About

Background in Community Work then Economic Development, having worked locally, nationally and in Australia and South Africa. Then building business management experience through developing and running business activity in both public (managing employability contract income in a local authority context) and third sector (business support, project management and employability activities) for the past 25 years.

Experience in developing new business activity, consolidating and evolving business activity to meet needs, as well as maximising social impact via collaborative approaches.

Experience managing partnerships and staff teams to maximise social, environmental and economic benefits in a rural context. Strong networking skills and knowledge of social and community led enterprise in the rural and islands context, including community land, renewables and community led enterprise responses to market failure.

About

Brian provides start-up support and advice to social entrepreneurs through Just Enterprise.

Since joining Firstport in 2010, Brian has assisted hundreds of individuals to start their own social enterprises, using a people-centred, supportive and encouraging approach.

Brian uses his experience gained across a multitude of roles, from running his own Off Sales business in Ayrshire, to providing community business advice in Fife, being a member of the Inverclyde Regeneration Partnership Implementation Team, setting up the First Stop Business Shop for Belfast City Council, to managing Business Gateway start-ups in Dunbartonshire. Brian has a wealth of experience that he happily shares with clients on a daily basis.

About

Charles provides start-up support and advice to social entrepreneurs through Just Enterprise, our business support programme.

Charles joined Firstport in 2022 as a Business Advisor supporting budding social entrepreneurs. Prior to working at Firstport, he was the CEO of a community development trading company, and operated his own consultancy business.

Earlier in his career, Charles was the owner and Managing Director of the House of Beauly, an award-winning visitor’s centre, and worked in sales, marketing, and retail as a director and manager. Charles has travelled extensively, setting up businesses for international clients.

Charles is particularly interested in food retail, restaurant catering, procurement, and business in general.

About

Claire is an experienced Business Adviser (15 years plus) she specialises in providing public sector tendering support, advice and training to social enterprises, supporting them to win work through effective tendering. She is also experienced in supporting and advising social enterprises to form consortia & partnerships to bid for public sector tenders. Claire also provides support with business planning and strategy development. An experienced trainer Claire has developed and delivers a wide range of business skills training.

About

Before joining CEIS in March 2023, Clare served as a Marketing Manager and a member of the Leadership team within a community-owned social enterprise. During this time, she was part of the organisation’s most significant period of development. This involved a change in legal structure, successful completion of a Community Asset Transfer, and a large-scale capital renovation project and rebrand. This experience enables her to relate to the passion driving social enterprises while understanding the day-to-day challenges.

With over a decade of marketing and communications expertise spanning private and third sectors, Clare is also experienced in service design, event planning, stakeholder engagement, and community consultation.

Since Joining CEIS Clare has successfully delivered a diverse range of Business Support assignments, including marketing strategies, market research, business and strategic planning.

About

I work as one of the Business Advisors at Impact Hub Inverness and help to deliver the Just Enterprise support here in the Highlands and Islands!

With experience in working with social enterprises, I specialise in business planning, strategic planning, and implementing digital solutions to support organisations to achieve sustainable growth and impactful change.

About

Emma has had various roles throughout her 28 year career in the third sector that enable her to understand the challenges and nuances of running charities and social enterprises. These include: managing and delivering services directly to people marginalised by their circumstances, capacity building clients to equip and enable themselves, infrastructure and organisational development, and working with funders, commissioners, local and national government.

Emma has an expertise in supporting her clients to build practical, creative and fit-for-purpose approaches to measuring social impact. She uses a coaching approach that is informed by her extensive life coaching experience working with leaders across the Social Enterprise and Third Sector network.

Emma brings an informal, interactive and inclusive energy to her work, ensuring all clients are left with new systems and approaches that can be implemented immediately.

About

Gary delivers a range of support across a full range of business functions including business planning, marketing strategies, digital marketing, and product / service development. Gary’s role is to make Social Enterprises stronger, more sustainable and support them to achieve their social impacts.

As well as delivering business support Gary also leads change and innovation initiatives across all of CEIS’ programmes of support. Using his previous technical experience and ambition for change Gary is responsible for the continuous improvement of the business and ensuring the support we offer is always meeting the needs and expectation of our clients. This innovation has enabled us to meet the needs of the sector and deliver comprehensive business support to our clients.

