From Expat to Expert: Mary Smith on 30 Years of Relocation Scotland

In this episode of Scale Her Up, Brenda Hector sits down with Mary Smith, founder of Relocation Scotland, who has spent 30 years helping individuals and families relocate to Scotland and call it home. From housing and schools to bank accounts and culture shock, Mary and her team support people through every step of a global move. 

Mary shares how her own experiences living abroad in Zambia, South Africa, Australia and Singapore led her to spot a gap in support for expats and ultimately build a relocation business in Aberdeen. She explains the difference between working for landlords versus tenants, why trust and honesty are crucial in relocation, and how going the extra mile creates lifelong relationships (and holiday invitations all over the world).

Mary also opens up about the realities of running a small business in a volatile energy-driven economy, growing a team from just herself to 12 and back to four, and the challenges of recruiting, managing and sometimes letting people go. She talks about the importance of having the right contracts, HR support and external advice when you are building a team for the first time.

We also explore the emotional side of entrepreneurship. Mary reflects on losing her mum at 11, growing up quickly, working in her dad’s grocery, delicatessen and wine business, and how his “three options” advice helped her take the leap into business. She shares the message she’d give to her 18-year-old self about confidence, speaking up and not letting self-doubt quietly eat away at you.

If you’ve ever considered working internationally, starting a service-based business, or you just want a real and honest look behind the scenes of global mobility, this conversation will give you both practical insights and a powerful reminder to back yourself.

In this episode, we cover:

• How Relocation Scotland supports tenants from first conversation to fully settled
• What really happens behind the scenes of a corporate relocation
• The power of empathy, trust and honest communication with clients
• Riding the peaks and troughs of Aberdeen’s energy-driven economy
• Growing and managing a team in a small, niche industry
• The influence of Mary’s entrepreneurial father and early work experience
• Confidence, imposter feelings and the importance of having the right network
• Mary’s dad’s three options for any big decision – and how they still guide her today

And as always, Brenda closes by reminding us of the huge untapped potential of female-led businesses: when women start and scale companies to the same extent as men, we can add billions to the UK economy and create millions of jobs.