NattyShedLife

That's a wrap on Season 6 of the pod 🎙️ In the final episode, Cara's US relocation plan has officially been kiboshed – and with it, the three-month sabbatical that was going to change everything. So now what? From summer plans that don't exist yet, to a book that's been living in Cara's head for years and refuses to come out, to Nic watching the Michael Jackson biopic and having an absolute existe...

For this week's fireside chat – we go from cancelling a work open day to take a weekend away instead, to the strange disappearance of just popping round for a cup of tea, to the never-ending cycle of getting the house spotless (only to watch it fall apart again by Sunday night). Something happens in this episode where we go so much deeper. We go in on ambition, invisible labour, and the realisatio...

In this episode, Cara and Nicola are catching up on the chaos in this pre-holiday chat. We'll hear about hiring Gary the handyman and planning the birthday party of the decade (hello live band and staggered entry), to navigating parties sober, social anxiety, and a relationship honest enough to book couples therapy into the diary. Let's get into it. 🎙️ About NattyShedLife NattyShedLife is where we...

Something a little different this week on the pod 🎙️ No single topic, no fixed agenda: we're catching up with Cara and Nic on the last few weeks. The good, the brutal, and everything in between. From crashing the truck mid-burnout, to a surprise Paint & Sip class, to the difficult conversation at work that nobody wanted to have (but really needed to). Sometimes life's a bit too full for a neat...

When did you last do something just for you? Not for the kids, not for your partner, not for work. Just for you. In this episode, Cara and Nicola get into the thing nobody gives you permission to do – to carve out time and space for yourself. What does that actually look like in practice? Why is it so hard to know what you want, after years of putting everyone else first? But what happens to you (...

Last episode we talked about what social media does to us. This time, we're talking about what it's doing to our kids. 👧📱 From the two-week detox update, to the very real damage being done to children's self-esteem, mental health, and ability to think for themselves – you better believe we have thoughts on social media. How do you protect them when the platforms are designed to keep them hooked?...

We'd like to say that we've got a love-hate relationship with social media – but honestly, it's mostly hate. In this episode, Cara and Nicola get into the doomscrolling and the algorithms – the way it's changed from something that was supposed to bring us closer together, and how it's turned into something that controls us at best, and rips us apart at worst. We're not here to tell you to delete t...

Shout out to the folks helping to raise the next generation ❤️ In this episode, Cara and Nicola unpack the ups and downs, trials and tribulations, and what it's like for them raising children in today’s world. Expectations are high, information is endless, and the fear of getting it wrong is always present... From conversations about space and burnout, to trust, trauma, and what kids actually need...

In this episode of NattyShedLife, we talk about the woman who has shaped the way we lead, parent, communicate and live: the one, the ONLY Brené Brown. After travelling to Dublin to see her speak, this episode became something more than a conference recap – it's a reflection on the impact Brené's work has had on us, on Gillies & Mackay, and on the way we show up every day. From Dare to Lead and...

This season, we’re doing things differently. This season we’re exploring some bigger themes – with space for conversations and stories about the real stuff that actually shapes our lives. In this episode, we talk about GOALS – how easy it is to mess them up, how we’ve learned to reflect better, and why mortality might be the most powerful motivator of all 💀 This isn’t about becoming a new person...

In this episode of the NattyShedLife Podcast, producer Ross steps into the role of host to speak with Cara and Nicola about not just their leadership roles at Gillies & Mackay, but how they hold each other up every day. This is a conversation about trust built over time, decisions made under pressure, and the responsibility that comes with leading people you genuinely care about. Cara and Nico...

Before the sheds, before the awards, back where it all started… there were three people building something out of nothing: Grant, John and Caroline. In this special episode, Cara looks back at the real beginnings of Gillies & Mackay – not as a company, but as a young family trying to make a life. Working in an old farm, raising five children, borrowing tools and favours, learning as they went…...

Dean’s story is all about grit – the kind that comes from showing up even when it’s hard, learning the long way, and holding yourself to a standard no one else can see but you. In this episode, Cara sits down with Nic to talk about one of the workshop’s most heartfelt grafters: the effort, the setbacks, the expectations he carried, the pressure he put on himself, and the growth that came from all...

Gordon has been part of Gillies & Mackay since, basically, the very beginning. From laying slabs with John and Grant as a teenager, to becoming the operations director and Cara’s right hand man in leading the legacy forward. In this episode, Cara reflects on the man who has been in her life since childhood: the funny, warm, endlessly hardworking “big brother” figure who helped raise not only h...

Every day really is an adventure when you’re Ross and Darren – the dynamic delivery duo at the heart of G&M’s delivery team, and the last people customers see before their building becomes real. SO exciting. In this episode, Cara and Nic take us behind the scenes of the team who have to navigating tight access, wild weather, unpredictable ground, and all the curveballs that come with deliverin...

Chrissy has been part of Gillies & Mackay for as long as anyone can remember – literally. He grew up around the business, started sweeping up as a kid, trained as a master craftsman, and became the person who can build the most complex structures G&M has ever produced. In this episode, Cara and Nicola look back on 17 years of Chrissy’s impact – in the workshop, in the culture, and in their...

Every business has its protectors. And for Gillies & Mackay, that’s Cath and Ailsa. The women who keep the wheels turning, the money right, the systems tight, the stress level survivable, and the whole operation alive. In this episode, Cara and Nicola go deep into the unseen work behind the scenes – the hard graft, the responsibility, the loyalty, the emotional labour and the absolute brillian...

In this episode, Cara and Nicola talk honestly (and a wee bit emotionally) about the girl who grew up watching Cara grind through late-night spreadsheets, then walked into the marketing department and quietly blew everyone out the water. From writing newsletters that customers adore to supporting the younger ones in the family, Sophie brings a softness and a strength that makes all of us proud. Yo...

Cara always jokes that Amy's marketing department is all “rainbows and fairies” (seriously offensive, really) While she's definitely making magic happen, Amy's not here to sprinkle glitter ✨ she’s got serious work to get done. You've maybe seen her in G&M's Instagram reels – Amy's the sharp, creative, no-nonsense mind behind so much of the brand’s content strategy. She's the one who turns ide...

Lewis Duncan’s journey at Gillies & Mackay has never been simple. He came in like a lightning bolt – fast, full of energy, ready for anything. Then he left. And when he did, it broke hearts 💔 But the story didn’t end there. In this episode, Cara revisits one of her most emotional chapters in the business – the story of Lewis Duncan’s journey into G&M, his departure, and his triumphant ret...

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 f...

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...

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...

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...

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 Ar...