Born and raised in Edinburgh, Gilly is the powerhouse behind YOURGB, one of Scotland’s leading event and experiential design companies. After studying and working in Newcastle and London, she returned home to launch the business, starting out in her Grandma’s spare room, no less! Now based in Edinburgh’s New Town, YOURGB works with clients across the globe. Here, Gilly shares her journey, productivity hacks and top tips for creating unforgettable events.
Was it written in the stars that you’d run your own business?
I don’t think anything is truly "written in the stars" - life is all about sliding doors and the decisions we make. But looking back, I can definitely see how I got here!
I actually started out as an aspiring actor, but after a series of unsuccessful auditions, I decided to look for a full-time job. That very day, I got an interview for an events company and that was that. I’ve always been creative and hardworking, and those two qualities made me the perfect fit. I fell in love with event production because it gave me the same satisfaction, I used to get from producing theatre. Every event is an ensemble piece, completely audience centric. To this day, I feel very fortunate to love what we do.
Tell us about YOURGB.
YOURGB started in 2011, quite literally in my Grandma’s spare room! Back then, it was simply set up to cover me as a Freelancer. Fast forward to today, and we’re one of Scotland’s biggest event design companies - though our brand looks nothing like it did in the early days!
We’ve built YOURGB on five core values: Creative, Committed, Brave, Sustainable and Kind. We’re lucky to work with amazing clients such as Sony Music, Netflix, The List, TSB, COS, Edrington, Helly Hansen, and The World Health Organisation.
There’s a quote I love: “If you don’t like change, you’ll like irrelevance even less.” My role as CEO is all about keeping us evolving and focused on who we are, why we exist, and how we do things. it's all strategy, so long may the evolutions continue!
What do you love most about your job?
Honestly, it's the environment we've created, our team and our culture. I’ve always felt that life is short and we spend so much of our lives at work - statistically, more time with colleagues than with family - so that environment matters.
In the early days, I used to love physically producing the events, and the happy client feedback. Now the team are the experts and the clients' happiness is for them. My role is now all about cheering on our incredible team of creative, kind, and talented event professionals.
One system you can’t live without?
My most recent one is Fireflies - it's an AI notetaker that attends all of my meetings with me and it honestly takes away so much of the pain of note-taking. We’ve rolled it out across the team, and it’s been brilliant.
How would your team describe you as a leader?
At our January Escape we did a word cloud exercise, and some of the words they used to describe me were: Brave, Kind, Fearless, Inspiring, Passionate.
That meant a lot, because leadership isn’t always easy. One of the difficult parts of my job is challenging conversations and difficult decisions, and navigating these things with our Leadership Team, whilst being candid with the wider team, can feel scary. I’m definitely not fearless but knowing my team sees me in that light is incredibly rewarding.
How do you share your vision with the team?
We have quarterly team days to align on our vision, mission, targets and ambition. But honestly, I don’t think of it as my vision - it’s our vision.
We dream big as a collective, and I believe we’re only just scratching the surface of what’s possible at YOURGB. Together we explore where we could take this, and all of our strategic decision making is about uncovering that potential, removing barriers and reaching for the work we feel proud of - with clients we would love to work with.
YOURGB has grown fast over the years. How did you do it?
Our growth has been very organic, mostly through referrals and our good reputation.
But I think a big turning point came when I had my two children. Some might think that would slow a business down, but for me, it forced a shift. Growth can only happen with team trust and autonomy. I knew that I had to be able to safely step back if I wanted to enjoy having my babies, and that's where everything we needed to do became clear. Empowering the team and letting them fly, without me in the nitty gritty detail, has been game changing. It's the right people in the right seats, all facing the right direction.
Advice for women looking to scale their business?
Just go for it! As women, we can overthink things to the point of talking ourselves out of them. So don't wait until you are 100% ready, 75% or 80% is absolutely great for any idea you may have - act when the inspiration hits!
Best business book you’ve read recently?
I just finished The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins. It’s not necessarily a business book, but I’ve applied its lessons to business many times already!
A woman who inspires you?
I take inspiration from all female business founders, but two who really stand out to me are Marie Owen (LS Productions) and Darina Garland (Ooni). They validate my belief that you can be a great leader and a successful businesswoman, whilst still remaining authentic, joyful, strong, fair, and kind.
What’s next for YOURGB?
To continue to grow, but not just for the sake of growth alone. I want to create more space for our team to stretch, evolve, and aspire to new roles. In small businesses, the promotion ceiling can be low, so I’m focused on raising that ceiling and building a structure where people can continue their own personal growth with us for years to come.
How do you switch off?
Working out - swimming, interval training, spinning, paddleboarding, kayaking, hillwalking. And, of course, lots of family time.
You and your team's top event planning tips?
- Start with your brand and/or theme. At YOURGB, we call these the "hooks" and all ideation sessions and design decisions sit within. Ask yourself, “Does this fit the brand DNA? Does this communicate the theme?”
- Know your budget. It will make the planning experience so much more efficient and stress-free. Enjoying the process of the design time is so important. Event planning should be fun!
- Visualise your vision. Create visuals that clearly communicate what the event will look like to ensure expectations are aligned between you, the client, suppliers etc - everyone's imaginations work very differently and sharing clear renders and visuals when creating event concepts is hugely valuable.
- There is no such thing as over communication - be that between you and your guests or your suppliers. Regular clear communication is key, and never assume anything, always double check.
- Always have a plan B. Ensure you carry out risk assessments, insurance cover, and think through your 'what ifs' as best you can, especially when it comes to greenfield events and weather!
- Rehearse. Regardless of how experienced your talent may be, or tech crew, technical rehearsals and cue to cues can mean the difference between incredible and poor production value when you are live and producing the event.
- Talent is key. If you're going to go 'big' on one element of your event, prioritise talent. Be it a superb band, or an excellent and experienced event host - their impact is immeasurable.
To find out more about YOURGB, click here. To grow your business and connect with like-minded women, join the egg business club.