About

Jenny has worked in the third sector since 2014 and is the Lead Consultant at The Circle. Throughout her career, she has supported hundreds of individuals and organisations in the third sector, and has expertise in areas such as business planning, funding, feasibility studies and legal structures.

She ran 2 cohorts of The Circle Academy, a 14-week training programme that covers the practical business elements of social entrepreneurship. Through this she has worked with more than 50 social entrepreneurs across Scotland and overseas.

She now works as part of The Circle Consultancy team to provide individuals, charities and social enterprises with advice, support and training. Jenny leads the delivery of Just Enterprise at The Circle, providing free business support to third sector organisations in Dundee and Angus.

About

Prior to working for Inspiralba, Jo spent 20 years working for a global electronics manufacturing company, in engineering, Project Management and costing. Having spent 5 years working in the third sector, Jo has evolved her skills and now leads the Just Enterprise Business Support delivery within Argyll and Bute.

Jo has successfully supported many Social Enterprises through the Just Enterprise programme, including leverage of community assets to strengthen financial sustainability, operational planning and crisis review, working with a wide range of organisations from community forests and spaces to childcare provision and arts programmes.

About

Karen has over 25 years of experience in the social enterprise sector in Scotland and is a former Chief Executive of Social Firms Scotland. Since 2008, she has been a business adviser at Impact Hub Inverness (HISEZ CIC), offering practical, hands-on support to clients.

She has a keen interest in governance and legal structures and has worked in various sectors, including health and wellbeing, housing, and tourism.

Having lived in the Highlands for most of her life, Karen understands the unique challenges social enterprises face in remote and rural areas. From 2011 to 2017, she also served on the board of a social enterprise that supports and trains young people in the Highlands struggling with the transition to independent living and work.

About

Kate has worked as a business adviser for 12 years. She has significant experience of working with social enterprises across the Highlands and Islands and developed a deep understanding of the opportunities and challenges many in the sector typically encounter.

She was chair for five years of a development trust and is currently a trustee of a SCIO. Before joining Impact Hub Inverness Kate worked as a freelance copywriter specialising in corporate communications.

About

After starting her career in private sector human resources, Kate moved into the third sector gaining a range of different skills and experience in volunteer management, policy development, leading campaigns and stakeholder engagement.

Previous roles also involved developing campaigns, supporting vulnerable people and facilitating group work at a range of levels. To broaden her experience of community development and working with charities and social enterprises, Kate started working at Community Enterprise in 2019 as Research and Project Support, building a strong foundation in community-based research before stepping into the role of Development Officer in 2020.

Kate has an undergraduate degree in Politics and International Relations from the University of Aberdeen and a post graduate degree from Strathclyde University Business School.

About

Laura has worked in the social enterprise sector in Scotland for more than 15 years and founded a successful social enterprise in Inverness 12 years ago.

She has been involved in community consultation, investment decisions, fundraising, business planning and cashflow for start-up businesses ranging from community energy projects to cafes and health and wellbeing projects.

She joined Impact Hub Inverness in spring 2022.

About

Lynda joined Community Enterprise in 2019 and has been working in community development, social justice, disability, and social housing since 1990.
Lynda manages a portfolio of projects and is a skilled project manager, facilitator, and trainer. She builds the capacity of individuals, communities, and organisations throughout Scotland. Known for her facilitation skills, Lynda can enable individual and organisational participation in projects.

Lynda uses her interpersonal skills, rapport and ability to connect to support organisations in achieving growth, change and strategic direction. She has held various Trustee positions with National Charities and brings this governance and strategic experience to her work at Community Enterprise.

About

Maggie joined CEIS in April 2023 and works as a Senior Business Adviser in the Enterprise & Communities Team, as well as providing support within the International Social Enterprise Observatory (ISEO). Maggie is an accomplished senior director level professional with over two decades’ experience based in Scotland.

