Fellow

What a difference a year makes...

2010-03-16T14:07:00Z

2009 flashed by in the blink of an eye for me. I don’t think I’ve ever had a year go by so quickly. This was the year I took part in the fellowship programme. In spring 2008, I received an e-mail from Talent Scotland telling me about this fantastic new programme developed by The Saltire Foundation and before I knew it, I had passed the intensive 2 day assessment programme, I had rented out my house and I was leaving a well paid job to head off to Boston for 16 weeks; then to St Louis...(read more)

All alone.....

2010-03-15T09:56:00Z

The Fellows of 2009 will know that I do like my own space.... One of the things the Fellowship year drills down upon is 'what makes you tick' and what kind of person you are. I like space and time to process. This is good to know as a leader. Being able to 'check in' with yourself and adjust your behaviour to meet demanding situations is vital in making progress with teams in business. Someone must have gone and told my new team that I like my personal time- cause they've all...(read more)

The Saltire Experience......

2010-03-12T11:28:00Z

Two years ago, I was searching for my next career move. I had seven valuable years of experience working in global engineering companies BAE Systems and Mott MacDonald. I knew I wanted the challenge of setting up and growing a small company but I did not know how to go about making the move or obtaining the necessary skills. The Saltire Foundation Fellowship really did help me shape my career path and bring it to fruition. For me it all began in January last year when I flew to Boston to meet with...(read more)

Life after the Fellowship

2010-03-10T23:45:00Z

After spending the first 4 months of 2009 at Babson, and then the summer in the centre of Silicon Valley, it's been great being back in Scotland over the last 6 months. For the second Externship I joined an Edinburgh University research project looking to spin-out with some exciting technology for the pharmaceutical industry. It's been a whirlwind of a 6 months where the project became Actual Analytics Ltd and are in the final stages of securing a first round of funding. After graduating...(read more)

The third step...

2010-03-03T11:34:00Z

Taking the first step was deciding to leave my job and do something else, way back in 2008. The second step was getting a place and completing my year on the Saltire Fellowship programme. The third step..? Ensuring the motivation for taking the first two steps becomes are reality. What is that motivation? Well, it was to better myself, add a string to my bow, move away from the mundane and into the position of leader, broaden my experience, spend time abroad, educate myself, build my network in Scotland...(read more)

Saltire Fellowship - The Sequel

2010-03-01T13:58:00Z

I'm really excited that the Saltire Foundation is now recruiting the next cohort for the Fellowship programme, and it's really interesting to hear about some of the changes that have been made to the arrangements for the next group! Hearing about some of the changes I almost wish I could do it over again, although I wouldn't trade in my experience for anything. I can't wait to meet the next group over the next few months. As you would expect, the 2009 fellows are playing a part with...(read more)

Peet's in Palo Alto

2010-02-16T20:22:00Z

Feels a little strange to back in the USA. But it's a good strange - it's so nice to be back. While on the fellowship last year, I travelled to florida - fulfilling a lifelong ambition to go see the space shuttle at Kennedy space centre and to do spot of fly-fishing on the keys. And today I've been able to mix a little business with pleasure to fulfil yet another one of my dreams. Last year one while on the Fellowship, my goal for the externship part of the journey was to head to California...(read more)

Back in the USA

2010-01-31T23:17:00Z

I recall this time last year. A few of the Fellows went to a nice bar, had some great food and watched the SuperBowl. It's that time of year again and I am back here. Only this time, I am working. Having spent 3 months with ShawCor in Texas at Shaw Pipeline Services, as part of my Fellowship developmental experience, it's great to be back. We have now opened up an office in Glasgow, recruited some great engineering staff and are developing systems to support our existing customers and executing...(read more)

As the dust settles...

2010-01-21T21:59:00Z

The dust has settled on the Charter class of the Saltire Foundation Fellowship, and all 14 of us are now back to real life. Plans to recruit the next cohort of Fellows are already coming together, so I thought it was about time I posted an update to say a little about what real life means for me now... 18 months ago I was the CTO of a small software startup in Dunfermline, and although I was involved in lots of aspects of the business, I always knew I was often making it up as I went along... I found...(read more)

And a Happy New Year...

2010-01-05T18:39:00Z

Just think, almost 1-year ago it was as cold as it is right here in Scotland when the Fellow's hit Boston on the 10-Jan 2009. It's been an amazing year, so here's to yet another amazing year - All the very best everyone for 2010.... "It's gonna be a doozy.."...(read more)

Merry Christmas

2009-12-19T14:55:00Z

Merry Christmas to all at the Saltire Foundation, the Fellows and the Undergrads......!!!!...(read more)

Totus tuus ego sum, et omnia mea tua sunt

2009-12-07T18:22:00Z

To anyone is is not a scholar of Latin, the text simply means: "I am all Yours, and all that I have belongs to You." Simple words indeed - yet words with so much meaning in today's world. Today marks my first day of "official" unemployment. And what better way to celebrate it than with some amazing people from the Grameen Bank. (an organization Jim mentioned in a previous post). I was kind enough to be invited along to visit a potential project for Grameen in Sighthill in...(read more)

Entrepreneurial Exchange Dinner

2009-11-28T11:27:00Z

It's been a busy week. Up and down to Aberdeen and meeting lots of new people in the energy sector within Scotland. The highlight of the week though has to be attending the Entrepreneurial Exchange Dinner at the Hilton in Glasgow. The Saltire Foundation had a table at the event and it was great to see some of the Fellows there. I can't believe sometimes that it's a year ago that it all started. Mind you when I look at my bank balance - it all makes sense then...!! 650 people, top entrpreneurs...(read more)

Brightwork

2009-11-20T07:18:00Z

I've heard the business slogan - People, Processes and Tools. And d'ya know what? I think I understand what the originator of this statement meant now. At first, it appears as just another MBA piece of jargon: a soundbite. I've used it on occasion when I have been reinforcing a viewpoint. Hell y'all - I heard the cotton-picking thing in Texas as we was fixing to make process improvements. [I still remember the Texan banter..!] It's all about PEOPLE. At Brightwork, where I have...(read more)

Company Growth - Why its good to fail

2009-11-16T16:34:00Z

If you ask any executive to list the top five moments their career took a leap forward — not just a step, but a leap — failure is always on the list. For some it was the loss of a job. For others it was a project gone horribly wrong. And for others still it was the failure of a much larger system, like an economic downturn, that required them to step up. Yet most of us spend a tremendous effort trying to avoid even the possibility of failure. Most of us will try to avoid failure at all...(read more)