From Trainer to Tech MD – People, Culture and Self-Belief with Lynne Reeves of Motion Software

In this episode of Scale HER Up – The Female Entrepreneur Show, I’m joined by Lynne Reeves, Managing Director of Motion Software, an Aberdeen-based company that provides inspection and compliance software to clients in oil and gas, renewables, construction, insurance and even live events and entertainment. If a piece of kit needs a safety certificate – from lifting gear on an offshore platform to rigging and lighting at a major event – there’s a good chance an inspector is using Motion’s software to do it. Lynne Reeves

Lynne shares her career journey from trainer at leisure software company Gladstone, to project manager, head of operations and ultimately MD of Motion Software after both businesses were acquired by Canadian group Jonas Software. She talks honestly about what Jonas got right in their acquisition approach – especially investing in peoplethrough leadership programmes, coaching and a strong “people are our greatest asset” culture – and how that opened doors she never imagined.

We dig into what it’s like to lead a hybrid, geographically spread team of 17 people across Aberdeen, Wales, Birmingham and offshore in Pakistan, and how she keeps connection and culture alive when not everyone is in the office. Lynne explains how she approaches hiring for culture fit, why she tests candidates in mixed in-person/online scenarios, and how important it is to trust your gut and wait for “the right bum on the right seat” instead of rushing to fill a vacancy.

Lynne also reflects on her own growth as a leader – from being very focused on her own department to taking the 10,000-foot view across sales, R&D, operations and finance. She shares how external coaching helped her unpick imposter syndrome, build confidence and become an advocate for neurodiversity in the workplace, including bringing in training for the whole Motion team.

Throughout the conversation, there are powerful messages about self-belief, taking opportunities even when they feel uncomfortable, and building support networks so leadership doesn’t feel so lonely at the top. Lynne’s mantra is simple: get comfortable with being uncomfortable, and don’t try to do it all alone.

In this episode, we cover

1. What Motion Software does and how its inspection and compliance tools are used across heavy industry, insurance and entertainment
2. Lynne’s journey from software trainer to project manager, head of operations and finally Managing Director
3. How acquisition by Jonas Software created new opportunities through leadership programmes, mentoring and investment in people
4. What “people are our greatest asset” looks like in practice, not just as a slogan
5. Leading a hybrid team spread across Aberdeen, the rest of the UK and offshore, and why face-to-face time still matters
6. Hiring for culture fit: staged interviews, mixing in-person and online panels and trusting your gut
7. The importance of saying no to the wrong hire and waiting for the right person
8. How Lynne shifted from focusing on her own function to seeing the whole business system and trade-offs between departments
9. Spinning plates, deciding which “plates” can be allowed to drop and which really can’t
10. Working with an external coach to tackle imposter syndrome and shift perspective on her own capabilities
11. Why neurodiversity in the workplace matters to Lynne and how she’s raising awareness in Motion Software
12. Empowering people to make decisions, delegating without abdicating and backing her team even when head office pushes back
13. The value of peer support: learning from other MDs across the group, sharing experiences and avoiding “lonely at the top” leadership
14. Lynne’s advice to her younger self and to other women in business: take the opportunities, even when they scare you, and believe you can grow into them