Prior to joining CEIS, Maggie spent several years within the Firstport Group. In this role, Maggie acted as a mentor and ‘’critical friend’’ to founders, CEOs, and Board members to provide advice and support in achieving sustainability and business growth, as well as guidance on grant funding and social investment. In the case of the latter, this involved providing support across multiple programmes to help social entrepreneurs and social enterprises to invest in capital expenditure and or employment to achieve growth.

Prior to joining CEIS and working with the Firstport Group, experience includes a variety of strategic marketing consultancy roles, as well as spending a decade within a social research environment.

About

Margot joined Community Enterprise in 2023, keen to move into the third sector. They bring over ten years’ experience building marketing and product management functions within a socially conscious start up, during growth from six employees to 100, and fundraising of over £40m. They hold a BSc Honours in Nutrition and undertook degree-level qualifications from the Chartered Institute of Marketing.

Margot works collaboratively with organisations to strengthen their existing marketing skills and resources. They help them to create a roadmap to ensure efficient and effective marketing efforts; and support organisations in identifying and evaluating new opportunities.

Their broad experience allows them to ensure marketing strategies are tailored to the needs of the organisation, grounded in the community, with a focus on practical actionable tasks.

About

Moh recently joined CEIS as a Business Advisor, bringing 18 years of experience in finance and treasury operations. He is a Certified Treasury Professional (CTP) with a strong background in managing complex financial products.

Previously, he was the Finance & Administration Leader at Kinning Park Complex-Glasgow, managing budgeting, cash flow, and financial reporting. Earlier roles include managing foreign currency portfolios at the Central Bank of Sudan-Khartoum and financial analysis at Higleig Petroleum Services & Investment Co.-Khartoum.

About

Experienced adviser, consultant and facilitator delivering tailored business support to enable clients to develop strategies for increasing capacity, sustainability and social impact.

Client manager on the Just Enterprise programme, communicating with a wide range of organisations at the enquiry stage, reviewing applications, writing briefs for successful applicants, providing bespoke business support, and recording process on ZOHO system.

Adept at engaging stakeholders and cultivating positive, productive and lasting working relationships.

Confident and adaptable, thriving in unfamiliar environments through effective communication and strategic problem-solving.

Skilled in managing complex assignments with a keen understanding of factors influencing performance and decision-making.

In July 2024, completed Developing a Coaching Culture 10 Credits at SCQF Level 9 through the Social Enterprise Academy.

About

I have been working with community groups across the Highlands and Islands for over 30 years, and as a business adviser since 2011.

I deliver support on business planning and growth, organisational and governance health checks and training, preparing development plans, community consultation, social impact reviews, and options appraisals. I am also a business coach for new Impact Hub teams around the world.

I have also worked in the field of policy development for the third sector at a national level, and run a number of grant schemes so have a good knowledge of fundraising and financing.

About

Tommy joined CEIS Enterprise & Communities Team in March 2023 as a Senior Business Adviser. He has worked for over 35 years within the Third and Public Sectors and has held a range of positions at Adviser, Project Manager and Senior Management level.

Tommy has managed a range of projects and departments within the Regeneration, Enterprise, Childcare, Property and Sports Development sectors and is able to offer support and advice on a wide range of strategic and operational activities.

About

Yasmin has built a versatile 24yr career in enterprise, with roles spanning corporate banking, regeneration, and creative industries. She began her journey at a regeneration agency in 2006 after transitioning from a managerial role in corporate banking, a shift from the design career she initially pursued after earning her degree in Business and Textile Design.

Yasmin’s expertise lies in supporting creative industries, where her entrepreneurial instincts thrive. As a creative professional herself, with multiple start-up ventures to her name, she enjoys leveraging her experience to assist individuals and groups aiming to launch social enterprises.

As a Social Enterprise service delivery partner for Just Enterprise, Yasmin works with those from ethnic minority communities (EM) helping them overcome challenges and achieve their entrepreneurial goals. Providing 1-2-1 support tailored to the needs and circumstances of each client, recognising that those from ethnic minority backgrounds often face additional barriers in the SE sector. Her role involves offering comprehensive social enterprise start-up support, guiding clients through the complexities of launching and sustaining their Social Enterprise.

Whether it’s through strategic planning, market research, financial management, or operational guidance, Yasmin can provide support to entrepreneurs with the tools and confidence required to succeed.