Nic MacLeod is building a life that blends farming, family and a fast paced career in policy and this conversation is an honest and energising look at what it means to take the long way round and make it your own.

By no means a traditional career path but with a deep love for rural life, we follow Nic’s path from managing a veterinary practice in Vancouver to returning home during COVID and stepping into a role with Scottish Land and Estates where she has grown into a policy and public affairs position. She shares how she found her niche in a space she never expected and why shaping the future of rural Scotland through policy now feels like exactly where she is meant to be.

Alongside her career Nic has taken the leap into farming as she builds her own fold of Highland cattle from scratch. She speaks openly about the steep learning curve from breeding decisions to animal handling and the reality of learning on the job while juggling work and family life.

Community runs at the heart of this episode. From family support and friendships to networks like the Scottish Rural Leadership Programme, Nic reflects on the people who make it all possible and the importance of not doing it alone. She also shares the honest truth that there is rarely a perfect time to start something new and sometimes you simply have to take the leap and figure it out as you go.

This is a conversation about backing yourself, embracing the unexpected and creating a life that does not follow a straight line but feels right all the same.

The Award Winning Women in Wellies Podcast is sponsored by Scottish Law firm, Gillespie Macandrew, advising on all areas of land & rural business, private client, energy and real estate.

Connect with Nic and follow the journey of Mac Farms on social media : Instagram - @nicmacleodsle / @mac_farms  \\ LinkedIn - Nic MacLeod / Scottish Land & Estates

Episode Recorded on 31st March 2026.

All views expressed are our own.

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