From weekend work experience to real-world responsibility, both Ali Gillies and John Mackay (Jr) have stepped into the business with confidence, curiosity and calm.

Ali’s drive and quiet ambition have already made him indispensable on the sales floor. John’s curiosity and technical skill are transforming how marketing runs behind the scenes.

This episode dives into what it means to grow inside a family business, how mentorship and trust build the next generation of leaders, and why letting go – and letting them lead – is the only way forward.

🎙️ About NattyShedLife

NattyShedLife is where we share the stories, people, and lessons that shape Gillies & Mackay. From team spotlights to behind-the-scenes chats, this is your place to hear what really goes into building a business with legacy at its core.

🔔 Subscribe & Listen

Never miss an episode – subscribe for free on your favourite platform:

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NattyShedLife
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/nattyshedlife/id1691999360
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6PTAxiE6p5T7ITHST05h3s  
• Alitu: https://nattyshedlife.alitu.com/

📲 Connect with Us

• Website: https://nattyshedlife.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nattyshedlife/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NattyShedLife/

💌 Got a question or idea for the pod? Drop us a message at [email protected]!

We did it! 🏆

Gillies & Mackay took home Perthshire Family Business at the Courier Business Awards 2025 last Friday – and we’re still buzzing ✨

In this bonus episode, Cara relives the night – the nerves, the chaos, the cocktails, and the moment we actually won. From Apex rubber ducks to heartfelt pride in the team, this one is pure celebration ❤️

But it’s more than just a pat on the back – it’s a look at what recognition means for a small family business, why it matters to celebrate, and how this is just the start of a much bigger story.

Plus 👀 a wee teaser for the Herald Family Business Awards (and a certain nomination Kieran might want to hear about 👏)

🎙️ About NattyShedLife

NattyShedLife is where we share the stories, people, and lessons that shape Gillies & Mackay. From team spotlights to behind-the-scenes chats, this is your place to hear what really goes into building a business with legacy at its core.

🔔 Subscribe & Listen

Never miss an episode – subscribe for free on your favourite platform:

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NattyShedLife
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/nattyshedlife/id1691999360
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6PTAxiE6p5T7ITHST05h3s
• Alitu: https://nattyshedlife.alitu.com/

📲 Connect with Us

• Website: https://nattyshedlife.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nattyshedlife/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NattyShedLife/

💌 Got a question or idea for the pod? Drop us a message at [email protected]!

Calum didn’t follow a path – he built one.

He joined Gillies & Mackay at 16 with no plan, no trade, and no idea what he was walking into. What followed was years of pressure, chaos, heavy graft and brutal lessons on-site – the kind that either break you or build you. Calum chose to build.

From cutter to delivery team, from apprenticeship to leading operations, and now building his own company inside the business – this is a story about resilience, responsibility, standards and belief.

🎙️ About NattyShedLife

NattyShedLife is where we share the stories, people, and lessons that shape Gillies & Mackay. From team spotlights to behind-the-scenes chats, this is your place to hear what really goes into building a business with legacy at its core.

🔔 Subscribe & Listen

Never miss an episode – subscribe for free on your favourite platform:

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NattyShedLife
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/nattyshedlife/id1691999360
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6PTAxiE6p5T7ITHST05h3s  
• Alitu: https://nattyshedlife.alitu.com/

📲 Connect with Us

• Website: https://nattyshedlife.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nattyshedlife/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NattyShedLife/

💌 Got a question or idea for the pod? Drop us a message at [email protected]!

This week we’re shining a light on Bobbie and Jamie — two of Gillies & Mackay’s rising craftsmen whose graft, precision and consistency have made them the backbone of the workshop.

Bobbie is the lead woodcutter – the starting point of every single build. Relentlessly consistent, fiercely reliable and quietly influential, he sets the pace of the entire workshop. If Bobbie cuts it, everyone else trusts it.

Jamie is one of our bench joiners – calm, hyper-focused and razor precise. In just six months, he went from new start to building some of our most complex structures to a standard that raised the bar for the whole company.

In this episode we talk about:

• Why reliability beats experience every time
• Speed vs precision — and why they chose precision
• The partnerships that shape progress
• The craft and mindset it takes to build something that lasts
• Fatherhood, growth and stepping into responsibility young

These two don’t make noise – they make progress. And they are proof that the next generation of Gillies & Mackay have already arrived.

