Inside the 7th Scottish Living Lab: showcase, training, and future steps
The 7th meeting of the Scottish Living Lab took place on 20 March. This is the report sent by our academic and technical team in Scotland about the contents, and the participation of the women entrepreneurs during the meeting. See the agenda meeting here
The showcase
The session opened with reflections on the showcase event in Vilnius. Aoife (a crofter from the Isle of Skye) and Donna (a stakeholder from the Scottish Crofting Federation) shared their experiences of presenting, learning more about the Grass Ceiling project, building an understanding of Lithuanian culture and farming, and hearing more about European policy. Aoife also explained the Pecha Kucha exercise, which all the women in the Scottish Living Lab will carry out in our June session, and which Aoife will lead. The atmosphere was celebratory and supportive, and highlighted how successful businesses might not fall into standard measures of success but that the collaborative nature of the businesses really stood out at the showcase. Those who attended reported feeling proud, inspired, and moved by each other’s work, and pleased to have met participants and co-leads from the other labs.
Training
The training session this time focused on prototyping and testing, in particular how these steps fit in alongside empathy mapping, personal maps, point of view statements, and business planning. Some tools to test new products or approaches were shared, and advice on how to get started, including highlighting examples of where the women had already prototyped and tested, but didn’t recognise it as such. The session emphasised realistic planning and small, manageable steps, including keeping prototypes cheap, and not getting too attached to them. The women raised interesting questions, such as whether you have to love your product or service in order to sell it, and how to avoid getting attached to prototypes when these are interwoven with their lives and cultures as crofters. Participants shared ideas and encouraged each other, reflecting the high level of peer support and growing confidence in the group.
Updates from the group
Then we moved onto updates from the women, including past experiences prototyping and testing, current developments such as new products and services, and successes since the last lab. There was a sense of momentum and of reflection on how far the businesses have come. The group also helped support one woman to choose images for the branding of her new series of craft workshops, and set her pricing levels.
Finance speaker
A guest speaker delivered an accessible session on managing finances, covering budgeting, separating business and personal accounts, VAT and expenses. Feedback was positive and the women found the advice to be clear and practical. Many said that they felt less overwhelmed, and that they would take steps such as speaking with an accountant who works with other crofters in the group, and who understands the nuances of crofting and finance.
Focus group The session closed with a focus group led by Sally to understand the women’s experiences during the project, the one-to-one mentoring, and the involvement of stakeholders. It found that the Living Lab provided a supportive space where women innovators could gain confidence, build networks, and explore their business and personal growth in a safe environment, with many describing the value of in-person sessions, mentoring, and peer support over time. However, challenges around confidence, funding, childcare, rural isolation, and the need for ongoing, practical support, particularly peer-to-peer learning and long-term continuation of the women’s network, were highlighted.
Next steps will include one-to-one mentoring sessions in May, and our next Living Lab in June, which will include filming and a round of Pecha Kuchas.
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