Events, Leadership and Building a Business That Fits Life | Elise MacDonald of Lux Events — Scale Her Up: Female business stories and expert tips for business growth and success

In this episode of Scale HER Up, I’m joined by Elise MacDonald, Managing Director of Lux Events, an events company specialising in corporate events, conferences, award ceremonies, brand activations and communications. Lux works mainly across Scotland, while also delivering projects further afield in Europe, London and beyond.

Elise shares how Lux Events has grown over the last 14 years into a respected business with a wide mix of clients, particularly in tourism, food and drink, and the marketing sector. We talk about what makes a great event, from personalisation and delegate experience to the importance of people, planning and the team behind the scenes.

We also dive into Elise’s own journey in events, from her first role at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre to agency life, a short move into a slower-paced university role, and eventually launching Lux. She talks honestly about how the business started, how her co-MD Joanne Lynn joined her early on, and why that partnership has been such a huge part of the company’s growth and success.

This is a really warm and practical conversation about hospitality, leadership, working motherhood, resilience and building a business culture where people feel supported and want to stay.

In this episode, we cover:

What Lux Events does and the different types of events they deliver
What makes a successful event and why personalisation matters
Elise’s career journey into events and why she knew she was in the right industry
How Lux Events began and why the partnership with Joanne has been so important
Why the team and company culture matter so much in service businesses
Hospitality industry pressures and how they affect venues, suppliers and events
How COVID impacted the events industry and what happened next
Leadership, resilience and handling setbacks in business
Building an all-female team with flexibility and family support at its core
What Elise has learned about herself through running the business
Advice she would give her younger self about confidence, voice and taking opportunities
Why more women should consider starting businesses and creating portfolio careers