Meet the Team
Meet the Pathways Team.
Martina McKinnel
Martina McKinnel is one of our Place-based Pathways Coaches and has a vast amount of experience that she is able to pass onto her clients. Her background spans art, architecture, property development, and founding an online children’s bookshop, which sparked her passion for EdTech and business creation. As a rural founder, Martina understands the unique challenges of remote entrepreneurship and values meaningful conversations that build confidence. Her supportive, honest coaching approach focuses on practical progress, helping rural founders access opportunities to grow. Life on the farm keeps her grounded and fuels her dedication to making a positive impact through coaching.
Victoria Lane
Victoria is one of our Place-based Pathways Coaches, in addition to managing Solway Blankets and her family farm, she has gained extensive experience working with a diverse range of businesses. Victoria understands first-hand both the challenges and the rewards that come with starting out, from imposter syndrome and overthinking to celebrating key sales milestones and business growth. These experiences enable her to connect deeply with others on their own journeys. Having previously provided coaching through the Pathways pilot and served as a King’s Trust Business Mentor, Victoria is passionate about helping people progress with confidence, whether they are exploring a new idea or ready to build a successful business.
Claire Drynan
Claire, one of our Place-based Pathways Coaches, launched her own coaching and consultancy business, Spark Dot Grow, in the Scottish Borders at the end of last year, after spending 18 years working in the corporate sector. Her career has followed a varied and non-linear path, with a consistent focus on supporting others. Claire now specialises in Outdoor Transformational Coaching, taking clients into the stunning landscapes of South East Scotland and helping them discover genuine happiness in their lives, whether that involves making life changes, pursuing a career shift, or starting a new business.
Jill Clowes
Jill is one of our Place-based Pathways Coaches and a Mindset Coach based in Melrose, Scottish Borders. With over 20 years experience in personal development, an obsession for the human mind and what is it capable of and a deep-rooted passion for people and their potential, Jill works with individuals and teams to unlock growth, overcome self-doubt, and build success from the inside out. Her coaching combines mindset work with practical, results-driven strategies, creating long-term transformation that’s both powerful and sustainable. Known for her authenticity, warmth, and no-nonsense support, Jill champions inclusion and diversity, ensuring her coaching embraces different perspectives and experiences. She helps ambitious minds create clarity, overcome overwhelm, and build success with confidence, and purpose.
Lindsey Thomson
Lindsey, a Place-based Pathways Coach, is a qualified CBT and EMDR practitioner, demonstrating a genuine passion for people, psychology, and business growth. With many years of coaching experience, she is dedicated to helping both individuals and businesses build confidence, overcome obstacles, and achieve their potential. Utilising principles from neuroscience and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Lindsey supports others in gaining greater self-awareness and clarity around their goals. She describes being part of the Pathways Programme as a true privilege, recognising it as an outstanding initiative that empowers many underrepresented people to develop, thrive, and bring their ideas to fruition.
Ann Carter
Ann one of our Place-based Pathways Coaches, is an experienced enterprise coach and founder of Purple Sage Soap Company Ltd, a multi award-winning, plant-based skincare business based in the Scottish Borders. She combines over two decades of consulting, teaching and mentoring expertise in education and business development with hands-on experience of starting and growing her own company. Through the Pathways Programme, Ann supports individuals to develop confidence, clarify ideas, and build practical strategies for launching and growing their businesses.
Sarah Hanson
Sarah Hanson a Place-based Pathways Coach and managing Partner of Interactifs UK. Sarah trains and coaches individuals to improve their confidence and effectiveness in conversations, helping them achieve better results with less stress. With nearly a decade’s experience and over 1,200 clients, she delivers memorable coaching that empowers people to succeed authentically. Locally, Sarah supports entrepreneurs and start-ups across D&G and the Borders, while nationally and internationally, she works with diverse sectors, both online and in person. Her 25 years fascination with human behaviour, combined with experience in HR and business, fuels her passion for coaching. Sarah enjoys life in Kirkcudbright and the Solway Firth.
Sian Downes
Sian is one of our Place-based Pathways Coaches and is the founder of a social enterprise, Strawberry Lemonade Events and a new tech start-up SparkStays. With a varied career across the third sector and business, Sian loves helping people bring their ideas to life. She is big on sales, branding, and PR, and is delighted to be back as a Pathways Coach.
Mehalah Beckett
Mehalah Beckett one of our Pathways Growth Coaches, is the founder of Lead Powerful Impact Ltd, and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience. With a background in economics, Mehalah’s career spans Blue Chip, Government, International Development, and African Travel, united by her goal of enabling good jobs and sustainable livelihoods. She launched her coaching business in 2020 to support leaders solving major social and environmental issues, acting as their coach, advisor, and impact catalyst. A passionate B Corp Ambassador, Mehalah incorporates the B Corp framework in her coaching and serves as Co-Chair of the Scotland B Corp Community, championing sustainable business success without unnecessary stress.
Karen Riddick
Karen, one of our Pathways growth Coaches, is a business adviser, coach, and trainer who draws on her own experience of building and running a successful company to deliver practical training, advice, and coaching to other small businesses. Her specialities include start-ups, business growth, ecommerce, digital marketing, international trade, market research, and business planning. Karen still runs Second Nature Online, an ethical company based in Dumfries. The business creates homewares and textiles from recycled and sustainable materials, selling through online marketplaces in the UK, Europe, and the USA, as well as through independent shops.
Andy Robinson
Andy, our Pathways Innovation Coach, is an experienced tech founder and strategist with over 15 years’ supporting early-stage ventures from concept to scale and exit. He founded Cultivate Software, acquired by Deliveroo in 2019, then led engineering operations during Deliveroo’s £600m fundraise and IPO. Andy has since launched products and mentored hundreds of UK startups. His expertise covers software, deep tech, and product development, guiding founders to validate ideas, win customers, and build commercially viable solutions. His direct, thoughtful mentoring style blends founder empathy with commercial acumen, especially valuable for startups facing uncertainty, scaling, or preparing for investment and exit.
Katie Nairn
Katie, our Pathways Partnership Lead is an experienced business leader, mentor, and consultant with a proven track record in guiding organisations and individuals through growth and transformation. She works closely with South of Scotland Enterprise and partner organisations to design and deliver tailored development pathways that help businesses and people thrive. Drawing on her background as a co-owner of a successful construction company and Director of Impact Growth Academy, Katie combines practical business strategy with a people-focused, collaborative approach. She is passionate about empowering others to unlock potential, build confidence, and create sustainable success across the region.
