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Former pupil

business moguls

The last edition of Quadrangle introduced a selection of FP business owners and entrepreneurs who are
following their career aspirations across a multitude of industries.

We are delighted to continue shining a spotlight on more Herioter business tycoons and caught up with five
FPs, each of whom attribute their success to the education they received at Heriot’s.

If you are a business owner, or simply just proud of your career beyond the gates of Lauriston Place, please
Nicky McConnachie (1990)
get in touch with the Development Office where you can feature on our After Heriot’s blog series and
inspire the next generation of Herioters.
What prompted you to start a business Did Heriot’s impact your decision to well over valuation.
in property? become a business owner and if so, how?
Do you have a specific learning
Working for an International Property My time at Heriot’s has impacted all aspects takeaway from Heriot’s?
Company whilst living in Bangkok, first of my working life, and being an FP definitely
You can do whatever you want to do, but
started my interest in property and it made has opportunities too. Edinburgh is very
without an arrogance; just being confident
me appreciate the benefits of a tailored and much a village and wherever you go there
in your own ability. The only thing stopping
personal approach to selling and buying are school connections. The school motto of
you, is you.
houses. Returning to the UK however, Distributing Chearfullie is certainly how I
William (Bill) McDonald (1950) Any top tips for pupils wanting to start
I ended up back in Financial Services. conduct myself every day and I encourage
After years of working in varied roles, my children to live by the values of “Work their own enterprises?
predominantly sales and customer service, I hard, be kind, be happy”; if you follow these I wish I had taken more advantage of the
Tell us a bit about your business. that work, the breadth of the education We are particularly proud of the multicultural
decided to follow my passion. I was lucky to values, you really can’t go wrong. huge array of opportunities available to me,
The Corstorphine Nursery is a private limited provided has been a decisive factor in any nature of our clients and staff. Staff are have the opportunity to do so and decided it the extra-curricular activities for example.
company owned by me and my wife. We success I have had. I was exposed to a huge drawn from Scotland of course but we also was the right time to start my own business. Heriot’s gives you a confidence as an Easy to say in hindsight, but I would
provide high quality childcare services to range of subjects from Latin through the have nationals from Spain, Italy, India, individual to go after your dreams but also encourage pupils to try things and step out
families and are situated in the Corstorphine Arts and all of the Sciences to practical Libya and Fiji. To add to that my wife is a Seeing the property market was still encourages a persistency to succeed by not of their comfort zone.
area. We currently have 20 employees and subjects like Woodwork. All have proved Jamaican national and I also have predominantly transactional and very giving up and to be proud of what you
at present, a total enrolment of 132 useful at times through my life in business. Jamaican nationality following many years impersonal, I launched my bespoke estate achieve, but also to be humble with it. There I believe that the path I have followed and
children, looking after around 60 per day. What are your most notable business work there. agency in association with Keller Williams; is a definite bond with any and all fellow the journey I have been on so far has given
This nursery is a relatively recent successes? Any top tips for pupils wanting to start both selling and buying houses for FP’s I have had the pleasure to meet. me the life lessons to deal with anything
development - most of my life has been individual clients. I believe my love of design Several teachers influenced my time at that comes my way and has led me to
In referring to business success I must be their own enterprises? where I am now. I left school not knowing
spent running large companies overseas and architecture and my working Heriot’s but in particular Mr Cowan, my
clear that my wife, who is much younger Owning your own business can be rewarding what I wanted to do; however, everything is
in Africa and the Caribbean so I have background has led me to where I am now. geography teacher who taught me to not
than I, is a strong driving force in founding both financially and in personal fulfilment. meant to be and as much as it is a cliché, I
extensive business experience at all levels up What’s the best part about being a be afraid to stand up for what I believe in.
and operating the nursery. We started the It can also be very stressful. It is important believe if you love what you do, you’ll never
to and including Managing Director CEO. business owner?
business (on a shoestring) in 2014. Since to recognise that a business start-up is a What are your top two achievements as do a day’s work in your life. You might not
Did Heriot’s impact your decision to then, we have achieved a considerable risky business not only financially but in The freedom and flexibility it allows you. a business owner? walk out of school and into the job of your
become a business owner and if so, how? reputation as a quality childcare provider. terms of your health and wellbeing. Don’t As a mother, it allows me to mainly work As I also purchase properties for clients, my dreams but if you work hard and follow your
You will detect from my attendance in the We have never advertised. The business lose your vision but don’t let your heart rule around my children's schedules and biggest success was purchasing a beautiful passion you will get to where you are
1950’s that I am getting on a bit and also grew purely on word-of-mouth your head. Identify the risks and plan to timetables. Having come from a sales 6-bedroom family home, off market, supposed to be.
that my Heriots influences are a bit remote. recommendation. We have progressed so deal with them. Don’t have your head in the background, not being forced to achieve without the client setting foot inside the To steal a strapline – Just do it. You can do it,
Nevertheless, those influences are still there. well that recently we have been able to clouds with your ideas ignoring any contrary targets, I am enjoying being motivated by property. Thankfully he and his wife love it! follow the motto work hard, be kind, be
I spent many years working overseas and in purchase the nursery premises that were factors. Be realistic. my desire to provide a truly individual I bought this off market for very little over happy. And distribute chearfullie. You can’t
various business contexts. In the course of initially taken on a leased basis. experience and helping my clients from the valuation in a very buoyant market. go far wrong.
very start of the process to the very end, and
My second was selling a family home in less
beyond. Some of my best friends were clients
than 24 hours of it being on the market for
from my time overseas.
www.thecorstorphinenursery.com www.kwuk.com