Jane Campbell Morrison - CEO Snowsport Scotland

I first met Jane in a sailing club portacabin on the side of a loch last summer when she worked for RYA Scotland. I liked Jane from the second we met because of her no nonsense, gung-ho, anything is possible attitude. She oozes positive energy and is great fun to be around. In September last year Jane was diagnosed with cancer and in typical Jane style she faced it head on. Jane courageously decided to write about her experience from diagnosis, through chemotherapy treatment, to present day. Her articles are a fascinating, frank and powerful read. Jane's latest role as CEO of Snowsport Scotland sees her continue to challenge herself, bravely careering through life with a big smile on her face. Let me introduce you ....

Growing up in Canada, Scotland and France I dreamed of being a ski instructor. My parents decided to emigrate to Newfoundland in Canada and to have their children there. I loved it as I played Ice Hockey, have vivid memories of sledging outside our house, and we skied everywhere! We moved to Scotland when I was about 5 or 6, because my parents felt that there would be more opportunities for work and education back here. We sailed in the summer in our very small day boat (I have happy memories of hiding under the front of the boat with my wee brother and eating peanut butter cookies while my mum and dad did all the hard work) and skied every winter as often as possible, driving up in old cars that were freezing cold, and eating sandwiches and soup. To this day I hate penguin chocolate biscuits which were meant to be a treat but because they got so cold and then heated up they tasted a bit peculiar! My dad, my brother and I had some really great days together skiing hard and enjoying the Scottish conditions.

My first job was as a relief manageress for Flour Power bakery shops (now Greggs) which was scary when you are only 17 and have to manage ladies who are considerably older than you!

The best advice I ever got was ‘Do what makes you smile’.

The achievement I am most proud of is surviving cancer.

My mantra is a long one called Desiderata, a prose poem by American writer Max Ehrmann. Look it up.

Other people think that I am crazy and incredibly busy....more crazy though!

I’d be lost without my fountain pen, my cat and my husband although not necessarily in that order.

My biggest challenge has been/ is surviving cancer and changing jobs.

In the last year I have learned just how strong I actually am, both physically and mentally.

My ambition for the future is to have a really fast sports car! 

If I could be someone else for the day I would be Sharon Osbourne. Quite apart from being a cancer survivor (sort of – she took drastic steps to avoid getting cancer), she is quirky, not afraid to tell it how it is, looks fantastic for her age, has dealt with some very challenging situations at home and is still her own person.

In the public eye I believe that Mrs Obama is a great role model for women because she is not afraid to speak out but she does it quietly and sensibly.

Got a question for Jane? You'll find her on twitter @SnowSpScotCEO , or read her personal blog here .

Subscribe to this blog by adding your email to the relevant box on the right hand side, or follow me on twitter @AnnieBeee and search for the hashtag #WomenInMyLife. If you enjoy reading these interviews please use the share buttons below and spread the word. This article explains why I started writing it and what I hope to achieve in sharing the stories of these inspirational women.

Margaret Gibson - Chief Executive Women's Enterprise Scotland

Margaret Gibson has a penchant for brightly coloured tights, funky shoes and is a secret fan of wrestling. Well known for her hard work ethic and passion for helping others to achieve their full potential, Margaret genuinely cares about people and is a great listener, which possibly explains her phenomenal ability to remember names and faces. She is living testament to her mantra of ‘be kinder than people expect you to be’.

After 20 years working with PSYBT Margaret has recently been appointed Chief Executive of the Women's Enterprise Scotland and is the perfect candidate to be interviewed for ‘Women In My Life’. So let me introduce you...

My first job was helping my brother with his paper-round, he was 12 and I was 10, we were both cute kids so we used to make a fortune in tips.  I've always had some sort of job since then, ice-cream van assistant, shop girl, gallery attendant, barmaid, telephonist, nanny, singer and loads more, they all helped me to get me through college.  I've paid my own way from the age of 14. I've always been an independent spirit.

Growing up I dreamed of being a home economics teacher from about the age of 11.  I thought that it would be great cooking and sewing all day.  In sixth year I gained a place at the old ‘dough school’ but two months before I was due to start I changed my mind (much to everyone‘s surprise including mine) and decided to keep cooking as my hobby. Instead I enrolled onto a Marketing and Communications course and loved it.

The achievement I am most proud of is working with young people who thought they could not do anything, then watching them start businesses, create jobs, make profits and then helping others to do the same thing.  I was also chuffed to complete a 5km swim with my son to raise cash for a cancer charity.

The best advice I ever got was ‘You have two eyes, two ears and one mouth; therefore you should listen and watch twice as often as you speak'.  I cannot tell you how important that has been to me. I've been told I have the best ‘bullshit detector’ ever and combining the above advice with watching who pushes their chairs back under the table after a meeting is always a clear sign. (Those who do are generally good guys!)

My biggest challenge has been seeing my parents getting older and less able and feeling a bit useless as nature and the ageing process takes over.  I still have them both though so that is something that makes me happy.

Change is painful, revealing, scary, exciting and rejuvenating. I have just been through the biggest year of change I have ever experienced in my life. I encountered all of those feelings and sometimes all at once. I'm happy to report I have survived and thrived though!

I’d be lost without my fantastic husband and two children, they make me laugh, (a lot of the times at myself), make me feel loved and appreciated and very, very lucky.

My goal for the future is to continue to help people reach their goals, travel more, see my kids taking strides ahead with their lives and cuddling up with my husband to watch a great film or the next episode of ‘Breaking Bad’. I think it is good to have goals but don’t get too caught up thinking they have to be life changing or gigantic.

In the public eye…. I believe that  Dr. Maya Angelou  is a great role model for women because she overcame so many challenges in her young life and used them in a positive way to create a life filled with great things – everyone should read ‘I know why the caged bird sings’. She is now 85 years old and still producing wonderful work.  She is a poet, educator, activist, historian, producer, actor and director and a total inspiration to millions of women all over the world.

Thanks to Margaret for featuring in this blog and huge congratulations on the new role at Women's Enterprise Scotland. You can occasionally find Margaret on twitter at @RummleGumption

Subscribe to this blog by adding your email to the relevant box on the right hand side or follow on twitter @AnnieBeee and search for the hashtag #WomenInMyLife.