Strategy Before Marketing, AI Without Losing Yourself, and the Advice That Changed Everything: Gaynor Duthie of Genoa Black
In this episode of Scale HER Up, I'm joined by Gaynor Duthie, Managing Partner of Genoa Black — a strategy, brand and marketing consultancy with teams in Edinburgh, Glasgow, and now Los Angeles.
Gaynor joined Genoa Black on day three of its existence, worked for nothing in exchange for a promise of equity, became a partner in 2014, and has led the business to where it is today: 14 people, over 1,000 Scottish SMEs served, and an international expansion underway.Strategy, AI and the Advice That Unlocks Your Next Level | Gaynor Duthie | Scale HER Up
This is a conversation packed with honest reflections on leadership, growth, AI, boundaries and the advice that unlocked everything for Gaynor — early in her career, someone told her: "Don't do the job you've got. Do the job you want."
We cover:
- What Genoa Black does across its three divisions — strategy, brand and marketing — and why the order matters
- Why they never jump straight into marketing without brand clarity first
- How their strategy division was born out of COVID — and why it's now a core part of what they do
- The partnership model: how bringing in the right business partners transformed the business
- Gaynor's extraordinary journey from working for nothing on day three to managing partner
- The best piece of advice she ever received — "Don't do the job you've got, do the job you want"
- Why people management has always been the hardest part — and how she's learned to lead through conflict
- AI: embracing it without relying on it — and why emotional intelligence matters just as much as artificial intelligence
- Growth isn't just headcount — efficiency, profitability and culture all count
- The LA expansion: how a relationship with chef Curtis Stone opened the door
- Why she went almost 12 years without an out of office — and what changed
- "I didn't come this far to only come this far"
Quote of the episode: "Emotional intelligence is just as important as artificial intelligence." — Gaynor Duthie
If you're leading a business, thinking about your next step, or wondering how to keep growing without burning out — this one's for you.
