Episode 157

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Published on:

6th May 2026

Be Your Own Success Story: Resilience & The Climb with Katie Watson (Re-Release)

This is a special re-release of the most-listened-to episode of Scale Her Up. Katie Watson’s story of transformation—from crippling childhood shyness to leading the BWC Futures group and excelling at the Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce—is a masterclass in resilience and authentic career building.

How do you go from being too shy to leave your house to hosting major networking events for young professionals? In this special re-release of the Scale HER Up's most popular episode ever, Dr Brenda Hector talks with Katie Watson of the Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce.

Katie shares her journey through a childhood diagnosis of depression at age 12 to becoming the lead for BWC Futures, a group dedicated to supporting women aged 16–25 in their early careers. We discuss the "hunt as the feast," the power of vulnerability in leadership, and why reinventing yourself is sometimes the best career move you can make.

Key Takeaways:

  • Reinventing the Self: How Katie used University as a "fresh chance" to move past her history with mental health .
  • BWC Futures: Creating safe, drink-free spaces for young women to connect and grow.
  • The "Why" and the "How": Navigating the critics who question your ambition before they ask for your secrets.
  • Aberdeen’s Future: How the Chamber is helping businesses "fall back in love" with the region.
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About the Podcast

Scale Her Up: Female business stories and expert tips for business growth and success
The Female Entrepreneur Show. Sharing business expertise, start-up experiences and business growth strategies to overcome challenges
If you are a female business owner, self-employed freelancer, or girl boss who wants to build a successful business i.e. work less hours, make more money, and get better results from your staff, then this is the podcast for you. Hosted by Dr Brenda Hector MBA from ActionCOACH UK, this podcast provides relatable and accessible business advice and inspiration from successful businesswomen who have been there and done it before you.

This podcast is where you can
• hear female business stories
• share business success
• learn how to overcome business challenges
• get advice for businesswomen aspiring to success
• find out what needs to change
• discover how we can bring about that business revolution

Only 1 in 3 UK entrepreneurs are female.
UK men are 5 times more likely than women to build a business of over £1million turnover

If UK women matched UK men in starting and scaling businesses, it would add £250 billion to the UK economy (Alison Rose, The Rose Review of Female Entrepreneurship 2018)

As a woman in business, a business coach, and a business growth expert, Brenda’s mission is to help business owners grow their companies, achieve their goals and live the lifestyle of their dreams. She's the help you need to grow your business.
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About your host

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Brenda Hector

I’m Brenda Hector — entrepreneur, business coach, podcast host and writer — and I help ambitious female business owners turn hard work into real results: higher profits, better team performance, and more time back.
If your business relies too heavily on you, growth feels messy, or you’re “successful on paper” but exhausted in real life, you’re not alone — and it’s fixable. My work is about building a business that performs consistently, develops leaders, and supports you to step up and step back when you choose.
On Scale Her Up: The Female Entrepreneur Show, I spotlight women who are building brilliant businesses and share tools and insights to accelerate progress and improve gender balance in entrepreneurship.
"Because being in business should give you more life"