LUCIDITY'S STORY
It was early 2014. I’d been working on a series of secondments and fixed-term contracts and was back on the search for the next opportunity. What would it be? I’d done over a decade in strategy and policy roles in higher education and wasn’t sure where to go next. I’ve never been afraid of making a decision, but nothing felt quite right. Then it struck me. Why didn’t I set out on my own, and create something new? It was a risk – I was a single parent, with financial as well as parental responsibilities – but one that seemed worth taking.
Within 3 months of making the decision, I had registered my limited company, found an accountant, and my first client. And I haven’t looked back since. Drawing on a network of contacts and experience built up over the ten years I’d worked in various universities, I’ve been involved in some fascinating and challenging projects. I’ve been able to hone my skills, build knowledge in new areas, and work with an amazing range of people.
What makes Lucidity’s consultancy different from others? I hope it’s all in the ethical approach. I’m guided by my three-word motto - creative | challenging | clear - and I bring this to every project and client I work with.
And that's Lucidity's story so far. Let's see where it takes me next!
About Jo
My experience comes predominantly from the higher education sector, in a wide variety of roles - in policy and strategy, and in teaching and research. I've had what you might call a 'portfolio career'. I've been involved in: strategy development and implementation; project and change management; staff engagement and internal communications; process improvement; and leadership.
I've based my career on the firm belief that you can do things differently, and that the 'norm' should always be challenged. I put this down to my education, where I was lucky enough to be able to spend many years at university. This culminated in a DPhil at the University of Sussex, where I explored the representational techniques used by early modern French travellers and writers to describe and comment on the New World. An obvious preparation for a business consultant? Many would say not, but I firmly believe that the skills I developed during my studies - in research, analysis and critical thinking - has given me a different perspective.
Lately, I’ve been spending much more time away from the desk, to explore a new-found love of charcoal and blacksmithing. I now make charcoal for drawing and cooking and sell it across Scotland, and have recently completed a City and Guilds course in blacksmithing techniques. You can find me by the kiln or the forge, and sometimes at markets selling my wares. I am Director of both Green Aspirations Scotland CIC, a social enterprise committed to reconnecting people to the landscape through traditional skills, and Soul of Fire Artists’ Charcoal, a social business dedicated to creating sustainable, high-quality, and accessible art materials.
Away from that, I enjoy reading, photography, sewing and being out in the woods. I'm passionate about gender equality.