🎙️ About NattyShedLife

NattyShedLife is where we share the stories, people, and lessons that shape Gillies & Mackay. From team spotlights to behind-the-scenes chats, this is your place to hear what really goes into building a business with legacy at its core.

🔔 Subscribe & Listen

Never miss an episode — subscribe for free on your favourite platform:

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NattyShedLife
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/nattyshedlife/id1691999360
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6PTAxiE6p5T7ITHST05h3s  
• Alitu: https://nattyshedlife.alitu.com/

📲 Connect with Us

• Website: https://nattyshedlife.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nattyshedlife/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NattyShedLife/

💌 Got a question or idea for the pod? Drop us a message at [email protected]!

This week we’re shining the spotlight on Arran, our finishing joiner at Gillies & Mackay.

Arran joined the business quietly, head down, and quickly proved himself indispensable. From taking on complex builds to stepping into leadership moments, he’s now begun an adult apprenticeship – a fast-track path to master craftsman – showing just how far he’s come.

In this episode, we talk about:

• How Arran found his place in the team during a turbulent time
• The craft and detail that make a finishing joiner’s role so vital
• The mentorship and partnership that shaped his growth
• Confidence, culture, and why investing in people matters

Arran’s journey is a reminder of what’s possible when you combine natural skill with the right support – and why the next era at Gillies & Mackay is so exciting.

This episode celebrates not just Kieran’s story, but the people who make our business what it is.

🎙️ About NattyShedLife

NattyShedLife is where we share the stories, people, and lessons that shape Gillies & Mackay. From team spotlights to behind-the-scenes chats, this is your place to hear what really goes into building a business with legacy at its core.

🔔 Subscribe & Listen

Never miss an episode — subscribe for free on your favourite platform:

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NattyShedLife
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/nattyshedlife/id1691999360
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6PTAxiE6p5T7ITHST05h3s  
• Alitu: https://nattyshedlife.alitu.com/

📲 Connect with Us

• Website: https://nattyshedlife.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nattyshedlife/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NattyShedLife/

💌 Got a question or idea for the pod? Drop us a message at [email protected]!

We’re back! NattyShedLife returns — and this time, we’re on video.

To kick off the new series, we’re shining a spotlight on Kieran, our very own Sales Manager (and everyone’s favourite happy soul). From starting as a Saturday lad at 17 to becoming the face of sales at Gillies & Mackay, Kieran’s journey is full of graft, growth, and a fair bit of banter.

In this episode we chat about:

• His path from weekend shifts to leading the sales team
• The moments that proved his leadership and empathy
• Funny memories (including “evil genius” tendencies)
• Why he’s become such a cornerstone of the business

This episode celebrates not just Kieran’s story, but the people who make our business what it is.

🎙️ About NattyShedLife

NattyShedLife is where we share the stories, people, and lessons that shape Gillies & Mackay. From team spotlights to behind-the-scenes chats, this is your place to hear what really goes into building a business with legacy at its core.

🔔 Subscribe & Listen

Never miss an episode — subscribe for free on your favourite platform:

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NattyShedLife
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/nattyshedlife/id1691999360
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6PTAxiE6p5T7ITHST05h3s  
• Alitu: https://nattyshedlife.alitu.com/

📲 Connect with Us

• Website: https://nattyshedlife.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nattyshedlife/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NattyShedLife/

💌 Got a question or idea for the pod? Drop us a message at [email protected]!

Self Realisation in one week! HUD the bus. What about the kids? Think of the children fuck sake, woman?! Follow me on my week's download journey to hapPINESS!

April - the worst on record. Let’s find out all about the tortures of caravan holidays, workplace disasters AND an overloaded household. There is joy in there somewhere, usually in the shape of the people I love doing well for themselves 🌹

I don't believe there's a stronger emotion than the one felt when someone you love is hurting. Join me today as a take a fuckload of emotional baggage and make it workable for the purpose of helping others in need. 

What is Self Love? Nicola Hutchison joins me, Cara, on today's podcast as we let you in on a little secret...YOU COME FIRST! We share our examples and experiences of how it works and what to do when it doesn't.