Building a Career with Depth, Not Just Novelty

In business, what does quality over quantity truly mean? While we often need both, the world mostly values size, speed, and scale above all. I've been reflecting on my place in the support landscape here in Scotland, and honestly, I’m starting to question whether I want to be part of that crowd anymore. After my fourth rejected proposal to support the Scottish Government's Pathways funding, I felt a pull to return to my roots. These initiatives often seem to come and go with the ebb and flow of political priorities, starting with a burst of enthusiasm only to be quietly starved of resources once the initial shine wears off. We also need to figure out how to truly be collaborative and not have to resort to competing for scraps of funding.

I started Keystone with a clear purpose: to create meaningful, tailored support specifically for women in enterprise. Women who face unique challenges in the business world, often requiring more than just a one-size-fits-all solution. This work isn’t about ticking boxes or chasing trends; it’s about creating real impact that sustains itself beyond political cycles and fleeting funding programmes. It’s also about helping women find ways to thrive in business while balancing the demands of their lives. How many women are starting or running businesses while also being the CEO of their household—keeping dentist appointments, birthday present requirements, and passports up to date. This is the emotional labour that "Dear Sugar's" host, Cheryl Strayed beautifully coined, "I am the list".

Sally Rooney once said that career growth is overrated, and as uncomfortable as it might be to agree with her, I’m starting to understand what she means. There’s a huge cultural obsession with novelty and growth—this relentless pressure to constantly expand, innovate, and be different for the sake of it. We’re bombarded with messages that tell us we need to grow, scale, and reinvent ourselves over and over, but I find that kind of thinking increasingly uninteresting and ultimately unsustainable. From the outside (often through social media), we might see a business as a huge success, only to later learn that while it has a great following, it’s on the brink of liquidation.

Keystone stands for something different. It’s about quality, depth, and meaningful engagement—not just surface-level changes that look good in a funding proposal but don’t create lasting impact. I created Keystone because I believe in supporting women who want to build businesses rooted in their own values, passions, and a sense of purpose, not just in what's shiny and new. And in all honesty, perhaps that isn't sexy or even all that popular for the general public—but it’s real.

I must admit, though, that I've been disheartened by the lack of integrity I’ve encountered in some organisations. They talk about values, community, and support, but their actions often don’t match their words. While I don’t always have the full story of what goes on behind closed doors, it’s hard not to feel disappointed when there’s such a gap between what is said and what is done. It makes me wonder: why is so much of the business support coming from people who have never actually run a business?

The statistics on the failure rates of UK businesses paint a clear picture of the challenges that entrepreneurs face:

• Approximately 20% of new businesses in the UK fail within their first year.
• Around 60% of businesses fail within their first three years.
• By the fifth year, about 50% of businesses no longer operate.

These numbers highlight the significant hurdles that entrepreneurs face, underscoring the need for solid support, mentorship, and sustainable growth strategies—focusing on depth and resilience rather than just rapid expansion or novelty.

Our Next Step

And so, I come back to what I can control. I come back to what Keystone was always about: deep self-knowing. Real growth isn’t about how fast we can move or how much we can produce; it’s about understanding who we are, what truly matters to us, and how we can align our work with those values. It’s about creating from a place of clarity and conviction, not from a place of chasing the next big thing.

To do what is right for myself and for the women I support, I need time for reflection, thought, and rest. It’s only when I give myself space that my most creative ideas emerge—when I stop rushing and prioritizing productivity over insight. This space is where I find clarity, and this clarity is the foundation for my best work.

I believe that a career built on depth and meaning—rather than endless reinvention—leads to a more fulfilling and impactful life. Keystone isn’t just a business; it’s a reminder to all of us that we don’t have to play the novelty game to succeed. We can choose quality over quantity, depth over novelty, and find the courage to do what’s right for ourselves and our communities.

Let’s create careers that aren’t defined by how much we do or how fast we grow, but by how deeply we understand ourselves and how aligned we are with our true purpose.

This is for those left outside of the jargon and demographics that these shiny initiatives cater to and who want to create something true to themselves.