Post by Belinda Roberts MBE

Some people walk into a room with an impressive CV, others with a great business journey to share. Very few walk into a room with the level of achievement that Olympic curler Bruce Mouat has accumulated by the age of 31. A sport enthusiast from a very young age, Bruce first began curling at the age of seven after his father saw a newspaper article advertising a junior club. At the age of eight, he watched the historic efforts of Team GB’s Rhona Martin and her team win Olympic Gold at Salt Lake City 2002 which further fired his passion for the sport. His winning pedigree is phenomenal ... from a successful junior career winning 2 Scottish championships in 2015 and 2016, he has gone on to be World Champion, win multiple European Championship titles, be crowned World Mixed Doubles Champion, Grand Slam winner and Scottish Champion, the list goes on. He won consecutive Silver medals at the Winter Olympics in Beijing in 2022 and Milano Cortina this year, becoming the first person to represent Team GB in both the men's and mixed doubles curling. What struck me most at the WeDO Scotland Edinburgh Breakfast last week when I was in conversation with Bruce weren't just the medals, trophies or titles, it was him, the person. He was authentic, inspiring, modest, humorous, engaging and thought-provoking. There wasn't a hint of ego despite being one of Scotland's most successful athletes and someone who has spent years competing at the very highest levels of international elite sport. Listening to Bruce talk about the highs, the disappointments, the sacrifices and the relentless pursuit of improvement and excellence, it was impossible not to draw parallels with building and leading a business. One that particularly stood out for me was recognising that success is rarely the result of one big moment, but rather thousands of small decisions made consistently over time. Thank you, Bruce, for your honesty, humility and generosity in sharing your story to date, not to mention sharing your medals with us. To say you've left us with a lasting impression would be an understatement. If there ever comes a day when you decide to step back from curling, there's a substantial queue of businesses who would be delighted to have you join us! #ScottishBusiness #Leadership #HighPerformance