Can you tell us a little about your background and your company?
My name is Ali Findlay, and I am the Founder and Chief Exec of Lane and Executive Director of Lane Media. The business was founded in 2008 following a successful client-side career in retail marketing.
Lane is Scotland’s largest, independently owned, integrated creative and media agency growing brands from Proposition to Performance. The agency has 43 staff and based in Edinburgh. I won Inspirational Agency Leader of the Year in 2015 and became a fellow of the Marketing Society in 2017, and I have worked with the Marketing Society on several of its Senior Women initiatives and most recently on their Future Leaders programme. Lane won Employer Brand of the Year in 2024 and continues to pursue the growth of culture and brand performance results as its key drivers.
2 – What inspired you to start your business?
I was inspired by the era of digital, marketing was moving to a more accountable space which meant more opportunity for a seat at the board table which was less common for marketers and especially women in my time. My craving for variety and to support other entrepreneurs let me work with boards of multiple businesses and that’s been a real high. Meeting other business founders, who have grown their businesses successfully is a daily dose of inspiration for me.
3. How did you create awareness for your brand?
I went to everything and anything, I made connections with people in sectors of interest to me, and got involved with things like the Marketing Society and the Advertising Association. We built a great website and tapped into our networks wherever we could.
4. What strategies helped you secure funding and scale your business?
I had a very small amount of private funding when we launched and we haven’t used funding since, that’s not necessarily a good thing, it’s important to build your credit history as you grow. Banks are not helpful these days – there’s a lot of chat about supporting SMEs but there’s less evidence of entrepreneurial lenders in current times. So we were born lean, and we’ve stayed lean so that we’re not exposed when times are tough. Retaining our brilliant team is all-important to us so we’re careful about risk.
5. What have been your biggest successes so far?
We’ve become very well known in three sectors – Food, Retail, and the Charity sector – largely because we are very strong in this space – we are nimble and lean, creative and results oriented and these characteristics are critical in these sectors. We’ve won quite a few awards which is lovely too, but we’re driven largely by delivering results because that makes for long lasting relationships with our clients which are really rewarding.
6. What challenges have you faced, and how did you overcome them?
A Financial Crisis in 2008 my founding year, kind of prepared me for the rollercoaster of Independence Referendums, Brexit, Boris, Trump and the Pandemic, there really isn’t a reprieve these days but it makes you resilient and resourceful. The best way to overcome them is keep doing what you’re really good at and keep enjoying it. In times like these, it is important to keep showing that your work delivers results and you are always in pursuit of making them better. Having brilliant support around you which I have from my senior team is, ultimately what helps you overcome any challenge. And listen to your gut, it tends to be right!
7. What are your plans for the future?
I’m now thinking about the team coming up behind me, and how I can craft a succession plan that works for everyone and continues a legacy of entrepreneurialism. Creating a working environment that is kind, fun and friendly where talent can thrive, is very important to me. I’d love to think that the culture I’ve created with others around me will continue to grow. I’m not going anywhere soon, I love what I do and have a lot more to learn, give and enjoy! I do have a side- hustle though, I started an equestrian business where I love to hang out with the horses to ground me every day.
8. What advice would you give to aspiring female entrepreneurs?
I never sugar-coat the entrepreneurial journey, it’s important to be honest about the sacrifices, the long hours, the risk, the worry, but also the rewards – being your own boss and choosing who to surround yourself with is the ultimate happy place for any career-driven woman. Resilience is the absolute pre-requisite, and you need to learn to handle disappointment and bounce back, and handle success with grace, who you support on the way up will help you when it’s tough!
9. What are your top three tips for entrepreneurial success?
Get Resilient. Do what you’re great at and find others who are great at what you’re not. Get great financial advice and support to allow you to focus on growing the business.
10. Who are five people who inspire you the most, and why?
I meet people who inspire me all the time – but I have met some amazing business people and entrepreneurs, from my co-founder John Martin who helped set me up, to my first client Peter Vardy. I have an advisor Angela Seymour Jackson who inspires me on a weekly basis, not just with business advice but because she’s older than me and jumps cross-country fences on her horse, I’d never be that brave!
I’m inspired by two of my co-directors Chris and Barry who are relentlessly efficient and organised that’s never been my strength, and I’m also inspired by a young woman who works for me at our Equestrian business – she has a chronic illness, has had many a life knock, has had no formal university or business training and yet is one of the most commercial people I’ve ever met. You can find inspiration all around you, not necessarily from Harvard.
11 – What are your favourite inspirational or motivational quotes?
I’m also rather inspired by Deborah Meaden – I love how quickly she gets to the numbers, sees the opportunity and can be straight talking while it’s clear she’s a kind person. I love her quote “I’m not intimidating, I’m forthright.” She’s so right, there’s a difference, you can be clear about your opinion without being a bully or being unkind.
12 – Where can our readers connect with you?
Linkedin profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/alifindlay/
