us in a different way. That sense of resilience, of continuing even when life hasn’t gone to plan, landed deeply across the room.
“And on we go.”
She also reminded us of something many don’t say out loud enough. That midlife is not an ending. It’s not a slowing down. It’s a powerful, expansive chapter where we can choose differently, more honestly, more boldly. Her words around grief were especially powerful. A reminder that we don’t need to tidy it away or rush through it.
“It takes a village to raise a person. It takes a village to grieve a person. Tears are healing, they need to come out. Let yourself cry through love, let it flood your body with oxytocin. We were never really taught how to deal with grief, so we have to learn by reaching out, by talking to others who are grieving too. You can’t make that kind of pain worse. You can trigger something be being insensitive, but if you come with the right intentions, if you say, ‘I’m sorry’ and show up with care, that’s what truly matters.”
There was permission in that. Permission to feel, to lean on others, to speak up and to show up for each other with care and intention. She also challenged the idea of waiting for the right time, something so many of us fall into.
“What’s the worst that can happen? You fail. But you did it. You gave it a chance at life.”
The whole event felt like a pause and a reset. A chance to reconnect with yourself and remember what matters.
With the Trinny London team bringing fun, confidence and practical make-up and skincare tips, and the GeO Gospel Choir lifting the room with energy and music (flash mob style), it was a morning that stayed with people long after they left.
Top takeaways:
Reconnect with your inner firecracker. Let yourself feel and be supported. Stop waiting to feel ready. And trust that you can move forward, exactly as you are. Be grateful. Be present.
Aberdeen: Panel with Milly Tamati, Dr Emma Hepburn, Stacey Will and Steph Eady
Our Aberdeen Women on Top event at Union Kirk brought depth, reflection and a real sense of practicality. This was about how we grow, but also how we sustain that growth.
The panel covered everything from building a team to protecting your energy, and what it really means to show up consistently in both work and life.
Steph Eady, Co-Founder of Mission10, and Stacey Will, Founder of The Personal Growth Collective, spoke about the importance of values in building a team. Not just hiring for skill, but for alignment and culture.
“Kindness is one of the most underrated values in a team. Skills can be taught.”
It was a reminder that the environments we create matter. That people do their best work when they feel respected, supported and understood as humans first.
Milly Tamati, founder of the Generalist World, brought a bold and energising perspective on going after opportunities.
“Be embarrassingly relentless.”
Not in a forced way, but in a committed, intentional way. Following up, building relationships, staying visible and not giving up just because something didn’t land the first time. She spoke about how some of the most meaningful opportunities take time. Months, even years of connection, consistency and showing up.
Dr Emma Hepburn then brought the conversation back to something many women recognised immediately. Burnout. She described how it can show up quietly. Ongoing exhaustion that doesn’t go away with rest. A shift towards negativity where everything feels harder. And she reframed two things that many of us overlook.
“Confidence is a skill. Learning to rest is a skill.”
There was also a strong thread around visibility and connection. Social media can be powerful, but it isn’t the only way. Real conversations, real relationships, showing up in rooms like this, they still matter deeply.
Top takeaways:
Build environments rooted in kindness. Be consistent and persistent in going after what you want. Protect your energy. And invest in real connections, not just digital ones.
Dundee: Hayley Scanlan and Martel Maxwell
This event at the gorgeous V&A Dundee brought a completely different kind of energy. Vibrant, open and full of personality from the moment it began.
Scottish fashion designer Hayley Scanlan and TV presenter Martel Maxwell created a space that felt honest and real. The kind of conversation where nothing is overly polished, where the highs and the doubts sit side by side. It reminded everyone in the room that there isn’t one way to do things, and there certainly isn’t a perfect path.
Martel shared the mindset she was raised with, one that clearly shaped how she shows up in the world.
“You’re not better than anyone else, and no one’s better than you.”
It’s simple, but it removes so many of the invisible barriers we put up. It gives you permission to speak up, to take opportunities and to stop placing others on a pedestal. Hayley spoke about fear in a way that really shifted the room. Instead of something to avoid, she reframed it as something useful.
“Fear can drive ambition.”
That feeling of nerves, of uncertainty, often shows up when something matters. When you’re stretching, growing, stepping into something new. And instead of pulling back, it can be a signal to lean in.
There was also a really honest thread around confidence. That it isn’t something you either have or don’t have. It moves. It fluctuates. Some days you feel completely capable. Other days you question everything. And both are part of the process.
A moment that summed this up perfectly was meeting a woman in the audience who started her fashion styling career at 62. Ten years on, she was full of confidence, colour and energy. A real reminder that it’s never too late to begin again, and that reinvention can happen at any stage.
The conversation also touched on visibility and asking for what you want. Not waiting to be noticed but putting yourself forward. Because often, the opportunities come when you ask.
Top takeaways:
Own your space. Let fear be part of the process. Ask for what you want. And remember, your journey doesn’t have an expiry date. Don’t give up on what you want. Be persistent. Be visible. If you want something you ask. You need to put yourself out there.
Final thought
A huge thank you to every speaker for their honesty, every partner for their support, our photographers for capturing special moments, childcare providers and every woman who showed up and made these events what they were.
A special shoutout to The Ecosystem Fund, backed by the Scottish Government, for making these events possible and providing free on-site childcare.
Together, we’re breaking down barriers and building meaningful networks for women to connect, grow and thrive. And a big thank you to our friends at FreeAgent for sponsoring these events and championing this mission alongside us.
We’re incredibly proud of what’s been built so far and even more excited for what’s ahead. With more egg events on the horizon and our Women on Top Summit returning to Edinburgh in September 2026, there’s so much still to come.
If you’ve been thinking about joining us, take this as your sign.
Tickets to the Women on Top Summit 2026 can be purchased here.
And stay tuned, new egg podcasts are drop soon, including a special International Women’s Day conversation with Donna Ashworth!
