Last week, thousands of young Scots opened emails and envelopes to learn how they’d done in their SQA exams. The headlines were positive. Pass rates were up, the attainment gap is narrowing, and more pupils than ever taking vocational and technical qualifications. Those results reflect hard work from students, teachers, and parents alike, particularly after the upheaval of the pandemic years. They deserve real credit.
But while it’s right to celebrate the success stories, it’s equally important to remind ourselves, and our young people, that exam results are not the only measure of future success.
Now, I’m not here to do the celebrity routine. You know the one – ‘I failed all my exams and now I own three yachts’. That’s not helpful. But I can say, genuinely, that there’s life beyond the SQA envelope.
I say that not as a teacher or a politician, but as an entrepreneur who’s built businesses from scratch. When I left school, I didn’t walk straight into my dream job – far from it. I’ve made mistakes, worked hard, learned lessons, and grown along the way. That’s the real education, and it never really stops.
The truth is, there are many doors. And not all of them require a degree to walk through.
That’s why I was heartened to see last month that the Scottish Government announced a 36 per cent increase in its Entrepreneurial Education Fund, raising it to £1.2 million, to help embed entrepreneurial thinking in schools, colleges, and vocational training routes across the country.
This is exactly the kind of investment we need to nurture future founders from every background.
We talk often about building a “start-up culture” in Scotland. One where ideas can turn into action, and young people can see business ownership not as a pipe dream, but a real and reachable career option. Well, that culture starts in the classroom, not the boardroom.
Schemes like Daydream Believers, which received funding to roll out creative thinking resources in schools, show how powerful entrepreneurial education can be when delivered with imagination and intent. It gives pupils the tools to think independently, solve problems, and build confidence – qualities just as valuable in life as they are in business.
Too often, we put academic performance on a pedestal. Don’t get me wrong, we need doctors, engineers, teachers, and researchers, and many of those careers do require academic pathways. But we also need creators, builders, innovators, and risk-takers -the people who spot a gap, roll up their sleeves, and make something from nothing.
And the truth is, not all of those people come out top of the class.
Some of the best entrepreneurs I know struggled in school. They didn’t learn in straight lines or shine in a formal exam setting, but once they found their passion, they made it work. In fact, it was often because they didn’t follow the traditional route that they developed the grit, imagination, and work ethic to thrive.
So, to the young people who didn’t get the results they hoped for last week, please don’t think this is the end of the road. It might just be the start of a very different journey, one that leads to somewhere you never expected.
I would also say to the politicians and policymakers, don’t lose momentum. If we want to futureproof the Scottish economy, we must back entrepreneurship as a viable route for all, not just those with access to capital or connections. That means supporting alternative education models, expanding access to business mentoring, and funding grassroots enterprise programmes well beyond the central belt.
If we get this right, we won’t just be helping individuals build businesses. We’ll be laying the groundwork for a more dynamic, inclusive economy that creates jobs, supports communities, and keeps young talent in Scotland.
Last week reminded us of two things. Scottish pupils are bouncing back after a difficult few years, and that success doesn’t always come with a certificate attached.
I’ll always celebrate academic achievement. But I’ll also keep championing the dreamers, doers, grafters and go-getters who take a different path. After all, in business, and in life, it’s often the unconventional route that leads to the most exciting destinations.
OFFICE SHARES WORKING A TREAT
A bricks and mortar office adds credibility to a business and influences perceptions of the brand, even in the age of hybrid and remote working.
But it can be a huge investment, particularly for businesses with few employees or that are just starting out, but I was delighted to see a fantastic solution for this highlighted in the media last week.
The Coworking Industry Report revealed that Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen all ranked within the top 15 cities in the UK with the biggest coworking markets. It’s a great option for businesses who aren’t yet in a position to commit to an office of their own and comes with many of the same benefits, plus the added extra of making it easy to network and collaborate with the other businesses you share the space with.
I’d still advise that the end-goal should be a space of your own, but coworking spaces are flexible, which is especially helpful in the early days of establishing a business.
There’s still much debate about office and home working. Just a few weeks ago, a survey from recruitment company Hays concluded that home working has positively affected wellbeing, while many employees would have concerns returning to the office full-time.
This shows that there’s not a one-size-fits-all approach, but I believe that offices still play a vital role within the business landscape.
It’s a space where employees can collaborate, build working relationships and have access to resources and equipment.
It’s where company culture is formed and nurtured and one that I believe won’t go anywhere any time soon.
It Made Me Laugh
GROUNDS FOR GOOD SKINCARE
Coffee is often attributed as the fuel that gets many through their working day, but it can now also play a part in our skin care routines.
Scots’ scientists at Revive Eco launched a coffee body scrub at the Glasgow Coffee Festival earlier this year and then took the used coffee grounds from the festival to make a skin oil which sold out in just a matter of weeks.
The company has set its sights on upscaling production and has secured more than £350,000 investment with plans to raise further funds into next year.
With the UK consuming around 98 million cups of coffee every day, what an innovative idea to take a waste product and turn it into a sell-out success.
It Made Me Weep
RBS crisis returns to the stage
Imagine navigating the biggest crisis you’ve faced as a company, only to have it reenacted as part of the Edinburgh International Festival 17 years later.
That’s what is set to play out for Royal Bank of Scotland as ‘Make it Happen’ tells the story of the bank’s near collapse in 2008. Starring Brian Cox, I’ve no doubt it will be a talking point of the festival.
A certain Coldplay incident has provided a warning to businesses that in today’s world, a crisis can mean going head-to-head with AI and fake news, but here’s a warning that even years later, it could pop up again to remind everyone, especially if it would make a fantastic drama.
