“It was a whirlwind of creativity, late nights and endless energy” Nathalie Agnew, Managing Director, Muckle Media and IoD Edinburgh and Lothians Chair

I grew up in Dingwall, a small market town in the Scottish Highlands, and I always knew I wanted to work in the media, but with limited opportunities at the time locally, I knew I’d have to broaden my horizons. I seized every opportunity I could find—working at the local radio station, interning at newspapers, and even spending time at a film studio. Venturing to Edinburgh to study communications felt like a leap, but it was a necessary step toward making my career dreams a reality.

After university I started my career in an unexpected place—telesales. It taught me how to connect with people who didn’t necessarily want to talk to me. But when a friend got a job in a PR agency in London, I realised London wasn’t quite as terrifying as I had imagined, and when an entry-level position opened up at her agency, I jumped at it. Suddenly, I was living in a tiny room in London, working as an account coordinator, and immersing myself in the fast-paced world of PR. Over the next 10 years, I worked my way up, managing accounts for Hewlett-Packard, British Airways, Butlin’s, and other big brands. It was a whirlwind of creativity, late nights, and endless energy.

But despite working for some great employers, something about the culture didn’t always sit right with me. PR agencies were overwhelmingly female led at the ground level, but men often held the senior positions. Women tended to drop off in their 30s, often feeling they had to choose between career ambitions and family. I began to realise that, despite the exhilarating projects, the work-life balance I wanted wasn’t possible there. So, as I approached 30, I made a major decision to return to Scotland. I wanted to keep working in PR, but I knew it was time to create my own opportunities.

When I started Muckle Media, I was a team of one. I wanted to focus on local work, but bring the energy of London, so I committed to building an agency that could deliver big, cutting-edge campaigns with a Scottish base. We have grown organically, and through acquisition, and now I have 35 colleagues, a four-day work week, and a strong values-led culture. We hire people who believe in our vision; being kind, getting results, and leaving the world a better place.

Starting a business isn’t easy, but my advice to anyone considering it is simple: take the leap! It can feel daunting but surround yourself with people who understand your vision and have experience you can learn from. You don’t need to know everything; I certainly didn’t. Becoming Scotland’s first PR agency to achieve B-Corp status was a proud moment and I believe that being values led makes our work feel more meaningful and helps us attract like-minded clients and employees.

I joined the IoD about ten years ago, right after I started Muckle Media. I quickly realised that running a company meant handling everything from finance to legal, without any formal training. Through the IoD, I’ve found mentors and peers who’ve helped me navigate these challenges.

Now, as IoD Edinburgh and Lothians Chair, I’m eager to continue supporting diverse leaders in Scotland. We are creating events that welcome and empower all members, especially those who may not see themselves reflected in traditional leadership circles. The IoD is evolving under strong leadership, and I’m thrilled to contribute to this change by making our organisation more diverse, inclusive and relevant for future generations in business.